Free Fantasy Football Leagues Available on NFL Fantasy - 0 views
started by sadixezi on 30 Jul 21
started by sadixezi on 30 Jul 21
started by sadixezi on 30 Jul 21
started by sadixezi on 30 Jul 21
Free Fantasy Football Leagues Available on NFL Fantasy
Whether of your own volition or due to coercion from friends/family/coworkers, if you're reading this article you're likely playing fantasy football for the first time in 2017. Or if you've played before and are just looking for a little extra guidance, that's fine too. I'm here to help you navigate these nerdy waters with a simple walkthrough on how to play Fantasy football.
Overview: What is fantasy football?
So you finished your draft and are staring at a team of around 15 NFL players. Now what?
At its core fantasy is a math-based game based on the real-life production of NFL players. Each week you fill out a roster by "starting" players at the various positions allowed based on your league settings. These usually include one quarterback (QB), two running backs (RB), two wide receivers (WR), one tight end (TE), one kicker (K), one defense (D/ST) and one FLEX (usually RB or WR, but some leagues allow for a TE or even a QB to be played here as well). The statistics your starting players accumulate on the field (yards, touchdowns, etc.) contribute to their point total for the week. The point totals of all of the players in your starting lineup are tallied into your weekly score, and if you have a higher total than your opponent (another member of your league) you win that week! Players who you do not start are considered on your "bench." They'll still score points like everyone else, but those points will not be counted toward your weekly total.
Week 1 and beyond
OK, so you understand the basics, but the NFL season kicks off next Thursday, September 7 when the Kansas City Chiefs visiting the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots. What does this mean for you and your fantasy squad?
You'll need to make sure you set your lineup at least five minutes before the kickoff of that game (8:30 p.m. ET on NBC). If you don't, any players on your roster from those teams (Travis Kelce, Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, etc.) will be "locked" wherever you have them at that time -- either on your bench or in your starting lineup -- and you won't be able to move them until after all of the games have been played in that week. This will be the case each and every week with Thursday Night Football, so keep an eye on the schedule and be aware of when your star players are starting on Thursdays!
Managing the waiver wire
Once Week 1 concludes after Monday Night Football, it's time to turn your attention to Week 2. Hopefully, you've secured a win, but if not, this is where we enter one of the most crucial parts of the fantasy season: managing the waiver wire.
The waiver wire is the process used in fantasy football to acquire players who currently aren't on a team roster in your fantasy league. You put in a "claim" on free agent players, and if you have the highest priority (based on the inverse of the standings) or no one else makes a claim on that player, they'll be added to your roster. Of course, rosters have size limits, so if you wish to add a player you'll have to drop another to make space. The game will generally make you pick a player to drop when you make your waiver claim, so don't worry about that too much.
Bye Weeks
Every team in the NFL has a "bye week" built into their season. This is a week where the team does not have a game schedule and can rest/recover. These weeks are important for fantasy owners to keep an eye on so they can add players if needed to still field a full starting roster.
Trades
Aside from the waiver wire, there's only one other way to add players to your roster post-draft, and that's by trading with another person in your league. Trades do not have to be of a one-for-one nature, often times they'll involve multiple players or one team will give up a few players in exchange for an elite fantasy producer.
Have fun
That's it! As you can see, the basics of fantasy football are quite simple. Set your lineup every week, manage the waiver wire, keep an eye on bye weeks, make a few trades (if you want), and you're good to go. The last and most important part about playing fantasy football is to remember to have fun. This is a game about a game, after all.