Did I say I had one "final" piece of advice in last week's column? I'm so silly. What was I thinking? I hope you'll accept just a few more final thoughts before the season starts. And maybe another one next week, too.
By the way, this isn't about player evaluations or rankings. Those things are important, but you have plenty of lists already. Ian handles that part thoroughly. This advice is about making your overall fantasy experience better.
Pay your league dues now. Normally they're due when you select your players, but some leagues let you slide until the start of week 1. If you still have some time (or especially you're a little late) just pay what you owe. As in, right now. Getting this out of the way makes you look like a serious owner, instead of a deadbeat the commissioner has to chase around.
And on that note:
Accommodate and appreciate your commissioner this year. It's a thankless job. You already know that, if not from experience, than from the thousands of times you've thought to yourself "I'm glad that's not me." Just make a mental note to not fight over every little thing they ask you to do. If there's a procedure to something, don't look for a way around it, or claim the Founding Fathers would fight it tooth and nail as a violation of their freedom of expression. Remember that the commissioner is an owner just like you. Don't ruin their season by whining all year. Let them have some fun, too.
Don't drink and draft. This year, I'm limiting myself to exactly 100 words on this subject. No more, no less. So here goes:
When you drink, you make poor decisions, and your draft is the worst time to make things tougher on yourself. Go ahead and drink after the draft, but pick your team when you're at your sharpest. Even if everyone else is drinking, don't be a follower. Do you want to win or not? Don't hamstring yourself when it really matters in August. Otherwise, you're just donating your entry fees to someone else's victory party in December. Drinking at the draft sounds fun, but struggling with a loser team for several months isn't fun. There's absolutely nothing you can say that
Compile a list of potential quality owners. You'd be surprised how many last-minute dropouts cripple fantasy leagues. Or maybe you wouldn't be surprised. Many of us have had to deal with scrambling to replace someone who couldn't be bothered to give any advance notice.
The problem isn't whether you'll find somebody. You will. The problem is that "somebody" is just a person with an entry fee and a free couple of hours when you're drafting. Or maybe they'll just auto draft. Who knows? You're not getting anything but an agreement in August to stick around, because you were desperate and took whoever said they'd join.
I'm sure you don't expect that to happen in your league in the next couple of weeks. Nobody does. Just take a few minutes and make a shortlist of people who would make great owners. You need active, friendly people who will respond to trade offers, use the waiver wire and make an honest effort to win. Don't worry about how "good" they are at fantasy football. Worry about if they're good at being a polite, rational human being who will play the season out no matter what happens. Who knows? You might actually upgrade your ownership that way.
Don't fall in love with your team. See that shiny, new roster? Whether you end up 12-2 or 4-10, it's going to look different at the end of the year. Guys you expect to carry the load might end up hurt, and players sitting on the waiver wire right now could carry you to victory. Who ends up where isn't important right now. What is important is that you can admire your team, but don't get too invested in your players. There's going to be some turnover. Maybe a lot of turnover. Getting used to the idea now will help you cut the cord later.
Don't bail on your team yet. Basically, don't overdo the last piece of advice. But it seems like right after every draft there's one owner who wants to know when they can make waiver moves. That means there are players on their roster who have overstayed their welcome after 10 minutes in August. That's a sure-fire way to make sure your strategy never has a chance to work.
Give your team a little time before you make changes. Otherwise, you're bound to jump on a trade in week 2 that leads to a championship. For someone else, that is. Don't be too hasty to bail on a player who hasn't actually, you know, played yet. Barring injury or a job demotion, you should at least give them a chance before ditching them for a guy who was skipped over by every single owner in every single round (including you).
Don't draft Jordy Nelson. Okay, don't say I never gave you specific player advice. But isn't it strange that I know about the injury even though I haven't seen any preseason games? Gosh, it's almost like I don't need to watch them at all.
Do you have any last-minute tips to make the fantasy season go smoother? Share your thoughts below.
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