The calendar turns to December and we enter Week 13 of the NFL season. The fantasy football playoffs loom large, with most starting in only two weeks. Now is the time to start gearing up for your playoff run; whether you have a first round bye or clawing for a spot in the big dance. A deep playoff run with the hope of a title will require you to alter your playstyle from that of the regular season. Below are a few tips to help you bring home that title!
Roster Your Handcuffs
It’s time to cut bait with those bench-depth pieces that you have been holding on to with the hopes that they pop off. Instead, you should drop them to fortify your starters. Imagine you were holding Calvin Ridley with the hopes he would return, but you just lost Dalvin Cook for an undetermined amount of time. Wouldn’t you rather have had Alexander Mattison on your roster already instead of having to fight for him on waivers? Now is the time to go out and grab a Sony Michel or a Carlos Hyde. I know. That feels gross even writing it. But, if you roster James Robinson, the next man up is Hyde; and Urban Meyer loves him simply because he went to Ohio State.
Play Defensively
Whether you have been riding with the Cardinals or the Bills defense all season, now is the time to look ahead to Weeks 15, 16, and 17 and roster a second defense. If you have the Cardinals, they play Detroit in Week 15. Give me all of the Jared Goff games for a defense. The Giants take on the Eagles in Week 16 and just racked up 12 points against the G-men. Go take a look at the D/STs available in your fantasy football league and grab one to pair with your existing defense to give yourself the best chance to win.
Play Even More Defensively
Didn’t I just say play defensively in the last paragraph? Yes, I did. Now I mean to play defensively against your fantasy football league mates. I know not all leagues are the same, with the same level of involvement from all players. That being said, if your league has any players that are slow on the draw, now is the time to make your move.
If you’ve been streaming QB all season, grab a 2nd one now so you don’t have to battle with waivers. Steal that RB free agent that would’ve benefitted your opponent more. Handcuff your opponent’s players if you have a bench spot or two to spare. Mac Jones has been improving all season and he gets the Jags in Week 17. Ryan Tannehill is on bye this week with a favorable playoff schedule; and gets AJ Brown and Julio Jones back before the playoffs.
Lastly, Have Fun
Fantasy football is supposed to be fun. We work all year for a chance to lift the trophy and hold it over our league mate’s heads at the end of the season. No matter how much work and effort you put into starting your ideal line up, players can always either blow up or fall short of expectations. Players who played against the Alvin Kamara manager in the title game last year will tell you: even the best laid plans can’t beat 6 TDs from a single player.
