This might be a bit of an oversimplification here, but you should understand the point which is being made if you read through. There are a number of fundamental differences between fantasy football and fantasy baseball. In baseball, it’s hitter versus pitcher. Mano y mano. You can analyze a player’s track record and his peripheral stats to understand what kind of hitter or pitcher he is and make a determination as to whether or not you want him on your fantasy team. His overall game is independent of his team’s style of play and performance as we’ve witnessed numerous breakout seasons for players on crappy teams. Big home run hitters can still hit a ton of bombs even if their manager has an affinity for small-ball.
In football, it’s not quite so simple. You can have an amazing running back on your hands, but if the offensive coordinator is a pass-happy nut, said running back won’t see as many carries and have his fantasy value stunted. If a quarterback has a cannon for an arm, a strong supporting ground game and no wide receivers, his coach is likely to push a run-first plan of attack. You’d like to think a coach is going to try and build his offensive game plan around his personnel’s strong suits, but if the team employs an offensive scheme that doesn’t cater to a particular player’s talent, that player’s fantasy value drops.
Conversely, you can have a running back with mediocre talent, but if he’s in a run-heavy offense with a blocking scheme that caters to his strengths, he can soar like Icarus on wings made of wax and feathers. Case in point: DeAngelo Williams. He’s never had the same level of talent as Le’Veon Bell, but with the Steelers’ offensive game plan and the way their blocking scheme was set up, Williams was able to thrive just as much as Bell when afforded the opportunity.
Understanding each team’s system is going to be vital for you in both your drafts and your waiver process. Let’s stick with the running backs to illustrate the point further. While drafting Ezekiel Elliott has its risks, given the looming suspension, it’s not so far-fetched to believe that you can take him early, grab his handcuff and still get rock-solid production. The Cowboys used single-back zone runs most of the time last season, a system that Zeke thrived in. Both Darren McFadden and Alfred Morris have also been successful in zone-blocking schemes and while neither has the same level of talent as Elliott, they can ride to success on the system and the strength of the offensive line.
Now there are other caveats to consider – Dallas has had some personnel changes on the line and there’s a good chance Morris and DMC share the workload. But if one outshines the other and becomes the clear-cut handcuff, you can have enough confidence in using him to get by those first few weeks. The Dallas system affords you that opportunity.
With most casual fantasy football owners not understanding how vital this knowledge is, you can absolutely dominate your competition. A firm knowledge of systems will allow you to make better choices as to which handcuffs to draft, which wide receivers and tight ends will be expected to thrive and even which defenses you want to stream each week. Don’t be dumb enough to just look at player names and depth charts. You should look at the personnel, for sure, but you also need to study the coaches, the coordinators and the style of game they like to run.