When going into each fantasy football season, no matter what the format is, you want to have an upper hand on your opponents. There is not one key strategy that will win you the league, but here are some tips and tricks that will help you win your league.
Combine rankings from 100+ experts into one consensus cheat sheet 
Look into the Waiver Wire
One thing that I have been doing for years now is making sure to look into the depths of your waiver wire. Each year there are players that go undrafted that turn into fantasy darlings. One thing to keep you ahead of your opponents is to look at the waiver wire, as well as who is being picked up and dropped by other teams. The past two years we have seen the likes of Jordan Howard and Alvin Kamara become fantasy superstars off the waiver wire. Putting RB handcuffs on your watchlist and being prepared would give you the best chance to grab that next superstar of the waiver wire.
Keep up to Date with News
We are in an age where almost all news is breaking to the public instantaneously. In fantasy football, you can use that to your advantage. Using different websites and apps will allow you to get news as quickly as possible. Hearing different news on who is impressing coaches and how players are dealing with injuries allows you to be proactive in either getting that sleeper or finding that replacement. Being able to get information before anyone else can allow you to get that positional advantage over an unsuspecting opponent.
Don’t be afraid to make risky draft picks
The goal for fantasy football and football, in general, is to score more points than your opponent. Building a team of high-floor and low-ceiling guys will not help bring you a championship. You need to be willing to swing for the fences sometimes and go for the player with massive upside rather than the player who is seeming to be safer. Each team needs those safer players but when you get onto drafting your bench, drafting guys that are deemed to be risky but with lots of upside, I think is a good way to go. If that player breaks out, then you got a steal with that risky selection. Even if they bust, it is a part of the game and that happens each year, whether from injury or performance. Raising your overall team’s ceiling in points is a necessary move that would help your team win.
Go into the Draft Prepared
Research, mock draft, and repeat. When going into a draft it is vital that you do as much research as you can. Read up on players, coaches, and situations that are in flux coming into the year. Then once you begin putting together your own thoughts, go and mock draft. In mock drafts, you can see where different players are going and start to figure out potential players to target. You will start to come up with your own opinions on different players who are overvalued and undervalued. Being able to know the rankings and the draft boards is important to know how you may structure your team and who will be there in different rounds. When it comes time for the real draft, you will be prepared and know who to take when the time comes.
Subscribe: iTunes | Stitcher | SoundCloud | Google Play | TuneIn | RSS
Matthew Fleisher is a correspondent at FantasyPros. For more from Matthew, check out his archive and follow him @FFMattFleisher.
