If you've got a roster spot to burn, there are any number of ways to use it. If you're in a tight Week 12 battle, you can use it on a relatively high-probability short-term upgrade. If you're projected to lose by 20 points, you can go boom-bust like adding Martavis Bryant (61% available in ESPN leagues), Brandon LaFell (94% available), or Devontae Booker (77% available in ESPN leagues).
Or maybe you played defense earlier this week (or last week in anticipation of this week), grabbing Andy Dalton (57% available) because you're in a tight playoff race in a deep league with someone whose best QB option is now Paxton Lynch. There's also postseason defense, grabbing the Bills DST (83% available) for weeks 14-15 and/or Bears DST (somehow 70% available) for Week 16.
Or buy a lottery ticket and grab an RB handcuff like Alfred Blue, Wayne Gallman, or Matt Breida. We all know some current RB starters won't be starting at some point during the fantasy playoffs. A 5% chance of striking gold is better than no chance.
We have as many options as there are available players. Some guys are riskier than others. Some have more upside. Every season, I usually lead my league in transactions. And I've made the playoffs something like seven or eright straight times. Give yourself any advantage you can. Don't sit around and wait.
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As always, my 50/50 Lineup of the Week has been continually tweaked the past couple of days. As always, I'm focused on guys expected to be heavily involved--players with high floors and huge ceilings. It takes a couple bust-out performers to nearly lock up a 50/50 win. Or you can get there with 5-6 great players meeting expectations.
QB Russell Wilson ($8,600) -- He's the third highest priced QB this week, right below Carson Wentz and Tom Brady. All three are headed for fairly easy wins, but Seattle's poor running game increases the odds that Wilson will be involved on each score.
RB Le'Veon Bell ($9,400) -- On the one hand, it's fairly dumb to invest so much in a running back who's scored only once in his past four games and who hasn't cleared 20 PPR points in four games. But that's kind of the point. I devoted a whole chapter in the book "Fantasy Football for Winners" on great players mired in mediocrity--that assuming certain conditions (health, talent, usage, etc.), eventually their stats balance out. To put things in perspective, I have Big Ben and am starting him this week, pretty much because I have to (and sure, his upside is terrific, so no complaints). But I'd rather have Bell, who should go off for 150+ yards and two TDs. It's his turn.
RB Tevin Coleman ($6,200) -- As shared in this weekend's bargains/busts podcast (https://soundcloud.com/user-780565013/week-12-fantasy-football-preview-bargains-and-busts ), Coleman is a relatively affordable, high-floor, high-ceiling option. I could go Todd Gurley or Kareem Hunt and downgrade elsewhere. But if Coleman can get me 15+ (a high probability), that's what I need at this point price point at this position.
WR Julio Jones ($7,800) -- If you sleep on Julio, he'll haunt you, Freddy Krueger-style. Yes, I'm stacking Falcons. And yes, Atlanta should put up 30+ points against the Bucs.
WR Tyreek Hill ($7,300) -- He has a plus matchup and is posting low-end WR1 numbers this season. I could go Alshon Jeffery or T.Y. Hilton (great matchup) or Michael Thomas around this price. But I like Hill's TD potential in a must-win game for a division-leading team that's inexplicably lost four of five.
WR Sammy Watkins ($5,900) -- No Robert Woods on offense. No Marshon Lattimore on defense. Watkins is forgettable because he's barely produced WR4 numbers and isn't earning many targets. That changes today.
TE Benjamnin Watson ($4,800) -- If I started Hunt over Bell, I could boost my TE odds significantly, or I could create potential upgrades here and at a WR position. But it shows how much I believe in Bell today that I'm going with Watson. But let's not downplay Watson too much: he's a terrific red-zone target and is in a highly favorable matchup. That's why I can take this risk.
K Jake Elliott ($5,000) -- Presumably safe. That's about all you can hope for at the kicker position.
DST Ravens ($5,000) -- I can't conceive of Houston running up the score on Baltimore. I also can't conceived of Tom Savage having anything less than two turnovers.
Huge week, everybody. Good luck.
Or maybe you played defense earlier this week (or last week in anticipation of this week), grabbing Andy Dalton (57% available) because you're in a tight playoff race in a deep league with someone whose best QB option is now Paxton Lynch. There's also postseason defense, grabbing the Bills DST (83% available) for weeks 14-15 and/or Bears DST (somehow 70% available) for Week 16.
Or buy a lottery ticket and grab an RB handcuff like Alfred Blue, Wayne Gallman, or Matt Breida. We all know some current RB starters won't be starting at some point during the fantasy playoffs. A 5% chance of striking gold is better than no chance.
We have as many options as there are available players. Some guys are riskier than others. Some have more upside. Every season, I usually lead my league in transactions. And I've made the playoffs something like seven or eright straight times. Give yourself any advantage you can. Don't sit around and wait.
---
As always, my 50/50 Lineup of the Week has been continually tweaked the past couple of days. As always, I'm focused on guys expected to be heavily involved--players with high floors and huge ceilings. It takes a couple bust-out performers to nearly lock up a 50/50 win. Or you can get there with 5-6 great players meeting expectations.
QB Russell Wilson ($8,600) -- He's the third highest priced QB this week, right below Carson Wentz and Tom Brady. All three are headed for fairly easy wins, but Seattle's poor running game increases the odds that Wilson will be involved on each score.
RB Le'Veon Bell ($9,400) -- On the one hand, it's fairly dumb to invest so much in a running back who's scored only once in his past four games and who hasn't cleared 20 PPR points in four games. But that's kind of the point. I devoted a whole chapter in the book "Fantasy Football for Winners" on great players mired in mediocrity--that assuming certain conditions (health, talent, usage, etc.), eventually their stats balance out. To put things in perspective, I have Big Ben and am starting him this week, pretty much because I have to (and sure, his upside is terrific, so no complaints). But I'd rather have Bell, who should go off for 150+ yards and two TDs. It's his turn.
RB Tevin Coleman ($6,200) -- As shared in this weekend's bargains/busts podcast (https://soundcloud.com/user-780565013/week-12-fantasy-football-preview-bargains-and-busts ), Coleman is a relatively affordable, high-floor, high-ceiling option. I could go Todd Gurley or Kareem Hunt and downgrade elsewhere. But if Coleman can get me 15+ (a high probability), that's what I need at this point price point at this position.
WR Julio Jones ($7,800) -- If you sleep on Julio, he'll haunt you, Freddy Krueger-style. Yes, I'm stacking Falcons. And yes, Atlanta should put up 30+ points against the Bucs.
WR Tyreek Hill ($7,300) -- He has a plus matchup and is posting low-end WR1 numbers this season. I could go Alshon Jeffery or T.Y. Hilton (great matchup) or Michael Thomas around this price. But I like Hill's TD potential in a must-win game for a division-leading team that's inexplicably lost four of five.
WR Sammy Watkins ($5,900) -- No Robert Woods on offense. No Marshon Lattimore on defense. Watkins is forgettable because he's barely produced WR4 numbers and isn't earning many targets. That changes today.
TE Benjamnin Watson ($4,800) -- If I started Hunt over Bell, I could boost my TE odds significantly, or I could create potential upgrades here and at a WR position. But it shows how much I believe in Bell today that I'm going with Watson. But let's not downplay Watson too much: he's a terrific red-zone target and is in a highly favorable matchup. That's why I can take this risk.
K Jake Elliott ($5,000) -- Presumably safe. That's about all you can hope for at the kicker position.
DST Ravens ($5,000) -- I can't conceive of Houston running up the score on Baltimore. I also can't conceived of Tom Savage having anything less than two turnovers.
Huge week, everybody. Good luck.