The point of fantasy football is to have fun. For most, winning is fun. Following these tips will help you win. Following these tips will help you have fun. This is the second part of the don’ts of fantasy football.
Part 1 can be found here.
Don’t Overstack Your Team
This one goes out to all of the Steelers fans. Stacking refers to pairing a quarterback with a pass catcher from the same team. Overstacking is when you get a team’s quarterback, tight end, first two receivers, etc.
Stacking works simply because if your quarterback scores, your wide receiver also scores. This creates situations where two players score on a touchdown play on your team instead of just one. Now in an overstack situation, the quarterback and wide receiver will still retain their same production value, but this comes at a cost of decreased scoring opportunities for the other positions.
For example, you have Joe Burrow, Tee Higgins, and Joe Mixon on your team. Whenever Mixon scores, that’s a touchdown situation where Burrow and Higgins don’t score. Whenever Burrow throws a touchdown to Higgins, that’s one more play where Mixon isn’t scoring and they have to wait for the defense to play. Now in a situation where Burrow throws a touchdown to Ja’Marr Chase, those are now two players on your team who have now had a missed scoring opportunity. Having a good mix of stacking and diversity in your team will lead to success.
Don’t Be Complacent
No one is perfect, but they can be precise. Complacency is the bane of precision. Don’t be complacent. This is one of the most overlooked don’ts of fantasy football. Injuries happen, situations change, and coaches get fired. It’s up to the fantasy player to read and react to the ever-changing world of the NFL. They need to make trades, make waiver wire pick-ups, cut ties with busting players, etc. They need to find injured players on waivers and add them to their IR spots. More activity usually equals more success.
Don’t Draft Too Early
The regular season is almost here. A lot of people by now probably have had their drafts. This is a mistake and a tragedy in the making. Fantasy players may remember what happened to the Baltimore Ravens last year (RIP my late round “smart” Gus Edwards pick). I have heard stories of players getting the news that Andrew Luck retired in the middle of their drafts. The closer to the first game of the regular season you can draft, the better.
Don’t Fall In Love
Falling in love is a beautiful thing, just don’t do it in fantasy football. Every year presents situations proving why this is true. I will lay out some recent examples of players I owned.
I loved Allen Robinson. He was one of the most consistent players in fantasy. Last season he completely broke my heart when he had one of the most disappointing years ever. I loved Tyler Lockett. He is the type of player that can put up 30 + points. He is also an inconsistent player who can put up six points.
Chasing that high level performance is like chasing the dragon. You get one taste of it and you ruin your life trying to feel that feeling again. I loved Aaron Rodgers ( I still do, but I used to, too). He is one of fantasy football’s best quarterbacks ever. But his 2017-2019 seasons were absolutely brutal. It’s always a good idea to be able to detach yourself and to let go. You will find love again.
Don’t Draft Any Jets Players
I’m kidding! But seriously, don’t do it. You have to look all the way back to 2015 for any consistent fantasy relevant production from a Jet. One of their best fantasy performances ever was a defense. They have smatterings of good value here and there for daily fantasy football, but as far as redraft and dynasty fantasy football, it is best to just stay away until they start doing something.
In Conclusion
“The only real mistake is the one from where you learn nothing.” – Father John Powell. These are some things that I’ve learned over the near two decades of playing fantasy football. By following these don’ts of fantasy football, you can minimize mistakes and make the best of whatever opportunities fortune throws your way.
2 Comments
Not loving the Breece Hall hype then?
I like him as a player, I just hate that he’s on the Jets. I hope for their sake that they can do something with him.