Fantasy Basketball 101: Basic Rules and Facts About the Game

Fantasy basketball has become a popular source of entertainment for sports fans and can rival the NBA itself, or at least for the citizens of online gaming. To help you brush up in fantasy basketball or aid beginners out there who are just learning what the game is all about, here are some fantasy basketball technical rules.

Fantasy Basketball Number of Teams

For public teams, there is a typical number of teams in a league which can range anywhere from 10 to 12. On the other hand, in private leagues, the number is based on the general consensus of the players. These private leagues are the ones that accept new fantasy basketball general managers via invitation only.

Fantasy Basketball Drafts

There are two ways to pick a team in fantasy basketball. The first one is called the snake draft. The snake draft begins with a first round pick with each manager choosing his NBA player in order. In the second round, the manager who had the last pick in the first round will be the first to pick and this goes on until all the players are filled in the fantasy basketball teams. The order is reversed with each turn in order to eliminate the manager with the first pick to have all the advantage.

Meanwhile, in the action draft, the fantasy basketball manager will have an agreed upon budget, usually $260. This will be used to fill out the team’s needed players. Each NBA player will be auctioned by the managers and the participants get the player who pays for him the most. A great feature of this type of drafting is that everyone has a chance to draft a player unlike in the snake draft. The process takes longer than the snake draft though.

Fantasy Basketball Roster Size and Composition

The number of players in a fantasy basketball team is called a roster size. This roster size is the same across all teams in the league. When we say roster composition, that is the amount of players in each position that a team can use. These include positions such as point guard, shooting guard, power forward, center and small forward.

There are some leagues that only need five players in a team which is basically one in each position. These challenge the fantasy basketball GMs to skillfully assemble the best starting line up on a weekly basis.

There are other leagues in a fantasy basketball game which permit as much as 12 or even 15 players in a team. These particular leagues assign one or more bench players. The statistics from real life NBA will not be counted on a player in a bench position in fantasy basketball. However, once you have the player in your roster, no one can grab the player even if he is just a bench player.

Fantasy Football Games 101 - Learning The Game's Basics

So, you want to participate in a fantasy game and you are thinking, “Why not football?” Fantasy football is one of the biggest and most participated fantasy sports game today. So, you can be assured of enjoyment and meeting fantasy football games enthusiast, and meeting interesting characters along the way.

However, before participating in fantasy football games, it is good to get a basic grasp of what professional American football is all about. Winning in fantasy football games, or any fantasy sports games, is about being knowledgeable about the game you have chosen. After all, real life statistics is the basic foundation in determining the winning team in fantasy football.

So, here's a brief discussion of American football 101. Learn well because the key to winning in fantasy sports (and in anything in life actually) is to be knowledgeable.

The National Football League, or what is popularly dubbed as the NFL, is America's professional football league. It is one of America's most beloved pop-culture sports and it could perhaps be your favorite sports game.

According to US statistics, the National Football League games are the the most participated and attended sport in America today.

There are thirty-two teams in the National Football League. There are two conferences which make up the American football league and these are the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC).

The conferences are further divided into four divisions. Each of these divisions have four teams. The sum of all these teams equal sixteen.

A regular NFL season is scheduled to run for seventeen weeks. The winners of the regular NFL season will play in the National Football League playoff. This is a single-elimination tourney for the twelve-team participants.

The two winners of the playoffs from each conference will compete against each other in the National Football League's biggest event – the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl is highly anticipated and one city has the honor of hosting this huge event every year.

Who are teams in the National Football League?

For the American Football Conference:

Well, in the East there are the: New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills and the New England Patriots.
The West have the Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers, Kansas Chief and the Oakland Raiders.
The North cities: Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore Ravens and the Cleveland Browns.
South cities: Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans, Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars.

The list for the National Football Conference Team:

East: Washington Redskins, New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles
West cities include: Seattle Seahawks, San Fran 49ers, St. Louis Rams and the Arizona Cardinals
North cities: Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions
South cities: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints, the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons

Get To Know Fantasy Football

You may be hearing the buzz about it about it, but what exactly is fantasy football?

Well, fantasy football is basically a fantasy sports game where participating players are called owners. These owners belong to a particular arranged competing league. Each of these leagues earn what is dubbed as fantasy points based on existing data and statistics from the real life game of American football; known as the National Football League. The real life data which the professional athletes of the National Football League rack up is important in determining the winner of a fantasy football game.

The players or owners of the league use real life American footballers and they draft these players. The sources of this are the National Football League and the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Both the National Football League and the National Collegiate Athletic Association are sources of the fantasy players for the owner of a fantasy football team.

The positions to be filled by the owner of a fantasy football team include a running back, a wide receiver, the quarterback, the kicker, the defense and the tight end; a set up similar to real life National Football League and the National Collegiate Athletic Association teams.

Based on real life stats and dependent on the performance of the players, a fantasy football team can garner fantasy points which would reflect to the other football fantasy owners.

For example, a player in the form of a running back gets the much anticipated touchdown, then that running back will earn, in the world of fantasy football, a determined number of points for the owner of the player.

When the season ends, there will be a win-loss tally or record which will set out the league qualifications or fantasy football rankings and this will turn into a playoff bracket.

Just how huge has fantasy football become? Well, most of the football leagues do put aside the weekend of the month of the regular football season for a fantasy football playoff. This playoff will be determinant of the fantasy football league's winner or champion for the season.

The amazing popularity of fantasy football is reflected in the fact that in 2009, twenty seven million players of these enjoyable fantasy football league games rack up nine hours in a week to play! Twenty seven million people enjoy the same fantasy football passion as you!

Points in Fantasy Football

Since time immemorial, sports has captured the hearts of many; especially those who play the same thing. Even if there are those who make a living out of sports, there are individuals who play it just for fun. In addition, sports is also something people can do during their free time just to relieve themselves of stress from school or work. Sports is also something that helps your muscles get stronger. Nevertheless, there are times wherein you want to have your own team. The solution to this is to play a fantasy football game.

The First point that you have to consider is the fantasy football player rankings. You have to analyze and decide which players you want to play on your team. Everyone should compliment the others' statistics to ensure a win. However, there may be times that your line up may not be the best, but it is still worth a try. More so, the players may not be too comfortable as they are not with their original teams. However, who knows? They may be able to get the confidence they need just like they are playing in the professional league.

Another point that you have to remember before starting a fantasy football game is the projections. You have to search online for a credible website that can be able to give projections as unbiased as possible. These people have taken their time to learn each player’s capability and performance throughout the season. As much as possible, take their advice because it will do well for you and your team. If you are not too much convinced with what is written, you can always search for another.

Lastly, if possible, do participate actively on fantasy football mock drafts. This is like an exercise for you before you make a draft your own. You can learn techniques and tricks from seasoned drafters. Do apply these things on your end so that you too can create the best team that there can be. People may even commend you for a job well done and start to tell you to make your own projections as well. Just keep in mind that you are doing this out of fun and not because you are hungry for victory.

A fantasy football game is something not everyone wants to learn or play. Still, if you are that someone who wants this, then go ahead. No one is stopping you from fulfilling your craving for participating in this kind of game. Keep in mind the points mentioned and you will be fine. If you need more help, consult the Internet. There are websites that can provide you with answers. Ask some of your friends who know how to play this so that you can understand it even more. Just have fun and do not take it too seriously when you lose. It is part of the game. Learn from it and hope that the next time you play, you will emerge victorious.

Where to Look for Free Fantasy Football

Oftentimes, when people want to learn something new, they ask a friend or perhaps go online and search about it. Although there is nothing wrong if you ask someone about something, there are times wherein the person does not even know what to tell you. For example, if you want to learn more about free fantasy football and then you ask your mom, she may or may not give you an answer especially if she is not familiar with sports, particularly fantasy sports. The next best thing for you is to go online.

First thing you have to do is to get to know more about fantasy football. You would not understand how the leagues go if you have no idea what the sport is all about. Perhaps reading a few websites and digesting the information you got make you more knowledgeable about it. If you know a friend who can further explain the sport, then the better. Sometimes you cannot quite understand what is written on the website.

There are plenty of websites offering free fantasy football. What you can do is to ask a friend to tag along who knows what this is. So when you browse the website and seem quite lost, he can tell you what you are doing or what that feature or link is for. Although you can also do the browsing on your own, there is nothing wrong if you want somebody to check what you are doing. It just makes you more at ease since the person sitting next to you has done the same thing a couple of times already. He may not be an expert but at least he knows how fantasy football works.

You will never go wrong if you want to know more about weekly fantasy football because you will just have to click on links. If you want to make a new search about it, you can always change the words or phrases that you type in the search box. Be patient, and surely you will be able to get the things that you need. Fantasy football is only one of the many sports you can learn or appreciate through the Internet.

There is so much more to free fantasy football especially if you really want to learn. It is a recommendation, though, that you learn professional football first since it has the same mechanics. Go and buy yourself a ticket so that you can see the action as it happens. Even though you can watch it on your television, there is a different atmosphere when you are on the field. You will feel the adrenaline and the pressure even more since you are looking at the players who are just right in front of you. In case you are too shy to go alone, you can ask a friend to tag along or even a family member who loves the sport. Make the most of this experience and surely, you will enjoy watching it.

Weekly fantasy baseball league news: Howard heating up for struggling Phillies

While his team is fighting to stay in the playoff race, Philadelphia Phillies All-Star first baseman Ryan Howard has been doing some serious damage for his squad and weekly fantasy baseball league owners in the last few weeks. His recent surge shouldn't be too much of a surprise considering what Howard has accomplished since 2006. In the last four years, Howard has averaged 50 home runs, 143 runs batted in and 102 runs scored per season.

While he usually doesn't provide much help to weekly fantasy baseball league owners in terms of average and stolen bases, he is still one of the overall fantasy producers in the game. In 2009, he ranked about 10th in fantasy rankings among all hitters. With his recent hot streak, Howard has moved into the top 15 this year.

The 30-year-old first sacker has had to carry a lot on his big shoulders this year. Shortstop Jimmy Rollins has missed 46 games this season due to injuries while second baseman Chase Utley is currently on the shelf with a thumb injury. Utely has missed 20 games and won't be back in the lineup until September. The middle infielders have been a big part of Howard's success in the last few years. With Rollins and Utley hitting in front of Howard, the first baseman has had plenty of prime opportunities to drive in runs.

While his team has struggled to a 24-31 record in the last 55 games, Howard has done his best to keep the two-time defending National League champions in contention. In addition to his usual strong power numbers, Howard has recently been helping weekly fantasy league baseball owners with a strong batting average as well. Over the last three seasons, Howard has hit just under .270. Since June 1st, Howard is hitting over .320. In June, he hit .320 with 7 home runs, 22 runs batted in and 23 runs scored.

This month, Howard is hitting .323 with 6 home runs, 19 runs batted in and 8 runs scored. In his last ten games, he has clubbed 6 home runs with 14 runs batted in. With Utley out of the lineup and some other hitters scuffling, Howard has stepped up when his club has needed him most. Howard now leads the league in runs batted in with 74. Weekly fantasy baseball league owners will certainly try to ride Howard's hot bat for awhile.

Ryan Howard is the type of player who could single-handedly win you a Daily Fantasy baseball league, he is that dangerous. Head over to the home of daily fantasy leagues www.fantasyfactor.com and get into the action today.

Fantasy Player Rankings On Oakland Raiders

The Raiders went 5-11 in 2009, just a hair better than Kansas City.
The Raiders' offense was, well, horrible. Out of the 32 teams in the NFL, Oakland ranked 31st in total yards per game with 266.1.
Oakland's defense was better, coming in at No. 26, allowing 361.9 yards per game.

Key Draft Picks to Watch for Weekly Fantasy Football Leagues:

• Rolando McClain: McClain will offer the Raiders' defense a huge boost. Out of Alabama, McClain can do it all, whether it be blitzing or short-coverage assignments from his LB spot. His only weakness is his lacking ability in man coverage. Look for him on special teams while competing for starting time.

• Lamarr Houston: Oakland is strengthening their defense, especially with DT Houston from Texas. Houston has great strength, and can be useful as an up-field rusher. At times, he's inconsistent with anchoring the middle of the defensive line. All in all, a solid pick.

• Jared Veldheer: Oakland balanced their draft picks with OT Jared Veldheer from Hillsdale. Although from a small school, Veldheer showed immense strength in dominating his opponents and shows a lot of potential at the next level.

• Bruce Campbell: The Raiders also picked up OT Bruce Campbell from Maryland to fortify the offensive line. Campbell has been called one of the most athletic OT in college football.

Key Free Agents to watch for Weekly Fantasy Football Leagues:

• Kyle Boller: Boller spent five seasons with the Baltimore Ravens and one season with the St. Louis Rams. In his five seasons with the Ravens, Boller threw for 7,846 yards, 45 TDs, and 44 INTs. His best season at Baltimore was 2004, where he threw for 2,559 yards, 13 TDs, but he also threw 11 INTs. With Bruce Gradkowski's injury in 2009, the role of starting QB is open between Boller and Jason Campbell.

• Michael Bennett: Released from the San Diego Chargers in 2009, Bennett signed on with the Raiders on May 6. Bennett spent five seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, and only had one breakout season in 2002 where he rushed for 1,296 yards and five TDs. Since then, his numbers have fallen dramatically, only averaging 214.25 yards per season. Oakland also picked up RB Rock Cartwright from the Washington Redskins in 2009. However, Cartwright only has 889 yards and six TDs in his nine year career. His role will strictly be third-and-short situations.

• Jason Campbell: The Redskins did away with Campbell to make room for Donovan McNabb, and the Raiders picked him up to be the new leader of the team. In 2009, Campbell threw for 3,618 yards, 20 TDs, and a disappointing 15 INTs. In his four years as the Redskins' field general, Campbell amassed 10,860 passing yards, 55 TDs, and 38 INTs. His QB rating for those four years was 82.3 percent. Campbell seems to be the obvious choice for the starting QB job in Oakland.

Ready for some Weekly Fantasy Football action? Get over to www.fantasyfactor.com the home of weekly fantasy football leagues.

Rookies to watch for Weekly Fantasy Football Leagues

Rookies can have a big impact on your weekly fantasy football leagues. Knowing who could step up and become a star will have a huge effect on your teams performance. Keep and eye on these kids, they could make the difference between winning and loosing in your weekly fantasy football league.

1.) C.J. Spiller running back/return specialist-Buffalo Bills
Spiller is one of those type of players (barring injury) that has the talent and excitability to make and impact and make a possible run at the Pro Bowl as just a rookie. There isn't a running back on the Bills roster who is in his class as an overall athlete or football player. Yes he will share carries with the incumbent Marshawn Lynch among other backs, but you better believe it that Spiller's presence somehow will be felt in the 2010 season and NFL betting is taking notice. Young backs like this can turn the tides when deciding which team to put into your NFL parlay bet.

2.) Jimmy Clausen quarterback-Carolina Panthers
To a certain extent in 2010 Clausen will have a chip on his shoulder for being selected in the 2010 Draft much later than he or any else expected. But that chip may only go so far, he needs consistency from his receivers and some good protection from his line. Oh yeah, he has to find a way to beat out the incumbent and older Matt Moore for the starting quarterback job.

3.) Ndamukong Suh defensive tackle-Detroit Lions
Suh somehow someway will make an impact on the Lions in 2010. Even an average effort from him can be better than a lot of defensive tackle's B grade or above efforts.

4.) Jermaine Gresham tight end-Cincinnati Bengals
Has to stay healthy and if he does, look out. This kid has a world of talent.

Are you ready to dominate the weekly fantasy football leagues? Head over to www.fantasyfactor.com the king of daily fantast sports.

Indianapolis Colts Weekly Fantasy Football League Players to Watch

The Colts were the obvious leaders of the AFC South, and of the NFL too.

Indianapolis finished their 2009 regular season at 14-2. They then went on to win the AFC Championship, but fell two touchdowns short of winning the Super Bowl to the New Orleans Saints.

The Colts’ offense is ranked No. 9 in the NFL in total yards per game with 363.1 yards per game.

Indianapolis’ defense was a far cry from its offensive counterpart, ranking 18th in the league with 339.2 yards per game. Knowing who will have a big season is key to the success of a weekly fantasy football league manager. Getting the jump on the emerging start is always crucial to success in a league that lasts only one week.


Key Draft Picks:

The Colts knew they had to address their defensive issues, and they did just that with six of their eight draft picks being defensive players.

The three notable defensive standouts are DE Jerry Hughes out of TCU, LB Pat Angerer from Iowa, and CB Kevin Thomas from USC. All three of these players are excellent picks, and will most definitely stiffen up that defense. The player that will make the most impact in 2010 is DE Jerry Hughes from TCU.

In his four seasons with the Horned Frogs, Hughes has 142 tackles, 28 sacks, two forced fumbles, and three interceptions.

Hughes is a good pick here, and look for him to make a solid defensive statement come 2010.


Key Free Agents:

The Colts’ only free agent addition in 2010 was G Andy Alleman from the Kansas City Chiefs.

Alleman’s NFL experience is limited to just four years, but he will prove to be a solid OL and give the Colts more depth along the line.


Are your ready to get in the Weekly Fantasy Football League action? Head over to the king of daily and weekly fantasy sports www.fantasyfactor.com

Radioactive Material: 5 Guys I Wouldn’t Touch With a 5-Foot Pole in a Daily Fantasy Contest.

In fantasy baseball, there are 5 types of players. Great players, good players, worrisome players, bad players, and then…radioactive material. These are guys that might have some name recognition that makes them tempting, but are honestly so detrimental to your fantasy team that you might as well form your team based on closing your eyes and throwing darts at a list of the Kansas City Royals lineup for your daily fantasy contest.
If you have these 5 guys on your team, drop them now. If you are offered them in a trade, decline it. If you are picking a one-day league, if these players aren’t performing fantastically against the opposing starter, you better not even consider them. I think I’ve made myself clear. Ready? Good. Listen up if you want to do well with your daily fantasy contest.

1. Todd Helton, 1B, Colorado. Look at a calendar, it’s 2010. It’s time to rid yourself of 1990’s stars. He’s played well in recent years, but this is not one of them. He’s batting .217 with 1 home run, and he’s 36 years old. He’s not going to turn it around. He’s not a value pick. Stay away.

2. Russell Martin, C, Los Angeles. Maybe he misses hitting at the top of the lineup, maybe he lost his edge when he became the obvious starting catcher for the Dodgers. I don’t know. What I do know is that Russell Martin is no longer a great fantasy catcher. He’s batting .243 at this writing, he isn’t stealing bases the way he used to, and he has four home runs. Don’t get suckered into a move you’ll regret later. Martin is hitting at the weak end of the Dodger lineup.

3. Miguel Tejada, SS/3B, Baltimore. Look, I hate to point fingers, but let’s be realistic here. From 2000 to 2004, when steroids were much more prevalent in the big leagues and testing was fairly non-existent, Tejada put up 30+ homers a year. Last year? 14. This year? 4. Isn’t this the same guy who lied about his age and is really two years older than he said he was? Yes, it is. Welcome to the new decade, people, Miguel Tejada is not a fantasy baseball star. Look elsewhere, as much as that SS/3B combination might seem tempting.

4. Jose Bautista, RF/3B, Toronto. Wait, Jose Bautista, the guy who leads the league in home runs? Well, yes and no. The power numbers are all well and good, but the radioactive material I’m referring to is his .259 batting average, his lack of protection in the Toronto lineup (he’s got Alex Gonzalez of the .265 average behind him) and his suspiciously high power totals. He played for four teams in his rookie year without hitting a home run, and in the 5 years since he’s never hit more than 16. Now it’s early June and he already has 18? Trust me, this pace will not keep up. Few players break out at 29 years old. Sell high if you’ve got him.

5. Mark Buehrle, SP, Chicago. Buehrle has had some strong starts and has been a workhorse for the White Sox. This is just not his year. His ERA has hovered around 5.00 all season, and he’s just 3-6 on the year. Take out 2 solid games and his ERA is closer to 7.00. He’s only struck out a handful more than he’s walked, the White Sox can’t score, and he’s on the wrong side of 30. Not to mention the fact that he hasn’t had a great year since 2005. This is not the guy you want on the mound when you need a win.

So are you ready to dominate the daily fantasy contest out there? Head over to www.fantasyfactor.com the king of the one day fantasy league.

Prospects Provide Players Big Bargains in Daily Fantasy Sports

Ah, rookies. Fantasy players have sought them out like fountains of youth for years, often resulting in utter disappointment and frustration. But fear not, fantasy players, because there are bargains to be had by going young in your lineup. If you’re playing in a Daily Fantasy Sports league, these players provide excellent match-ups against veterans who have no scouting reports to study… and can become valuable pickup-and-trade bargaining chips if you jump on the bandwagon early enough in full-year leagues. So, which prospects should be on your radar? Here are a few potential bargains playing in their first season in the big leagues that will help you Daily Fantasy Sports league.

BATTERS:

• Jason Heyward, OF, Atlanta. We’ll start off the list with the biggest rookie success of the season. Heyward didn’t have to start the season in Triple A, and has put up big numbers because of it. With 10 home runs and 38 RBI, his respectable .274 average looks even more palatable. He’s hit a bit of a slump lately, so jump on him now while his value is down… you won’t regret it.

• Buster Posey, C/1B, San Francisco. The much-heralded catcher prospect recently made the jump to the bigs, and San Francisco’s management has made it clear that he’s there to stay. Posey went 6-9 in his first two major league games, and his average hasn’t dipped much since, entering the weekend batting a ridiculous .478. That average will dip a bit, but Posey has some power potential too. If you can pick him up for a low price—maybe a couple of bench players—you’ll see your averages rise considerably… at least until pitchers start figuring him out.

• Michael Stanton, OF, Florida. This kid hasn’t hit the big leagues yet, but Florida’s farm system has churned out a ton of solid prospects in recent years and he has the numbers to back it up. He has 20 homers in Double-A and seems to be ready to make the jump to the majors some time soon. Expect an average around .260 with some respectable home run and RBI totals when he does get the call.

• Kila Ka'aihue, 1B, Kansas City. Good luck spelling his name, and good luck getting him out. Ka’aihue is batting .346 at AAA-Omaha and was briefly called up earlier this year. The Royals weren’t ready for him, but when he does stick with the big leagues, he’ll be a solid fantasy player; he is averaging more than one homer per four games in Triple-A.

• Ike Davis, 1B, New York Mets. You want power? You got it. Davis’ batting average is pretty low (that’s normal for a rookie batter) but he has been mauling the ball lately. I mean 5 homers in the past month, the same as Albert Pujols and Vernon Wells, and he just went 4 for 4 with 3 runs scored in a game against Florida. He’s got great protection in the lineup and a solid ceiling. If you play in a keeper league, this kid is a must have.

Are you ready to win your Daily Fantasy Sports league? Head over to www.fantasyfactor.com the king of the Daily Fantasy Sports league.

Reliever Best Bets for Daily Fantasy Baseball Leagues

The only thing harder to find than a catcher who doesn’t ruin your fantasy numbers is a solid reliever that you can count on game after game. The real teams that have books of scouting reports and a committee of able bodies have enough trouble; it’s even harder when all you have is a computer and some statistics. That’s why it’s always important to keep an eye on who’s hot in the bullpens right now for your Daily Fantasy Baseball League.

• Jose Valverde, Detroit. Valverde has been the definition of lights out this season. What’s not to like? He’s sporting a .42 ERA, with 11 saves and just one home run allowed in 21 innings. He pitches in non-save situations more than most closers, but if you have him and another reliable closer, you should be in good shape.

• Jonathan Broxton, Los Angeles. LA does so many things well; the movies are hits, the women are beautiful, and the closers are dominant. So it’s not surprising that the Dodgers have yet another big time closer in Jonathan Broxton. He has the fifth-most strikeouts of any reliever in the bigs (actually a surprisingly low number for him) and a microscopic 1.07 ERA. Oh, and he’s playing on one of the hottest teams in baseball, one that frequently comes through with walk-off wins. If Joe Torre keeps putting him in for the ninth inning in any close game, he’ll start adding some useful win totals to his overall value. The Dodgers didn’t perform well out of the gate but are surging now; expect his numbers only to improve along with the team…he lead the MLB with 12 saves in the month of May.

• Matt Belisle, Colorado. People who continue to shy away from Colorado pitchers are straight-up out of the loop at this point. It’s not 1998- balls aren’t flying out of any park as much any more (how many perfect games and no-hitters have we had this year?) and Colorado has taken a number of steps to keep balls in the yard. So owners who have the stones to put reliever Matt Belisle on their roster have been rewarded with some impressive stats. His ERA for the season is just over 2.00, and it was half of that in the month of May. He’s not the official closer, but Manny Corpas hasn’t been other-wordly this year, so it’s a definite possibility. If you need holds or just a smaller ERA, Belisle is as hot as anyone in baseball and a great fit for your daily fantasy baseball league.

• Heath Bell, San Diego. Bell is the model for closers in today’s game. He’s big, he throws hard, and no one scores on him. I mean, no one. His ERA is among the lowest in baseball (1.13) and he has 14 saves in 24 appearances. He strikes out a bunch of people, he plays for a division-leading club, he’s even got a great baseball name. You can’t go wrong with Heath Bell, and you won’t have to pay Mariano Rivera- or Jonathan Papelbon-esque prices to get him.

• Brian Wilson, San Francisco. What is it with these NL West relievers? Maybe it’s something in the water out west, but it’s hard to find a bad apple in the bunch (oh, wait, except for everyone in Arizona’s pen. We’ll just ignore them.) Wilson’s personality is as weird as his breaking pitches, and batters just haven’t been able to get a good feel for him. He’s one of the brightest young stars of San Francisco’s post-Bonds era and has a number of good years ahead of him. His numbers are very comparable to Broxton’s, and you likely can get him on your roster without giving up your left leg. Wilson is a solid addition to any bullpen. And finally…

• Mariano Rivera, New York. Look, you know he’s good, he knows he’s good, the batters know he’s good, the whole world knows he’s good. Sure, he’s getting on in years, but his cutter is still breathtaking and he still plays for the Yankees. You’ll pay top dollar for close-to-top production, but at the end of the day, he’s Mariano Freaking Rivera. If you’re in a one-day league, take him against any light-hitting team and he’ll likely pay off. In longer leagues, pair him with another top-10 closer and you’ll rarely lose the saves or ERA stat. Just do it.

Are you ready to dominate your Daily Fantasy Baseball League? Head over to www.fantasyfactor.com now and join in on the fastest growing Daily Fantasy sports site today.

Daily Fantasy baseball League Young Pitchers to Watch

All Daily Fantasy Baseball league owners know a young stud pitcher can make or break your day. Keep and eye on these guy listed below, as they could have a huge impact on your Daily Fantasy baseball league.
PITCHERS:

• Stephen Strasburg, SP, Washington. Called the best pitching prospect of the generation, Strasburg has absolutely, positively frightening stuff. First pick of the 2009 MLB draft nearly made the jump directly from college to the pros, but the Nationals decided to send him to the farm system, where he has terrorized opposing batters to the tune of a 1.30 ERA and 65 strikeouts in 11 games. He’s so well-known that he won’t come cheaply, but he could easily put up top-10 pitching numbers. If you can get him as a number 2 or 3 pitcher, you’ll see major production out of him. His fastball is lightning quick and his curve is essentially unhittable. The only concern will be pitch counts, as the Nationals will surely try to keep his multi-million-dollar arm protected as much as possible. Watch for Stasburg to make his debut this week.

• Aroldis Chapman, SP, Cincinnati. Chapman has been blocked by some surprisingly successful starters in the big leagues, but he is making progress at Triple-A Louisville. The Cuban sensation is making too much money to stay in Louisville much longer, having signed a lucrative deal to come to America from the Cuban professional league. He won’t perform at the level of Strasburg (at least immediately) but he has a high ceiling and could be worth a pickup when he arrives.

• Jeremy Hellickson, SP, Tampa Bay. Hellickson is in a similar situation to Chapman, with a loaded starting rotation blocking him from the big leagues. Still, Hellickson leads the AAA International league with 71 strikeouts to go along with his 8-2 record with Durham. He’s not going to be coming up any time soon, but when he does, he’ll join one of the best teams in baseball late in the season; a formula that has worked for pitching prospects many times in recent years. Keep an eye on Tampa’s next great pitcher.

Use these players when you play your daily fantasy baseball league at www.fantasyfactor.com the top Daily Fantasy league site on the web.