Backfields-RBs and Late season/Fantasy Playoffs (1 Viewer)

[TZMarkie]

 Every year, I try and examine how the last few weeks of the fantasy season will affect certain teams backfields.

Who will The Ravens play weeks through 14-16 as an example. (If I was actively pursuing Mark Ingram/ and maybe? Justice Hill)

And who do The Falcons play during the same time frame weeks 14-16. (If I was trying to draft DeVonta Freeman in most places)  Which I may find myself trying to draft Freeman everywhere, though I am not really sure yet. His end of fantasy season schedule doesn't exactly look like smooth sailing.  :(

Usually there is a thread or two around here that leans in this direction, and I'm curious as to the thoughts of The Shark Pool on this one.

 Obviously, many of us draft "accordingly" when the situation drafting doesn't quite go down as we expect.   I try and pick several RBs/ (MY GUYS in a sense) who I think are due for a strong season.... and then I try and narrow it down even further as to those that have easy strength of schedule towards the important final weeks of the fantasy season. (If the situation is extremely ripe, I may even handcuff in that scenario, if I think its worth that)

I have 1 or 2 I am thinking about, but I will hold some back until a few others respond.  One is definitely The Patriots.   Week 14 @ Home vs. The Chiefs..... Week 15 vs. The Bengals..... Week 16 @ Home vs. The Bills.    So Sony Michel/James White/Damien Harris  look extremely interesting to me.

 So let's hear who your targets are at RB, and hopefully some have a great end of fantasy season schedule.

 TZM

 

[TZMarkie]

Just a couple more backfields I am looking at.

 Seattle is @ home vs. the Cardinals week 16/championship finals.   ( @ Carolina and @ Rams the previous two weeks though)

New Orleans Saints has a juicy end of season schedule......

 WEEK 14 - Home vs 49ers

 WEEK 15 - Home vs Colts

 WEEK 16 - @ Titans   Championship week

 The Houston Texans - Are @ TAMPA BAY week 16.   I'm not terribly sold on the Texans run game, but I can envision a scenario where players are firing up LAMAR MILLER or D'ONTA FOREMAN  in the finals because of the matchup.

It sounds kinda sick to trot out Lamar Miller in the finals, but that matchup might well be a great one.

 

Obviously its early yet, but I always like keeping an open eye towards the playoffs when drafting. Having a RB (or several) that just happen to have great matchups in the finals is never a bad choice when the time comes.

TZM

 

[barackdhouse]

Carolina and Indy have nice playoff schedules IMO.

Carolina @Atlanta then hosts Seattle then @Indy. All seem like high scoring games and plenty of action for CMC. 

Indy @Tampa @New Orleans and hosting Carolina seem like high scoring games as well. I like Mack in the early 3rd of redrafts. 

I also like the ones already mentioned.

 

[Elevencents]

I’ve stopped looking at schedules. Been hosed by “good matchups” too often. 

 

[Grigs Allmoon]

I’ve stopped looking at schedules. Been hosed by “good matchups” too often. 

Totally agree. Focus on making the playoffs. After that, it's a crap shoot.

 

[TZMarkie]

 I think you guys are kind of being shortsighted.

 Sure if you don't make the playoffs, then you can't win your league. I think thats obvious.

 But, lets be realistic, we essentially have shares in 4 or 5+ backfields on every fantasy team. I do, I usually have 6+ RBs on my  redraft teams.

 To completely ignore a playoff schedule, when it would be easy to grab a single share of a backfield with a strong playoff run (when you have 4 or more others)....it just seems a bit silly to me.

And yes...... some of us think this far in advance every year when we play this game. 

 Everyone gets so focused on their early rounders, and the truth is many of those are going to be down for the count mid season and later on.

Every year I try and get a share of at least one backfield with a great week 15-16 schedule, on every team I build. That might include "locking up a backfield". (Say you loved the Ravens backfield for instance, then I might draft INGRAM and JUSTICE HILL as well.)  Then build around that, or at least plan on acquiring both at some point in your draft. Not saying I'm in love with The Ravens this year, this is an example.

It doesn't always pan out obviously, nothing does in our game......but when it does, its a big step towards a league winner.

 TZM

 

[wgoldsph]

The idea of "Carolina has a good playoff schedule" or "NO looks good" or any other running back you'd need to take in the first four picks having an advantage at the end of the season is pretty useless.  If you're not going to specifically focus on teams that should be bad at running the ball like Hou, then what exactly is the point of the exercise?

Also, op you've used the ravens as an example twice.  You gonna at least tell us who they're playing in the ff playoffs?

 

[TZMarkie]

The idea of "Carolina has a good playoff schedule" or "NO looks good" or any other running back you'd need to take in the first four picks having an advantage at the end of the season is pretty useless.  If you're not going to specifically focus on teams that should be bad at running the ball like Hou, then what exactly is the point of the exercise?

Also, op you've used the ravens as an example twice.  You gonna at least tell us who they're playing in the ff playoffs?

 I think you are taking it slightly wrong, but maybe I should have been more clear.

 If you are getting Kamara or CMC, then it really doesn't much matter how tough that schedule is now does it? I think you know the answer.  We are certainly starting them week in and week out.

I merely pointed out the Saints because it looks to be amongst the easiest of playoff schedules. (though admittedly I haven't combed each and every one)

 I'm generally referring to RBs and backfields that you don't have to invest an elite pick, say the first 15 spots.  Note I then mentioned the Texans  and LAMAR MILLER.

 Since you asked , the Ravens fantasy postseason schedule looks something like this....

 WEEK 14 - @ BUFF

 WEEK 15 - VS JETS

 WEEK 16 - @ BROWNS

I only used The Ravens as an example, they happened to be the first that came to mind.

I'm not explicitly high on the Ravens, but if I do happen upon Ingram in any of my leagues, then Justice Hill will have a permanent part on my bench.

 TZM

 

 

[cloppbeast]

End of season match ups, definitely not a factor in who I draft. There's a lot variables, too many things change from now until then. The lack of accuracy makes the speculation worthless imo.

I'll say this though, I take FF playoff schedule into account when making a mid-season trade, after the games have added some clarity.

 

[TheWinz]

I guess it depends on how much stock you put in Strength of Schedule.  Are you using Clayton Gray's from May 28th?  Do you agree with it?  Or have you come up with your own?

 

[barackdhouse]

I don't put much weight into the FF playoff schedules, but I do put some. It is occasionally a tiebreaker for me. Usually more for WRs and QBs than for RBs. And only for a handful of schedules that stand out to me as either being particularly favorable or particularly crappy. This year I have like 3 favorable and 1 unfavorable identified. Which means I have 28 teams where this concept won't influence my drafting at all. 

I'm definitely taking Michael Thomas and Julio Jones at the 1/2 turn or close to it if possible. I'm taking CMC over Zeke (aside from the holdout issue) and would consider him over Barkley but doubt I'll ever do it.

 

[TZMarkie]

I guess it depends on how much stock you put in Strength of Schedule.  Are you using Clayton Gray's from May 28th?  Do you agree with it?  Or have you come up with your own?

I never said I think its the "be all end all" , just something I pay attention to. I can generally look and see who the "easier run schedules" are, most of us here on this site could at least give an educated guess. 

My point to one of the other posters was essentially this...... I usually invest in 4-6 backfields during a draft. How hard is it to handpick ONE that seems to have an easier schedule? Its not, just make one of your round 9-10 picks (or wherever you are snagging RB depth late) a backfield you think has an easy schedule.

Admittedly I tend to pick more RBs than most of my league cohorts. (My leagues generally are START 3 WRS - 2 RBS -NO FLEX) 6 bench spots But I think its general good drafting to acquire as many RBs as possible, in most typical redraft leagues.....once you address your other needs as well obviously. 

I have guys in my leagues with 5 and 6 WRs, and I cant help but laugh when I see this immediately after a draft.  Its these same owners who whine about "where are all the RBs" late season, when they should have drafted better depth when they had the chance. But thats another topic.........

A prime example is the Patriots this year. Their end-of-season slate looks great, as I mentioned in the first post. As a fluke, I had Sony Michel in one league last year.  Anyhow, I'm almost certain to have a  Michel/White combo in spots this year. Or a mixture of Michel/White/Harris , depending on how the preseason shakes out and Sony's knee.

  Best part is you don't have to invest much either, as Sony is the first one off the board at around a pick 48-50 currently (FantasyPros)....slightly earlier on Fantasy Football Calculator.

 TZM

 

[TZMarkie]

I don't put much weight into the FF playoff schedules, but I do put some. It is occasionally a tiebreaker for me. Usually more for WRs and QBs than for RBs. And only for a handful of schedules that stand out to me as either being particularly favorable or particularly crappy. This year I have like 3 favorable and 1 unfavorable identified. Which means I have 28 teams where this concept won't influence my drafting at all. 

I'm definitely taking Michael Thomas and Julio Jones at the 1/2 turn or close to it if possible. I'm taking CMC over Zeke (aside from the holdout issue) and would consider him over Barkley but doubt I'll ever do it.

In my start 3WR leagues, I am seeking a similar combination.

Though I have been getting Julio/JuJu, or Adams/Julio if possible. 

 Zeke and Melvin Gordon are off my draft boards completely.  (I suppose I would take them somewhere in the 6th-7th or something, but that's not happening, so they are essentially dead to me, unless they show up to camp soon)

 TZM