1. Set your rankings before your league’s allocation date If you believe that Linvoy Primus, the Portsmouth defender, is going to lose playing time and be less valuable this season, move him down the rankings to make sure he is not allocated to your team. Equally, you may think that Jérémie Aliadière, of Middlesbrough, is going to set Teesside alight and want to maximise your chances of getting him in your lineup by moving him up the rankings.

2. Gone missing Bear in mind that some players could miss large parts of the season. Some will be representing their countries at the African Cup of Nations early next year. Teams playing in Europe and reaching the late rounds of cup competitions have some of the most valuable fantasy players, but there is a danger that they could be saved for important midweek games and rested in Barclays Premier League matches the previous or following weekend.

3. Know the rules Remember to use your squad to cover suspensions or injury, or take defenders out of the firing line against Manchester United at Old Trafford. Remember that each of the 14 positions (11 plus three substitutes) can only be used 38 times - the equivalent of a full Premier League season - so make sure your team changes do not result in your using up your left-back starts by Easter. And remember that team points count, so a Derby County forward could play as well as his opposite number at Arsenal, and score as many goals - but score fewer PlayTheGame points.

4. Rotation, rotation, rotation Is a player likely to be an ever-present or does his club have other players in the same position who will eat into his playing time? West Ham United had four strikers last season and it was anybody’s guess which two Alan Pardew and Alan Curbishley would pick. And why.

5. The magic sponge Some players take after the Black Knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail and can be relied upon to play on with half a limb hanging off. Others are more delicate and will miss ten games after hurting their ankle in an overexuberant goal celebration.

6. Find hidden value Assists and goals from defenders are rarer than those provided by midfield players or forwards. So defenders who go forward for free kicks and corners, or take free kicks or penalties, have extra value. Players who are classed as defenders but spend as much time or more in midfield, such as John Arne Riise of Liverpool and Matt Taylor of Portsmouth, are therefore worth their weight in fantasy gold.

7. Don’t confuse real life with fantasy . . . You may love the midfield terrier in your favour-ite team, but ask yourself whether the qualities he brings to the game are worth much to his team or PlayTheGame points. And even Gary Neville might admit that one or two Liverpool players might have something to contribute to his fantasy team.

8. . . . but remember what’s going on in the real world Reading, for example, had an outstanding season in 2006-07 and some of their players would have excelled in PlayTheGame terms based on those statistics. But that was then - will they suffer from second-season syndrome this campaign, affecting team points? If the defenders around him struggle, will Nicky Shorey continue to benefit from clean sheets?

9. Keep up-to-date Times Online will provide regular player news updates, accompanied by an e-mail service available to all participants, that will also give you the implications of any development for your PlayTheGame team. An injury to a teammate that will increase a player’s opportunities, a change in role that could affect fantasy points production, transfer rumours that could mean a move elsewhere in January - it will all be here.

10. Use the transfer system Unlike real-life managers, you don’t have to use dodgy agents to do deals. Simply e-mail another manager in your league and make an offer. Or dip into the pool of out-of-contract players. The transfer window is open until the end of March.

11. Have fun We’re confident that you are about to take part in the most enjoyable and addictive form of fantasy football yet devised. Have a great season and plan on getting your normal life back some time in May.

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