Know Your League Settings
Possibly the most important detail of them all, you must know your league settings. I’ll say it again because it’s that important – know your league settings. And, if there’s anything you must remember, it’s know your league settings… catch the drift yet?
You need to know how many players start and how they score points for your team. It sounds simple, but it’s so simple that it’s easy to overlook. In my dozen or so years of playing experience, I’ve seen it happen on more than one occasion. For example, a person will draft just one center without a backup, thinking it’s a one center start league when it’s actually a two-center start league. Or someone drafts a player because said player led the league in steals and the drafter wants to lock up/win that category, but steals aren’t a category in the league, rendering that player of less value. So, if there’s anything that you take away from this article, it’s know your… eh, you know what I’m going to say.
Don’t Just Sleep There And Bust A Move
Along with your cheat sheet, you should think about who the sleepers are, players who could be looked over by the other owners in your fantasy league and someone who will produce at a greater value than where they are drafted. For example, last season, the New Orleans Hornets’ David West was put on the backburner on most cheat sheets, if he was there at all. However, if you did your homework, you’d know that the previous two seasons, ramping up his time to 40 minutes per game, West was a double digit rebounder and scorer. But, he wasn’t getting the time on the floor because of a crowded frontcourt in New Orleans. However, when Jamaal Magloire, his teammate at the time, was traded away, opening up a spot and more time for West, West became an instant sleeper.Conversely, note which players may be busts. Whether it be because of age, injury questions, or being traded to another team where said player’s production could decline, you should note who may produce less value than where he is drafted. So, don’t sleep on a sleeper and definitely don’t go near a player you think could be a bust.
Draft Day!
This symbolical first day of your league is the most important. Why? The draft will set the tone for your season as you will draft players who will hypothetically be the base of your team for the upcoming season. Considering that your league will utilize several categories in its scoring system, it is important to have as balanced a team as possible.
Sure, you can pad certain categories, but it’s hard to count on anything in fantasy sports because of many intangibles that aren’t in the numbers – injuries, team chemistry, off-the-court issues, etc. Try to draft players on your team that contribute to at least a few categories and have your personnel complement each other by adding a category specialist or two in the latter middle rounds or later rounds.
For example, maybe the stud players on your team that you drafted thus far are all frontcourt players that score a lot, get rebounds, shoot a high field goal percentage and block shots. But what about the three-pointers made, assists, and free throw percentage categories? How about adding someone like the Phoenix Suns’ Raja Bell who will get you a ton of three-pointers and shoot about 79 percent from the free-throw line. Or the Denver Nuggets’ Andre Miller who averages about eight assists and shoots 80 percent from the line for his career to balance out your team?
For the most part, balance will put you in a better position to, in theory, have you be competitive in all the categories of your league. Diversifying your “assets” in this manner will make sure you’re not weak, or at least less weak, in one category.
Now draft!
