It’s officially #SpookySZN, folks. October is when the road to a fantasy football championship starts to get bumpy, and managers new to the game will face a series of challenges not yet encountered. Fear not, however, as nothing is too much for dedicated readers of this advice-filled beginner's series. Fantasy Points is glad to assist with any and all obstacles.
But if this is your first visit, here’s the lowdown: Each week, we’ll talk through the five most important things to be aware of for the NFL week ahead and how it matters for fantasy football in a straightforward, teachable way. My goal is for you to elevate from beginner status to being a top-notch team manager who can win a championship.
Ready to trick your league mates into defeat and enjoy the treat of victory? It’s time to review five crucial pieces of advice to remember heading into Week 5 of the 2025 NFL season:
Thing #1: Everyone’s Team Is In Crisis; You Must Adapt
Here’s the truth: “Bad stuff” is happening to everyone’s rosters right now, not just yours. Injuries to star players are piling up, bye weeks are hell, and finding a decent running back on the waiver wire is damn near impossible. The FF struggle is 100% real.
If you came into this hobby with the expectation that it gets easier as the season goes along, then on behalf of everyone at Fantasy Points, we’re sorry that someone lied to you. Setting aside dedicated time for roster management was a key point of focus in last week’s article (and each prior edition of the series) for a reason — that’s the “grind” part.
Fantasy football is no longer about who drafted the best team; whoever hustles on the waiver wire and strategizes best will be the ultimate victor. We’ll discuss a few different tools to utilize as the going gets tougher in a minute, but you want to know the smartest thing a manager can do? Exploit the finer details of their league’s settings.
Can you block others from picking up players they need with your own waiver claims? Are there any aspects of roster management rules that can be fairly worked around? Finding these answers is essential to championship-level success. Let’s now introduce a simple example:
Thing #2: The Bench-IR Cheat Code
While not a standard feature in every league, most settings allow managers with hurt players designated as ‘OUT’ to be placed in an injured reserve (IR) spot. That information becomes freely available when final weekly practice reports from NFL teams are filed on Fridays. Once you figure out someone you roster won’t play in their upcoming game, you can place them on IR under these parameters and free up space to pick up an additional bench player. Neat, huh?
Again, check the league's settings to confirm whether or not this is possible, but if so, it’s one of the biggest loopholes you can skirt every week. The free roster space gives managers the ability to scoop extra handcuff running backs or D/STs with a weak opponent the following week. This is one of just a few ways folks can “beat the waiver wire,” a concept we’ll continue to explore in our next section:
Thing #3: Keep An Eye Out For Future Matchups
The concept of ‘streaming’ has been discussed in prior editions of this series. Easy points are great wherever you can find ‘em, but we’ve only talked about how to do so within the context of kickers and D/STs. Now that bye weeks are here, managers need help at the more “primary” positions. Here’s a great way to stream quarterbacks, running backs, and pass-catchers:
One of the many statistical measures we track is the average number of points allowed by all 32 NFL defenses to opposing players at each position. Curious which teams have been the most generous through the air or on the ground on a per-game basis? It’s all right at your fingertips.
Finding waiver studs before they break out is a lot easier to do when you know an upcoming opponent is Swiss cheese-level bad. Take the initiative, do the research, and park these players on the bench ahead of time. Be proactive, not reactive in fantasy football.
Thing #4: General Trade Philosophy
If grinding waivers sounds a little intimidating or time-consuming right now, then maybe looking for a trade with a fellow league mate is a better idea instead. Making roster swaps isn’t easy; it’s a bit of an art and a science, but it’s the only other way to improve your team otherwise. Here are some general guidelines to follow in pursuit of making a swap:
Take stock of your roster. Look for positions of strength where you may have “excess” players, and vice versa for weaknesses. From there, it’s all about identifying another manager in your league with a congruent problem. Make the puzzle pieces fit together in a solution-oriented way.
That “backup” QB in your league that only requires one weekly starter might potentially be good enough to land the RB2/flex-level running back on a buddy’s roster that’s been missing from yours. Explore those opportunities. Trying to fleece the competition might seem fun, but being cooperative and collaborative is far more conducive to getting a deal done.
Don’t try to “win” every trade. It’s actually a good thing if both managers walk away feeling mutual benefit — that’s the endgame of a fair deal.
Thing #5: Check Out Ryan Heath’s ‘Five Stats to Know’ Article Weekly
Unfortunately, we’ve got to wrap this up. Yes, there will be more week-specific advice as we progress deeper into the calendar, but not today. That said, if that’s more of what you’re immediately looking for, here’s a different weekly article on the site you should check out:
My Fantasy Points colleague and data-crunching superstar, Ryan Heath, publishes his ‘Five Stats To Know’ column every Monday. It’s a more advanced version of this series that informs managers of five key items to be aware of in real-time. Think less birds-eye and more microscope — Ryan is around to keep you focused on the “now” of fantasy football.
Want to get a feel for what to expect? Check out the latest drop here. The lessons learned are going to blow your mind. Best of luck in Week 5, and remember always to have fun.
