In about 8 days, the NFL season is set to get underway with the Panthers taking on the Broncos in the yearly rematch of the Super Bowl. Based on years past, we can pretty much assume that there will be Huddle contests every day that NFL games are played, with special focus on Thursday and Monday nights. The thing is, from what I see around the feed, it doesnt seem to be that most people understand the scoring algorithm to figure out which players are the best choices to chase. I wanted to give some tips, as I do every year.

Fantasy Contests – Limited Moves

Here is the thing. Because this is a different format with limited roster switches, its much more based on getting the most out of your starting lineup than it is finding the most well known guys.

Deceptively, high tackle count LB and defensive players are great to use for these types of lineups, and many people overlook their value in that respect. I have seen a guy register 15 tackles and literally destroy things.

This is also where QBs and Running Backs can be a good fit too – guys that touch the ball a lot. If your running back is 3 downs, like Jamaal Charles or LeSean McCoy, even better, because they will get you catches where other guys wont.

WRs arent as great a play here, because there are games where they can be ghosts. Sure Julio Jones can go for 200 and 3 TDs, but that isnt every game. Better to start high TD pass and yardage guys like Rodgers who will be consistently awesome every game.

Try to plan out your boost levels too, because a 1x card of a normal high point scorer might score better than a 2x card of a lower point scorer. Gold isnt always better.

More importantly than all of that – WATCH the injury reports. Dont set your fantasy lineup until the last possible moment. There is nothing worse than having a guy in your lineup locked and then not playing. It will kill your chance to win.

Grind Contests – Unlimited Moves

These are the contests that require full attention to the game or games on TV. If you have Red Zone channel on Sunday, you are already in the spot you need to be to get an advantage. They literally show every touchdown, and this will help tremendously. Stay on top of the action and be ready to switch in guys that score along the way. Touchdowns, especially ones that come with a lot of yardage, are the ways people win contests.

In these contests, QBs are almost worthless unless Cam Newton decides he is going to run for a long gain or jump in for a TD. That is entirely possible, but if you have receivers to play on any QB completion, they will deliver more points at 1x than a QB will at 2x. Your white WR cards are better, because they have a better scoring algorithm that rewards yardage at a higher point total.

Similarly, when you add a TD on top of that, its money in the bank – even more so as boost levels increase.

Running backs remain valuable too, as they will get points in these contests as much as they will on the fantasy ones. With no choice in the play, most RB gains will be best to play those cards. If you have defense, on short carries, the person making the tackle is better.

Here is the catch – DO NOT SWITCH OUT GUYS UNTIL THE POINTS ARE REGISTERED. The only way you can get points in the game is if the guy is saved in your lineup at the time the API loads the scoring in. You can refresh your point total easily, so dont mess this up. I have lost contest championships because I wasnt keeping track and switched out too early.

If you arent switching your guys in and out with every scoring play, you will not do well. On Monday and Thursday, this should be pretty easy, but for the all day Sunday contest, not so much. This is why Red Zone is essential for seeing which guys will be scoring and what lineup to use.

Bottom line, these tips will hold true even as the boosts get super high by the end of the year. Keep on top of your sheet, and you will be able to gain advantage over people who are not too aware of the scoring rules. Huddle contests are the most fun of any app, in my opinion, and I spend more time watching football than I should, as a result. If you have any questions, let me know on Twitter or in game.