Fantasy Football 101
In season management: Wavier Wire Wonders
You had a great draft, now get to work scouring the wavier wire! Just ask any fantasy owner who picked up Peyton Hillis or LeGarrette Blount last season how important the wavier wire is. The wavier wire is a treasure chest loaded with hidden gems if you know where to look. Injuries and depth chart adjustments can turn a player with no value but a ton of upside into serious fantasy assets quickly. Keep tabs on the top performers from the previous week; if they are worth a pickup, do not be afraid to get them.
In season management: Bye weeks and injuries
The number one rule in fantasy football is that you never start a player on a bye week. Fantasy owners need to be aware of when they are, and have a replacement ready to fill in. Same thing with injuries; if a player is unlikely to play, he is better off on your bench (even if he plays, he will be limited). One tricky aspect of fantasy football is when it comes to injuries and the late west coast games. If a player is an injury question mark and is playing in one of the later games of the day, you are better off sitting him in favor of a healthy player than finding out five minutes before the late game that your injured player is out, leaving you with no backup to play.
In season management: Be patient with struggling studs:
Last year (for example) many fantasy owners were frustrated with Matt Forte early in the season because he was not producing at the elite level he had the year before as a rookie. However, it was too early to jump ship just because of a couple of bad performances. I've always said there is a reason you drafted this guy in the early rounds, you have to be patient and eventually he will turn it around. Forte was a major bust last season who never turned it around, so eventually there reaches a point where you have to cut bait with a guy. Though, at least early in the season give players the benefit of the doubt, and hope they turn it around if they are struggling. We've all had bad days right?
In season management: Trading: Buy Low, Sell High
If you know anything about the stock market, you are aware of the basic philosophy: Buy low, sell high. When is the right time to buy when you are talking about fantasy players? The right time is when you see a player is being undervalued. If the player is truly better than his current value, his "stock" will eventually rise and reflect his true value. When looking to trade, identify players who are undervalued, and that you believe can turn it around to help your fantasy squad. When is the right time to sell? The right time to sell is when a player's value is at its peak (especially if they are overachieving).
In season management: Trading: Trade from a strength
A big problem (especially for new fantasy owners) is knowing where to start when making a trade offer. The answer is that you always want to deal from a position of strength. You want to make a deal that will strengthen your weaknesses by trading away some of your strengths. For example if you are in need of a wide receiver, trading your backup quarterback to a team in need of a starter for one of his wide receivers makes sense.
Hopefully fantasy owners can take away something from these tips that will help them become better fantasy players. Remember that a lot of fantasy football is luck, but putting yourself in the best possible position to succeed is all you can really do. As I always say, best of luck to all fantasy owners out there (unless you're playing me).
