To start fantasy football, the basic steps are:
- Join or create a fantasy football league. Leagues usually consist of 8-12 teams managed by individual players.
- Participate in a draft to select your team’s players. Draft formats include snake drafts (where picks rotate order each round) and auction drafts (where you bid with a budget on players).
- Set your lineup weekly by choosing which players will actively earn points for your team based on their real-life NFL performance.
- Compete against other teams in your league each week, with the team scoring the most fantasy points winning that week’s matchup.
- Make adjustments during the season via trades, waiver wire pickups, and lineup changes to improve your team and try to qualify for the playoffs toward the end of the NFL season.
Additionally, you can use cheat sheets, rankings, and expert advice to navigate drafting strategies and lineup decisions. Naming your team is a fun way to personalize your experience. In short: join a league → draft players → set weekly lineup → score points based on real games → win weekly matchups → aim for playoffs.