Latest news with #draftstrategies
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
16 BIGGEST fantasy takeaways from Week 1 preseason + 8 draft strategies to construct BEST roster
Subscribe to Yahoo Fantasy Forecast Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube While the preseason scores and results don't count, what we takeaway from the games does matter. Matt Harmon provides his 16 biggest fantasy takeaways from Week 1 preseason action, including his thoughts on key injuries, playing time for certain rookies and his overall thoughts on young QBs like Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart. After the break, Scott Pianowski joins the show with Harmon to share his 8 best draft strategies to construct the ideal roster this month. (2:00) - Yahoo Fantasy Draft Weekend is in Las Vegas August 22-24! (3:35) - Preseason Week 1 fantasy recap: Headlines that matter, playing time notes and sicko stuff (3:50) - Headlines that matter: Slater out for year, Travis Hunter's debut, Tyjae Spears' ankle injury, Jayden Reed in a boot, Anthony Richardson leaves game with finger injury, Stafford starts to throw, Rachaad White's groin injury (13:30) - Playing time to note: Texans put WR Jayden Higgins in X role, Jaguars RB usage, Tyler Warren's usage in Indy's offense, Chase Brown is in the clear RB1 role, Carolina WRs, RJ Harvey and Marvin Mims' roles in Denver, Jets rotate RBs, Will Shipley clear RB2 in Phlly (25:55) - Sicko stuff: Deep sleeper rookie WRs to watch + Thoughts on Dart and Sanders' debuts at QB (31:30) - Scott Pianowski joins the show (32:45) - 8 draft strategies to construct the ideal roster (32:50) - RB strategies: Robust RB, Hero RB and Zero RB (52:40) - WR and TE strategies: Robust WR and Vanity TE (1:12:45) - QB strategies: Vanity QBs, Late-round QBs and mobile QBs 🖥️
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fantasy football strategies to consider in 2025
Nobody plans to fail, so the story goes. They just fail to plan. Here are some different draft strategies you might employ this fantasy football season. Please consider all of these plans to be written in pencil — you want to remain flexible and fluid at the draft table, ready to pounce on surprise opportunities. Also recognize that several of these strategies could be used in concert with one another. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] And then there is the golden rule of all of this — any strategy can work if you pick the right players. Never forget that, amigos. The Three Main Running Back Strategies There are three primary paths you can choose at running back, and this area is usually the first question a planning fantasy manager attempts to tackle. Robust RB: The idea here is to get at least two monster running backs at the front of your draft, probably in the top 2-3 rounds. You might even focus on a third early running back under certain roster settings. If your league only requires two starting wide receivers, I'm more likely to consider a Robust RB shell. This was the dominant strategy when fantasy football first came into the public eye, and I suppose it's made something of a comeback recently. Outside of Christian McCaffrey, Robust RB was a very strong strategy in 2024. Hero RB: This strategy focuses on getting one strong running back you can hang your hat on (preferably in Round 1 or 2 but perhaps in Round 3) and otherwise focusing on other positions with your early selections. I often gravitate towards this build, perhaps because I like hybrid concepts and modified strategies. I like to hit a 3-wood off the tee. I'll often favor the medium size over the large size when ordering dinner. Sometimes this strategy is called Anchor RB. Zero RB: It takes a special kind of nerve to pull off Zero RB, but it's especially satisfying when it works. The idea on this is to ignore running back completely in the early rounds, but stockpile backs in the later rounds — hoping that when the expected injury chaos of the position kicks in league-wide, you'll be well equipped to benefit. One reason why I've shied away from Zero RB in recent years is the trend that most smart fantasy managers are going to stockpile their bench with high-upside running backs, which will interfere somewhat with the teams that are angling for Zero RB. I've been in leagues where everyone seemed to do this — pound RB in the second part of the draft. Nonetheless, the injury rates are usually high at running back — though they were not in 2024, an outlier season — and that's why Zero RB can often be a success. My Preferred Wide Receiver Strategy Dominate at WR: Here is the build I've usually opted for in recent years, working in concert with a Hero RB build. In leagues that require at least three starting wideouts (or more), I want a WR room that's the envy of the league. I want wideouts who essentially start themselves, no weekly tweaking required. It's important to note that unheralded producers at running back are much more likely to emerge (be it from late-round picks or the waiver wire) than they are at wide receiver. The big points at WR come from the primary players, so let's steer into them at the draft. Strategy Options at the Onesie Positions Go Big at Quarterback or Tight End: You've probably been here before as a fantasy manager, sorting through the third round and unenthused about the RB and WR options. Why not select an obvious superstar at QB or TE? The quarterbacks obviously score the most raw points in most fantasy leagues, and their weekly scoring is usually very stable. And in some seasons the difference between the elite tight ends and what you find in the TE 8-12 area — ostensibly a starter for another fantasy manager — is comically large. To be at peace with these concepts, you need to be comfortable falling one slot behind in the chase to build an impressive RB or WR room. If you feel you scout the mid-priced backs and wideouts better than your opponents, it might steer you to a vanity pick at the onesie spots. Colleague Matt Harmon spends a ton of time scouting and evaluating wide receivers — it makes sense that he feels he can sneak out hidden WR values in the middle rounds. As such, Matt might be dialing up a big-name quarterback or tight end when others are thinking about the running backs and receivers. At QB, either act first or last: If the draft falls in a way where you can't land one of the top-5 superstars, it's often prudent to back away from that board and address it much later in the draft. Remember, the Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson managers are unlikely to double back quickly for a backup QB — and they might ignore that position completely for the rest of the draft. The QB board looks rather flat from about QB9 to QB22 — there isn't that much difference from top to bottom. Often I'll be the last manager to jump into the QB pool, but the first team to select a second quarterback, so I'm getting two bites at the upside apple. Other Strategic Leans That Can Influence Draft Strategy Stacking: This is the idea of matching a quarterback and one of his pass-catchers, so you can enjoy collaborative scoring and simplify your upside path for the season. I consider stacking more important if I'm trying to win a league that has a sizable manager pool, or if I'm in a room that's highly skilled. If I find myself in a more casual setting, stacking is less pressing of a need for me. Mobile QBs for the Win: Dual-threat quarterbacks are recognized as a cheat code for fantasy — the great Rich Hribar branded them Konami Code quarterbacks many years ago. Colleague Dan Titus is one of many sharp players who considers the mobile quarterback a near-mandate at the draft table. Lean into the scoring rules. Give your fantasy players as many possible paths to production. Start Planning Upside Down: This is the idea of letting what's most likely to be available late in your draft affect how you approach the early rounds. Sometimes this information is difficult to know, but if you're in a league filled with returning competitors, the puzzle becomes more solvable. If you're in a salary cap league, try to figure out what is likely to be available for the minimum price (most likely in the endgame, though that won't always be the case). Armed with this knowledge, you can make better decisions with your heavier checks. Draft For Value, Get Balance Later: This is a concept I'm borrowing from the Fantasy Baseball world (I'm pretty sure FSWA Hall of Famer Ron Shandler popularized this concept). The idea is to take the values that the room offers you and not to be stressed about positional requirements (within reason). You can always balance out your roster later, through trading and free-agency moves. Obviously the shape of your league will significantly affect how executable this motif is; some leagues have stringent limitations on trading or pickups, while other leagues are more open to roster churn. You will always know your room better than we do; season to taste.
Yahoo
04-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Yahoo Fantasy guillotine-style leagues: In-season strategies and differences
We're thrilled to announce the launch of Yahoo Fantasy guillotine-style leagues presented by Liquid Death for this season. In this killer fantasy football game, fans compete for survival every week. To get you ready to compete in guillotine-style leagues this year, we covered the basic overview of the format in our guillotine 101 article and went further into the specific draft strategies that could give you an edge. Now, let's dive deeper into the approaches that can help you manage your team during the season and how they might differ from traditional fantasy leagues. Continue to focus on the short-term This was a strategy we discussed for drafts, but it also carries over into the season. The last thing you want to do is overlook your lineup in a given week because you're planning ahead. Keep a close eye on your roster, including upcoming matchups and bye weeks that might be problematic, while also pouring over the waiver wire with that same diligence. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy guillotine-style football league] Even if you have to write it down somewhere, constantly remind yourself that you don't need to finish first every week — you just have to avoid last. And don't get caught up on trying to optimize your lineup for a late-season push until you actually advance closer to that point in the calendar. Maintain your focus on the present and steadily chip away at a championship by surviving week after week until you're the only team left. Be prepared for unpredictable FAB bids If you think blind waiver bids are hard to gauge in regular redraft leagues, you better prepare yourself for the chaos that occurs when waivers process in guillotine. Remember, the entire roster of the team that was eliminated the previous week is released into the free-agent pool. That alone creates a strange visual when you see high-end talent available if you're willing to spend up to get them. As you can imagine, desperate managers who were close to being cut the week before often feel the pressure to use their free agent budget (FAB) to improve their squad — resulting in massive overbids for stars who just got dropped. Meanwhile, managers with strong rosters are enticed by the idea of securing high-end talent who could aid them in their quest for a fantasy title. At worst, they feel compelled to enter a bid to ensure those stars don't get picked up by another manager at a discounted cost. In the end, we see some of the wildest bids in both directions — with some managers significantly overpaying to guarantee access to the player they want and others being rewarded with a value pickup for simply attempting to price enforce. No one wants to become the waiver wire sheriff, who's using their budget to police bids — but sometimes that can land you a player at a surprisingly reasonable amount in guillotine-style leagues. I say that from experience. Throughout the season, check in on your leaguemates' rosters and remaining budgets to get a better feel for what they're thinking and how they might approach free-agent bids that week. Don't spend your FAB budget too soon While I'm normally very aggressive with my FAB budget in redraft leagues, it's important to keep your spending in check in the early going of a guillotine-style league. Seeing those big names land on the waiver wire is such a different experience and leads you to want to go all-in for them, but that isn't usually the best approach. Though it feels good to get a superstar on your roster in the moment, if it took most of your budget (you'll start the season with $1,000) to acquire them — it might leave you empty-handed later in the year when you're making the run towards a title. The feeling of reaching the final few weeks of a guillotine season and not having any FAB to use — while your opponents are scooping up week-winning starters thanks to small bids — is a frustrating one. It's another area I've lived through and learned from. Later in the season, the teams that get knocked out will be full of quality players, so having FAB to spend for that stretch is critical. Finding the balance between conserving your budget for as long as you can or throwing down the necessary amount when required is where your skill as a manager comes into play. Make adjustments on the fly As the season goes on, you'll start to get a feel for how your team is performing week-to-week and how it compares to other rosters in the league. It's important to use this information and adapt. If you're posting one of the best scores every time out, then you might be able to coast with the roster you drafted and sit on your FAB budget a bit longer than most. Let your opponents bid outrageous amounts on waiver wire adds, while you just tweak your lineup and stay safely out of harm's way. However, if your team is consistently flirting with elimination, you have to figure out what your weaknesses are and make moves to get yourself out of the danger zone. Being able to diagnose your own roster and plan accordingly is crucial to your survival in this format. Lean into matchups later in the year Using matchups to your advantage is something you can lean on all year long, but it's most useful at the beginning and the end of the campaign. Early in the season, your team won't have as much high-end talent and, therefore, you'll benefit greatly if you can identify players who will overperform or underperform based on the caliber of their opponent that week. Later in the season, when the remaining managers have built up their teams with the early-round players from the eliminated rosters, starting lineups will be filled with elite producers. Once you get to that point, you could just hope your team is good enough and see where things go, but that's not the best strategy. Instead, you should be digging into the matchups and seeing which of your stars has the cleanest path to a huge fantasy performance. This might even lead you to sit one of your premier starters if you think another player is better positioned to find success that week. The road to fantasy glory will eventually come down to whether you can navigate that home stretch and having a good grasp on matchups might be the element that puts you over the top. Other strategies to consider Don't be afraid to use your IR slot — Whenever your league has an injured reserve spot, you should use it. If there's a player on the waiver wire who could be stashed away on your IR, pick them up, move them into that position and then add someone else to your main roster. Any time your IR slot is empty, it's a wasted opportunity. Grab insurance for your RBs — Even if you didn't draft the backup for your starting running backs, there will be opportunities to add them off the waiver wire throughout the season. Insulating your star RBs with their real-life backups can prevent your lineup from getting destroyed if an injury strikes. Be on the lookout for injury replacements — This was a strategy I proposed for draft day, but it also works as the season goes along. Be proactive about picking up lesser-known backups who are about to see increased usage due to injuries ahead of them on the depth chart. While they might not be household names, they could be the very piece you need to make it to the following week.
