Whether or not you are in a friend group, company office, or pretty much any social group in existence, chances are that you have been invited to play in a fantasy football league.

For whatever reason, playing in a league with several experienced players can be intimidating. This can be made even more frightening if the game of football is a foreign concept let alone drafting a full team of players. I understand that.

I was invited to my first fantasy league by some friends before I knew pretty much anything about football. Over the years, I have come up with some tips that I wish I knew when I drafted my first team.

These tips are mainly designed to help the newcomer in their first league, but can be applied to anyone wanting to get better at fantasy or prepare for the 2016-2017 season.

1. Running Backs Fade Fast, Snatch While you Can!

One of the tricks that pretty much every fantasy players knows is that Running Backs go fast and are far and few between the best and the worst. Snatching at least one top-tier RB in the first two rounds is next to essential for long-term success.

While I will talk about this more in the next tip, the difference between getting a top tier Quarterback and Running Back is in the point differential as you go lower in the rankings. The stats show that Running backs drop more per player than Quarterbacks. This means that it is essential to draft running backs early.

For exact names, the main RBs to check out in this draft are Adrian Peterson, Todd Gurley and Ezekiel Elliot. While Elliot might be a bit risky to pick since he is a rookie, he should be fine running the ball behind arguably the best offensive line in the NFL.

2. Going Deep: Wait on a QB

While getting a top-tier QB might sound tempting, I would say wait on it if at all possible.

This does come with a bit of an exception, though. If a top tier QB like Aaron Rodgers falls to you with a late draft pick, then by all means, take him. He shouldn’t fall out of the second round.

When Rodgers is gone, it is best to wait on a QB. There are a ton of good QBs in the draft that can score a good amount of points. While it may be less than the top tier choices, they will still score.

Some of these QBs include Ben Roethlisberger, Drew Brees and Matt Ryan. All of these are viable choices that can be taken fairly late in most drafts.

3. Best Defense Doesn’t Equal Best Offense

The title might be a little confusing, but it just means that taking a high-level defense in the draft isn’t the only way to get solid points from the defense slot.

One trick I have used in multiple leagues is something I like to call the “catch and release.” This entails that the defense drafted doesn’t need to be the starter the whole season. They can be released and swapped out for other defenses on the waiver wire that are in good matchups.

Doing this can get some good points without using a draft pick on a high tier defense.

There is one huge risk to this, though. If there are no good matchups on the waiver wire, or if other people are using the same strategy, it may not work properly which can hurt fantasy owners in the long run.

4. Deep Depth Chart

This one is fairly self-explanatory. It means that one key to success is having a depth chart (or roster) is to have decent depth at a few or even one position.

This allows for a few possibilities that can really help out a team.

The first of these is the ability to swap out for matchups. Say if the WR2 currently starting is going against a top-tier defense, but a WR on the bench is going against a weak defense. Having good depth lets owners play matchups a lot more which can lead to more points.

Next is the possibility of trading. In sports, the best trades are ones that take positions of strength and trade to help out positions of weakness. The same holds true for fantasy sports. Trading away a decent WR for a good TE or QB can help round out a team and make it stronger.

5. Practice, Practice, Practice

This one should be fairly obvious, but practice drafting can help any fantasy owner get ready for their real drafts.

Pretty much every fantasy site has a place where people can do “mock drafts” with other people or bots in order to simulate how their drafts will go. If anything, it will show the player rankings in an easier to manage screen.

Practicing fantasy drafts can help eliminate surprises and develop drafting strategies for when the real thing comes along.

Fantasy football is an enjoyable experience that can be had by pretty much anyone. However, it is more than just a game, it is a way to bring a bunch of people together through a common interest. With these tips, even the most basic novice will look like they know what they are doing alongside their friends and colleagues.