The GIST's Comprehensive Beginner's Guide to Fantasy Football

Understanding Fantasy Football

Fantasy football is a game where fans act as team managers, drafting and managing a roster of real-life NFL players. Fantasy points are scored based on the players' performances in IRL games.

Before we get into it, there are a lot of football references in this guide, so make sure you brush up on your football 101 before diving in.

Key Terms to Know

• League: The group of teams you’re competing against.

• Roster: Your team of drafted NFL players.

• Draft: The process of selecting players for your team.

• Waiver Wire: The pool of undrafted players available for pick-up.

• Lineup: The set of players you choose to start each week.

Why is fantasy such a big deal?

Sports have a unique way of uniting people, and fantasy sports are no different. It’s a pretty unreal feeling being able to brag about knowing a rookie would have an incredible season before anyone else, or picking up a player before he has a breakout game. There’s also the less poetic aspect of having money on the line (because who doesn't like winning a little extra cash).

🤝 Joining a League

Types of Leagues

• Redraft Leagues: Rosters reset every season. Perfect for beginners.

• Keeper Leagues: You keep a few players from your roster each year that carry over to the following season.

• Dynasty Leagues: You keep your entire roster from year to year.

• PPR Leagues: Point Per Reception, where each catch earns an extra points.

• If you’re drafting in a PPR league, you should increase the value of wide receivers, or running backs who pull double-duty as talented ball catchers. Half-PPR (0.5 points per reception) have also become more common.

Setting Up Your League

• Platform: Popular platforms include ESPN, Yahoo, NFL.com, and Sleeper.

• League Size: Standard leagues have 10-12 teams.

• Draft Type: Snake draft (common) or auction draft (advanced).

• Snake Draft: Draft in alternating order, reversing every other round (whoever drafts last in Round 1 will draft first in Round 2).

• Auction Draft: Manage a preset bankroll and bid on players within budget, highest bid wins.

🧠 Preparing for Draft Day

Research and Rankings

• Player Rankings: Check expert rankings on platforms like ESPN, Yahoo, and NFL.com.

• Mock Drafts: Practice drafting to get a feel for how drafts play out.

Draft Flow

• Early Rounds: Focus on top-tier RBs and WRs.

• Middle Rounds: Look for value picks and potential breakout players.

• Late Rounds: Take chances on high-upside players and backups.

👀 Drafting Your Winning Team

Understanding Positions

• Quarterback (QB): The leader of your team. Scores points through passing and rushing touchdowns. Loses points through interceptions and fumbles.

• Running Back (RB): Often the cornerstone of a fantasy team. Scores through rushing and receiving yards, and touchdowns. Loses points through fumbles.

• Wide Receiver (WR): Scores through receiving yards and touchdowns. Essential for PPR leagues. Loses points through fumbles.

• Tight End (TE): Similar to WRs but typically score fewer points. Top TEs (we’re looking at you Travis Kelce) can give you a big advantage.

• Kicker (K): Scores points through field goals and extra points. Some leagues may forgo drafting a kicker.

• Defense/Special Teams (D/ST): Scores points through sacks, interceptions, fumbles, and defensive touchdowns.

Potential Draft Strategies

✅ 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.

📋 Managing Your Roster

⭐ 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!

Setting Your Lineup

• Start Your Studs: Always start your top players unless injured or on a bye week.

• Flex Position: Use this slot for a WR, RB, or TE based on matchups and potential.

• Check Predicted Points: Sites often provide a predicted player points total for the week.

Weekly Decisions

• Matchups: Consider the opposing team’s defense. Favor players with favorable matchups.

• Injuries: Stay updated on player injuries and adjust your lineup accordingly.

• Weather: Pay attention to predicted weather forecasts that may affect gameplay.

Utilizing the Waiver Wire

• Waiver Claims: Make claims for undrafted players who are performing well.

• FAAB System: If your league uses a Free Agent Acquisition Budget, spend wisely and save funds for key pickups.

• FAAB: A bankroll given to each team at the start of the season used to bid on waiver wire pickups. Highest bid wins. Spent funds are not replenished.

📈 Maximizing Points Throughout the Season

Staying Informed

• Follow News: Keep up with NFL news, injuries, and player performances.

• Expert Analysis: Listen to podcasts, read articles, and follow fantasy analysts.

Advanced Strategies

• Streaming QBs and Defenses: Use the waiver wire to swap out QBs and defenses based on weekly matchups.

• Handcuffing RBs: Draft the backups for your star RBs to protect against injuries.

🤤 The GIST’s Special Sauce

We believe that fantasy football is more than just stats and numbers. It’s about community and having fun. Here are some ways to enjoy the ride:

• Listen to Our Podcast: Get weekly football news and a few laughs from our experts.

• Follow Us on Social: Stay up-to-date with the latest news and join our vibrant community of fans.

Which all brings us to...

🏈 The 2024-25 NFL Season

💪 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.

Fantasy football is a fun way to engage with the NFL season. Whether you’re here for the competition, the camaraderie, or just the fun of it all, we’re here to help you every step of the way. Good luck and have fun, GISTers!

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