Seven Keys to Fantasy Football Success
Making the most of your team after the draft

Every year when I start playing fantasy football I ask myself the question: “What is the key to success this year?”

The answer to that question can be daunting, and I’ve spent hour after hour mulling over statistics, cheat sheets, mock drafts, etc. to find the answer. But I quickly realized the key to fantasy football is not who you draft, the key is making the correct decisions after your draft.

Over time, I’ve compiled seven simple principles that will lead to success. The technique of applying these keys is far more important to master than having a highly ranked team on draft day.

1. Do not bench your studs because you have a hunch.
So many fantasy football owners get burned on game day when they bench their star players and start a sleeper that week. Just because a matchup is favorable does not mean a player will break out. You should never bench your stud players unless there is a very good reason. The only two reasons I can find for benching a stud are:

A. Your stud has been performing horribly lately and is not likely to do better in the upcoming week.

B. Your stud is injured. This would mean he is either “questionable to play”, “doubtful to play”, or “out for the week”. You should never bench a stud just because he is “probable to play”.

Under these (and only these) circumstances you should bench your studs. When you do have to bench a stud, make sure you put a solid player (not a sleeper) in your lineup who will consistently get you a good amount of points.

2. Learn who to grab off the waiver wire and free agent lists – and when to do so.
This rule requires a little work to follow … but any fantasy football owner should be willing to put some work into his or her team. Do your research! You can never be successful in this game unless you’re willing to put some time into it. Monitor free agency and the players that the other owners add or drop. If someone gets fed up with a stud who hasn’t performed well recently and drops him, do your homework, and if the indications are good, grab him. What is homework? When I do some homework on a player I look at three aspects:

A. I check to see how he has performed in the past. I usually look back about six or seven weeks. If the player is showing signs of weakness, you need to check and see if the rest of his offense is to blame. It also could be the fact that he has faced some tough defenses the past few weeks.

B. I check the news on the player. Nothing reveals the truth like news from a press conference or an injury report. If the player has been injured for a while and is about to return to the starting lineup, check to see if this player has been injured before, and look to see how well he performed the last time he returned to action.

C. I check how well the player is likely to perform in the future. If he going to be facing some tough defenses, that may be an indication that it’s not a good idea to pick him up.

Never grab a player who is not going to be an improvement on your current team. If you add a player you think will do well, but drop a better player to get him, you just made your team worse, not better. Make smart decisions backed up by good and thorough research.

3. Do not waste roster positions.
Far too few fantasy football owners adhere to this concept, but this is one of the most important of the keys to success. Many owners waste roster positions with players who are not needed. When you are playing in a league that starts one quarterback, then you only need to have two quarterbacks on your roster. I see many questions in the Fantasy Football Cafe forum that ask who to drop for a player on the waiver wire, but they have four quarterbacks on their roster. You don’t need players that you won’t start. I repeat: The only reason to have any player on your roster is to either use him as trade bait or to start him. Drop the hopeless players and pick up players who you could potentially start. Don’t hold on to sleepers who will never score points. You would never start them, and they are essentially useless. If you waste a roster position, you put yourself at a disadvantage compared with the rest of the league. Don’t be caught at a disadvantage.

4. Strive towards a balanced (not stacked) team.
Consistency and balance are the ultimate virtues in fantasy football. Without these virtues you cannot win championships. When you are considering a player, check to see if he is consistent. Paying close attention to the past is the only way to get a realistic view of the future. Consistent teams with consistent players will consistently win fantasy football games. If you have four running backs, but not a single decent quarterback or wide receiver, you are stacked at the running back position. This will not bring consistency, because you can probably only start two of those stud players a game. If you are stacked at one position, the only option you have is to trade. The primary reason you should trade is to make your team more balanced and consistent.

5. Pay attention to bye weeks.
Too many times fantasy football owners have fallen into the bye week trap. When you are considering an addition to your team, check the bye weeks to make sure there is no dilemma that is caused by the addition. If you have four wide receivers and three of them have the same bye week, you have a problem. Always do your research ahead of time when it comes to bye weeks. If you do have a bye week problem (perhaps because of your draft choices), then you need to make some moves, and make them fast. Do your bye week research ahead of time; this way, you won’t have to rush to find a poor replacement for a player on a bye and then perhaps lose your game as a result.

6. Take advantage of injuries.
When one of your players gets injured … take advantage of the injury. If you have a more consistent player whom you have been benching, an injury to one of your starters will give this player your starting nod. If you have stud player who is injury-prone, you need to go get his backup. Find a way to procure the handcuff, whether it is by trade or free agency. Having the backup to an injury-prone stud is very important when the stud gets injured. The injury often provides a younger backup with the opportunity to go out on the field and show you and his coach what he can do. You always want to have that backup when he plays. In addition, take advantage of injuries to players who are not on your team. If a star player on another team goes down due to injury, go and get his backup off of waivers or free agency. By doing this, you bar the opposing owner from getting his handcuff, which gives you an advantage. A great example of this is Willie Parker, who took advantage of the injuries to Pittsburgh’s starting running backs, and now he is a solid fantasy football start. Those who grabbed Willie Parker stole him, and I congratulate those owners for taking advantage of the injuries suffered by Duce Staley and Jerome Bettis.

7. Do not make trades just for the sake of trading.
I see this mistake being made all too often now. Day after day I find posts on the Draft, Trade, Keeper & Waiver Questions forum that ask a question about a trade that should never be considered in the first place. You should never trade for the sake of trading. If a trade isn’t improving you team, you are wasting your time, and perhaps even making your team worse than it was before. Like I said in key #4, balance is one of the most important keys to fantasy football. If a trade leads to your team having a stacked running back position, but leaves your wide receiver corps with horrible players, then you are the loser in the deal. You need to make trades that improve your consistency and strengthen every aspect of your team. I said it before and I say it again: “The primary reason you should trade is to make your team more balanced and consistent.” Here’s the bottom line: If a trade does not improve the balance and consistency of your team, do not make it or even consider it.

If you follow these principles you are sure to do well in your fantasy football endeavors. Yet even if you forget everything written in this entire article, please remember two things:

1. Do your homework.
2. Make every effort towards obtaining a balanced team.

These are the ultimate keys to success.

Good luck this season!

 
Daniel Gilford is a hardworking Communications major at St. Petersburg College. When he is neglecting his college work, you’ll find him posting under the name danleroi22 in the forums. Daniel also enjoys taking an active role in the Fantasy Football Cafe’s contests and games as well as football trivia.

Questions or comments for Daniel? Post your thoughts in the Cafe’s forums!