Are you ready to dominate your fantasy football leagues? You will with the Fantasy Alarm NFL Draft Guide. 

More traditional fantasy football guides provide you with just the basics. You get your fantasy football rankings, your 2026 fantasy football projections, NFL player profiles, some fantasy draft strategy articles, and, if you’re lucky, some fantasy football sleepers, some busts, and maybe even a fantasy football mock draft. You’ll also get plenty of coverage on NFL rookies as well. Our fantasy football draft guide gives you all of that, but we are hardly traditional.

We’ve built champions over the years here at Fantasy Alarm, and the main reason for that is how we teach you to be a better fantasy football player. We don’t just hand you a list of names and tell you to draft them at their current fantasy football ADP. We also give you the why, and that’s where these NFL coaching breakdowns come in. 

It’s one thing to draft a player because someone tells you they like them. It’s another to see exactly how a player is expected to be used in a team’s offense. And not only will this help you on Draft Day, but the knowledge you glean from these articles will also help you be a much stronger player on your fantasy football weekly waiver wire.

Why You Should Learn Each Team’s NFL Coaching System for Fantasy Football

Over the years, the growth of statistical analysis in fantasy football has been incredible to watch, with numerous websites digging into some pretty in-depth metrics to use when analyzing the performance of both NFL teams and their players. However, as we have routinely pointed out, there are many pitfalls when looking at year-to-year numbers. Things change at a rapid rate in the NFL. Not only is the player movement abundant, but the revolving doors we’ve seen for NFL coaches and their coordinators seem to be in a perpetual spin. This year alone, we’ve seen 10 new NFL head coaches with 20 changes at offensive coordinator and 15 new defensive coordinators. More than we’ve seen in quite some time. Maybe even ever.

As a result, comparing performances between the different seasons can be an exercise in futility. A running back who found success against a particular team one year cannot be guaranteed success the following season, as not only could the opposition change defensive coordinators and NFL systems, but said running back’s team could have gone through its own changes as well. Or, that player could be on an entirely new team and thus play in a completely different NFL system.

There’s that word again – system. We use it often. We may also refer to it as a scheme, but the fact remains that a team’s system probably has a greater impact on a player’s production than even that player’s level of talent. You can take a running back with mid-tier talent like Chuba Hubbard and watch him excel in a system that caters to his strengths. Conversely, you can take a highly-talented player like Breece Hall, put him in an NFL system that doesn’t feature his strengths, and watch his overall production suffer as we witnessed during his time spent with Aaron Rodgers and in last season’s shared backfield, courtesy of head coach Aaron Glenn. This is why we urge you to study each and every team’s system, both on offense and defense. 

From a seasonal fantasy standpoint, it will help you make the right selections on draft day. When you are looking at the Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet and see two players you like in the same tier, knowledge of the NFL system in which they play can prove to be the deciding factor. From an NFL DFS standpoint, you’ll have a much better idea as to which offenses match up better against a particular opponent and be able to construct your lineup accordingly. Before we dive into the individual teams, let’s get the basic vocabulary down so when we dig deeper within each team, your base knowledge makes it easier to follow.

 

 

 

NFL Systems, Schemes & Types: Offense

West Coast Offense

Derived by Bill Walsh, this scheme puts more of an emphasis on passing than running and is focused on short, horizontal passing routes to stretch out the defense and ultimately open things up for longer run plays and longer passes. Many modern West Coast offenses will utilize a strong ground attack along with the short passes (the infamous dink-and-dunk) to move the chains, but also to set up play action for more chances downfield. Plays are called using a long string of words and numbers such as “flip left double-X jet 42 counter naked seven Z quarter.”

Air Coryell (AKA Vertical or Timing Offense)

A combination of both deep and mid-range passing in conjunction with power running. The system uses a lot of motion, and the passing is based on timing and rhythm with the quarterback actually throwing to a spot rather than to a specific player, which helps to maximize yards gained after the catch. Plays are called with a three-digit number such as “jet dart 272 Y-flat train.”

Erhardt-Perkins Offense

The original formula, which dates back to the 1970’s Patriots, focused on a run-first offense with a simplified, quarterback-friendly passing game. However, when Charlie Weis joined New England, he used it as a building block to develop a more modern version which maintains the run but now enhances the multiple passing options and possibilities within a given play. Running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends aren’t as much positions as they are labels for where a player lines up most of the time. Plays are called using short phrases and code words such as “Circus/Kings.”

Spread Offense

The Spread offense is designed to do exactly as it sounds. The scheme spreads out the offense with four or five receivers, which forces the defense to match. The personnel on the field rarely changes so the offense can wear the defense down, especially with no huddle sprinkled in.

Air Raid Offense

The system is notable for its heavy focus on passing and, if implemented in full, could result in 65-75% passing plays throughout the season. This is an up-tempo, no-huddle scheme where the quarterback has the freedom to audible to any play based on what the defense is showing at the line of scrimmage. 

One interesting aspect you will see here as well is that the offensive linemen are not bunched together as you see in a conventional offense. They are split about a half yard apart, which is supposed to cause defensive linemen to run further to get to the quarterback and allow for short, quick passing to neutralize blitzes. It’s also used to open up wider passing lanes, which should prevent passes from being knocked down or intercepted at the line of scrimmage.

Pistol Offense

An offensive scheme which became more popular in the NFL with the rise of more athletic, mobile quarterbacks. It’s less of a base offense and more of an adaptation, as its formation is a hybrid of single-back formations and shotgun. The premise of the scheme places the quarterback and running back closer to the line of scrimmage (about four yards behind instead of the usual seven), which should give the quarterback an easier read and less time for the defense to react. Its success really depends on the quarterback’s ability to read the defense properly.

Types Of Offensive NFL Personnel Packages

11-Personnel

Three receivers and one tight end on the line with one running back in the backfield; this creates four vertical threats and seven run gaps at the line of scrimmage. 

12-Personnel

Two receivers and two tight ends on the line with one running back in the backfield; you still have four vertical threats while the two tight ends create eight run gaps at the line of scrimmage.

21-Personnel

Two receivers and one tight end on the line with two running backs (one is often a fullback) in the backfield; the blocking back creates a movable gap as defenses do not know where he will insert into the line of scrimmage to block. 

22-Personnel

One receiver and two tight ends on the line with two running backs in the backfield; very similar to 21-Personnel, but actually creates eight run gaps, four on each side of the center.

10-Personnel

Four receivers, no tight end and one running back in the backfield; puts plenty of speed on the field, opens up the field for mobile QBs and RPO work.

20-Personnel

Three receivers, no tight ends and two running backs in the backfield; not often used, but teams with strong pass-catching running backs may employ it from time to time.

 

 

 

NFL Systems, Schemes & Types: Defense

3-4

Focus on size and length across the defensive line, inside linebackers ballhawk, outside linebackers make plays as edge defenders, and there is a heavy use of defensive backs to cover in the open field, which helps disguise the blitz better.

4-3

With four linemen and only three linebackers, the defenders are each responsible for covering a gap during a run and will usually set up with a closed formation on the opposing tight end. Pregame prep and opposing personnel will determine which side the line will close if facing a two-tight-end setup.

Cover-0

Also known as man coverage, it is when the defense blitzes six defenders and leaves a mix of five defensive backs and linebackers to each lock onto one route runner. This can also be broken down into Press Man Coverage, which is when the defender lines up a yard or two off the receiver to disrupt his jump off the line, and Off-Man Coverage, where the defender gives the receiver a bit more room and stays with him for his route.

Cover-1

Similar to Cover-0 but the defense also leaves one defender in the middle of the field to assess where the extra help is needed.

Cover-2

A two-deep, five-under zone defense used to take away vertical concepts while forcing the ball underneath to the flat or checkdown option.

Cover-3

A three-deep, four-under zone defense where both cornerbacks drop to the outside zones with the free safety playing the deep middle.

Cover-4

Four deep defenders, two corners protecting the sideline zones and two safeties to cover the middle of the field.

Now that you have the basics down, you can continue with your research. Do yourself a favor and bookmark this page, as you will likely be referring back to it throughout the season or until you have everything committed to memory.