5 Tricks To Help You Succeed In Fantasy Football

Friends. Readers. Countrymen. Countrywomen. I come with good news. The wait is finally over. Football is back and that means Fantasy Football is back in full swing. Whether you’re playing for big money or if you just play for fun, it’s always best to do it the right way. Fantasy Football has proven to be a different beast, and taking care of a team is much like caring for a pet for 4 months. Now that I’ve compared your subpar squad to your Golden Retriever, here’s a few pointers on how to dominate your fantasy league.

5. Don’t Let Your Fandom Get In The Way Of A Good Thing

Fantasy Football is about winning. It’s best not to play favorites, or be too biased. Take this example: last year my guy (auto)drafted Davante Adams with his first pick. His hatred of the Packers led him to start him with spite, and Davante being inactive for 2 weeks early on in the season was all he needed to seek a deal. He traded him for dimes on the dollar without having another bonafide WR and things went south quickly. Interesting how things work out, because Adams was a top 5 player in points scored at season’s end and was the WR1 by a decent margin. I hate the Packers just as much as anyone else, but having a player like him is a huge difference maker. Learn to be neutral in this case.

4. Utilize Add/Drop Notifications To Your Phone

Okay, this is the probably the most groundbreaking tip I will provide you with today folks. The ability to always be in the know is an important aspect of managing your team mid-season. Especially if you’re looking for a new RB or WR to carry you through injury or bye week terrorism. Last year was the first time I did this and I never even knew it was a thing. Learn from me: it. is. a. gamechanger!

Absolute chaos ensued on a Friday Night at 10:30 when someone dropped Tony Pollard. Might not sound like a big deal, but in a 12-team, 2-RB league him being on the waiver wire was gold. The days of “man, I wish I would have seen goddamn Charles drop Pollard!” are a thing of the past. Keep yourself in the loop.

3. Take A Flier On Everyone

The NFL season is a marathon, not a sprint. Which means not everything you see Week 1 will be the tone-setter for the whole year. Players flop, and people blow up. The Fantasy Football world moves quick, so if you feel like you have room to pickup a potential star for you fantasy team, go for it. Last year, I slept on not picking up James Robinson after Week 1. He ended up blowing up and I could have used a RB1 with CMC being hurt. It never hurts to try and pick up someone who could be great for you.

2. Depth Is Key

Despite what a certain, unnamed member of 10,000 Takes said in an outrageous take on MNR, depth is very important. I cannot stress this enough, just because you have a bonafide star does not mean you will be good to go all year. Injuries are a cruel bitch, and it hasn’t happened yet but COVID is still kind of a thing. Always carry 2 QB’s so you can have options. The only thing I wouldn’t recommend is having multiple Defenses. The way to go is a using a top-10 unit or streaming week-to-week.

1. Have Heart To Play All Season Long

This one is a little more opinionated, so bear with me here. If you sign up to play Fantasy Football and your top stars get hurt which leads you to give up, please fuck off. The worst thing you can do is not try, and it’s really not that hard. Remember when I said Fantasy Football is like having a pet for 4 months? Abandoning your team after some issues is the equivalent to leaving your dog on the side of the road.

There’s really no excuse for it anymore. Even if your team is completely, royally fucked, you can still get lucky. Or at least set a lineup for the integrity of the league or the chance playing spoiler for someone else. Hell, half of the fantasy apps give you optimal lineups and add recommendations anyway! And if you’re willing to really be a try-hard, you can always enlist some premium help to rally you back.

Hopefully these tips help you take money from your friends and co-workers, and that you won’t have to take the SAT test for coming in last place.