By Josh Heller
Contributing Writer
If you are reading this, then that means you want the best tips possible to win your fantasy football league this year, which is good! This also means that you are a committed fantasy football player.
Now that we are one full week into this year’s NFL season, you’ve probably already drafted, but if you haven’t, that is completely fine as I will be giving tips on who to draft, trade for, drop, or add. I hope these tips will help you clear up anything that has been fuzzy for you so far so you can get out there, get the team you want, and win.
1. For my first tip, never forget to adjust your weekly lineup. I do not care if you do not make a trade, add, or drop anyone, as long as you set your lineup, you should be fine.
2. Do not go overboard on your trading. I know from experience as this is one rule I rarely follow. Last year, I traded away running back Trent Richardson for Marshawn Lynch. Great for me, right? Well, it was for a few weeks, until I made the dumbest trade I ever could have made.
I traded away Eddie Lacy and Peyton Manning for Doug Martin who suffered a labrum injury and Jay Cutler who missed several weeks due to a groin injury. If it wasn’t for that trade, there’s a good chance I would have won my league. I’m perfectly fine with trades, but do not over-do it.
3. Try and grab someone who matches your league type. Now if you’re in an Individual-Defensive-Player league, I really can’t help you. But if you’re in a point per reception (PPR) league like I am, I can tell you some guys who look good to me. One guy who I like, which may be a bit surprising, is running back Rashad Jennings of the New York Giants. Now I know picking any Giant could be detrimental, (see quarterback Eli Manning last year), but I like Jennings. Manning has always liked to dump the ball off and with this new Giant’s offense I feel that Rashad could thrive from the system of no-huddle-dump-offs. Another player I like is New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman.
Along with tight end Rob Gronkowski, he and Edelman are definitely the two most favored pass catchers in the Patriot’s offense. Not to mention, Edelman had an amazing season last year and I expect another big one this year.
Another guy who is always a sleeper in PPR leagues is Danny Woodhead. Even though he is now the third string running back over in San Diego, he still has a lot of value in PPR leagues.
3. I do not suggest taking a tight end very high, unless it’s Jimmy Graham who is on a completely different level than the rest of the tight ends in the league. Besides Graham, you are basically getting similar production value from the other top-7 tight ends on the draft board.
Instead of wasting a second or third round pick on Vernon Davis, (who I don’t like this year), wait a little while and grab someone like Jason Witten or Jordan Cameron. Elite tight ends like Graham are special, but unless you think a certain tight end is going to have a 15-plus touchdown season, there are other players you can get with your earlier picks.
4. Remember to trust your gut, not the projections. Let’s say two of the wide receivers you own are Randall Cobb and Brian Hartline. Cobb is projected to score only 7 points for the week, while Hartline is projected to score 15 points, mainly because he is playing against a bad defense.
Now, Cobb is considered your second best receiver, while Hartline is barely owned in any leagues and honestly should not even get the start at the flex position. Even though the projections say one thing, your gut should say another, which is ignore the projections and start the better receiver.
5. Don’t be afraid to have “handcuffs.” There are certain running backs out there that will either split work with their backup, or are injury-prone, and it’s necessary to own the team’s backup for when the starter goes down.
A great example of this is Atlanta Falcons running back Steven Jackson. Jackson is a great talent, but only when he’s fully healthy, which is not very often. If you are a Jackson owner, you better handcuff one of the Falcon’s backup running backs in Devonta Freeman and/or Jacquizz Rodgers.
Another guy who needs a handcuff, in my opinion, is Green Bay Packer’s running back Eddie Lacy. Lacy, in Week 1, suffered a concussion, and is out for 10 days, but if he gets another concussion, he could miss more time. That is why I think you should pick up the Green Bay Packer’s second string running back James Starks if you are an Eddie Lacy owner and do not forget to have handcuffs for the other running backs on your team.
6. Always think about a team’s offensive line before picking a running back. If it is your pick in the draft and you have the choice between the top-15 running backs, don’t just think about talent, think about that team’s offensive line. If you have 2 equally talented backs and one has a great offensive line while the other’s line is wrecked by injury, then the choice should be easy.
7. Most importantly, don’t forget to have fun. That is the most important part, and these tips will help you to remain in the hunt, and keep the league as fun as possible.
