Football is one of the most popular sports in the United States, as millions of people tune in to college and NFL games every season. Sports fans love placing wagers on bets or participating in fantasy football contests. Both options are similar and can provide great excitement in the fall. If you are new to fantasy football, you may be wondering how to get started. Is it just like online sports betting?
Fantasy football isn’t complicated and requires no money to get started. Review this beginner’s guide for a better idea of how to begin and participate in the upcoming 2023-24 season.
General How-To Guide
To play fantasy football, you must select your team of players and set a lineup each week. Then, you watch as they complete actions in the game, which gives you fantasy football points. You can earn points for players running, passing, catching, and scoring touchdowns.
Every week, you are matched with another player in your league. Whoever earns the most fantasy points during the week earns the win. Start each week with a new lineup to see how successful you are. You enter the fantasy playoffs once you reach the final weeks of the regular season. Make it to the playoffs, and you can win the season. If you don’t, then your time is up, just like the teams in the NFL that don’t make it to the next round.
Drafting for Beginners
If you are looking into fantasy football, then you have most likely heard of drafts. They are extremely fun and the best part of fantasy football. Some fans will work for months to create the best lineup, researching players on a regular basis.
But you don’t have to do that. Most of the research is already done for you. Pick your team members or rely on auto-draft to create a lineup that will hopefully be successful. There are also tips and strategies offered online so you can make the best decision possible based on several factors.
Naming Your Fantasy Football Team
Once you have your team picked, it’s time to name them! Everyone wants to have the best name and many people will name the team after their favorite sports franchise or hometown. Others will be creative and go for a superhero theme or retro title.
You can name your team whatever you like. Have fun with it, and you will surely enjoy the fantasy football process even more. Consider your favorite team, players, or just a theme for your league to make it even more fun!
Consider a Cheat Sheet
If you are still unsure of how to begin or a little hesitant, consider using a cheat sheet. There are plenty of beginner cheat sheets for fantasy football, where you can use a format to set up your team for the first time.
The cheat sheets walk you through the process, making it easy to join a league, draft your players, and pick a team name. The information on the cheat sheet is organized for each round with simple instructions on rankings and projections.
Hot Tips
If you have time before the draft, always conduct research on the upcoming season. Player rosters change all the time, so it’s a good idea to review your options. This way, you can figure out which players you want to vie for during the draft.
The main objective of fantasy football is to figure out what changed from the previous season. Read top storylines for NFL teams, and learn about rookies and potential sleeper players. Use this information to make smart picks once the draft rolls around.
