5 ways to win your fantasy football league

Some may call them nerds. Some call them delusional. Some would even go so far as to call them losers.

I call them geniuses.

That’s right, I’m talking about the brave men and women who don’t suit up or step on the field every Sunday but the ones who plop down in front of a flat screen with a six pack and a bag of Doritos.

Fantasy football nuts are some of the most interesting and coolest people on the planet.

Honestly, who cares about a mortgage payment or even an electric bill? I’m talking about those of you who routinely join 10-15 money leagues and drop anywhere from $200 to $1,000 on fantasy football each year.

Then there’s some of you who just do it for fun and don’t factor in money. Don’t worry, you’ll eventually get hooked to a point where it will come down to the cable bill or another online league. Who needs cable?

It’s National Fantasy Football League Draft week, and I’m going to give you five simple tips on how to win your league, earn bragging rights with your friends and avoid that week-long fight with your wife. You know, the one that would surely occur once you broke the news to her that little Johnny’s traveling league fee money went instead to a fantasy football league named “Green Bay Groupies.”

This is for seasoned veterans along with free-agent rookies, kind of like my dad, who joined his first fantasy football league at age 77 in 2013.

Personally, I’m up to five leagues this year, and one is for some serious coin. My wife doesn’t tend to read my stuff anyway, so I may be fine. Keep it on the down low.

I’m not a fantasy expert by any means, but I have won three leagues in 15 years. Twenty percent ain’t good, but it’s not bad, either.

Without further adieu, use these five tips when drafting your team:

1. Quarterbacks can wait

Remember RG3’s magical rookie season in 2012?

He dominated week in and week out and almost single-handedly led a team in one of my leagues to the title.

You need someone like that, right? Wrong.

What isn’t as publicized is the fact that a guy like Tony Romo, drafted in the ninth or 10th round in most leagues, only scored maybe 40 or 50 points less than him.

Also, a handful of guys like Matt Ryan, Matthew Stafford, Russell Wilson and Andrew Luck weren’t much worse, either.

Don’t waste a first-round draft pick, or even a second or third, on Aaron Rodgers or Drew Brees. If you have the 12th pick and they fall to you, consider it, but you can wait until the eighth or ninth round and get Romo or Ryan, two consistent fantasy players.

There are around 15 solid fantasy quarterbacks, and at the end of the season, their point totals are pretty similar.

This year, Rodgers is my favorite QB, but don’t sleep on Tom Brady, who will have another big season. And don’t forget about Luck, who is poised to lead the Colts deep in the playoffs.

2. Pick studs early and often

In PPR (1 pt-per-reception) formats, wide receivers who catch a lot of passes and running backs who can catch are king.

We’ve learned you can hold off on a quarterback, and here’s why: There are only a handful of “studs” who can single-handedly end up winning your league for you.

Guys like Le’Veon Bell, Eddie Lacy, Jamaal Charles, Calvin Johnson, Dez Bryant and Adrian Peterson are premier talents who don’t come around very often.

Draft them.

Whereas 20 NFL QBs can get you big points, only seven to 10 RBs and WRs have the capability of carrying your team.

As a general rule, I try to go RB, WR, RB or WR, RB, WR in the first three rounds. This way, I stack my studs, or my players with the most scoring potential.

In recent years, I’ve learned RB, RB, RB is even acceptable, and RB, RB, WR is also very effective.

Twenty points in a week is a big week, but if you can start three guys capable of 30 points on any given Sunday, you can beat anybody.

An example would be to draft Lacy in round 1, Jeremy Hill in round 2, maybe Davante Adams in round 3 and then wait until round 8 to take Stafford or Romo.

If you wait until the fourth or fifth round to get your first running back, you may have to settle for Darren McFadden. Nobody wants that, not even Ahmad.

Studs will win your league every year.

3. Remember: It’s about stats, not wins and losses

The Green Bay Packers are my favorite team. Year in and year out, I cheer and swear at the TV louder than just about anybody.

I love A-Rodg, Randall Cobb, Jordy Nelson, Eddie Lacy and all of the star players. But just because a player is on a winning team doesn’t mean you should draft him.

A lot of factors help determine whether someone is draftable: talent, offense, depth chart, his quarterback.

Though Randall Cobb is an excellent receiver, you must consider a lot of his passes will go to Adams, Lacy and even Richard Rodgers or Jeff Janis.

Aaron Rodgers will throw it to whoever is open, and that could be lots of options. Remember this when thinking of drafting Cobb. Will he get as many targets as a clear-cut No. 1 guy like Bryant?

Probably, since Jordy is out, but you never know if Adams or Janis will emerge and hog targets.

And now that Green Bay may run more, that takes catches away from receivers, too.

Another good example is Matt Forte. A bona fide stud, Forte is a workhorse for the lowly Chicago Bears. The more times a player touches the ball, the more valuable they are. And Forte may catch more than 100 passes.

Forte is bound to get 25-30 touches per game, even when the Bears are losing by 30 points.

4. The waiver wire is your friend

Five years ago, one of my best friends told me to pick up Vincent Jackson for my playoff run. Well, I did, and he came through with a 36-point game and I won my league.

The waiver wire is your buddy, and it should be considered every week, even if you’re happy with your current team.

While some guys are consistent studs, there are always hidden gems who come out of nowhere and put five or six big games together in a row. The no-name who’s streaky can be just as valuable as the big name who’s inconsistent.

Take Danario Alexander in 2012. He wasn’t even playing to start the season then came on to have about five straight monster games around fantasy playoff time.

On Wednesday mornings, or as soon as you can grab someone, don’t hesitate to put in a claim for a guy.

There will most likely be one or two guys on your team that either get hurt or severely underperform. You will need to find the right replacement. So check up on your team briefly every day.

Five minutes of team maintenance per day can turn your next buddy hangout into a brag fest.

Not confident with your tight end, quarterback, kicker or defense. These are starters that can change every week with a close eye on who’s available.

5. High-risk, high-reward guys are huge

Arian Foster is a prime example here. Sure, he’s expected to only miss a couple weeks. to play Week 1. But is his groin full recovered and 100 percent? Probably not right away, even if he does play.

He’s going to have to shake the rust off.

AP has a big red flag because he missed all of last season due to suspension.

But the last time he returned after missing a season, he almost broke the all-time leading rushing record. He only missed it by nine yards.

Another high-risk, high-reward pick is Tampa Bay running back Doug Martin.

He set the world ablaze with a dominant rookie season but has disappeared the last few seasons.

After injuries last season, he is fully healthy and tearing up the preseason. Martin is one of those “studs” that can carry your team to a championship.

He’s the No. 1 guy, and the Buccaneers may run more to ease rookie quarterback Jameis Winston into the NFL mix.

Bottom line: Don’t hesitate to draft high-risk, high-reward guys once you’ve secured your studs.