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Yesterday, I remembered that my Fantasy Football League is holding its annual draft this Monday, August 26 at 8PM. It will be my lucky 13th season in our 10-team league comprised of a few former co-workers and some of their long-time friends.
Last season, my Yahoo! Fantasy Football team (called Swamp Gas) started the 2023 season as the defending champion. Though my team raced out to a solid 9-4 regular season record, Swamp Gas was clobbered in two straight post-season losses to finish in fourth for the season.
All-in-all, the past two years of results have been exceptional. A first place followed by a fourth place finish gives some confidence that my “system” is working quite well in recent years.
That is quite encouraging heading into Monday night’s draft.
Though my philosophy is likely no better than yours, it is fun to share ideas – especially with those who may be trying fantasy football for the first time in 2024.
By the way, our fantasy football league is strictly for fun (no money involved).
I refuse to play in “cash” leagues after one failed attempt back in the early 1980’s. It ruined my Sunday afternoons as I calculated the dollar value of every touchdown scored when those “Game Break” replays were shown on TV. I had stopped enjoying watching NFL football games. Fortunately, my first year mistake only cost about $20 for that season. Lesson learned.
Most football fans seem to enjoy having something of value being placed on the table in their fantasy football league competition. Whatever floats your boat!
Q: With two solid Fantasy Football seasons back-to-back, what was my biggest secret?
The honest answer is, “I drafted in the #4 position in 2022 when my team won the championship”.
Having the good fortune of a great draft position likely had more to do with my team’s success than my general manager skills in making player draft selections and weekly roster decisions.
The luck of the draw can be quite important. Having a middle draft position (4, 5, or 6) usually assures that your team having quality options at each position – especially during the early rounds.
By the way, the draft order for fantasy football teams is randomly determined by a computer. In our league, the Yahoo Sports computer provides the draft order just a few minutes before the actual draft begins. Surprise!
With ten teams in our league, the draft order goes in numeric order for Round 1. The “snake” then reverses and teams select in reverse order during Round 2. So, the team with the first overall pick in Round 1 will get the 20th overall pick (the final selection of Round 2).
Q: What should I study to prepare for the draft?
For a couple of years, I purchased one of the fantasy football magazines (check your local grocer or drugstore). The biggest problem with most publications is that they have gone to press several months prior to the season beginning. They don’t provide information about injuries, unsigned players, and recent trades.
Other than helping me become more familiar with the current players’ names, the magazine didn’t affect my draft decisions very much.
I spend more time trying to “guess” what each team’s record is going to be in the upcoming season. The teams which finished near the top last year will (generally) have a tougher schedule the following year. You might be able to spot a few teams which are ready to break out (due to an easy schedule).
In general, very few NFL teams improve significantly from year to year.
Yes, last year’s Houston Texans showed an incredible turnaround. Going from 3-13-1 in 2022 to 10-7 and making the playoffs in 2023 was an amazing feat. However, they struck gold with a smart new coach, a couple of timely first round picks, and a relatively easy schedule.
In general, last year’s top teams will be this year’s early favorites. If you’re seeking the most production, stick with teams which have historically scored the most points. Choose players from those teams wisely, though.
Q: Injuries happen. How should I stock my fantasy football team?
First, make sure that you build a top flight group of receivers (including tight ends) in early and middle rounds of the draft. Next, I always try to draft two top level quarterbacks as this position (generally) is your most reliable source of weekly point production.
As for running backs, don’t chase them after the first two or three rounds. You should avoid running backs playing on lousy teams. Those teams generally pass the ball more after falling behind early in games.
Also, watch for “value” picks for a few top ranked rookies to fill-out your roster in the final rounds of the draft.
Last season, I saw that Detroit Lions 2nd round draft pick rookie tight end Sam LaPorte was having a bang-up preseason. I picked him late in the draft, and he became one of the NFL’s top rookies last season. Sometimes you can get lucky – with a little digging and research.
During the season, it pays to watch the NFL injury lists beginning on Tuesday of every week. Making changes to your roster prior to a (don’t get me started…) Thursday night game is crucial. A few back-up roster players may need a promotion into your starting line-up for any particular week.
I also pay attention to the other fantasy football team owners’ weekly player moves and roster changes. A team might drop a top player early in the season due to a multi-week injury. That same player might heal in time for the end of the regular season and lead your team into the fantasy football playoffs!
So, go check the league’s weekly “garbage can” for future gems.
Q: Should I try to draft my best players from last year’s team once again?
In some years, a player may be “hot” for just that one season. If you draft the same player in the following year, he may not produce as many yards or touchdowns as before.
Remember – other NFL teams are watching the trends, too. They are going to recognize that your goal-line running back is going to receive most of the carries inside the 5-yard line. They will do their best to stop him from scoring on a short touchdown run.
Just like any stock investment, do not fall in love with a particular player every year.
Be wary of drafting your ol’ fantasy favorites too early in the draft and ignoring important roster needs such as wide receivers, running backs, and tight ends!
It’s time to roll-out my annual Top Ten suggestions to help you enjoy the upcoming 2024 NFL fantasy football season:
- Team name – Make sure that you are happy with the sound of your team’s name. You’re going to live with that name for the entire fantasy football season!
- Research players and teams – As stated earlier, you can pay $10-15 at the local drugstore to buy one of those Fantasy Football magazines. Sadly, their advice is usually no better than your own. Save the money, and trust your gut!
- Determine a draft strategy – For example, my personal strategy is to (for the most part) select the best offensive players from the NFL teams which have scored the most points in the past few years. This year, I will likely stockpile a lot of players from the Chiefs, Bills, Dolphins, Eagles, Lions, and 49ers. I might grab one of the best players from a mid-level team, but I suggest that you refrain from taking more than one player from recently offensively weak football teams (such as the Panthers, Patriots, and Cardinals). Consider yourself warned.
- Do – Pick players from NFL teams which you personally like and root for. In my case, I am a longtime New Orleans Saints fan. You can count on my fantasy football team including one or two Saints players on the roster again this year. Follow your heart with a few of your picks.
- Don’t – Pick any players from any NFL team which you personally despise. In my case, I avoid Dallas Cowboys players like the plague. Do not force yourself to root for players on your least favorite NFL football team(s). The object is to win, but you still want to have fun, too!
- Don’t waste picks on your kicker and a defense until your last few picks. There are precious few kickers and defenses which are reliable difference makers. Resist the temptation to draft a kicker or defense too early. You’ll be sorry later.
- Injuries happen. No later than Thursday afternoon, make sure to check to see if any of your starting players have been injured during the previous weekend’s games and are not expected to play in the coming week. If you’re unsure about an injured player, use a substitute from your roster in the upcoming week. If the player’s injury turns out to be season-ending, drop him from your roster immediately and find an undrafted player from your league’s free agent list. Stay vigilant!
- Keep an eye open for undrafted rookies during Week 1 and 2 – Look for any rookies who seem to be making an early impact for their team. Grab them early in the season and dump a lukewarm benchwarmer in the same position. This can pay dividends down the stretch as many teams in your league are hesitant to draft rookies.
- Start slow but finish fast – Set-up your fantasy team to have a positive finish at the end of the season. In 2023, my team was in first place heading into the playoffs. Yes, we were steamrolled in the playoffs and finished in 4th place. Stay focused on putting together a solid squad by mid-season. You can rally down the stretch and win it all!
- Have some fun with this! Some weeks your team will perform well. Other weeks – perhaps not so well. That’s the nature of the game, so don’t despair if your team stinks this season. It can be fun to become a spoiler down the stretch and knock off another team striving to make the playoffs!
Best of luck with your fantasy football team this season!
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Updated Monday, August 26, 2024 – Here’s what Yahoo! Sports’ ChatGPT thought about my 2024 Fantasy Football draft held tonight. It gave me a lousy D+ rating! What does their electricity-hungry AI computer know about NFL football anyway?
