Looking to enter the world of fantasy football? Well, then come on in!
How many times have you heard the boys or your family talk about how their fantasy football teams are doing each week? Better yet, have you ever wanted to be a part of it? If so, you have come to the right place. A fantasy football league is a fun way to get into football and it starts at drafting the perfect team. Here is the girl’s ultimate guide to fantasy football and how to win your league.
- Do your research before the draft begins to pick strong players
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Your draft picks remain on your team the whole season unless you trade them for another person’s player or drop them from your team completely. It is essential that you pick a strong wide receiver, running back and quarterback in the first few rounds as they will score your team the most points during each week. Leave picking a tight end, defense and kicker for your later picks (unless it’s Travis Kelce) as these players tend to score less.
You are drafting to fill your active roster which usually consists of one quarterback, two wide receivers, two running backs, one tight end, one defense, one kicker, and one flex player (a WR, RB, or TE). The rest of your picks will fill your bench. Some higher-scoring top draft picks this year (some of which are on my fantasy team) are Tyreek Hill, Patrick Mahomes and David Montgomery. Don’t be afraid to take a risk on some promising rookies as well like quarterback Anthony Richardson!
- Check the status of your players each week
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Do you remember when you drafted players to your bench? This is when you are going to use them. After the first few weeks of play, the fantasy football league will put certain teams on “BYE” which means these players cannot score that week. Each player’s “BYE” week is listed when you draft them, and you are able to look at it at any time. DO NOT leave these players on your active roster, because you will lose to Grandpa’s 0-5 team. DO NOT leave players that have O, IR, or D next to their names in your active roster. This means they are injured or not playing for other reasons and you will again, lose to Gramps. Take some players off your bench and fill them in for the position that’s needed or pick up a player from those who were never drafted. Don’t pick up a player who has never played in a game before, because they will also score you zero points and girls are here to win!
- Know who you are playing in your league for the week
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Every week, you are going to play a different person that is in the fantasy football league that you created. If you know you are playing your boyfriend, Ethan, who has a really good team, make sure you have your best players in so he doesn’t win and get Bragger’s rights. It is also helpful to check which players on your team are playing every week since some NFL defenses are better than others and you want your players to score maximum points. If you feel like you can’t win with the players you have, try asking other people in the league to make a trade with you for a stronger player!
- Have fun with it!
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Fantasy football is supposed to be a fun way to make football more enjoyable to watch, and I know it makes me like football way more. You do not have to be an expert on the players, teams and coaches to have a chance at winning the big prize (if there is one). Some of the best fantasy football team owners are ones who know nothing about the sport and use it to learn about the game. Just make sure you aren’t in last place so you don’t have to do a silly punishment like staying at a diner for 24 hours until you finish 25 pancakes!
Football is a sport for everyone, and if you are competitive, fantasy football is the perfect way to make the NFL season more fun! Just follow these fun tips if you are a girl starting out and you will be sure to top the ranks soon enough. Fantasy football has definitely changed my perception of football, and I hope it changes other girls’ minds too!