My latest Sports Illustrated column offers some tips on how to prepare for the fantasy playoffs:
http://www.si.com/fantasy/2014/11/26/fantasy-football-week-13-playoff-tips-advice
Whether you're still mathematically alive, vying for a first round bye, or sitting at 10-2 without a care in the world, the hard work of assembling an optimal roster never ends. So if you are 10-2 and daydreaming all week, wake up to the realization that you're a few fluky performances away from losing in the semis.
I'm sure most of you apply most/all of these techniques already. But it's worth highlighting one in particular: grabbing RB handcuffs. If DeMarco Murray or Marshawn Lynch or Jamaal Charles are sidelined, their backups could produce top 10 RB numbers. You could work your butt off all season, only to find that your finals opponent has upgraded from a Bishop Sankey / Doug Martin tandem to newly minted starters Robert Turbin and Knile Davis.
It happens nearly every week, all year long. Why wouldn't it happen leading up to / during the fantasy playoffs?
So if you're holding two middling TEs, drop one for a promising RB handcuff. If you're holding an WR5 when there are plenty of decent upside WR5/6s' on waivers, drop him for a promising RB handcuff.
The fantasy playoffs are as much about assembling top--tier talent as they are about rostering the highest upside free agents available. Doing the latter hedges bets in case one of your top-tier guys goes down.
http://www.si.com/fantasy/2014/11/26/fantasy-football-week-13-playoff-tips-advice
Whether you're still mathematically alive, vying for a first round bye, or sitting at 10-2 without a care in the world, the hard work of assembling an optimal roster never ends. So if you are 10-2 and daydreaming all week, wake up to the realization that you're a few fluky performances away from losing in the semis.
I'm sure most of you apply most/all of these techniques already. But it's worth highlighting one in particular: grabbing RB handcuffs. If DeMarco Murray or Marshawn Lynch or Jamaal Charles are sidelined, their backups could produce top 10 RB numbers. You could work your butt off all season, only to find that your finals opponent has upgraded from a Bishop Sankey / Doug Martin tandem to newly minted starters Robert Turbin and Knile Davis.
It happens nearly every week, all year long. Why wouldn't it happen leading up to / during the fantasy playoffs?
So if you're holding two middling TEs, drop one for a promising RB handcuff. If you're holding an WR5 when there are plenty of decent upside WR5/6s' on waivers, drop him for a promising RB handcuff.
The fantasy playoffs are as much about assembling top--tier talent as they are about rostering the highest upside free agents available. Doing the latter hedges bets in case one of your top-tier guys goes down.