There’s nothing quite like kissing the summer heat goodbye and welcoming the season ahead by carefully crafting your (hopefully) winning fantasy football team with a handful of your most enthusiastic and competitive friends.
The Denver Broncos defeated the Carolina Panthers by just one point in the season opener on Thursday and set a true precedent for the season. Whether you’re a seasoned fantasy veteran or a newcomer, it’s always important to get familiar with the format if you want to succeed. That’s why I’m here to share some tips and tricks for winning your fantasy football league:
- Don’t share your strategy or ideas with anyone in your league. This is a competition, not a book club.
- Do not take a kicker or defense until at least the 13th round. Panthers, Broncos, Seahawks D/ST are slight exceptions but you never know what’s going to happen during the course of the season. It’s better to ride the waiver wire and see how things pan out.
Now this is a hard one for us, but do not draft any hometown players based on loyalty alone. I appreciate a die hard Baltimore Ravens fan, but I’ll be the first to tell you that Joe Flacco is not a good fantasy quarterback. If you’re a Giants fan and want Odell Beckham JR on your squad, then by all means – he’s a stud. Avoiding loyalty will save you from breaking your heart twice in the span of an hour. Can you imagine your team losing AND your WR scoring -2 points? Sheesh!
- On the flip side, don’t be afraid to go after your rival’s core players. If you are a Ravens fan, your biggest rival is the Pittsburgh Steelers, which is unfortunate because they have some seriously great fantasy players (ugh). Antonio Brown (WR) is going 1st in about every single mock draft we’ve seen, and for good reason – he scores like a QB. If you have money in your league, don’t go with your heart, go with the stats.
- WHAT ABOUT YOUR SURVIVOR FANTASY FOOTBALL LEAGUE?Don’t worry, I didn’t’ forget about you. For the best results, you should review the Las Vegas sports thread, check the playing conditions, approach Thursday night games with caution, and stay away from divisional games. Trust your gut.
All in all – PLAY BALL! I wish you the best of luck with your fantasy football league this season. And remember, football season isn’t just about winning. It’s about entertainment, the camaraderie between you and your friends, and great finger food – obviously. Cheers!