It’s Only Week 3.. Don’t Be Dumb

By Tim Lazenby

No matter whether you are triumphantly 2-0, mediocre at 1-1 or depressed at 0-2, there are tendencies for all of us to be dumb in our fantasy football decisions. After only 2 weeks, many people lose their minds in a good or bad way. So I thought I’d take a moment to give five pieces of advice on how to not be dumb moving forward.

Don’t Panic

There are numerous managers who are making terrible decisions after only 2 weeks into the 2022 season. Starting out not doing as well as you wanted is no excuse to blow up your team this early on. Stray away from making monumental moves like trades, pickups or drops if they involve your cornerstone players. You did your research and invested hours into making that team sing before the season started, so don’t cripple your team with rash decisions. Make moves involving your bench players and rely on smaller moves before you sell the farm.

Don’t Be Overconfident

There are many ways that a team can be perfect so far this season. Perhaps you blasted by your opponents or you crawled your way to victory. Whatever course your circumstances steered you toward, being overconfident with a winning team is kryptonite to continued success. Avoiding any moves and being content with your squad is the quickest way to sleep your way to the basement of your standings. Don’t make giant moves, but you should be continuously improving. Take advantage of panicked managers to make your team even better.

Don’t Touch Your Draft Picks

Unless the price is right, there is no way you should be selling off your draft picks. I can see if you are in a high money league, but even then you don’t want to follow the chance of winning with years of regret. At this point, focus on moving players only and leaving your future unchanged. The exception to this rule is if you are trading lower picks for better picks to help you later down the road without sacrificing your current state. Take a breath and dip your toes into the waiver wire and trading arena before you plunge in with both feet.

Don’t Forget the Good Times

You’ll always have that one league mate who is ready to throw in the towel and quit year after year. But, the same guy turns around and brags about his team’s success when things are good. If you are that guy, shame on you. But in case you are too depressed to realize what a chore you are to the rest of your league, take a moment to remember the good times in your league. Everyone loses and it’s just your time right now to take the losses. You know the league is great or you wouldn’t keep coming back. Be a better manager, dust yourself off and focus on winning this week.

Don’t Do Anything that You Wouldn’t Normally Do

There’s a lot to be said about going with your gut, but if it’s out of character you’re only going to regret it. Any move you make is consequential even if it doesn’t seem that way. If you are a bold player, stay that way within reason. Conversely, if you are a more timid and patient manager, don’t make big splashes that you’ll surely hate later. Bottom line, you do you. You’re going to be the one sleeping in the bed you made, for better or for worse. The vultures are always there waiting in the wings, so don’t do them any favors. The exception is that if you lose every year, you may want to change things up.