Okay, so I’ve been diving deep into fantasy football prep for the 2024 season, and let me tell you, it’s been a wild ride. I wanted to share my process for creating my own fantasy rankings, ’cause, you know, why not?
Getting Started: The Data Dump
First things first, I gathered a TON of data. I scrolled to football news websites for anything, I mean everything, to see players stats from last season, projected stats for this season, injury reports, team changes – you name it, I grabbed it. It was like drinking from a firehose, there are lots of information!
Organizing the Chaos
Next, I dumped all this data into a giant spreadsheet. Seriously, it was massive. I created different columns for things like:
- Player Name (obviously)
- Position
- Team
- Projected Points (using a few different scoring systems, just to be safe)
- Bye Week
- Last Year’s Stats
- Any notes about injuries, suspensions, or anything else that might affect their performance.
It looked like a mess at first, but slowly, I started to see patterns emerge.
The Ranking Process: Gut Feeling Meets Numbers
This is where the fun began. I started by ranking players within their positions. Quarterbacks first, then running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, and so on.
I used the projected points as a starting point, but I also factored in things like:
- Consistency: Did this player perform well week after week last year, or were they boom or bust?
- Upside: Does this player have the potential to be a league-winner? Maybe they’re a rookie with a ton of talent, or a veteran in a new, high-powered offense.
- Risk: Is this player coming off a major injury? Are they on a bad team? Are they one bad hit away from being out for the season?
- My Gut: Sometimes, you just have a feeling about a player. It’s hard to explain, but it’s there.
I went back and forth, moving players up and down my rankings based on all these factors. I argued with myself a lot. It was a whole thing.
The Final Product (For Now)
After hours of tinkering, I finally had a set of rankings that I felt pretty good about. Of course, these are just my personal rankings, and they’ll probably change a bunch before the season starts. Things happen. Players get injured, trades happen, and new information comes out all the time.
But for now, I feel like I have a solid foundation to build on. I’m ready to dominate my fantasy league this year! (Or, at least, not finish in last place. )
I will keep updating and adjusting, it is a long term work.