This one should be very easy, yet you can bet your backside that there is at least one guy at every draft who doesn’t know/understand the league rules. The slightest format change, especially in scoring, changes the entire landscape of a league. Here are a few of the very basic scoring methods that you should know going into any fantasy football season.
Do you get four or six points for passing TDs?
Obviously, how you answer this question ties directly into the value of quarterbackss in your league. If all touchdowns are going to count as the same amount of points, then your duty as a fantasy owner is to accumulate as many TDs as possible. Peyton Manning who has averaged 44 TDs over the last three seasons gets a huge bump with those extra 88 points per season.
Is it a Points Per Reception league (PPR), ½ Point PPR or none?
PPR leagues bring a lot more value to wide receiverss, tight ends and pass-catching running backs. The PPR format gives value to a lot more players who otherwise provide minimal impact. Someleagues may reward a half a point or even a quarter of a point for receptions, so be sure to know this before your draft.
Do you get points for yardage and if so how much?
Believe it or not, even in 2015 there are leagues that only reward points for touchdowns. Most leagues, though, do reward points for yardage but these can be quite different. Yardage leagues make those players who are active between the 20s more valuable.
Are there bonus points for yardage milestones (100/300 yards)?
Back in the day (1998 or so), I was in a league that rewarded you with 10 bonus points for a 100 yard rushing/receiving game (or 300 yard passing yards). That is more points than a TD and in many cases was the difference between a win and a loss. Be sure you understand the bonus structure of your league and at which yardage markers those bonus points kick in.
Do you get points for kick/punt return yardage?
They key here is to not overvalue the return men, rather just keep it in mind. Players that play a significant amount of offensive snaps and happen to return kicks or punts are most ideal in this format. This adds value to players like Darren Sproles, Cordarrelle Patterson and Tavon Austin but not much for random return guys like Leon Washington or Ted Ginn.
Are there negative points for interceptions, fumbles, missed field goals, etc?
Kickers are the worst in these league formats because you could be sitting with a one-point lead on Monday night and a missed field goal could cost you the victory. Most running backs and wide receivers that have constant fumbling problems get replaced.
Of course, there are hundreds of other scoring formats in play in fantasy football. Before you sit down at your draft this year make damn sure you know every single rule of your league inside and out.