Yahoo Daily Fantasy – The Strategy Guide

As announced last week, Fantasy Football Scout will be working with Yahoo Daily Fantasy Football throughout the new season.

With a scoring system that awards points for a range of player actions – all powered by the Opta data we know and love – the game looks ideally suited for our community.

To get started, you can sign up and claim a free £50 in credit to your account when you deposit just £5.

Ahead of Friday’s article focusing on player recommendations for Gameweek 1, here are our key strategies and tips for success in the Yahoo game.

Deadlines and Player Selection

As you might expect, we have a budget – this time £200 million – and are tasked with selecting an 11-man line-up.

Notably, you pick a keeper, three defenders, four midfielders and two forwards. You then have a utility slot that can cover a player of any position within your budget restrictions. This effectively allows you to deploy a 4-4-2, 3-4-3 or a 3-5-2 formation.

There are no substitutes, which means you will need to ensure that you select certain starters, or use the “late swap” feature to tailor your line-up once teamsheets are announced.

As an example, the deadline for Saturday’s £10k Contest is 3pm. This means that you can view the teamsheets for the six matches included when they are announced at 2pm and tweak your line-up accordingly. So pay close attention to deadlines and try to use the teamsheets to your advantage.

Recruiting a last-minute bargain can free up some valuable funds. It often pays to have a likely target in mind – in case of this scenario developing – so you can act fast to finalise your line-up before deadline.

Scoring Points

Analysis of Yahoo Daily Fantasy’s scoring model is key to success.

One of the first things to note is that goalkeepers earn points for draws and victories. This will clearly influence our decision-making in this position.

While cheap goalkeeping options that play for sides under the cosh will return points for saves, they will need to make seven saves to surpass a rival that keeps a clean sheet and wins the match – and that’s without the latter making a single save in the process.

The holy grail is a keeper that makes a couple of saves, wins the match and keeps a shut-out. The likes of Arsenal’s Petr Cech and Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois immediately spring to mind for Gameweek 1. Of course, you’ll pay a premium – relative to other goalkeepers – for these names.

When selecting defenders, you should note that, while they gain points for clean sheets, they are only rewarded with three, compared with a goalkeeper’s six.

Without points for saves, defenders can rely on a series of defensive actions for returns. Clearances are not factored in, but blocks and interceptions are included, as are tackles won. Even so, from our analysis, attacking actions, even for defenders, are vital to their prospects.

Yahoo Daily Fantasy – Top Ten Defenders for Minutes Per Points – 2016/17

If we look at last season’s top Yahoo defenders for minutes per points (above), we see that five of the top six were full-backs.

There are a number of factors at play here, not least their ability to provide crosses and win corners. Full-backs are also more likely to make challenges and therefore win tackles.

Even when we look at the pure centre-backs included in the top ten, both Nathan Ake and Vincent Kompany supplement their defensive actions with some form of attacking points.

With clearances omitted from the scoring, if you’re going to go with a centre-back, you’ll need to find one who is either a monster for interceptions or blocks or, ideally, one that gets forward to provide a threat and shots on goal.

Because shots are absolutely vital in Yahoo.

It stands to reason that attacking players who take shots are more likely to score goals. However, even those who suffer a low conversion rate can prosper.

A shot is awarded with 0.5 points. If it also hits the target it gains another 2 points, with a further 0.5 points if it results in a corner. You can appreciate how this can layer up to reward those who pepper the goal.

If we look at the top ten Yahoo scorers in attacking positions, we can see that the purely creative players – Fabregas aside – are conspicuous by their absence, with shot makers and goal scorers dominant.

Yahoo Daily Fantasy – Top Ten Attackers for Minutes Per Points – 2016/17

As an example, outside of the top ten, Swansea City’s Gylfi Sigurdsson outscored Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne.

The Belgian’s superior creativity and assist count could not see him better the Swansea playmaker. Sigurdsson scored 158 points for shots and shots on target, compared with De Bruyne’s 85 – and that proved decisive.

In short, then, we must isolate attacking players that shoot as much as possible. If they make a lot of passes, cross the ball and draw fouls then all the better.

While combative midfielders have a place in the Yahoo game, we should not expect to pay a premium for these. Indeed, they should really be seen as “enablers” to free up funds.

If we look at the minutes per points averages, one of the most successful defensive midfielders is Everton’s Idrissa Gueye. But he only achieved a point every 13.4 minutes, despite winning an impressive 50 points from tackles and 40.5 points from interceptions. Elsewhere, Arsenal pair Mohamed Elneny and Granit Xhaka won a point every 12.9 and 13.1 minutes respectively.

That can’t compete with a player providing crosses and, in particular, shooting for goal. Even those outside of the “elite” players for those metrics can prosper over a midfield destroyer.

As an example, Burnley’s Robbie Brady chipped in with a point every 10.2 minutes, while even the Clarets’ new signing Jon Walters fetched a point every 12.3 minutes while at Stoke City. Walters earned a third of his points through shots and shots on targets combined.

Player Prices

Player valuations will fluctuate weekly based on their previous performances.

Pinpointing the cheap, hidden gems with the potential to score big each week is obviously vital.

Each week our dedicated Yahoo article will attempt to unearth these players while giving you a breakdown of our primary XI for big contests in the Gameweek.

Look out for our first article this coming Friday.

Getting Started

Yahoo’s Gameweek 1 contests are up and running so you can register an account and get started immediately.

As mentioned, if you register and deposit £5 or more, Yahoo will also give you a £50 bonus to be used in-game.

• Register here
• Deposit £5 or more and use the code FANTASY50 to claim your £50 credit
• Choose a contest and start selecting your first Yahoo squad.

You must be over 18 years of age, resident in the UK, and of legal capacity to register with Yahoo Daily Sports and open an Account. If you sign up, please always play responsibly.