Are you the sort of person who takes your daily fantasy sports very seriously? There are a lot of different strategies people can use to build their roster and turn it into a force to beat their friends — and gain some bragging rights in the process.
In this guide, we’re looking at some of the top tips for drafting in daily fantasy sports. If you’re used to playing other types of fantasy sports such as the full-season options, then you might find that it is slightly different, and there are a few things to learn. It is often the people who are dedicated to making change who find that they have the most successful teams.
Consider which fantasy sports you’re playing
In the modern age, fantasy sports can refer to several different games, including football, soccer and NBA basketball, among others. Each of these can be a little bit different, which means that there are some subtle variations required in strategy. Try to fully understand the game in question and the nuances of how it works, including when the games take place and when it might make the most sense to make your trades.
With daily fantasy sports sites like FanDuel providing a lot of different options for fantasy sports, you can see how many different ways there are to play. In addition to different sports, there are different wagering options for people depending on their personal preference.
Being knowledgeable about the sport you’re actually interested in can make all the difference.
Track the news
The sports news should probably become your best friend if you are going to dive into the world of fantasy sports. Nobody wants to draft somebody onto their roster only to discover that they have become injured and won’t be able to play. This can cost serious points over the course of the season.
As well as being able to track the sports news on networks like ESPN, CNN and other sports news sites, there are also a number of X accounts and other social media platforms where people can check out what is happening in the sport, and access things like injury news. Some of these sites are specifically dedicated to fantasy football news too.
In addition to tracking the news to see if players are missing out, you might also spot opportunities based on the news, such as a team having an injury crisis, meaning the players taking that team on could be worth drafting.
Finding draft sleepers
This is a term that you will come across a lot when you are looking to build your fantasy roster. Sleepers are usually players who are generally ignored by others but can provide you with value. They may be cheaper to draft but also have the chance to score you some serious points.
One example of a sleeper pick could be a player who has a history of injuries and is set to return to play in the coming games. This could mean that others do not consider them a top pick, but they have big potential if they do perform.
You may also look for someone who is suddenly put into a starting role after having been a substitute option for a team, suddenly getting more faith from the management and providing them with a chance to show what they can do.
One piece of advice you might stumble across for those who are looking to build the best NFL or NHL rosters for fantasy sports is to look for players who are playing for contracts. This extra incentive for somebody to perform and break into the team may mean that some of the “sleepers” up their game. You can feel pretty smug about it if you were one of the people to find this sleeper pick and enjoyed the value from it.
Spot rookies
Ever think of yourself as something of a scout in your favorite sport? Fantasy football might be the closest you get to being able to show off your eye for a good new talent. This means that you can keep tabs on the young players waiting for their chance and put them on your roster when you think they will perform. These players may come at a lower cost than others, which can lead to a big opportunity for players of DFS.
Being able to spot rookies may involve watching a lot of the sport in question, which is no problem if you’re a superfan who is always checking out streams or watching on television.
Be bold and different
If everybody does the same thing then daily fantasy sports will end up with some pretty similar results, and this is not where the major opportunities will be for players who are trying to achieve something different.
Picking the most obvious and going for what everybody else seems to be doing is not an ideal way to try and do things, as you will likely have the same result as a lot of other players out there.
This is where a lot of the skill comes into playing daily fantasy sports, and why it has been compared with a lot of other games, such as poker. If you’re just bold for the sake of it, you probably won’t be successful. Instead, you need to make bold calls based on the information you have absorbed and the scouting of players that you have done. If you are convinced of a player’s ability, then they might provide the opportunity for you to become bold and make some big calls for your roster.
Use a bankroll strategy
Playing daily fantasy sports is like a lot of other forms of gambling. People often compare it to poker. One similarity with poker and other casino games is the fact that you will need to use a bankroll strategy to control the money that is in your account. Bankroll strategies can ensure that you are not going to lose your money quickly if something goes wrong. They provide a way to manage the money that you have in the account, meaning that if one day has some unexpected results you’re still not going to be out of the game.
Bankroll strategies can vary, and it is worth doing a little bit of research to determine the best approach for you and your tolerance to risk. Everyone needs to set their own bankroll strategy in an attempt to have some success when it comes to fantasy sports and testing their skills in the long run.
Conclusion
Daily fantasy sports can be a more rewarding and quicker way to play than over the full season, and players don’t have to spend quite as much time transferring players to their rosters and tracking their team over a long period of time. Instead, they have the chance to simply play for 24 hours based on the games that are happening on that specific day. Constructing your roster is absolutely crucial to any success that you might achieve during the game.
