It’s Playoff Time
For most fantasy leagues the playoff season starts now, which means big paydays, or big disappointment for those lucky enough to make the second season.
By Guest Blogger, Ron Bishow
For most fantasy football leagues the playoffs started either last week for larger leagues, or this week for most 10 or 12 team leagues.
To those who were smart enough to make it, congratulations, but you are far from the Promised Land. In fact, getting though the playoffs are even harder then making it due to one big pesky problem, resting players.
As many of you know teams that have clinched playoff spots tend to like to rest their star players so they do not get hurt. That is a prudent move for NFL franchises but horrible news for fantasy owners because obviously the best players are usually on those teams. And the last thing you need is to have you star player being sent to the bench in the second quarter after putting up five points.
So what do you do? Well, first of all you watch ESPN and monitor websites likes a hawk for any news involving coaches talking about if they will be sitting their starters, especially teams that have clinched playoff spots. That would include teams like the Patriots, Cowboys, Packers and Seahawks.
Even if a team has clinched a spot in the playoffs however, they might be jockeying for positioning and byes and still have something to play for. Hence they will not be benching starters. Remember in the NFL home field can mean a lot.
Secondly you have to be ready to play secondary players over your season long starters if it comes to that. Sure Peyton Manning carried you to the finals, but if he is only going to play one quarter in week 16 you will have to play your backup if he is going to play the whole game. This goes for defenses as well, remember teams rest defensive players also.
This would also be a good time to hit the waiver wire as well to look for players who will be remaining on the field the whole game, getting extended looks on bad teams, or on teams that have to win out to make the playoffs.
Aaron Stecker from the Saints is one example, Shaun McDonald from the Lions, or Reggie Williams from the Jaguars. And how about the returns of Jamal Lewis and Rudi Johnson? Nice to see them back on the play list.
Is it fair that after fighting your way to the playoffs you could end up losing because your best players were rested? Of course it isn’t, in fact it is probably one of the only downsides of fantasy football. Just think how many people who have Patriot players are hoping that they go for the perfect season and don’t sit their stars, or that the Giants don’t clinch a Wild Card spot making the last game mute.
Hey, at least it is almost Christmas!
Ron Bishow has been reporting on the sports world for the past seven years for AOL, Tribune interactive and CO-ED Magazine among others. He is such a fantasy sports fanatic he plays fantasy NASCAR. He is currently a contributing writer and video producer at www.newyork.metromix.com.
Tags: Fantasy Football Tips, fantasy-football-advice, fantasy-football-playoffs, ron-bishowRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Fantasy Football Advice, Football Information
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