Like any game, the first step to winning is knowing the rules. Most fantasy football leagues follow a fairly similar scoring system, but you want to make sure that you know the in’s and out’s of your league’s scoring system before you even get started looking at the rest of the rules. Things like points-per-reception, individual player scoring on kick returns, and inflated touchdown scoring can change the way your draft will go.
Once you’re done looking at the scoring system, the next most important thing to look at with the rules has to do with the roster limits. Most leagues are similar in scoring, but there is a lot of variance in the number of players and positions that a team may have from league to league. Your league may have a cap on the number of running backs that a team can have, or you might be required to have a backup at every position, or you might be free to do whatever you want to do with your roster. In any event, knowing the roster rules will allow you to avoid surprises on draft day. In order to do this, you should understand some of the odd position titles you might see from your league’s starting lineup:
Team Quarterback (TQB) – This position is used to designate an entire team’s quarterback position. This means that any player listed as a Quarterback on a team’s NFL roster will get you fantasy points. This position isn’t used in many leagues, but it does change the fantasy values of quarterbacks for leagues that do use it. For 2010, this position might increase the value of the Philadelphia Eagles TQB and the Pittsburgh Steelers TQB. With Mike Vick seeing a handful of snaps each game, the owner of the Eagles TQB would receive points both when Mike Vick and Kevin Kolb are on the field. As such, the owner of the Steelers TQB would receive points both from Ben Roethlisberger when he returns from suspension as well as his replacements while he is out.
Running Back / Wide Receiver Flex (RB/WR) – This position is becoming more common and the roster spot can be filled by either a running back or a wide receiver.
Wide Receiver / Tight End Flex (WR/TE) – Like the other flex position, this is a position that can be filled by either a wide receiver or tight end.
Offensive Utility Position (UTIL) – This position is used more commonly in fantasy baseball than it is fantasy football, but it is a unique position that can change a league in an instant. This position can be filled by any offensive player: quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end. The most common position used as a UTIL will be quarterback in most scoring systems, but pay attention to the scoring system in your league to determine if a running back or wide receiver might be a better option.
Team Defense / Special Teams (D/ST) – This position is used in almost all fantasy football leagues and refers to an entire team’s defense and special teams unit. Scoring can include things like sacks, interceptions, fumbles, and touchdowns both on defense and special teams.
Keep in mind the number of players that are in your starting lineup. If you’re in a standard league with only one QB and TE position in your lineup, consider that you will only need one of them each week and it doesn’t make a lot of sense to have two ‘elite’ players at those positions unless you plan on trading one.
Once you’ve looked through the scoring system, roster requirements, and other rules, you can start to get ready for your draft.
