|
Double your Pleasure
The How and Why of Fantasy Football
Every year the ranks of Fantasy Football owners increase by entire battalions of football fans, and yet the number of people enjoying this entertainment cannot compare to the corps of football followers who have never even engaged in the pastime. That majority of people who don't play don't know what they are missing.
Picture for a moment something that is very satisfying in your life…and then twofold the gratification. That is what playing Fantasy Football does to someone who is already a die-hard NFL aficionado. Watching football without being in a fantasy league is like using dial-up to access the Internet -- the experience just isn't the same.
Once you are ready to accept the conversion from football fan to full-fledged Fantasy Football fanatic, it is time to promptly educate yourself, so that you can reap the rewards of your passion that much more quickly. At its base, Fantasy Football enables you to manage a roster of stars in an attempt to win enough that you can get to the championship game.
First, figure out what type of league is right for you. There are four main types of fantasy league to participate in, and though all are exciting they each offer a very different theme and require a different set of strategies.
Redraft -- This is the standard type of league. You will pick players based on how you believe they will perform in the current season, attempting to construct the best collection of players possible. Redraft leagues are popular because there is no long-term commitment. If you do well, you enjoy your success. If you perform poorly, you can always try your luck again next season, with entirely different players if you wish.
Keeper League -- In this type of league, owners generally expect the league to exist for a predetermined amount of time and draft accordingly. Typically, a keeper league may last for 3-5 years, though many keeper leagues continue indefinitely. In these leagues, you get to retain some players on your roster beyond the first season. Usually owners in these leagues keep 3-5 players. This means that you must draft initially with more than one season in mind, and it also means that first round picks in subsequent drafts are not as valuable as in the initial draft. For example, if everyone in a 12-team league keeps three players after year one, then the person with the first pick in the league's second year essentially has the 37th pick in the draft.
Dynasty League -- A dynasty league requires owners to make a commitment for a number of years. Every player an owner drafts is retained on his or her team from year to year, unless that player is traded, dropped, or retires. This hard-core league demands long-term planning to be successful, as owners can truly construct a dynasty if they trade and draft well. On the other hand, poor trades and draft picks could spell disaster for a fantasy team for more than one season. In these leagues, owners only have a rookie draft each year to create roster turnover.
Survivor League -- As on the reality show, owners in this league are competing to be the last team left standing. Each week, the team whose players accumulate the fewest points gets booted from the league. This is not a head to head competition, so one bad week can do you in. It is therefore important to draft both steady and streaky players. You need the steady guys to get you through the early part of the year, but the streaky players can help eliminate tougher competition later on. The owner with the highest point total each week gets "immunity" the following week, and cannot be booted until it comes down to the final two owners.
The easiest thing to do is join an established league or a contest as a random entrant. If you are interested in creating your own league here are the things to deliberate when constructing it:
1. Who will be the league commissioner? This is the person who runs the draft and provides the final judgment concerning all rule queries or disagreements during the season.
2. How will you choose to draft? You could choose to hold the draft with all of the members present physically in one place. Or, you can hold a live draft in an online chat room. Many sites are built specifically for this purpose. It is also possible to engage in an email draft. In this manner, owners are able to select their picks at their convenience.
The other component of how to draft involves choosing a method of selecting the
players. The two main modes of player dispersal are serpentine and auction drafting. The commissioner will randomly draw a draft order for a serpentine draft. Using the same 12-owner league example, everyone would pick when it is his or her turn, in order, from one to twelve. Then, the twelfth owner would select again at pick number 13, and so on, with the original draft order in odd rounds and the reverse in even rounds.
An auction allows every owner the chance to acquire every player, provided they have the means necessary. Each owner starts out with the same salary cap, and must fill out a roster with the funds available. Players are nominated, and then the bidding ensues. The highest bidder for a particular player wins that player.
3. What are your league regulations? It is crucial to determine beforehand some ground rules so that everyone knows how to play and most arguments are avoided.
Take time to figure out the following: What the starting lineup will require, when starting lineups are to be posted, how owners can add and drop players, how owners can trade players, whether you will have an injured reserve option, how match-ups are scored, how playoff teams are ascertained, what the league schedule will be, and what fees and prizes will be required and bestowed, respectively.
The Right Rivalry
After deciding on a league, seek out an appropriate level of competition. Because a lot of the fun in Fantasy Football comes from ribbing someone after your team has beaten theirs, many people play Fantasy Football with family or friends. You might compete against your cousins, or strive to throttle your fellow fraternity or sorority members. The group doesn't matter, it's the relationships you foster that do. Fantasy Football alone is often the glue that keeps you in touch with people you would like to relate to but might otherwise fail to make the time for.
Online or office leagues are a little less personal, but can be more competitive. The people playing in these leagues want to win. Nobody here will forget to enter a starting lineup. These leagues are where you can hone your skills if you want to try your hand at the third level of competition.
A recent Fantasy Football phenomenon is the high stakes league. Similar to poker tournaments, owners must ante up a considerable amount of cash for the opportunity to win vast sums of money in these competitions. This type of league is a gambler's paradise but makes Fantasy Football as much about money as fun.
Preparation Pays
Before your draft, study the information available for free on many Fantasy Football websites. The articles offered there can provide valuable inseason strategies and drafting techniques. Pay attention to the preseason. Training camps offer clues about who might morph into a fantastic fantasy player. Don't put too much stock into the actual preseason games though. They are used by coaches as tune-ups, meant to evaluate depth.
Purchase a few of the better Fantasy Football magazines that appear on the newsstands from May to August. You can tell which ones will benefit you by counting the number of thoughtful and articulate articles they display. Pay particular attention to expert mock drafts, especially ones where the experts involved explain why they drafted a certain player when they did. The analysis can confirm your own thoughts regarding a player, or give you pause to reconsider.
The Inside Scoop
To truly excel in Fantasy Football, it helps to know the lingo owners use to discuss players and make deals. As in any field, understanding the jargon will enable you to be more successful, faster.
Basic Scoring -- A scoring system that rewards fantasy owners with points based upon the actual points scored in pro football: 6 points for touchdowns, 3 points for field goals, 2 pts for a safety or 2-point conversion, and 1 point for an extra point.
Breakout Year -- This term is used to predict or review when a player will or did significantly increase his statistics from one season to the next. It often describes players who are entering their second or third year in the league and who have gained the necessary experience to allow their natural talent to equal production.
Bust -- a football player who fails to live up to his preseason statistical expectations.
Contract Year -- A term used to explain that a particular player is in the last year of his current NFL contract, and will probably play harder to earn more money. It is expected that he will then also do better statistically.
Flex Players -- An extra or alternate roster spot in a starting lineup. Instead of requiring the slot to be filled by a specific position, the owner can choose which position to use -- usually a running back, wide receiver, or tight end. This option allows owners more creativity and flexibility when determining their starting lineups.
Handcuffing -- When an owner selects a backup player later in a draft as insurance against injury for his or her high-profile fantasy starter. Usually, only running backs and quarterbacks are handcuffed. Often, other owners draft these backups to break up a handcuff opportunity and create potential trade bait for themselves. A good example of a handcuff player this year would be Rams running back Stephen Jackson, a talented player on the depth chart behind oft-injured star Marshall Faulk.
Individual Defensive Players (IDP's) -- Starting fantasy player slots on the defensive side of the ball, including defensive linemen, linebackers, and defensive backs. Usually used instead of defensive teams.
Performance Scoring -- a scoring system that gives points for yardage and sometimes bonus points for hitting a particular statistical benchmark, in addition to basic scoring.
Possession Receiver -- In Fantasy Football terms, this means a player who can move the chains by consistently grabbing shorter passes underneath coverage but who is not considered a game-breaker on the fantasy scene.
Sleeper -- Any player who is selected much lower in a draft, or sold much lower in an auction, than the value he actually brings to a fantasy team.
Stud Running Back Theory -- A drafting strategy that suggests drafting running backs before all other positions in a draft, due to perceived scarcity.
Trade Bait -- When an unused fantasy player suddenly becomes a valuable commodity to be used in a trade to upgrade the owner's current starters.
Value Based Drafting (VBD) -- A draft system which espouses drafting players based not only on a comparison of their fantasy value relative to others at their own position but compared to all positions.
If you are truly addicted to football, as opposed to being a gridiron weekend warrior, then Fantasy Football should be your fix of choice. This game within a game puts ego and knowledge on the line all the time.
Joe Levit, based in Boston, writes Fantasy Football columns for SI.com and thehuddle.com and articles for fantasysportsjunkies.com. He has published articles in Grogan's, Fantasy Index, Fantasy Sports and Fantasy Football Pro Forecast magazines. He is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and a devoted Detroit Lions fan who can be reached at joelevit_writer@yahoo.com
|
|
Our latest Cheat Sheets updated constantly through September.
|
|
|
class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr1')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Jermicheal Finley Says No Progress On Contract Yet
(2/3 11:45 PM PT)
The Facts:
Following up on the ongoing story. ... Finley is a free agent this offseason and there hasn't been any movement on a new contract. "Hey, it's the NFL," Finley said Friday. "With business right now, I don't even know what's going on. ...You just have to play that (waiting) game. It's the Green Bay way. "I don't know anything. I'll just hope for the best."
Diehards Line:
As Journal Sentinel staffer Tyler Dunne notes, if Finley does receive the franchise tag from the Packers, it's expected that he will seek to be classified as a wide receiver. An arbitrator would make that final call. The franchise tag number for wideouts will likely be around $9 million. This season, Finley had 55 catches for 767 yards and eight touchdowns.
|
class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr2')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Report: Chiefs Going With Daboll As OC
(2/3 10:00 PM PT)
The Facts:
Following up on the previous item. ... ESPN's Adam Schefter reports the Chiefs hired former Dolphins assistant Brian Daboll as their offensive coordinator.
Diehards Line:
Daboll, most recently Miami's offensive coordinator, has a history with general manager Scott Pioli and he was selected over QBs coach Jim Zorn and former Raiders OC Al Saunders.
|
class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr3')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Report: Bills, Rian Lindell Agree To New Contract
(2/3 9:32 PM PT)
The Facts:
According to a league source, the Bills and Lindell have agreed on a contract that will keep him in Buffalo. Lindell was set to become an unrestricted free agent on March 13, but the two sides have hammered out an agreement.
Diehards Line:
Lindell has spent nine seasons as the kicker for Buffalo since arriving from the Seattle Seahawks. From 2003 to 2010, Lindell didn't miss a single game for Buffalo. It wasn't until this past season that he missed eight regular season games due to a shoulder injury. In his career in Buffalo, Lindell has connected on 204 field goals out of 246 attempts, a field goal percentage of nearly 83-percent. He's also missed only one extra point, that coming on a block against the Chicago Bears at the Rogers Centre in Toronto in 2010.
|
class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr4')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Super Bowl XLVI Injury Report; Final Edition
(2/3 4:25 PM PT)
The Facts:
Friday's final Super Bowl XLVI Injury/Status Report is now available for your review.
Diehards Line:
Under NFL rules, teams are only required to list if a player practiced or not until Friday. Then they must reveal the player's status for the game (out, doubtful, questionable, or probable). That information can now be accessed HERE.
|
class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr5')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Ryan: Sanchez, Holmes Have Talked; Hope To Meet Soon
(2/3 2:02 PM PT)
The Facts:
Following up on a previous item. ... Mark Sanchez and Santonio Holmes have talked by phone in an attempt to repair their relationship, and they're planning to meet soon for a kind of quarterback-wide receiver retreat. HC Rex Ryan told ESPN.com Friday that Sanchez and Holmes have discussed the possibility of taking an entire weekend to hash out their differences -- a couple's getaway, NFL style. "I'm not sure if they're going to or not, but that's something they mentioned," Ryan said. "I'm not sure where it would be or anything like that. I know they had mentioned that to me."
Diehards Line:
Ryan said he has spoken individually to Sanchez and Holmes, whose year-long rift became public at the end of the season. Asked if he planted the seed for the get-together, Ryan smiled and said, "I'm not going to take credit for that." Owner Woody Johnson revealed Thursday that he's planning to have dinner next week with Sanchez, and the team also has to make a final decision on Holmes' contract. If they wanted to cut him, they'd have to do it by Wednesday, according to a clause in the five-year, $45 contract he signed last summer. If he's still on the roster by Wednesday, his guaranteed money increases from $7.75 million to $15 million. Ryan, reiterating the team's public stance on Holmes, said there's no chance of him being released. "That's not going to happen," he said. ... We'll see.
|
class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr6')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Bradshaw, Nicks Listed As Probable For Super Bowl XLVI
(2/3 2:01 PM PT)
The Facts:
Ahmad Bradshaw didn't participate in practice Friday, the final session before Sunday's Super Bowl. Defensive back Tyler Sash and defensive end Osi Umenyiora (ankle, knee) were limited. All three players are listed as probable, along with wide receiver Hakeem Nicks (shoulder), cornerback Corey Webster (hamstring) and linebacker Jacquian Williams (foot).
Diehards Line:
The absences came after HC Tom Coughlin had presented a rosy picture of his team's health while addressing the media Friday morning. "Everyone wants to be a part of it at this point in time," Coughlin had said. "No one wants to be someone who is not able to participate or be a part of this wonderful experience. We’ve had everyone on the practice field, and hopefully, thank God, it will be that way Sunday. ..." As NFL.com's Albert Bree notes, Bradshaw had participated in Wednesday's practice on a limited basis and was a full participant Thursday. It has not been unusual for Bradshaw to play in a game after missing a day or two of practice since he broke a bone in his foot during the regular season.
|
class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr7')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Irsay Releases (Another) Statement On Peyton Manning
(2/3 1:57 PM PT)
The Facts:
Following up on the ongoing story. ... Colts owner Jim Irsay released a statement on Friday. “Peyton Manning, Jim Irsay and the entire Colts family remain close and unified as we continue to work through all the options that relate to his future with the Colts,” the statement reads. “The present focus is on the Super Bowl and the great game that awaits.”
Diehards Line:
At the risk of sounding cyncial and mean-spirited, the words in the release don't match the actions either side have taken this week. The two sides appear to be using the enormous world-wide stage that comes with the Super Bowl being hosted in Indianapolis to gain some kind of media or public relations advantage in what appears to be the process of separating after a lengthy and mutually-beneficial relationship. And every time they say it's not so, it becomes even clearer that it is. ... We'll further suggest we'd expected more from both sides.
|
class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr8')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Gronkowski, Welker Listed As Questionable For Super Bowl XLVI
(2/3 1:13 PM PT)
The Facts:
Following up on the ongoing story. ... TE Rob Gronkowski is listed as questionable on the team's final injury report. Gronkowski participated in Friday's hour-long walk-through. He practiced for the second straight day after being limited in practice on Thursday. The Patriots listed 10 other players as questionable, including safety Patrick Chung (knee), left guard Logan Mankins (knee), linebacker Brandon Spikes (knee) and wide receiver Wes Welker (knee).
Diehards Line:
All 11 players were listed as taking part in a limited portion of Friday's practice and Boston Herald staffer Ian Rapoport advised his readers that Gronkowski is likely to play, as will likely all of the questionable. "This is kind of like Saturday for us," said HC Bill Belichick. "We've had a little bit of extra time this week (to practice). I think we're ready to go. We've worked hard this week Monday, Wednesday and Thursday in practice, and we had good practices back (in Foxboro) last week. We went through some mental-review things out there (Friday). ..." Stay tuned. We'll be posting the full injury report for Sunday's game once it's released by the league office.
|
class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr9')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Matt Forte Says Intent Of Franchise Tag Will Determine His Approach
(2/3 12:36 PM PT)
The Facts:
Following up on the ongoing story. ... Matt Forte said he would be fine with the Chicago Bears using the franchise tag on him as long as it leads to a long-term deal and is not simply a tactic to keep him off the free-agent market for another season. "It depends on the motive of (the franchise tag)," Forte said Thursday. "If they are doing the franchise tag just to get more time in order to negotiate a long-term deal then I would be OK with it. But if it's just to hold me another year and just 'Let's throw some money at him right now to keep him quiet,' that's not going to solve anything."
Diehards Line:
Bears president and CEO Ted Phillips said on Tuesday that the team has no intention of letting Forte become a free agent. Forte, who made his first Pro Bowl in the final year of his rookie contract, hopes that means an amenable resolution to a contract issue that has gone on since the lockout ended in July. Forte turned down a contract offer from the Bears before the season with $13 million to $14 million in guaranteed money, ESPN.com reported. Now with Phil Emery taking over for Jerry Angelo as Bears GM, Forte is hopeful an agreement can be reached. He said his agent has already spoken with Emery and expects to have more conversations in the next few days. Forte missed the final four games of the regular season after suffering a sprained right medial collateral ligament during the Bears' home loss to Kansas City on Dec. 4. He finished the season with 1,487 yards from scrimmage and returned to play in Sunday's Pro Bowl.
|
class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr10')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Chiefs Considering Daboll For OC Opening
(2/3 12:29 PM PT)
The Facts:
The Kansas City Chiefs are talking to Brian Daboll about their vacant offensive-coordinator position, according to a league source.
Diehards Line:
As previously noted, the Chiefs have also looked at Jim Zorn as an in-house candidate and have spoken to former Raiders coordinator Al Saunders, who has worked previously in Kansas City. Daboll, most recently Miami's offensive coordinator, has a history with general manager Scott Pioli and several executives expect him to be a top candidate for the job.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Home
