10 Tips & Tricks to Help You Win Your Fantasy Football League in 2024 (2024)

August 15, 2024

Can you feel that excitement in the air? That my friends is the electrifying buzz of a brand new fantasy football season waiting for you. For Andy, Mike, and Jason, this marks the time to unveil their latest strategies for dominating your fantasy leagues. In this year’s edition of the most important episode of the year, the guys unveiled a riveting countdown: 10 Tips & Tricks to Help You Win Your Fantasy Football League in 2024.

Want more fantasy advice for the upcoming season? The team has compiled all of our best tips & tricks into a book available on Amazon, Fantasy Football Unleashed: 55 Tips, Tricks & Ways to Win at Fantasy Football.

Also, check out last year’s recap from this highly important episode: .

10. “Don’t Live in the Past” -Andy

Andy kicks things off with a crucial tip that could have helped a ton of teams win championships last season. It is crucial not to rely solely on past performance or statistics from previous weeks during the season. Fantasy football is not won on paper or by dwelling on what has already happened. Do not live in the past and assume that previous production will translate to continued production. Beyond changes in the schedule or potential injuries to your players, external factors can significantly impact a player’s season. For instance, an injury to a teammate crucial to your player’s performance can greatly alter their fantasy production.

Monitoring your rostered players is crucial, but it is equally important to keep an eye on their teammates who could impact their chances for success. For example, a promising wide receiver might experience a setback if their quarterback gets injured, or a star running back could struggle if they lose a key offensive lineman. Even if nothing directly happens to your player, external factors can significantly alter their fantasy outlook. While it might be tempting to ride a hot streak and avoid changes, sticking with the same roster often is not a winning strategy. Stay vigilant about any factors that could shift a player’s performance and make strategic adjustments to keep your team as competitive as possible.

This awareness extends to players you do not currently roster. Look for players with slow starts who could be poised for a turnaround. If you spot a potential comeback, consider attempting to acquire them via trade to bolster your championship run. Jason highlights Patrick Mahomes as a potentially controversial example. Mahomes started as the QB3 through the first nine weeks of the season but dropped to QB18 from Week 10 on. This decline, despite Mahomes’ elite status, illustrates how external influences can impact even top-tier players.

Below are some more examples of players that would have been advantageous to trade away after a hot start to the year:

Andy emphasizes keeping an eye on unheralded players exceeding expectations early in the season, like Adam Thielen last year, who began strong but eventually regressed. The key here is not to trade a player solely because of a hot start but to identify unsustainable performances and capitalize on them. Simultaneously, seek out players with positive prospects for the latter half of the season, as Mike suggested by trading for Dak Prescott last year due to his favorable second-half schedule.

9. “Make Delicious Boxes” -Jason

Get ready to meal prep for your drafts, ladies and gentlemen! Imagine your ideal roster as a box of delicious treats, each representing the types of players you want for the upcoming season. Jason suggests identifying these key player types and then categorizing them into tiers by determining when they typically go in drafts. Then, identify which players fit into your “delicious box” at different stages of the draft: early, middle, and late rounds. This approach helps you prioritize which positions to target at different stages of the draft and ultimately craft a balanced roster akin to a balanced diet.

Mobile QBs with Massive Upside:

A top priority for Jason this season is to draft a mobile quarterback with upside. He is determined to leave his drafts with a player fitting this mold, so he tiers these quarterbacks based on where they might fall in the draft. Anthony Richardson is an ideal fit, typically available in the fifth round. Alternatively, Kyler Murray might be available a round or two later, or he could wait until the tenth round to draft rookie Jayden Daniels, who offers tremendous upside at a low cost. Jason has labeled these specific players as part of his “mobile quarterbacks with upside” box.

Another delicious box Jason focuses on includes wide receiver rooms with an uncertain WR1 but in strong offenses. In this category, he targets Tank Dell in the fifth round, Jayden Reed in the sixth, and Rashee Rice by the end of the seventh round. These players are in some of the best offenses in the league and have the potential to emerge as the WR1, offering a discounted cost due to their currently ambiguous roles.

Jason’s final delicious box is elite tight ends capable of double-digit touchdowns. Players fitting this criterion include Sam LaPorta, Mark Andrews, and Jake Ferguson, who surprisingly led the position in red zone targets last year. Jason also considers a separate box for running backs like Derrick Henry, David Montgomery, and Raheem Mostert as potential double-digit touchdown scorers. Another potential box includes rookie wide receivers with explosive upside, with tiers for players like Malik Nabers, Ladd McConkey, and Keon Coleman.

The options are endless, and the menu is yours to create. Build your own delicious boxes and aim to fill as many as possible while maintaining a balanced roster.

8. “Finding the Late-Round RBs” -Mike

Mike shares a valuable tip for targeting late-round running backs who could deliver starting-level fantasy production at some point during the season. Each year, some running backs are drafted outside the top 24 but finish within it, often seeming random and unpredictable. Fortunately, Mike has analyzed trends to identify key indicators that can help you draft these hidden gems.

Over the past five years, an average of 8.5 teams have lacked a top-24 drafted running back. However, five players from these teams typically exceed expectations and break into the top 24. Mike’s primary focus is on finding late-round running backs in elite offenses. Last season, players like D’Andre Swift, James Cook, and Isiah Pacheco fit this criteria, outperforming their ADP despite questions about their roles prior to the season.

Running backs drafted outside the top 24 who break into it are usually part of a top 14 NFL offense. To find this year’s potential breakout stars, first examine the ADP for running backs and project which offenses will be strong. Look for players drafted later than they should be but are part of a high-performing offense. Candidates for this season include Zack Moss and Chase Brown of the Cincinnati Bengals, Ezekiel Elliott and Rico Dowdle of the Dallas Cowboys, and Gus Edwards and JK Dobbins of the Los Angeles Chargers. None of these teams currently have a top-24 running back in ADP, but their offenses are expected to perform very well. The likelihood of a running back from these teams outperforming their draft cost is high, making them worthwhile low-risk, high-reward picks. Take a chance on a few and see how it plays out.

7. “Re-Roll Your Tight End!” -Andy

Andy examines what it truly means to have a top-10 tight end in fantasy football and reveals that it might not be as impressive as it seems. In a league with 10-12 teams, having a tight end ranked at the back end of the top 10 essentially means you possess one of the weakest starters at the position. Analyzing data from last season, Andy proposes a strategy for this year: reassess your tight end situation mid-season when you have more data on strength of schedule and how teams defend the position.

Last year’s Top 5 TEs by “season” stats:

• Sam LaPorta
• Evan Engram
• Travis Kelce
• TJ Hockenson
• George Kittle

Last year’s Top 5 TEs over the final half:

• Sam Laporta
• Evan Engram
• David Njoku
• Trey McBride
• Jake Ferguson

While LaPorta and Engram stayed strong throughout the year, several tight ends who started slowly surged in the second half. For instance, choosing David Njoku over Travis Kelce from Week 9 onward last season would have netted you an additional 4.5 fantasy points per week on average. If you have not secured a strong performer in the first half of the season, prioritize upgrading the position via trade or waivers around the halfway mark. There is no need to go down with a sinking ship when a lifeboat might be available if you put in the effort to find it.

6. “Stacks on Stacks on Stacks” -Jason

While having fun during the fantasy football season is important, winning championships is even better. Jason suggests that one effective strategy is to focus on targeting stacks in your drafts. Though widely popular in best ball and DFS, stacking is often overlooked in redraft leagues. Stacking a quarterback with a wide receiver can significantly increase your weekly ceiling, especially if they connect on big plays.

Analyzing data from the last twenty years, with a sample size of 5,000 NFL games, we found that stacked quarterback-wide receiver combos had a 15.3% chance of “booming” (reaching a combined 40 fantasy points), compared to a 12% chance for unstacked combos. While this might seem like a small edge, it is these slight advantages that can make the difference between being a champion or falling short. Last year, the highest number of championship-winning teams featured the Dallas stack of Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb. Andy notes that his three championship runs in the League of Record all relied on prolific stacks.

This season, Jason is targeting several specific and hopefully prolific stacks in drafts. One approach is to pick the quarterback first, followed by the receiver. Two standout options are the Philadelphia stack of Jalen Hurts and DeVonta Smith and the Kansas City stack of Patrick Mahomes and Rashee Rice. Another strategy is selecting a middle-round wide receiver and hoping their quarterback falls to you later. Examples include the Green Bay stack of Jayden Reed and Jordan Love or the Cincinnati stack of Tee Higgins and Joe Burrow. Additionally, if you draft an elite wide receiver like Tyreek Hill or CeeDee Lamb in the first round, it can be strategic to draft their quarterbacks later while filling out your roster with other positions.

5. “QB ADP History” -Mike

Take out your notebooks because Mike is about to dive into a valuable history lesson that you will want to remember. He reflects on when the podcast first started and the “late-round QB” strategy was the go-to method for setting up a successful fantasy roster. Targeting a quarterback early was considered detrimental because of the value available at other positions during those rounds and the potential bargains at quarterback later in drafts.

However, as the fantasy landscape evolved, managers realized that having a mobile quarterback was a huge advantage, prompting a shift toward addressing the position earlier. Modern quarterbacks like Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts have proven to be dual threats, excelling in both rushing and passing, altering the position’s value.

Recognizing these shifts, Mike crunched the numbers to see how quarterback drafting has fared recently. Over the past four years, the hit rate for top-12 quarterbacks by ADP has been 48%. This “hit rate” means a player finishes within one spot of their ADP ranking. Elite quarterbacks drafted with the top picks have shown a high success rate, but after the top five, there is a steep decline. Interestingly, quarterbacks drafted at the back end of QB1 ADP often have both a higher floor and a better chance of finishing in the top five than those taken 5th through 8th.

So, how can you use this insight? Consider bypassing the middle range of QB1 ADP to focus on other positions, then target quarterbacks with backend QB1 ADP, where there may be little difference in production. Players to consider this season include Dak Prescott, Jordan Love, Brock Purdy, and Jayden Daniels. This strategy is not about avoiding middle-range quarterbacks entirely, but rather providing a potential edge by targeting other positions first and still having the chance for significant upside at the position.

4. “Build a Dynamic Duo” -Andy

Do you want to build a snowman? Since it’s mid-August, let’s settle for building a dynamic duo instead. Andy emphasizes the importance of balancing volatility and stability in your lineup by pairing a high-risk, high-reward player with someone who has a more stable, reliable floor. This approach ensures that if your boom-or-bust player has an off week, the steady player can provide enough consistency to balance things out.

Some reliable, low-risk wide receivers to consider are DeVonta Smith, Michael Pittman, and Christian Kirk. While they might not win you a week single-handedly, their consistent performance can be the backbone of your lineup. On the other hand, receivers like Deebo Samuel, Tank Dell, and Davante Adams have the potential for game-winning performances but come with more risks due to factors like unpredictable weekly roles, injury concerns, and inconsistent quarterback play.

Pairing these volatile options with stable players is a smart strategy for maximizing success while protecting against bad weeks from your riskier picks. This concept can also be applied to running backs. Use the UDK to identify these players by reviewing their risk ratings, ensuring a balanced approach that combines both explosive potential and reliable scoring.

3. “Take Dumps Now, Not Later” -Jason

It seemed off-brand to wait so long into the episode for the first poop joke, but here we are. Jason wants you to remember to take your dumps now, not later. Whether this applies to life or fantasy football, the idea is to avoid holding back and to live now. I was just informed that Jason is referring to FAAB (Free Agent Acquisition Budget) spending, not actual constipation. Well, this is embarrassing…

If your league uses a yearly FAAB budget, or even if it relies on waiver wire priority, Jason advises not to hesitate to spend your budget early in the season. Historical data since 2021 shows that players picked up from the waiver wire in Week 1 tend to score more fantasy points on average than those acquired in any other week of the season. Plus, grabbing players early gives you more weeks to benefit from their performances. Looking back at last season’s waiver wire, players like Kyren Williams, Puka Nacua, Nico Collins, Rashee Rice, and Sam LaPorta were some of the key pickups in Week 1, with the majority of them being less than 10% rostered in leagues before the season. By Week 2, De’Von Achane, Tank Dell, and Jayden Reed joined this list of potential league-winners.

The timing with waivers/FAAB can be tricky…

• “I don’t want to waste it all early”
• “I’m waiting for an injury to bring me a league-winning, backup RB”
• “I want to save some for the playoffs”
• “It’s MINE! Don’t tell me what to do with my fake football money!”

If you wait too long to use your FAAB, you might end up spending it on players like Craig Reynolds, Darrell Henderson, Jahan Dotson, and Demario Douglas later in the season. While they might be somewhat helpful, they likely won’t offer the same game-changing impact as those early pickups. So, don’t hesitate to spend your FAAB early on. You might just land a league-altering player who propels you to a championship. If it doesn’t work out, you can always flush them and move on.

2. “Importance of Offense” -Mike

While the previous tip might have been better suited as a number two, Mike highlights some critical insights here. Despite the somewhat uninspiring name of this tip, the message is crucial. Mike points out that certain players with early ADP might be best avoided due to significant red flags in their offenses. No matter how talented a player is, contributing effectively to fantasy football becomes challenging if they are part of a poor-performing offense.

This might seem obvious, but Mike discovered that the impact is more severe than expected. Last season, nine wide receivers drafted as top 36 options played in bottom-10 offenses. Of those nine, only two met or exceeded their ADP expectations. This pattern holds true for running backs as well. So, how should you approach this in your fantasy draft?

Adopt a holistic approach by considering both a player’s talent and the quality of the offense they are part of. Recognize that certain offenses may present too many challenges for even the most talented players to thrive in fantasy. While there are exceptions, such as Breece Hall last season who thrived due to heavy volume, players in bottom-10 offenses generally face an uphill battle to justify their ADP.

To avoid frustrating results, keep an eye on offenses projected to struggle. Without singling out fan bases, teams like the Patriots, Broncos, Raiders, and Giants might be toward the lower end offensively. If players from these teams are being drafted early, it might be prudent to consider alternatives. This approach can help you avoid overvaluing talent when the supporting environment does not appear to support or promise fantasy success.

1. “Start Fresh” -All

This year, let’s make a collective commitment to start fresh. Take a deep breath, play some music (preferably smooth jazz), close your eyes, and release any lingering pain or frustration from last season. It is time to forgive and forget. Don’t carry over past disappointments into the new season. Instead, embrace a clean slate and leave behind any old grudges.

Who disappointed you last year? It is irrelevant now. Let it go. Embrace the freedom from past setbacks and focus on new opportunities. For example, Mike has decided to forgive Tee Higgins for previous season’s injuries and start anew. While the outcome remains uncertain, this mindset is crucial for all of us as we prepare for our drafts.

If you are not the reigning champion of your league, it is time to let go of past grievances. If you are the champion, relish your victory forever and remind the league of your past success daily. Good luck this season, and may these 10 Tips & Tricks help you become victorious this year!

Adam ThielenAnthony RichardsonBreece HallBrock PurdyCeeDee LambChase BrownChristian KirkCincinnati BengalsCraig ReynoldsD'Andre SwiftDak PrescottDallas CowboysDarrell Henderson Jr.Davante AdamsDavid MontgomeryDavid NjokuDeebo Samuel Sr.Demario DouglasDerrick HenryDevon AchaneDeVonta SmithEvan EngramEzekiel ElliottGeorge KittleGus EdwardsIsiah PachecoJ.K. DobbinsJahan DotsonJake FergusonJalen HurtsJames CookJayden DanielsJayden ReedJoe BurrowJordan LoveJosh AllenKeon ColemanKyler MurrayKyren WilliamsLadd McConkeyLos Angeles ChargersMalik NabersMark AndrewsMichael Pittman Jr.Nico CollinsPatrick MahomesPuka NacuaRaheem MostertRashee RiceRico DowdleSam LaPortaT.J. HockensonTank DellTee HigginsTravis KelceTrey McBrideTyreek HillZack Moss 10 tips and tricksdraft strategyStrategyTipsTips and TricksUltimate Draft Tips