When the temperatures start to drop, back to school is in full swing, and jerseys start making their way out of closets, you can practically hear the NFL themes creeping into the background—and feel the familiar hope that your team will make the playoffs this season. If you’ve watched millions of fans obsess over statistics, player news, and the new rookie on the squad and have felt left out, this might be your year to finally join the fun and check out fantasy football for yourself. Especially if you consider yourself an absolute football beginner, fantasy is one of the best and most immersive ways to improve your knowledge of the sport and get intimately involved in it.
This guide is here to walk total novices like yourself through the basics, without the assumption that you have any idea what a “safety” or “waiver wire” is.
Fantasy Football in a Nutshell
The term “fantasy football” is self-explanatory in a way. It’s a fantasy version of the game where you act as a manager of your own team made of real-life NFL players. During the season, your players either earn you points or lose you points every week, all based on their actual performance on the field. Actions like touchdowns, receptions (catching the ball), yards gained, and even defensive plays all contribute to the overall effort. You essentially compete against other teams in your league, and the team with the most points at the end of the week or the season wins.
Different leagues have different scoring rules and draft formats, but the overall idea is always to put together a strong team, make the smartest decisions possible to secure wins, and enjoy following the NFL season even more than you normally would. Beginners get to learn more about the mechanics of football and have a reason to follow players and matchups more closely.
How Leagues Operate
Leagues are the overarching structure that teams compete within and how the schedule, rules, and setup are defined. Most leagues have eight to twelve teams, but some can be bigger or smaller, with each team managed by a different player. They operate in one of two ways. The first is the head-to-head league, where teams face off against each other every week, and the team with the highest score earns the win. The second is the season-long league, where every point accumulates throughout the entire season, and the team with the highest total at the end becomes the winner.
Determining who joins your team isn’t just a race to pick the stars. It involves a structured and scheduled draft day, which we’ll go over in a later section. The most common draft format is a snake draft, in which teams take turns picking players in a back-and-forth order. For example, the team that picks first in one round picks last in the next round, and vice versa. There’s also the auction draft, where each manager has a certain budget to bid on players, adding even more strategy to the draft.
How Points Are Earned
Certain positions will earn points based on common actions they take on the field. For example, a quarterback earns points for passing yards and touchdown passes, while a running back earns points for rushing yards and touchdowns scored. Other positions, like tight ends and kickers, will also have their own ways to rack up points. Again, the way points are earned depends heavily on the league. Some of them use standard scoring, which focuses on touchdowns and yards, and others can feature bonus categories or penalties, which is why learning your specific scoring system is so important.
Preparing for Your First Season
In an ideal scenario, you’ll have friends and family managing other teams to help guide you through the process. But beyond that support, a little solo preparation will do the trick. To help make your experience feel less intimidating and more enjoyable, get familiar with the players and how they’re looking to start the season. Even if you’re unfamiliar with the NFL at first, you never want to pick names at random. Spend time reviewing expert projections and reading articles from reputable sources to determine which players are risky or reliable.
Research helps you make smarter choices, whether it’s putting together your fantasy football team, cooking a healthy meal, or comparing online gaming platforms on sites like Casinos.com. The more informed you are, even when you start getting familiar with the game, the better your chances of winning.
Draft Day Basics
Draft day signals the start of the fantasy season, and it’s where you pick the team that will set the tone for the next 18 weeks. As a beginner, it might be tempting to pick big names and become rigid in your thought process. That’s why research, as we just discussed, will be your greatest asset. You’ll recognize when it’s smarter to fill a position early or wait for value picks later in the draft. It’s also wise to stay flexible. Every NFL season is highly unpredictable. The Super Bowl champs from the previous year could end up with a losing record due to injuries or surprise breakouts. Think about balancing your roster with reliable starters and promising bench players to avoid too much risk.
Managing Your Team Throughout the Season
Fantasy success comes down to preparation and proactivity. Even after your roster is locked into place and the season kicks off, staying on top of lineup changes and waiver opportunities (picking up free agents) will help you stay competitive. Treat every week as a fresh opportunity to improve your team and chase points, but also as a chance to learn more about football and join in a collective experience with fellow fans.
