As the NFL game continues to evolve, so does the game of fantasy football. We have witnessed the rise of points per reception (PPR) scoring, tight end-premium scoring and even the use of third-round reversals in fantasy football drafts.
We live in a much different fantasy world today than we did five years ago.
So, if the fantasy game is evolving, why isn’t your approach to draft research evolving as well?
The casual fantasy manager picks their players based off a random top-200 player rankings list or how players are ordered inside their online draft room.
That’s a great way to finish in the middle of the pack and miss your playoffs.
The savvy fantasy player, on the other hand, has a much deeper knowledge of the game of football, understands NFL offensive systems and uses that information to better sift through the various hot takes and useless metrics being purported by those who simply don’t understand the game.
Or maybe they don’t either, but they do trust a fantasy resource that does. Either way, they are the ones we see raising the trophy in the end.
With the amount of player and coaching movement every NFL offseason, relying on year-to-year statistics can be a very dangerous game.
We have five new head coaches and 16 new offensive coordinators this year — which means that, for half the teams in the NFL, the statistics you see from those players can likely be thrown out the window.
Who cares if a player rushed for 1,000 yards and scored six touchdowns last year if he is either on a new team or is now playing in a new system under a new coach or coordinator?
The only thing about him that is the same is that he is probably still a running back.
We have also been inundated with a world of metrics thanks to ESPN’s Next Gen Stats, and now people are quoting numbers like the aDOT (average depth of target) of quarterbacks and wide receivers as if nothing has ever changed.
But what happens when a new coach comes in and changes the scheme from a spread offense with lots of deep shots taken downfield to a West Coast offense with shorter passing routes? Their aDOT for the 2023 season is going to look very different from their numbers in prior seasons.
Understanding the dramatic changes that happen to an NFL team from year to year is how you win at fantasy football.
Yes, anyone can get lucky and pick up a league-winner off their waiver wire without understanding the nuances of the game, but a knowledge of coaching systems helps eliminate that luck. Be a better fantasy football player by evolving with the ever-changing game.
If you don’t feel like this is something you can or want to learn on your own, be sure to find a trusted source that does.
Howard Bender is the head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on Twitter @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to Fantasy-Alarm.com for all your fantasy football advice
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