How to manage and play fantasy sports (football)

Over the last couple years I’ve introduced a few friends to fantasy football. And rather than teach them how to play, they were thrown into the fire and have typically burned. But, we’ve all been there. I remember in 2004 that we all drafted kickers in the middle rounds, and defenses, but over time we’ve learned.

Here are some tips to newcomers (newbies), and tips that are based on watching my friends progress.

Do not drop top draft picks early, even after poor performances

Last year a friend dropped his #1 pick Michael Turner after week #3. This caused a lot of discussion and poking fun but it’s understandable too. Nobody wants poor performers on their teams, but we all have our bad days/weeks. Players are drafted early for a reason, so store them on your bench instead of dropping. Give them time to find themselves.

This year a friend dropped his top three wide receivers, including Brandon Marshall and DeSean Jackson. They didn’t have stellar first weeks but as stated above, not everyone does. And this especially applies to wide receivers, who aren’t as consistent as running backs.

And there are several places that list who you should own, with one being the “Big Board” at Yahoo. It lists the top 100 players to own, so ideally the majority of your team is on this list. However, keep in mind that this is only one guys opinion.

Summary: Don’t panic.

If you’re unsure, use crowd wisdom to decide

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