I want you to welcome Dave Kratzke to the the FantasyFootballGoat. A long-time sports writer, fantasy football commissioner and Buffalo Bills fan. Take it away Dave…

What does every fantasy league have in common? Every one has a commissioner, and why shouldn’t it be you everyone calls The Commish? It’s easier than you might think. Below are 5 tips that’ll put you on the right path to running a successful fantasy football league.

1. Round up the troops: Find 10 to 12 people to participate in your league. From friends and family members to co-workers and friends of friends, you want to recruit people who are going to be enthusiastic and active in the league. By finding team owners who remain involved and engaged in the league, you will have the makings of a highly competitive league.

2. Choose the right Web site: There seems to be an endless galaxy of Web sites eager to host your league. Some of the usual suspects include espn.com, foxsports.com, yahoo.com, nfl.com, cbssportsline.com, homegrownsports.com, etc. You can find a lot of free sites, but some will charge a fee to host your league. Do your homework, and you’ll be able to find a site that fits your needs.

3. Customize your league: As commissioner, this is your first, and perhaps most important chance to put your stamp on the league. You’ll be able to select a scoring system, like how many points are awarded for a sack or an interception; or whether special teams touchdowns actually count. With one click of the mouse you can make Devin Hester an invaluable asset or virtually irrelevant. You’ll also be able to determine roster size, from selecting the number of wide receivers on each roster to choosing between an Individual Defensive Player (IDP) and a Team Defense.

4. Determine a draft format: The most popular style is a straightforward draft in a snake format. This means in a 10-team league, teams draft 1 through 10 in round one - with draft order chosen at random. Then in round two, the draft order is “snaked” back, with the next 10 picks chosen in reverse order, from 10 through 1. This gives the team that draws the short straw and drafts in the 10 spot, a competitive chance with back-to-back picks. Another draft format is an auction league. In this format, each team is given a salary cap and you have to fill out your roster without going over budget. Typically in an auction format, people take turns nominating players for auction, and the highest bidder wins the player.

5. Pick a draft time (and location): This might be easier said than done, as it is hard to get everyone together at one time and in the same location. Getting everyone together in the same room is the best way to run a draft. If that’s not possible, most sites have user-friendly draft rooms that will facilitate the draft for you online. All you have to do is get everyone to agree to be logged in at the same time, and reserve that time with the host site. Most sites only allow a certain amount of drafts to be conducted at the same time, so if you don’t want to be drafting at 3 a.m. the Tuesday before the start of the season, then make sure you reserve your draft time as soon as possible as it’s usually first come first serve.