1. Trading your studs too soon or too late.

Dubz:  We have all done it.  Drafted Marvin Harrison, and sat there with 1 TD going into week 6 and wondering when he was going to show some ROI - since we drafted him in the second round in front of other WRs that have already racked up 3-4 TDs.  After wondering if we should wait it out... we start scouting teams needing WR help - to find someone that has a WR that could do "ok", along with a RB that has been an early-season streaker.  We shoot a trade off, thinking the other coach will throw back something else that could amount to a decent trade in the long run.  Bang.  Without a day going by, you’re sitting without your stud and now one steaker and a so-so WR.  Good move?  Hardly.  A week later, your watching Starvin' Marvin run up 2 TDs and 150 yards and your streaker has put his clothes back on and your the one left feelin' naked (that’s a pun for those that do not realize).

It is all about timing - perfect vision and perfect timing.  It is an art that you have to master in order to take advantage of positive buzz and beat out the dreaded negative buzz. The minute you realize that your stud isn't what you planned him to be - you have to act.  Hesitating will only get you in trouble.  All the while, you must give him time to develop as well.  If it is week 4 - and all the opponents the team has faced has had tremendous DEF - you have to factor that in.  Pulling the trigger too soon, due to the wrong reasons... can get you in LOADS OF TROUBLE.  Timing young grasshopper, timing.
 
Tim:  Ahh, yes, this is a huge mistake – I see it happen a lot in the first half of the season – where people don’t think their stud is performing at peak, and whisk him off to the opposition only to get beat by said opposition using said player. Don’t be this guy! It does go both ways, a stud last year isn’t necessarily a stud this year – gotta mind your P’s and Q’s.

2. Drafting a team DEF too early.

Tim:  A team DEF is definitely a great spot in fantasy football to ensure you get those 10 to 20 points every week. But this position is NOT a high round pick. Usually, there is one team every season that is undeniably the Team DEF that should be considered a “NO DROP”. HOWEVER – most of all the other “good” team DEF are interchangeable.  Meaning, it isn’t hard (in most leagues) to find a DEF that will score a consistent 10 points. I’ve seen this happen in our league. One year, we had a guy take a team DEF (I think it was the Ravens, wasn’t it Dubz?) in the 2nd round! WOW.

Obviously that guy didn’t do anything in the league that year, because he was without a stud RB OR QB. Team DEF is an important part of fantasy football, but it is not near as important as the individual player spots. You cannot, nay, you must not, take DEF over your offensive players, and especially not high enough in the round to take the place of a stud. That’s just ludicrous.

Dubz:  Very seldom would I even think about a Team DEF before round 8 or 9.  Yeah Tim, it happened one year.  You can’t help but laugh when you know some of those players you didn’t know if you were going to go; just got that much closer.  At least that’s how I think.

Some leagues with better Team DEF stats might justify a higher pick – but really we are talking about a handful of teams that are really worth it.  Beyond those 5 or so teams… pick it later and don’t think twice.

3.  Being a 'homer'.

Dubz: I'm not talking about the Simpsons either - DOH!  I know you have played, or perhaps been one of these guys... you know the ones that lived in Dallas and drafted Drew Bledsoe, Terry Glenn, Julius Jones and the Dallas DEF.  Or you have probably played with the guy that will drops, trades or benches players that play his favorite team - because he can't root against his team on Sunday/Monday.  The hardest thing for a "homer" is to separate reality from fantasy.  He/she sits around and says... man if I could create a team of the "best" players (which is what fantasy football is about) - I would add as many of my [insert favorite team here] as possible, then add in some extras here and there - where my team lacks.  So when the season starts - homer has 7 players from his favorite team and 3 people to fill in the positions he feel his team is lacking.  Maybe a TE, or a Kicker.  Yay - great work homer-boy.  Come join my league - I love people like you.
 
It doesn't take an expert to realize the faults in this "strategy".  Two words... bye week.  Yikes.  I love to watch in the weeks leading up to the dreaded homer bye week - to watch as a coach realizes it and begins the mad scramble to fill the voids in his team (which is practically the entire team).  Proposed trades get slapped away like a mosquito in summer time, because as great as the deal might be - coaches are smart and love to watch the week unfold for homer.  There is seldom a joy as seeing a team start 4 players for the week and accumulate a total of 24 points.  haha - priceless.  One way a homer justifies their homer-like actions is that when a team does good - they rack up the points.  True.  The flipside to that, you guessed it; when homer's team does bad... yup - homer does bad also.  Ever owned a few players on a team that got shutout?  That will cure a homer in a heartbeat. 
 
Go back to Springfield Homer.
 
Tim:  Homers are morons, much like that of the Simpsons type. I think every league has one of these guys… It is one thing to get your favorite WR or TE as a bye filler, but it is a-whole other form of moronacracy (made up that word I think) when you fill your fantasy team up with players from your favorite. I would venture to say, if you do this your first year in fantasy football… well just hand over your money, and chalk it up to another lesson learned – if  you do it past that first time- well just come join my league… you can give your money to me now.