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Field YatesESPN Insider
No matter if you’re new to the area fantasy football If you are new to the game or just want to refresh your knowledge, Field Yates’ 10 rules will ensure that your draft ends with a strong team ready for competition for your league championship.
Matthew Berry, a former colleague of mine, shared many valuable ideas over the years. They are worth sharing.
I think his recommendation to everyone who plays fantasy football is the best. He suggests that each year, one person be added to the team. It may seem like everyone in your circle plays fantasy football. However, it is both fun and rewarding to bring someone else along.
You might be one of the new people to this. fantasy football Good news, you are in the right place!
We’ll try to explain everything you need to know to draft your fantasy football league.
1. Value Draft
This is the most important rule I can share with you: Drafting is all about value. If fantasy football is new to you, the most successful players are the ones you are most familiar. They are the quarterbacks. You may look at Patrick Mahomes Oder Tom Brady‘s stats (both real and fantasy) from last year and think: “Hey, Brady was the fourth-highest-scoring player in all of fantasy, I’m getting him at pick eight and this is a steal!” But not so fast.
Brady is the GOAT but he’s also the quarterback. This position contrasts with fantasy football because it’s not difficult to find one. Last season, the top 12 quarterbacks scored an average of 18.8 fantasy points per game. There were only three running backs that scored at least 18.8 fantasy goals per game. Minimum The top backs are more valuable than the quarterbacks because they can have two running backs each week. It’s a supply and demand issue. Quality running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, and quarterbacks are harder to come by than running backs. Prioritize them early.
2. Particularly, prioritise running backs
Each year is unique in fantasy. However, the most difficult challenge in fantasy is trying to find reliable runningbacks. There were 29 running backs who scored at least 150 points in the 2021 season compared to 44 wide receivers. An elite running back is valuable because they are not able to score as many points year after year. An elite running back is more likely to score a touchdown in any given week than any other position. Randy Moss, a tight end and wide receiver, was the last person to lead the league in real points (real points among non-kickers) in 2007. You should get a if you can. Jonathan Taylor Oder Austin Ekeler Early indications are that your roster is looking great.
3. Remember to include receivers in your plans.
In an “all things equal” scenario, I would choose an elite running back over any position. However, wide receivers are also very important! You will notice that most picks in the first round will be running backs or wide receivers. This is important to remember: Running back and wide receiver are your only options. Must Play at least two games each week.
You will find a greater demand for wide receivers or running backs in any league than for quarterbacks, tight ends, kickers, and your defense/special team (each slot only includes one starter although tight ends can be your flexible), so it is important to consider the inherent value of wide receivers or running backs. Players who play in leagues that use points-per receiver (PPR) scoring will be able to gain an advantage by receiving one point per catch. A receiver’s primary duty is to catch and return the ball. These points can quickly add up!
4. You can be patient with quarterbacks, yes
Even if you don’t know much about fantasy football, you might already be familiar the school of thought that prevails in fantasy experts’ minds: Don’t rush to draft a quarterback. In Rule 1, we highlighted that fantasy football has many quality quarterbacks, even though there are some that are tiered above others (e.g. Patrick Mahomes Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen). There are always quarterbacks who surpass preseason expectations every year. If you’re using an early-round selection, say round two, on a quarterback in order to bypass a wide receiver and running back you will essentially be able to Not required That quarterback will be leaps and bounds more than the average.
We’ve had some historic quarterback seasons in recent years — Mahomes’ first full season as a starter saw Jackson win the MVP award. However, those were during years when nobody was expecting them to be fantasy’s best QB. It’s possible to take Mahomes, Allen, or Jackson too early and not be harmed — a great quarterback will not hurt you — but it is also possible to wait until round 10 or 12, and find someone who shows incredible upside. Justin Fields, Trey Lance And Derek Carr These are the thoughts that come to my mind.
5. Kickers and defenses are last
You will be focusing on your starting lineup as you draft. While you might think that your starters are more valuable than the backups, this is not true. The design of fantasy football is unpredictable, and defenses as well as kickers can be just as unpredictable. I can tell you that the Cowboys will be the greatest fantasy defense in 2021. They had zero buzz in the preseason. None.
Defenses’ fantasy points are based on difficult to predict factors (defensive/special team touchdowns). It is therefore hard to estimate defenses going into the season. The Cowboys had an average of 9.6 fantasy points per match last season, which is a very low performance considering they are the highest-scoring team in the NFL. The price you pay to draft the best defenses is greater than the advantage you gain by guessing early.
Kickers share a similarity in that there are unpredictability standouts every single year (Raiders kicker). Daniel Carlson After barely a preseason murmur, he was the top kicker in the last season), but the top scorers don’t give you an advantage (Carlson averaged just 10.1 points per game). You can be patient and wait until the draft ends to pick the kicker that suits you best.
6. You can stack that bench!
You can find the answers to your questions about where you should go after your wide receiver picks and early running back picks. Players who in a perfect universe could not play for your team in the middle rounds are those that will provide the greatest value. What does this mean? If you can crush your first four to five picks, these could be your weekly running back or wide receiver starters. Because fantasy football is unpredictable, it can be difficult to hit all of your first picks. Therefore, having strong depth in your lineup is crucial. These positions are vital to your roster. To ensure that you are able to handle the tough times, consider injuries and struggling performers.
7. Also, aim upside
Fantasy football is not a game where you are rewarded for being in the middle. While you may face a different opponent each week in fantasy football, your prospects of success are best if you have a roster that has genuine upside. Make sure to consider the upside when making your draft selections. Let’s say you think Ravens second year wide receiver. Rashod Bateman This season, is his time to shine. He represents a far better upside play than — for example — A.J. GreenAlthough he has a clear role and could be productive as a Cardinal in his second season, it is more likely that he will be similar to the player he played last season. Roll the dice and shoot for the stars. You can use any high-upside analogy.
8. Be familiar with the rules and the lingo
It may seem obvious to say, but it is important to understand the rules and learn some lingo. Your league information page will contain the standard settings for ESPN leagues. The starting lineup will consist of a quarterback and two running backs. Two wide receivers and a flex (which may be any RB/WR/TE), tight end, kicker, and defense/special teams. It is important to find out if your league has any special settings or rudimentary distinctions, such as whether the league has a PPR (points-per-reception) league. Asking for more information is the best way to find out!
Learn more league rules and scoring settings here.
9. The draft-day roster does not constitute your final roster
While we could write another piece on managing the waiver wire’s basic rules, I will remind you that this is an essential tool for any successful manager. We want to remind you that your team is the team that you draft. Far The team you end up with at season’s end. For fantasy football rosters, there is no guarantee that everything will stay the same. This could be due to in-season trades or struggling players. The draft should not be your only starting point. Be flexible.
10. Have fun
Fantasy football can be very competitive. In the past, I have been guilty of this and I will be again in the future. This is because I put too much emotion into the outcome of matchups when it is almost entirely out of my control. You only have 18 regular-season Sundays during any one NFL season. So instead of letting the early-season blues make you miserable and making you regret signing up for fantasy football, remember that this game is meant to be enjoyed for fun. Let’s all have fun with it!
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