Fantasy football is a fun, exciting way to enjoy the NFL season.
The game involves picking a team of real-life players that score points each week of the season.
If you’re new to the game, you may find it difficult to understand how to play it successfully.
That’s why we put together this beginner’s guide to help you get started.
Understanding the Basics of Fantasy Football
If you’re new to fantasy football, it can be difficult to get started. But learning the basics will help you understand how it works and make it easier to manage your team.
Fantasy football is a game where you select real-life NFL players and watch as they run, pass, catch, and score touchdowns for points. These points are added up and compared against other teams in your league.
The goal of fantasy football is to win enough games to qualify for the fantasy playoffs, which is similar to the NFL regular season. Once you qualify, you’ll get to compete for the fantasy championship and collect prizes at the end of the season.
First, you’ll need to find a league. There are many types of leagues, including live drafts, auto-drafts, auction drafts, and salary cap leagues. Each type of league has its own rules and scoring system.
You’ll also need a name for your team. This can be tricky, and people sometimes lack inspiration, but there are other options. Brainfall’s Fantasy Football Team Names Generator can be of great help, so you can really get started.
Drafting for Success in Fantasy Football 2023
Now that you have a name, you can go to building a successful fantasy football team by drafting the right players. Drafting for success requires knowledge of the game and a few common rules and strategies that successful teams use.

Aside from a great game plan, you should also take the time to read up on the different fantasy football leagues that you’ll be participating in. Whether you’re participating in an auction or a snake draft, knowing the rules can make a big difference in your ability to win your fantasy football league.
Generally, the best strategy for drafting is to take the best player available at each position. However, some players are worth a shot in the middle or later rounds, regardless of their position. This is particularly true for quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers.
Assessing Trade Opportunities
Trading is one of the most exciting parts of fantasy football. It’s a great way to improve your team and snag players that you wouldn’t otherwise have been able to acquire.
Before you trade, it’s important to evaluate the players involved and make sure that they fit your needs. This will help ensure that you’re not getting short-changed and end up wasting your time.
Identifying trade opportunities is key to improving your team in 2023. Start by analyzing your roster to see which positions are strong and weak.
For example, if you have a strong running back but a lack of wide receivers, you might be able to trade for a top WR.
The next step is to scan other teams in your league to find a trade partner that fits the same scenario. For example, if you’re in a 12-team PPR league and your team is strong at running back but weak at WR, you might want to look for owners that have excess wide receivers.
Once you’ve identified trade partners, submit your offers. Make your opening offer firm and follow up with a response to let the opposing owner know that you’re serious about negotiating a deal. This can lead to more beneficial counter offers being returned to you.
Fantasy Football Strategies for Beginners
Millions of people play fantasy football every year, and there are a variety of strategies that can help you improve your performance. However, the game can be a bit complicated for beginners, so it’s important to understand some of the basics before you dive in head first.
The most basic strategy is to read the rules of your league. This will help you understand how much a particular player will be worth in terms of points scored.
Then pick the best players available in a draft. This can be difficult, but it is important to remember that you’re not in control of the draft and must use your intuition to make wise decisions.
The right drafting strategy will be different for every fantasy football league, so it’s important to understand the rules and scoring systems of your league before you start a draft. This will allow you to maximize your chances of winning. It will also help you avoid the common mistakes made by newcomers to fantasy football.
Using Waivers and Free Agents to Improve Your Team
Waivers and free agents are a fantastic way to add players to your roster. Whether you want to upgrade your team for long-term success or replace a player who is injured or suspended, the waiver wire can be a powerful tool.
Before you use waivers or free agents, it’s important to be informed of how your league works. Most leagues have a weekly waiver period after a game weekend, which allows team managers to make claims on players they don’t own before they clear for the next week.
In most leagues, these waivers are processed overnight, Tuesday through Wednesday. This is known as a waiver period and gives all teams an equal chance to add a player.
The order in which teams can claim on waivers is based on the league’s priority system, which is designed to give teams with poor performance throughout the season a chance to level up.
Another type of waiver, the FAAB (first-ask-all-bid) system, requires teams to manage their budget and bid on players. The bids are kept secret until the waiver processing time, which is typically after a team wins a player on a waiver claim. This system is more straightforward than the priority ranking waivers and does not require as much planning or strategizing.
Celebrating Your Fantasy Football Victories
If you’ve been playing fantasy football for any amount of time, winning a league title can feel like an accomplishment. The struggle is real, and it takes a lot of discipline to pull off a championship win, but the reward can be immense.
One thing that a lot of fantasy football players miss, however, is the right way to celebrate their triumphs. Busting out the cigars and popping champagne is fine, but it’s not necessarily the best way to treat your victory.
Luckily, TrophySmack has created customizable trophies specifically designed for fantasy sports enthusiasts that can help you honor your league win without going overboard. They also offer a variety of other prizes, including t-shirts with team names and player quotes.
And if you’re looking to leave a lasting impression on your team, the company has a Wall of Shame trophy that will let you memorialize past winners (and losers). They also offer a variety of unique gift options.
So, enjoy the game and celebrate your victories with class.
Featured Image: Thomas Serer/Unsplash