As the great Chinese philosopher Laozi once said, “He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened.” And today, my friends, we take an introspective look at the essence of the draft fantasy football manager.

What is he like?

What makes him tick?

And which one are you?

Although we are all different, with varying styles and approaches to the game, my experience has led me to one conclusion. Fantasy football managers can essentially be broken down into four main categories:

  1. The obsessive
  2. The in and outer
  3. The magician
  4. The deserter

The Obsessive

I am a fantasy football obsessive.

There, I said it. And my wife would wholeheartedly agree. For this is the manager who has taken his study of the game to a whole new level. Who looks at every minuscule detail before making an informed decision. Who lies awake at night, debating over the defensive capabilities of McAuley or Dawson. This is the manager who, at times, might even lose sight of the fact that this is, just a game. But you know what… he doesn’t care. And there’s one, simple, elegant reason why. He loves the game. He loves the feeling of watching his star striker score a hat-trick. He revels in the moment his marauding centre-back scores that looping header. He even takes pride in the clean sheet his Huddersfield left back managed to get in a 0-0 draw with Stoke City.

Because he is the obsessive, and he’s proud of it.

The in and outer

Image result for brendan rodgers liverpool

There’s no shame in it.

Some fantasy football managers simply don’t have the time or desire to spend every waking hour mulling over every little transfer or trade. They log on once, maybe twice a week, take a look at some players, and make a quick decision. But, my friends, they cannot be underestimated. Because, in essence, football is a simple game. Get the best 11 players on the pitch, and you should win the game. The same goes for fantasy football. Sometimes, the simplest approaches are the most effective, and I’ve often thought that us obsessives can learn something from the ‘in and outers.’ Sometimes we just need to KISS – Keep It Simple Stupid.

The Magician

How does he do it?

The magician is a very unique brand of fantasy football manager who, on the rarest of occasions, achieves something quite extraordinary. And having been on the receiving end of it, I can tell you how unbearably remarkable it is. Let me set the scene… The magician has participated in the draft, making some decent signings. Then, as quickly as he arrived, he disappears, not touching his squad for the remainder of the season. No trades. No transfers. Nothing. Now in most cases this story would end with him finishing rock bottom of the league. But on the rarest of occasions, fate steps in. Somehow, someway, his team manages to outscore every other. No matter how many transfers and trades you make, his starting 11 holds fast and gives him glory. It is the most incredibly, marvellous thing, and obsessive managers hate it.

The Deserter

How could you?

The deserter. The quitter. The dropout. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve got no issue with people deciding they don’t want to play fantasy football (although it seems crazy in my head), but the deserter is a certain breed of quitter, loathed by all in the fantasy football world.

The deserter starts off like us all, a passionate manager who’s excited for the forthcoming season. He is fiercely competitive and has no lack of self-confidence. Full of banter, declaring himself to be the guru of all fantasy football knowledge. His team is supposedly the best one around, and his confidence is unshakeable. That is, until the season kicks off. Three weeks in and he sits bottom of the league with players under-performing and his team in disarray. And what does he do? Does he fight on? No. He quits. He deserts the game with an old excuse of, “I don’t have time,” or “I can’t be bothered.” He, my friends, is the one we call… The Deserter, and there’s no coming back from it.

So, my friends, which draft fantasy manager are you? If I’m honest, I’ve probably dabbled in the mind-set of all these types of managers at one point or another. And in the end, it doesn’t really matter. Play the game in whatever way you choose. But above all else, enjoy it.