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Everyone seems to offer fantasy football advice: stick to these 6 principles and win consistently

As you enter the new fantasy football season, we recommend that you take a look at your competition. It would be good for you to understand those who are looking for the league title that you surely crave. Of course, those of you who play casual free league may not feel compelled to overdo your analysis, but playing against managers with high levels of success is worth your attention. By taking the time to assess your situation, you’ll better understand the effort it will take to claim the title or at least some level of respectability. For money league managers, this is a must.

Rules to manage to win

For inexperienced and novice managers, these simple rules are designed to enlighten you on things experienced players have already learned. For those of you who think you have everything under control, let this information serve as a friendly reminder.

Rule #1: Manage your team – Year after year and league after league, the coaches who consistently make the playoffs have one thing in common; They take the time to manage their team on a weekly basis. They always seem to have the best players on their active roster and never miss an opportunity to storm the waiver wire for up-and-comers. Awareness is key because a player listed as doubtful after suffering an injury on Friday has tripped up more playoff hopes than you can imagine when the coach missed the opportunity to adjust his roster.

Rule #2 – Stats are King – Have you ever wondered why your opponent was smart enough to sit his number one quarterback in favor of his number two? The answer is that he probably took the time to figure out that his No. 1 player was playing against the best passing defense in the league. If that same team’s offense has a great running game, the former number one won’t get the number of opportunities needed to maximize scoring. All that cunning manager did was use facts to make a decision that, more often than not, turns out to be in his best interest. If you play in money leagues, you are competing against cunning who use all the tricks. Review your stats and matchups and don’t select your players based on emotion or loyalty.

Rule #3: The waiver wire at a sanctuary for winners – By the fourth week, if not sooner, injuries will start to accumulate and underperformers will be exposed. For every problem, there is a possible solution in the waiver cable that could end up being a diamond in the rough. You should pay special attention to corridors n. 2 and no. 3 on each list. The turnover rate for RBs in the NFL is between 35% and 40% each year. Remember, every chance you lose is one your opponent could claim.

Rule #4: Let go of personal biases – You may be fiercely loyal to a particular team or certain players. That said, fantasy football isn’t personal, it’s a game. Don’t get used to packing your team with the players you love if the facts don’t support your action. Additionally, you should be prepared to bench underperforming players who may put you at a disadvantage each week you include them on your roster. This may surprise you, but no one except the managers in your league will know that you’ve benched your favorite player.

Rule #5 – Get help when appropriate – There are many free tips related to fantasy football on the Internet. Much of this advice comes from people who do statistical work and don’t mind sharing their efforts with strangers in need. If you’re playing in a serious money league, it might even be worth the investment to pay a small fee for weekly tips. You don’t have to know everything. You will improve your management skills if you learn from the tips you receive for free or otherwise.

Rule #6 – Always play to win – They’ve all been trapped in leagues where managers wave the white flag and stop managing their teams once they feel they’re out of the playoff race. Don’t be one of those guys. Be the guy who finished last but cost someone a playoff spot the last week of the season by beating someone, not letting someone beat you. It’s called losing gracefully.

Hopefully this tip will set you free to become the best fantasy football manager you can be. Experience is a great teacher and all you have to learn now is that fantasy football is a game and should be played for enjoyment, even in the money leagues.

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