So You’re Playing in Your First-Ever Fantasy Football League… Welcome to the Chaos

Congratulations! You’ve taken the plunge. Maybe your coworkers invited you. Maybe your partner needed one more team to fill their league. Or maybe your friend bribed you with pizza and beer. Either way, you're in.

And now you're staring at a draft board like it's written in Greek, wondering what in the world a “flex” is and why people are talking about sleepers like it’s nap time.

Don’t worry—we’ve all been there. Before you even think about printing out a list of players or mock drafting like a maniac, you need to understand the foundation of fantasy football. Because just like you wouldn’t start baking a cake before turning on the oven (unless you’re chaos incarnate), you don’t want to draft a team without knowing the rules of the game you’re playing.

Let’s break down everything you should know before your first fantasy football season—without the jargon (okay, maybe some jargon, but we’ll explain it like you're five).

1. Know Your League Format (It’s Not One-Size-Fits-All)

Fantasy leagues come in different flavours. Before you can dominate your draft, you need to know what type of league you’re in. Here are the three big ones:

Redraft League

• The most common type.

• Everyone drafts a brand-new team each year.

• No long-term commitment (kinda like dating apps).

Keeper League

• You get to keep a few players from last year.

• Think of it as fantasy with a little memory.

Dynasty League

• You keep most or all of your players year after year.

• It’s a long-term relationship. Don’t commit unless you're ready to care about a 19-year-old rookie from Utah State.

Ask your commissioner (the league manager) which one you’re playing. If they say “dynasty,” buckle up.

2. How Many Teams Are in the League?

10-team? 12-team? 14-team?! This matters more than you think.

• Fewer teams (8–10) = deeper benches, more talent available.

• More teams (12–14) = thinner pickings, smarter drafting required.

In a 14-team league, you might be starting a guy whose name sounds like a law firm associate. In a 10-team league, your bench might be better than someone's starting lineup.

3. What’s the Scoring Format?

Don’t draft until you know this.

Repeat: DON’T DRAFT UNTIL YOU KNOW THIS.

There are three main scoring types:

• Standard (a.k.a. Grandpa Format)

• No points for receptions.

• Touchdowns and yards are king.

PPR (Points Per Reception)

• 1 point for every catch.

• Makes wide receivers and pass-catching running backs super valuable

• Also makes that dude who gets 9 catches for 37 yards a hero.

Half-PPR

• Like PPR, but only 0.5 points per reception.

• Basically fantasy football’s middle child.

Ask what scoring your league uses. Drafting like it's PPR in a standard league is like bringing a fork to eat soup. Don’t do it.

4. The Roster Setup (What Positions Do You Actually Need?)

A typical fantasy roster looks like this:

• 1 Quarterback (QB)

• 2 Running Backs (RB)

• 2 Wide Receivers (WR)

• 1 Tight End (TE)

• 1 Flex (RB/WR/TE)

• 1 Kicker (K)

• 1 Defense/Special Teams (D/ST)

• A handful of Bench spots

Some leagues get fancy with 2 QBs, Superflex (more on that in a sec), or IDPs (individual defensive players). If that sounds intimidating, it is. Don’t worry—your league is probably using a standard setup.

But ask first. Don’t be the person who drafts 4 tight ends because you thought they were required.

5. What the Heck is a “Flex”?

A Flex spot lets you start either a RB, WR, or TE. It’s the fantasy version of a "choose your own adventure" book.

Pro tip: Never put a Thursday night player in your flex if you can help it. Keep your flex open for flexibility. Hence... flex.

6. Acronyms You’ll Hear (and Pretend to Understand)

Let’s decode the fantasy language so you can nod confidently instead of panicking mid-draft.

ADP – Average Draft Position. Where players are typically being drafted. Use it to gauge value.

IR – Injured Reserve. A spot to stash hurt players. Not your fantasy graveyard.

Bye Week – A week when a player’s real team is off. You can’t use them. Don’t draft too many players with the same bye week unless you like pain.

Bust – A player who disappoints. Not the good kind of surprise.

Sleeper – A player with low expectations who might break out. Like a sixth-round QB who becomes MVP.

Handcuff – The backup to your star RB. Think of it as fantasy insurance.

7. Understand the Waiver Wire

The waiver wire is where all unowned players live. Each week, you can claim free agents to replace injured guys or plug gaps. But there’s usually an order (waiver priority), so don’t expect to grab the breakout star just because you logged in first. It’s not Amazon Prime.

8. Trading Is a Thing (But Don’t Be That Guy)

Yes, you can trade players. But don’t be the rookie who offers bench guys for someone’s first-round pick.

Rule of thumb: If you wouldn’t accept the trade you’re offering, don’t send it.

Oh, and don’t veto a trade just because it helps another team. That’s petty. Fantasy karma is real.

9. Watch Out for “Auto-Draft”

If you can’t make the draft, most platforms will auto-pick for you. Sounds nice, right? It’s not.

Auto-draft is a robot who doesn’t care about bye weeks, handcuffs, or stacking your team with three tight ends. If you have to miss the draft, at least pre-rank your players or leave a note for the commissioner like, “Please don’t draft me 3 kickers.”

10. Have Fun and Embrace the Madness

Fantasy football is supposed to be fun. Yes, there’s strategy. Yes, there’s heartbreak. But most of all, it’s about the trash talk, the Sunday highs and lows, and the sweet, sweet feeling of beating your buddy who called your team “mid” in Week 1.

Final Thoughts:

Before you obsess over rankings and mock drafts, just make sure you know the rules of your league. Fantasy football isn’t hard—but it is weird at first. Once you understand the basics, it becomes a glorious, frustrating, hilarious rollercoaster that lasts 18 weeks (and lives rent-free in your brain for 52).

So welcome to the game. You’re gonna love it.

And remember: if all else fails, just draft players who make you smile and yell at the TV. It works more often than you’d think.