Have you ever watched a football game on TV and found yourself yelling advice to the manager? Have you been baffled by weird team lineups or frustrated at players who just don’t seem to be in the right place at the right time?
Fantasy football allows you to put together your dream team and lead them to that coveted position right at the top of the league.
In this guide, we’re going to provide you with everything you need to know to lead your team to success!
Signing up for a League
The first step to playing fantasy football is finding or creating a league. A league can be as small as two people or as large as the NFL itself. You can join an existing league, start your own, or even play in an online league with other passionate sports fans.
The online leagues do have some significant advantages, though. First of all, their functionality far surpasses anything that can be offered with pen and paper. Then there’s the availability of huge amounts of data to help you make team and player choices.
Many of the online leagues also offer incentives to join them. For example, the Sorare signup bonus offers a free limited card when you purchase five cards from the auction, and right now, you also get lifetime access to the VIP Discord Group for giveaways and promotions.
The Fantast Football Point Systems
NFL
Most leagues use a standard scoring system that awards points for touchdowns, yards gained, and so on. However, some leagues use alternative scoring systems. For example, some leagues give points for each first down a team makes, while others award points for long plays (plays that gain 30 or more yards). There are even leagues that use a points-per-reception (PPR) scoring system, which gives points for every catch a player makes.
Soccer
In most fantasy soccer leagues, points are awarded for goals, assists, and clean sheets (shutouts). However, some leagues also give bonus points to players who rack up a lot of shots or take a lot of risks (such as attempting dribbles).
Picking Your Team
NFL
You’ll have to draft your team from scratch in most NFL fantasy leagues, and this means that you’ll need to choose a mix of players from all 32 NFL teams. Some leagues use a snake draft, which means that the order in which you pick players will be reversed after each round (so if you pick first in the first round, you’ll pick last in the second round, and so on). Other leagues use an auction draft, where each player has a set dollar amount attached to them, and you bid against other owners to get the players you want.
Soccer
Unlike NFL fantasy leagues, you won’t have to draft your entire soccer team from scratch. Instead, most leagues allow you to keep a certain number of players from your team from the previous season. For example, if you’re in a 10-team league, you might be able to keep up to three players from your last team. This is called a keeper league.
You’ll also need to decide how you want to structure your team. In most leagues, you’ll have a certain number of slots for each position (for example, two forwards, five midfielders, etc.). However, some leagues use a flex system, which allows you to put any player in any slot.
Playing the Game
Once you’ve drafted or chosen your team, it’s time to start playing the game. In most leagues, you’ll match up against another owner each week, and the owner with the most points at the end of the week will win. Some leagues use a head-to-head style, where each owner plays every other owner in the league once. Other leagues use a points-based system, where all of the owners’ scores are added up and the owner with the most points at the end of the season wins.
There are also different ways to set up your lineup. In most leagues, you’ll have to submit a new lineup each week. However, some leagues allow you to set your lineup for the entire season and only make changes in case of injury or bye weeks.
Waiver Wire
Injuries and bye weeks happen, which is why most leagues have a system in place for adding and dropping players. This system is called the waiver wire.
If a player on your team gets injured or has a bye week, you can drop them and add another player from the waiver wire. The waiver wire is a list of all the players who are not currently on a fantasy team. Players on the waiver wire can be added to your team anytime.
However, there are usually rules in place that determine who gets priority when adding players from the waiver wire. For example, the owner with the worst record in the league might get first dibs on waiver wire players.
Trades
Trading is another way to improve your team. If you have a player who isn’t performing well or who you just don’t need, you can trade them to another owner in exchange for a player who you think will be a better fit on your team.
Of course, there’s no guarantee that the other owner will accept your trade offer. And even if they do, the players you receive in return might not end up being as good as you thought they would be. That’s why it’s important to only make trades that you’re comfortable with and that you believe will improve your team.
Fantasy Football Playoffs
In most fantasy football leagues, the regular season lasts for 13 weeks. The top teams in the league then advance to the playoffs, which is a single-elimination tournament. The winner of the playoff tournament is crowned the champion of the league.
Soccer
Unlike fantasy football, fantasy soccer doesn’t have a playoff system. Instead, the owner with the most points at the end of the season is declared the winner.
Understanding the New Age of Fantasy Football
Fantasy football has come a long way since its humble beginnings. Today, there are dozens of different sites and apps that you can use to play fantasy football. One new arrival on the scene is the application of blockchain technology.
With the use of blockchain, fantasy football can be taken to the next level. For example, blockchain can be used to create a decentralized marketplace for trading players. This would allow owners to trade players without going through a third-party site.
Another way that blockchain can be used in fantasy football is by creating a platform where owners can bet on games. This then adds an extra layer of excitement to the already popular game.
Of course, these are just a few examples of how blockchain could be used in fantasy football. The possibilities are endless, and it will be interesting to see how this technology changes the game in the years to come.
