We go out of our way to make our leagues the most skilled based fantasy football leagues anywhere. Read below to see all the steps AntSports implements to make our leagues a game of skill:

• Player Selection – AntSports uses a Serpentine (Snakeback) Draft for player selection. Basically in a 10 player league the person with the 1st pick doesn't pick again until the 20th pick. The person with the 10th pick also gets the 11th pick. This front to back and then back to front system makes the draft fair and equal for everyone. AntSports is planning on adding Auction Drafts in the future. Using an Auction Draft to select players not only makes the leagues player selection fair, it allows everyone a chance to get the players they want. Both styles of player selection take considerable skill. A wrong move on draft day can cost your team dearly.

• Scoring System – to make the fantasy players as predictable as possibly, AntSports never uses bonuses. Instead, Decimal Scoring to 0.05 points allow your players to get points for every single yard. No lucky long TD runs winning the game in one play. With our High Performance Scoring System, you can predict player performance with reasonable accuracy. Also, the HP scoring system has proven over several seasons now that the player positions are balanced. The top players at each position all score about the same. For example, in 2000, the top 30 players using HP scoring were 11 QBs 10 RBs, and 9 WRs. (2004 : QBs 12, RB 8, WR 9, and 1 TE.) This is important because with scoring positions balanced there are more choices to be made, hence more skill needed during draft day. For example in a league with a heavy QB scoring system instead of a balanced scoring system, if you don't get one of the top QBs, your team will have trouble competing all year. My balanced scoring system makes QBs, RBs, and WRs all draftable even in the 1st round. This requires more skill to choose the correct players.

• Starting Lineup – To complement my balanced scoring system, most of my leagues use the "Flex" lineup that allows you to start either 2 RBs & 2 WRs or 1 RB & 3 WRs. This flex starting lineup gives the team owner more choices based on how the draft goes. Using the Flex lineup means a team owner needs more skill to determine which player to choose next. Do they take a 2nd level RB or do they draft a WRs. If they draft a top WR, can they get 2 quality ones and run a starting lineup using 1 RB and 3 WRs or should they draft another good RB and start a lineup with 2 RBs and 2 WR. To find the best lineup takes time, effort, and skill. AntSports Flex lineup also helps teams reduce the effect of injuries and allows team owners to work around player bye weeks effectively. Now, you won't be stuck with a sub par FB for a RB spot, instead, you just start your 3rd best WR.

• Head-To-Head Victory Points – This system of keeping the league standings (like NHL Hockey) removes more of the luck by factoring in total fantasy points scored each week as well as the normal head-to-head win/loss. Now when you have a high score but get beat by the High Score of the Week, your score isn't wasted, it counts. This league system helps make sure the teams that deserve the playoffs, go to the playoffs. Less luck means more skill.

• Waivers – AntSports has several waiver systems. Each take a different set of skills to keep your fantasy team supplied with possible quality backup players and potential starters. In 2003, AntSports is added a free agent blind bidding process that will gives all teams an equal chance at acquiring free agent players. Also, the extra skill involved to manage your bidding dollars and to know how much to bid will add another skill needed to field a winning fantasy football team. But, no matter which AntSports Waivers system your leagues use, all free agent pickups are free. No extra fees like some fantasy sports leagues. Our AntSports leagues are about skill, not how much money you can spend.

• Schedule – Even AntSports regular season schedule is designed to remove luck and add skill to our leagues. The leagues are divided into divisions. Each team plays 2 games against division teams, 1 against others*. The schedule is divided so that in-division games are played the first several weeks when no teams have byes and near the end of the regular season when all starters are known. Also, week 17, when many star players sit on the bench, is not used. Week 16 is AntSports's championship week. Not using week 17 means that your star players will be there for your championship game and your player stats will be more predictable.

• Playoffs – AntSports playoff system rewards teams that perform well in the regular season. Six teams are placed into the playoffs, the best two teams receive byes. Note that unlike some fantasy sports leagues, the byes go to the best teams, not just the division winners. So if you finish 2nd in your division and are the 2nd best team in the league, you will receive a bye.

• Lineup Deadline – AntSports allows player lineups to be submitted right up until gametime. This helps remove some of the problems when you player is a "Game Time Decision". Now for those game time decisions on players, you can wait until just before the game starts to make your decisions. No more submitting your lineup on Thursday and finding out that your Sunday player is sitting on the bench.

AntSports believes that if you put in the effort and do the following, you can and will win :
• Prediction Good Stats – Stats should be based on the previous years results, going back multiple years also helps determine a players trends. Look closely at fantasy points per game. Find those diamonds in the rough. Watch how you rate often injured players. Often injured players tend to be high risk/high reward. Factor that into your player selection decisions.

• Value-Based-Drafting : When determining which players to choose for your team, it's not how many points a player scores that matters, its how many more points than another player in the same position. Read this article to find out more about value base drafting.

• Use our Free Mock Drafts to determine player value – Not only do you need to pick the correct players, but you also need to know when to pick them. If you like a player, use our free Average Draft Position tool to see how others rate him. Then pick your player in that round or just before. Don't draft players too early, it's like paying too much.

• Plan for injuries and bye weeks - Having good backups is part of the game. For example, in 2001, if you drafted Faulk or Watters early in the draft, make sure you take their backups Canidate and Alexander later in the draft. If your player doesn't have a quality backup, make sure you draft another reasonable player at that position. Example, if you drafted E. George, draft someone like a C.Garner later in the draft.

• Keeping up on the NFL in-season trends – Once you draft your team, you are not done. You've just started. Now, you have to keep up on which players may get a starting shot. This is very important for positions where your team is weak. Select Free Agents proactively, don't wait until the player has a breakout week. Instead predict those weeks and have those players on your roster. When planning for Bye weeks, choose a backup player who has an easy game that week.

If you put in the effort, any team owner can guide their team to a winning record and make the playoffs. Want proof? In my 11 years of Fantasy Football experience, participating 22 leagues over that time period, I have only missed the playoffs twice.