Why your league rules matter - a lot

Not all fantasy football leagues are built the same. As obvious a statement as this sounds, it's easy to blindly go into a draft assuming it's just like any other standard league, but there are so many variations that you really need to be aware of the minutia surrounding your specific league.

Head-to-Head vs. Total Points

Head-to-head will always be more heavily tied to streaming as a strategy since every week acts as a bit of a reset. Owners can make transactions throughout the season, but a roster overhaul will be less effective in points leagues, which require successful drafts and early adjustments if things aren't working out.

Head-to-head leagues can turn around on a dime, and all you really need to do is make the playoffs to stand a chance. Remember the 2010 Seattle Seahawks? They finished 7-9 and won their division before defeating the New Orleans Saints in the Wild Card Game. Sure, that was their last win, but make it into the playoffs and anything can happen.

Points leagues may more definitively reward the best overall season, so sticklers for accuracy will be happy, but head-to-head can elicit greater dramatic effect.

Standard Scoring vs. PPR

PPR doesn't alter the landscape too drastically, but does so enough that certain players see leaps or drops in value. For example, San Diego Chargers RB Danny Woodhead was not among the most valuable rushers in 2015 standard leagues because he only gained 336 yards on 98 attempts, with three touchdowns.

In PPR leagues, Woodhead was far more valuable. He led all running backs with 80 receptions and six receiving TDs. Running backs like Woodhead should be selected earlier than their team's respective starters in PPR leagues because of how often they are targeted through the air. Not taking advantage of pass volume is a really good way to finish last.

Know how your points are being scored and you'll be able to prepare more accurately. This is why general ADP is not enough information to go by for the most part.

Team Defense vs. IDP

This is straightforward, but if your commissioner selects IDP - or individual defensive players - over team defense and special teams, team makeup becomes drastically different once again. Leagues that include IDP will require more research by virtue that beyond Houston Texans DE J.J. Watt, few defensive players have as high a profile.

Those who actually take the time to learn who does what best - tackles, interceptions, sacks, etc. - will have a better shot at making a difference. Unlike standard leagues, IDP leagues should see defensive players go off the board earlier than team defenses, which will often go in the final few rounds of standard drafts.

Transaction Limits and Waiver Priority

Whether you agree with it or not, there are leagues that limit transactions either on a weekly basis or throughout the season. While these leagues are inherently terrible, they create an interesting wrinkle that, if you're unaware of it, can cause serious problems later in the season if you exceed the limit.

Like most other fantasy sports, there will often be a waiver period in play. Occasionally this happens only when a player is dropped. In other situations, all players are placed on waivers at the end of every week in the season, meaning the process to add/drop players starts anew on Tuesday.

Those who have waited to pounce will have more freedom, while players who are constantly stream will run the risk of being disappointed as soon as someone they truly covet becomes the apple of everybody's eye.

Scoring Bonuses

Some leagues provide substantial bonuses for various milestone events, like a quarterback exceeding 300 passing yards in a game. This could boost the value of a pass-heavy QB even more while devaluing control-based passers whose team boasts a solid running game.

Conventional wisdom is to target touchdowns, but volume in PPR paired with yardage bonuses can skew certain players' values. This will likely factor more into the middle and late rounds as the top tier options like Antonio Brown and Julio Jones will be just as, if not more, valuable as before.

It all comes down to preparation. Be aware of the quirks of the league you've signed up for. If it's straight ahead standard, fantastic. If it's PPR, you need to know that, too. Any and all weird point variations can impact your roster, and if you don't pay attention, it's a much deeper hole to dig out of.