The beginning of fantasy football season is always full of high hopes for every team owner. Rosters are filled with high-ranking draft picks and potential sleepers that will hopefully get the job done for you this year.
As the season progresses, certain owners tend to start making some costly mistakes. There are a variety of ways in which you can take a team out of championship contention. However, this can be easily avoided with a little extra knowledge and patience.
Here is a list of four common mistakes made in fantasy football and how to avoid falling victim to them.
1. Giving Up Too Quick on Players
Certain draft picks will get out to a slow start; this is an unfortunate fact of fantasy football. Possibly that star running back you drafted only has 50 yards on the ground so far. It is definitely tempting to drop him from the roster and give someone else a shot.
However, before booting that running back consider all of the factors that may have affected his play. Check to see if maybe offensive linemen were hurt, weather conditions were bad or what opposing defenses did to stop him. There are few worse things in fantasy football than watching a former player pile up big points against you later on.
2. Checking Rosters Infrequently
It is true that NFL games are played solely on Sunday and Monday for most of the season. Despite this, injuries and NFL roster moves can take place any day of the week. You should log in everyday to check for this and any other player updates.
If a free agent move is necessary to fill a roster void, acting quickly will help you get the best available player. Waiting until the end of a week could leave fewer options since other league members will probably make pickups too. If a non-active player is not taken out of the starting lineup by game time, you will lose any possible points from that spot.
3. Too Much Emphasis on Expert Advice
As fantasy football popularity has grown so has the amount of “expert” advice being handed out. Every week TV shows, web sites and newspapers all have prognosticators telling fantasy owners what to do. Although some of the tips might be helpful, trying to take it all in will eventually leave your head spinning.
Focusing mainly on the talent level of your players is usually the best way to determine starting spots. This approach may sound a bit too conservative, but just keep in mind what your players are capable of. Try to keep things simple and avoid overthinking any situations.
4. Failure to Understand a League Point System
Every fantasy football league has particular settings that establish how points are scored. It is crucial that you learn this and determine how it affects your team. For example, running backs may get additional points for pass receptions and/or a bonus for receiving yards.
If your league scoring is akin to this, start running backs with a knack for catching the ball. Some leagues also offer one or more roster flex spots, allowing the team owner to pick what position he puts there. Flex spots should always be filled with players that have the most point scoring potential.