Now that we are into October, most people have a pretty good sense of how their Fantasy Football teams are doing. Whether you're in a 6, 8, 10, 12, or 16 person league, as the midpoint in the season comes around, here are my five tips to turning your season around (or what you should have done at the beginning).
1. Draft players you truly know. It can be tempting to draft players that merely have high projections or seem to always make the highlight reel on ESPN, but if I were to give you the top tip of how to keep your losses at a minimum, it would be to draft players that you are both invested in and have done your research on. This could also be a "go with your gut" piece of advice as well—if you have hesitations about a player, pass on them! This is why I always aim to at least draft one player from the Patriots because though people like Matthew Berry might give you great pieces of insight each week, they don't know as much as you do about your team! And to prove my point, drafting Sony Michel seems to have made the difference this year!
2. It's not an attractive play, but draft defenses before your friends. This may be different rounds for different groups, but to me, the second best way to keep your losses low is to have a reliable defense, as opposed to streaming the match-up team of the week. Though you may have more upside through streaming, having a proven defense can help you avoid the weeks where you not only earn zero points from your defense but also dip into the negatives as well. The risk and reward is present, but if I were you, I would rely more on having solid running backs and receivers in place, then trying to hit a home run with a defense from week to week. It can make all the difference.
3. Take a few risks, but don't overcompensate either. If you are like me and have had a good first five weeks of the season, you can take a few more risks than others. Between trades and free agent pick-ups, there are always ways to bolster your team and sometimes making a good decision can change the dynamic of your team (for better or worse). If you aren't doing as well as you hope, definitely take a few risks. If someone isn't working out, don't hold onto them just because of your ego—let go! On the flipside, don't let Fantasy Football make you overthink things either. Making multiple drop/adds in 24 hours is never a good idea, especially if it's after midnight.
4. Know the teams you are playing. Sometimes, you can experiment with different players based on who you are playing in the current week. Making sure you are aware of the standouts on their team and their weak areas can help you decide who to play. If you think you will need to score a lot of points that week, stick with a running back at flex unless you are in a PPR league. Likewise, if you have a player that is a "boom or bust" every week, play the matchups game and know who they are playing that week and how their defense ranks in comparison to the league.
5. Pick-up players that are from the better teams in the NFL. The fact of the matter is, a lot of times, it doesn't matter who the player is, as much as what team they play for. If they are a standout player, but their offense is never on the field, there is not much they can do from the sideline. It's fun to have the most well-known players on your team, but sometimes, it can be really beneficial to have the players from the best teams, regardless of their status as RB1 or not. Due to injuries, suspensions, and other unforeseen circumstances, you never know when your player could become the lead player for their team! For instance, I picked up T.J. Yeldon when Leonard Fournette was still playing and for a few weeks now; it has been paying dividends! Down the road, you may be thankful for picking up someone who you initially did not think would be part of your lineup.
Best of luck in the future of your fantasy league!
