Beat the Offseason Blues: Starting Thinking Fantasy Strategy

Apr 26, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Jets fans from left Nick Marcello , Anthony Forte , Wayne Mitchell , Mike Forte and Scott Lissner pose for a photo before the 2012 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-US PRESSWIRE

It’s that slow time in the NFL, between minicamps and training camp. This year, unless you are a New Orleans Saints fan, you don’t have a lot to talk about. For NFL fans, this is a tough time. The season is coming up, but it’s not quite hear yet. So how do you beat the offseason blues?

Start thinking fantasy football strategy. Here are some things to look for, leading up to league drafts.

WATCH OFFSEASON MOVES-It’s important to watch where players have moved, and what type of situation they have moved to. Look at Brandon Marshall, for example. He moves from the Miami Dolphins to the Chicago Bears, which also reunited him with Jay Culter, whom he had great success with in Denver. Making it simple, that means positives for both Cutler’s numbers, and Marshall’s numbers, which makes them move up a bit on draft boards.

That is just one example, there are obviously many more.

DON’T FORGET ABOUT INJURIES-It’s obvious, but it’s a mistake that many of us have made, myself included. Last season, I blindly drafted Peyton Manning, not realizing that his comeback from the neck surgery was a bit far behind, as we all soon learned. So, I had a roster spot taken by a guy that didn’t play. Now, I am in a keeper league, so I plan on hanging onto him since all seems well in Denver, but last season was a clear wakeup call.

If you are in a keeper league or not, make sure you are watching injury reports from camp, rehabbing from 2011 injuries, ..etc. so you don’t plan your draft around a guy that isn’t likely to play.

READ CAMP REPORTS-Make sure you keep up on minicamp, and soon training camp reports from around the league. This is the way to find a sleeper hiding in your midst. When you read about a guy that is ahead of the learning curve, keep an eye on the guy, as he could be worth a late round draft pick. Seasons are often made by research, and finding that sleeper to put your roster over the top. You can never do too much research, and it stops now.

These are just some things to start thinking about, and ways you can beat this slow time in the offseason.