Fantasy Football: A Guide to Managing Your Fantasy Team

Fantasy football has quickly become a national pastime. Pro football players are even asked how they think they will perform so that people can decide how to set their lineups. Web sites are setup that offer cash prizes to winners or tickets to games. There are even fantasy football contests for tickets to the Superbowl. There are free leagues, and there are pay-to-enter leagues. Just about anything you can think of associated with football is available in a fantasy league.

Drafting:

We would all like to get Manning or Brady, Tomlinson or Johnson, Harrison or Holt. Unfortunately, it just doesn't work that way. To be honest you don't have to have all the marquee players to win your league. What you really need are consistent performers. I will agree that one or two stud players doesn't hurt, but it will not guarantee you victory. In fact, I have seen teams loaded with stud names go down in flames. This usually occurs because of injuries. It is inevitable that these guys are going to get hurt at some point during the season. They may not be out for more than one game, but one game can cost you the season.
To draft a winning team do your homework. Research the players and their schedules.

Larry Johnson may have monster games 8 or 9 times during the year, but he is probably going to have a couple of stinkers as well. Be prepared for that game when he faces a tough run defense. Have a second running back in your lineup who faces a weak defense during that time. In standards league formats you get 14 or 15 players and can usually start 9 or 10 players. This usually consists of 1 quarterback, 2 or 3 running backs, 2 or 3 wide receivers, 1 tight end, 1 kicker and 1 defense. This is why you need to draft that consistent guy to cover you on those days when your fantasy stud is facing the tough run or pass defense. You never want to sit your stud, they may have that monster game, but your steady producer can help you out if the stud is a dud that week. Also, look at who is coming out of college. There is usually one or two guys out of college who live up to expectations immediately.