In America, football reigns supreme over all other sports. It's a fan favorite, and it's also the fantasy favorite. Fantasy football is played by roughly 36 million people in the United States and Canada. If you're new to the whole concept of this recreational, potentially addictive game, you might be looking for help before you dive into a league.
Whether you're joining a league at work, with your buddies or even just for a casual family rivalry, you don't want to be on the losing side of the action. If you don't play for money, bragging rights are always on the line.
For all the beginners out there, we wanted to offer some advice as to what you should know when first starting out playing fantasy football. There are rules, strategies and general information you need to keep in mind heading into the season.
Over the next week or so, we'll be rolling out several explanatory articles for new fantasy football owners. Here's a look at what we'll be discussing.
1. Different types of leagues: Standard vs. PPR, Dynasty vs. Keeper vs. Single Year
2. How to operate your team: setting your lineup each week, learning how waivers work, trading with other owners
3. Draft strategy: what positions should I look at first, keeping bye weeks in mind
4. What are good fantasy services: Yahoo!, ESPN, NFL.com, etc.
5. Ideas for naming your team
So, if you're worrying about all the information you have to take in just to get started, don't panic. We'll break it down for you and guide you in the right direction. Be sure to check back as the series moves forward.