Joining a fantasy football team can be intimidating, particularly if you are playing in a league with more experienced individuals. While it may seem overwhelming at first, fantasy football isn't so tricky once you understand the basics.
In a fantasy football league, you build a team from the pool of current players. So, you may have the Browns quarterback, the New England Defense, and a kicker from California all on one team. Throughout the season, you can adjust your starting line based on what teams have bye weeks, who is injured, and which teams are playing each other. Each week, your team goes up against the team of another member in your league.
The season begins with a draft. This is when each member of the league chooses which players they will have for the season. Many leagues make the draft an event in and of itself, wanting to do it as an actual or virtual party with everyone online at the same time.
When choosing players for your fantasy football team, you want to select the best possible players available when it is your turn. Two people within the same league cannot have the same player, so you need to decide when you get started which positions are the most important to you so that you know which players you want to choose first as not to risk losing them to another member in your league.
Each player has a ranking within fantasy football which is used to identify how well they are predicted to do during the upcoming season. This ranking is based on a wide range of factors including their prior performance, team, overall health, and physical condition. For example, fantasy football defense rankings will help you determine which team's defense you should choose for your team.
While offensive players are chosen individually, the defense is selected by team, though the entire team scores the points. So, for example, you will not have to choose individual defensive tackles. Instead, you will select the Patriots defense. Then, when the Patriots defense sacks the quarterback or intercepts a pass, you will get points regardless of which member of the defense did it.
When choosing your team, you will select two defenses to account for the bye week. Every team in the NFL has a scheduled week off from playing, so it is important to know the NFL game schedule. When your team is on their bye week, you will need a back-up defense to earn points and stay competitive within your league.
You score points based on how each player plays during the real games that week. The points your players earn are added together, and the total is the score you receive for the week. The team with the higher score wins. Your win-loss record is tallied throughout the season. The teams with the best records by week 13 or 14 get to move onto the playoffs, and the team with the highest cumulative points at week 16 wins the league.
You set your starting lineup each week before the start of the first game. It is essential to identify any players on your team that are out with injuries or on their bye week. You want to make sure these people are not in your starting lineup because you won't get any points for players that do not play. You can make several changes throughout the week leading up to your games.
These are simply the basics of how to play fantasy football. There may be slight variations based on the rules determined by the league you have joined. Although it might sound complicated, you will catch on quickly. The most important thing is to pay attention to bye weeks and injuries — and always remember to have fun.
