Martin A. Schulman - Fantasy Football For Dummies

1 You join a league.You can join a public league, where anyone can sign up for a spot, or a private league, where you need an invitation to play. Some people play just for fun and some play for serious coin. League selection is an important factor, so don’t take it lightly. Chapter 3discusses the different kinds of leagues and what to look for when signing up for one.

2 You prepare for your league draft by scouting players.Before choosing your fantasy team, you need to research all the available players so you can pre-rank them according to your personal preference. In Chapters 5, 6, and 7, I tell you what I look for when scouting the NFL so you can become your own expert.

3 You build your fantasy team via the draft.The draft is the most fun and exciting day of the fantasy season. During the draft, each fantasy coach selects one NFL player at a time until the rosters are complete. Chapter 4explains how to prepare for every type of draft and how the draft works. Chapters 8and 9offer in-depth draft strategies to help you outsmart your opponents and create a fantasy force.

4 Your team competes against another team every week.During the NFL season, the real teams face each other and so do the fantasy teams in your league. The players’ real-time stats are converted into fantasy points by your league provider, and in the most common head-to-head leagues, the fantasy team that scores the most points wins the game for the week. Points-based leagues work a little differently. Check out Chapter 2for a breakdown of how fantasy scoring works.

5 You make moves to improve your team.As a fantasy coach, you’re in total control. You can drop players you think aren’t good enough and replace them with free agents. If one of your starters gets hurt, you can bench him and start a healthy player instead. You may even make a trade offer to another coach. Chapters 10and 11explain how to manage your team each week and how to adjust your roster via player movement.

6 Your team (hopefully) makes the playoffs and wins your league.Only the strong survive, and at the end of the fantasy season, the top teams square off in a tournament to decide the league champion. Chapter 12offers some strategic advice for managing your playoff team and presents a breakdown of the various playoff formats. The last team standing may win a trophy, a cash prize, or just honor; but make no mistake, there will be only one winner.

Fantasy football simulates the real deal by using a performance-based scoring system. A touchdown (TD) is worth 6 points for an NFL team and 6 fantasy points for a player on a fantasy team (for rushing or receiving touchdowns. Many leagues count passing TDs for 4 points). Fantasy players are also awarded 0.5 or 1 point per catch, points for yardage gained, such as 1 point for every ten yards gained rushing or receiving. Bad NFL plays often count as negative fantasy points; interceptions and fumbles lost can be worth -1 to -2 points respectively. In general, every statistic can be used to rate a player’s achievements, good and bad, depending on your fantasy league.

Your fantasy team’s final score each week is the sum of all your starting players’ fantasy points. Table 1-1shows an example of fantasy scoring for one week in a league with fractional and negative points. Don’t worry about having to calculate all this each week. Your league provider does the math for you. For more specifics about scoring, check out Chapter 2.

TABLE 1-1A Good Week for Your Fantasy Team

Like the rest of the sports world, fantasy sports has a lingo all its own. The slang terms are all fairly easy to grasp and fun to use, so don’t be scared off! I include the following list so you can get a good feel for these fantasy football terms before you start playing, and I use them repeatedly throughout the book:

Breakout: When a player goes from average to great.

Bye week: Every NFL team is inactive once during the regular season; an NFL team’s off week is its bye week.

Cheat sheets: The lists of pre-ranked players — overall and by position; see Chapter 4.

Collusion: Two coaches working together to win a league; see Chapter 11.

Daily Fantasy: An alternative to standard fantasy football where you bet money on individual weeks or games; see Part 4.

Damaged goods: When a player involved in a trade is hurt; see Chapter 11.

Elite: The highest ranked players at their positions.

Fantasy formula: A simple way to evaluate a player’s potential: skill plus opportunity equals success.

Fantasy worthy: A player who plays enough to make a fantasy impact.

Fleecing: Taking advantage of a bad coach in a lopsided trade; see Chapter 11.

FLEX: A flexible slot on your roster where you can select from multiple positions; see Chapter 6.

Game-time decision: Waiting to see if a hurt player will start. Status won’t be revealed until inactive lists are posted 90 minutes before kickoff; see Chapter 10.

Insurance Policy: Formerly known as “Handcuffing”. Drafting a backup and a starter from the same NFL team; head to Chapter 9.

Keeper league: Coaches retain a certain number of players from one season to the next.

League settings: The league rules and stat modifiers that determine fantasy point values.

Pre-rankings: How NFL players are rated for fantasy purposes before the season starts.

Private league: A league you can join by invitation only and that’s controlled by a commissioner; see Chapter 3.

Public league: Anyone can sign up and play; see Chapter 3.

Sleeper: A little-known player who’s ready to awaken and be great.

Star: A top-rated fantasy starter.

Trade bait: Good players you can offer to other coaches; check out Chapter 11.

Trading deadline: Last day of the season to make trades; see Chapter 11.

Vulture back: A running back who steals goal-line carries from the starter; jump to Chapter 5.

Waiver wire: Dropped players are here before they become free agents; check out Chapter 11.