What is Fantasy Football

From LoveToKnow Online

Fantasy football, like other fantasy sports, is a game that gives participants the opportunity to simulate ownership of a professional football team. A specific number of players gather, either in person or on the Internet, prior to the start of the National Football League’s season, so they can select players and create their own fantasy teams. For example, if you receive the first pick in your league’s draft, you would want to select the NFL player with the best chance to score points, based on your league’s scoring system. Most leagues use what is called a performance-based scoring system. That is, players are awarded points for scoring touchdowns and for gaining yards, usually six points per TD and one point for every 10 yards rushing or receiving. Systems vary on how they award points to quarterbacks.

Many leagues have different rules and different roster requirements. Some fantasy leagues ask participants to draft a team defense; they then award points, based on things like quarterback sacks, interceptions and total yards surrendered. When all is said and done, and you’ve drafted your team, you’ll have players from various NFL teams, and those players and their points will be placed against the players from other teams in your league each week in fantasy games.

Drafting Your Fantasy Football Team

Whether you are gathering at a set place with friends to draft your team or meeting in cyberspace in an Internet league, draft day is the biggest day of the year for ]http://best.lovetoknow.com/Best_Fantasy_Football_Team_Names fantasy football] team owners. This is where all of your research of NFL players and how well they'll perform during the season comes into play. It's time to prove to all others in your league that you are the superior team owner and manager.

Draft Order

Your fantasy league will set its draft order prior to draft day, so you can prepare according to where you select in each round. If you are in a standard-sized, 12-team league, you’ll probably draft 14 to 16 rounds. Most football leagues reverse the order every round, so if you select second in the first round, you’ll pick eleventh in the second round, and so on. This will help you in evaluating players.

Filling Your Roster

Let’s assume your league requires you to start one quarterback, two running backs, two receivers, one tight end, one place-kicker and one defense. Good running backs usually score the most points, so you will probably select a running back with your first pick. Based on the 2005 season, Seattle’s Shaun Alexander was by far the best selection in any fantasy football draft. In the second round, you can draft for need by filling one of the other spots, or you can go with the best player available. This is where philosophy comes into play, and you’ll adapt each draft to your own philosophy as your understanding of the game increases.

Playing Games

Unlike some fantasy sports, like baseball, which measure teams against one another, via an overall statistical system, fantasy football participants compete head-to-head each week. You will have a pre-determined schedule, and you will pit your players against someone else’s players each week. Your wins and losses will be tracked by an Internet system or by your league commissioner, and at the end of the season, some teams will make the playoffs and compete for the fantasy bowl title.

Managing Your Team

The true excitement of running a fantasy team comes in making decisions, just like professional general managers and coaches. The key to building a winning fantasy team does not stop with the draft. Most leagues allow trading players, acquiring free agents and placing players on an injured reserve list. Some leagues even accept the trading of future draft picks, just like the NFL. Successful team owners have an in-depth understanding of NFL players and their fantasy value, as well as the ability to predict which players will be successful at various times and against particular opponents. These are just some of the facets of fantasy football and how to compete.