A beginner’s guide to playing fantasy football

The GIST: We’re less than one week out from the NFL season kicking off (six days, but who’s counting?), meaning fantasy football drafts are in full swing as folks select and manage imaginary rosters for the season ahead.

• Whether you’re new to fantasy football or a seasoned vet, our deep dive and today’s section are here to help you choose your squad. The only hard part will be coming up with a creative team name.

✅ Select running backs (RB) and wide receivers (WR) in the early rounds: RBs and WRs are drafted early and often, and for good reason — they accumulate the most points compared to other positions. This year, San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey (aka Mr. Universe) is the consensus No. 1 overall pick after he averaged a league-best 24.5 points per game last season.

💡 You’ve selected your top dogs, what’s next? Use the “best available” list on your draft homepage to help fill out the rest of your roster. Try not to pick players with the same bye weeks…it’s all fun and games until all of your RBs are resting on the same Sunday.

💪 Top players to add to your draft day wishlist: Aside from the aforementioned CMC, RBs Breece Hall (NY Jets), Bijan Robinson (Atlanta Falcons), and Jonathan Taylor (Indianapolis Colts) are topping draft boards while CeeDee Lamb (Dallas Cowboys), Amon-Ra St. Brown (Detroit Lions), and Justin Jefferson (Minnesota Vikings) are holding it down for the WRs. May the draft order odds be ever in your favor.

• Notably missing from the top player picks? QBs. Though they’re the most important player on actual NFL rosters, don’t waste an early fantasy football pick on a signal-caller — most QBs will get the job done.

⭐ Most importantly, don’t forget to update your lineup weekly: Injuries, matchups, and bye weeks all impact which players you should start (the ones that can contribute points to your team’s total) and which ones will be riding the pine. P.S. you can also trade, drop, and add players to your lineup all season long. Happy managing!