Fantasy Football For Dummies. Martin A. Schulman

advice for their premium services (in other words, for the pay leagues where players give money to the site). If you don’t sign up for the site’s services, you should consider surfing around to research your draft prep, and perhaps sign up for an expert pay service like Rotowire, Fantasy Pros, or Pro Football Focus. If that sounds like too much work, I recommend paying for the premium features from your league site such as ESPN+ or Yahoo! Fantasy+.

      Pay private leagues

      Joining a pay private league is the best way to play the game, in my humble opinion. A pay private league is by invitation only and has an entry fee that covers the site fees as well as cash awards and prizes. You get the same advantages in a pay private league as you do in a pay public league if you put in money through the league provider (check out “Pay public leagues” earlier in this chapter). To sweeten the deal, though, you get to play with your friends or coworkers in a pay private league.

      

I don’t think you need to play for big money to have fun; just make the fee enough for coaches to care about their teams and play to win. Of course, that amount has to be determined by the commish and the rest of the league.

Identifying Other Important Considerations

      When determining what type of league you want to play in (private versus public; check out the previous section), you have to choose a specific type of game. Every league has variables that affect how tough it is to play the game and how tough it will be to defeat your foes. These different considerations can make a game more competitive or more casual. What do you want from your fantasy experience? Keep these other considerations in mind as you decide:

       Draft type: Most fantasy leagues utilize either a snake draft or a salary cap draft. For more info on each type, check out Chapter 4. If you’re new to fantasy football, I suggest that you join a league that operates in the traditional, casual snake format. However, if you’re a bit more experienced with fantasy and want a league more competitive, consider signing up for a league with a salary cap draft.

       Pay versus free: The previous sections discuss some pros and cons of pay and free leagues. When you’re looking to make your choice, remember that pay leagues are more competitive while free leagues are more casual. If you just want to keep your fantasy games casual, avoid betting on yourself and play for fun. It’s all about the Benjamins for the more serious fantasy players. Remember that when people pay, they tend to take it more seriously, and the higher the entry fee, the more competitive a league tends to be. Sometimes, an entry fee just covers the costs of a premium league service, which offers more helpful tools for casual players to manage their teams. Higher league dues, on the other hand, means that money goes to the victor or is used to buy trophies. (Check out the “Why are you playing? For love or money?” section later in this chapter.)

       Number of coaches (also known as level of competitiveness): The bottom line is that the more competition you have (the number of coaches in the league), the less casual your league will be. So if you want a relaxed casual experience, look for a smaller league. If you want your league to be more cutthroat, go with a larger league. An eight or ten-team league, for instance, is always easier, because you’ll have more great players to choose from in the first ten rounds of the draft. In a twelve-team league, the stars will get snatched up quickly, so you’ll need a deep understanding of all the NFL rosters in order to build a competitive team. Anything more enters the “deep league” domain, where the best players will go quickly and you’ll need to dig deeper to fill your roster.

       Size and configuration of league rosters: Many leagues have different team requirements, ranging from simple to complex. For example, the basic Yahoo! league features nine starters and eight bench players — a manageable number, even for a beginner. If your roster requirement is smaller, team management is easier and the draft is shorter. If your roster is 20 players or more, team management becomes more challenging and the draft takes longer. The starting position requirements also vary from league to league. If your league requires you to start two or more QBs, three or more RBs/WRs, and one or two FLEX spots, you’re playing in an unusually complex league. Hope you have some free time! Most fantasy football providers use default roster configurations that first-time players can easily use. Be sure to read your league’s rules and settings page before signing up, if possible. If your league has a commissioner, email them to find out if the league has any wrinkles that you need to be aware of.

Picking Your League: The How-To

      Many types of people play fantasy football, and no one league fits everyone. Some people focus only on the draft and spend little time adjusting their teams during the season. Others like to micromanage their rosters and spend hours reading game stats, expert advice, and injury reports. Choosing the right game type and the right level of competition is essential for having fun in this game.

      Ask yourself the questions in this section when you’re picking the fantasy league to play in. The answers can help you narrow down your choice.

      How committed are you?

      How much time (and even money) you have to devote to fantasy greatly affects which league is right. For example, if you’re busy working 70 hours a week, do you really have the time to devote to your team? You may identify with one of the following as you decide which league is right for you:

       You’re a fantasy newbie, have only an hour a week to play, and don’t want to spend any money. If so, start with a free public league. A free league runs automatically, using the league provider’s default settings. If you want to practice and get better before you decide to take on friends or coworkers, playing in a free public league makes sense.

       You’re new to fantasy football, don’t have any buddies who play, and don’t mind spending a little money. If you’re willing to dedicate the time, you may want to consider playing in a public pay league. All the major league providers offer multiple levels of service. If you have the time, you’re probably going to be more dedicated to scouting and preparing for the draft, and then managing your team each week. The higher the league fee, the more bells and whistles you get.

       You’re fairly new to fantasy football, but your coworker invited you to play. You don’t have much control over how your friend sets up his league. That person is the commissioner, and they select the default settings (such as the draft type, the number of players on the roster, and such; check out the earlier section, “Identifying Other Important Considerations,” for more info). A private league can still give you an opportunity to play. Your coworker’s league may be free or pay. Before you commit to the league, make sure you can devote enough time so other players won’t feel like you aren’t doing your part.

       You’re somewhat familiar with fantasy and played in a few leagues, and you’re willing to devote more time (and money). If so, a more competitive public pay league with certain defaults that you like (such as larger roster sizes, more competitive leagues with more coaches, and such) may be a viable choice. (Refer to the “Identifying Other Important Considerations” section for questions to consider.) If you can’t find a league that you like, you may want to start your own league and customize it. (Check out the “Starting Your Own League: You Want to Be a Commissioner?” section later in this chapter.)

       You’re a fantasy expert and love spending hours upon hours playing. If so, this chapter isn’t required reading. Read