How times have changed
If you have been playing Fantasy Football for the last decade then you have probably noticed a few changes. Some of these changes can have a dramatic effect on how your Fantasy Football team performs from week to week. Despite these changes, many Fantasy Football analysts refuse to adjust their strategies. Well I can admit that I was resistant to change as well, and held steadfast for a couple of Seasons. It took missing the Playoffs in my Keeper League for the first time in years to make me adjust my strategy. The end result speaks for itself, I’m league Champion! So what changes am I referring to? In this article I’ll cover the three most important changes that you should be aware of.
Concussion Protocol
If you aren’t aware of how the NFL Concussion Protocol can effect the overall performance of your Fantasy Football team? You need to pay close attention to this portion of the article. For many years both the NFL and Players have misrepresented how often Players get concussed. What was once considered a mild concussion that would have a Player miss a snap or two, can now cause them to miss the rest of a game. I’ve already had this occur to key Players on my Fantasy teams in the first quarter of games. Imagine what your chances of victory would be if your top Running Back was knocked out in the first quarter. I remember when Players were considered tough if they got knocked out in the first half, and returned to play in the second half. Nowadays those same Players would be considered foolhardy. In reality those Players can no longer exist because the NFL Concussion Protocol has already removed them from the game, and quite likely the next game as well. Something you should be aware of is that the more concussions a Player has had, the more likely that they will be susceptible to another. Treat the brain like any other part of the human body that can sustain injury. Some Fantasy Football Managers refuse to draft anyone that’s had an ACL injury. I’m not one those but I do take injuries into consideration. If two equally skilled Players are available to draft, and one of them has a history of injuries or concussions then I’ll draft the other Player. The reality is that injuries are a part of the game. Most injuries are manageable. Players will play through minor injuries, and modern medicine has made recovery from major injuries relatively quick. Concussion Protocol on the other hand is now governed by it’s own set of rules. It’s because of this that you should be well aware.
Rookie Impact
Rookies have always had a place in Fantasy Football. The temptation to draft a Rookie was always there, but more often than not didn’t pan out. Every year the NFL media hype machine would latch on to a couple Rookies and have you believing that they were the second coming. Very rarely did any of these Players reach their potential in their first Season. Well like I said in the beginning, times have changed. Rookies have become far more NFL ready over the last few years. Especially positions that require more individual skill then scheme recognition. Fantasy Football Managers shouldn’t be afraid to draft highly skilled Running Backs, or Quarterbacks. Don’t make the mistake of underestimating the effect a top level rookie linebacker will immediately have on a Defense. The coaching and Player development at the College level is at an all time high. The only position that I remain wary of is Wide Receiver. There are some complex timing routes in the NFL that can take more than a season to master.
Who’s Number 1?
I remember the days when NFL teams had a definitive number 1 Running Back, Wide Receiver, and Tight End. Draft position was proportional to a Player’s ranking on their team’s depth chart. Some Managers still approach their draft preparation with that archaic system in mind. If that was you last Season then you probably missed out on Players like Adam Thielen, or Davante Adams. If I asked 10 Fantasy Football Managers who they felt would finish with more fantasy points this Season between Diggs and Thielen, Thomas and Sanders, Ingram and Kamara, or Nelson and Cooper. I bet no two Managers would give the same answers. What this means to you is that Players that are second on their team’s depth chart could easily out perform top tier Players on other teams. It’s also worth noting that having two Wide 
Receivers or Running Backs from the same team on your roster can make total sense.
Get with the times
There are a number of other things that have changed but I haven’t drafted yet so you will have to wait to find out. If you take the three factors I’ve mentioned in this article into consideration this season you should be fine. Good luck this Season, unless you are in a league against me of course. 😉
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