August is here! And soon so will the return of football! This means that every Sunday for the next five or so months your friends, and/or sig- nificant others will sit in front of the TV for hours on end watching game after game after game.
Now: if you aren’t a huge football fan but still want to be a part of the social scene, there is an easy way to participate: Fantasy Football! When you have a Fantasy Football team, you have a reason to watch any game that’s on television because there is probably a player in that game getting you points.
As a native Texan, I have been a football fan my entire life (I mean, when you grow up in the Lone Star State you don’t have a choice) but in college and since that time, I have found that a lot of my girlfriends wanted to play Fantasy Football but felt intimidated.
So, here is how I have explained it to many be- fore: drafting a Fantasy Football team is not that different from night one of The Bachelorette and drafting your bachelors. I’m dead serious.
You have your stars – guys you know will perform and not let you down.
You have your risks – sometimes, you have to take chances, right!?
You have your disappointments – ugh, the guys who look so good on paper but don’t show up.
And you have guys just to fill out the numbers – I mean, they’re happy to be there.
Okay, so how do you know which of these guys will come together to make the best team with the least drama?
There are three positions to focus on: quarter- backs, running backs, and wide receivers. (Your platform will tell you how many of each you need.) When deciding which player to take when I like to think of who gets the football the most. In some cases, that’s the quarterback; in other cases, that’s the running back. I would take one of those two first and then flesh out your roster from there.
Most fantasy platforms have built-in rankings that use statistics to show the best available player. The computer is your friend!
That also includes when to take, say, a tight end, kicker or defense. These positions aren’t as flashy, but they can be difference makers.
Finally: don’t forget bye weeks! Make sure you aren’t drafting players who will all have the same week off later in the season.
Hopefully, these tips help you end the season with the final rose – I mean, the big bucks!
