It's about that time of year again... The FF Playoffs! Hopefully most of you have already locked up your playoff spot in your leagues or are at least playing to stay alive this weekend. To you, I say congratulations for fielding a competitive team during this tumultuous NFL season.
For those of you who are not so successful/lucky keep your head up, embrace your chance to play spoiler, and start masterminding your path to the 2012 Championship. While obviously this is not the ideal situation, scouting players for next year is a key to success. Exspecially for those of you in dynasty leagues who can claim those studs who have been plagued by injuries or grab the backup who is positioned to be a starter next year.
Regardless of your teams status, this time of year is extremely important to both your teams short-term and long-term success. However, not every team in your league will take advantage of this information. Inevitably some owners in your league will stick with the same players who they have been playing the entire season, and there is nothing wrong with that, but they may be missing out on potential changes that could effect their teams playoff run and/or implications for the future.
Just as the 2-10 team in your league has changed thier goal from making the playoffs in week 1 to now rebuilding for next year, so have the NFL teams who already know their teams postseason destiny this year. As NFL teams lock up their playoff spots, home advantage, and are mathematically eliminated from the post season, their approach towards the season may also change. Teams who are out of it, like Indy, may bench their normal starters or players in contract years they intend to let walk ( ie J. Addai) the next couple weeks to evaluate thier bench players who may become the starter next year. Other Teams who have secured their playoff spots may bench their starters to avoid injuries and get them ready for their playoff run. In either scenario, players who have been backups this year may now have significant immediate fantasy value that could help pave your teams way to the championship or provide insight into who will takeover starting roles next year.
That said, the following teams are either eliminated or are almost eliminated from playoff contention and may be inclined to bench their starters to evaluate the talent they have behind them on their roster for next year:
TEAM - Backups of Interest
Indianapolis Colts
- QBs: D. Orlovsky (Starter)
- RBs: Donald Brown; Delone Carter
- WRs:
- TEs: J. Tamme
St. Louis Rams
- QBs:
- RBs:
- WRs: A. Pettis; D. Alexander
- TEs:
Minnesota Vikings
- QBs:
- RBs: T. Gerhart
- WRs: D. Aromashodu
- TEs: K. Rudolph
Carolina Panthers
- QBs:
- RBs:
- WRs: B. LaFell
- TEs:
Jacksonville Jaguars
- QBs: L. McCown
- RBs: D. Karim
- WRs: C. Shorts
- TEs:
Miami Dolphins
- QBs:
- RBs: D. Thomas
- WRs: C. Gates
- TEs:
Of the teams who will more than likely lock up their playoff spots this weekend, benching their teams starters for the playoffs depends on the coach. Below is a list of those potential teams (coach not taken into consideration):
TEAM - Backups of Interest
Green Bay Packers
- QBs: M. Flynn
- RBs: B. Saine
- WRs: R. Cobb
- TEs:
San Francisco 49ers
- QBs: C. Kaepernick
- RBs: K. Hunter; A. Dixon
- WRs: T. Ginn; K. Williams
- TEs: D. Walker
New Orleans Saints
- QBs: C. Daniel
- RBs: P. Thomas; M. Ingram; C. Ivory
- WRs: A. Arrington; C. Roby
- TEs:
Baltimore Ravens
- QBs:
- RBs: R. Williams
- WRs: L. Evans; T. Doss
- TEs:
New England Patriots
- QBs: B. Hoyer; R. Mallett
- RBs: S. Ridley; S. Vereen
- WRs: T. Price
- TEs:
As previously mentioned, the decision to bench the starters, specifically for the playoff teams, is a coaching strategy that not every coach chooses to implement. Historically this is something that Indy has done down the stretch. If any of the above teams take this approach grabbing the backups could help lead your team to success in the playoffs and beyond.
Please let me know your thoughts, any updates, or historic information on coaches benching their starters down the stretch that may help identify ff gems in the coming weeks. Hope this helps a bit and good luck.
For those of you who are not so successful/lucky keep your head up, embrace your chance to play spoiler, and start masterminding your path to the 2012 Championship. While obviously this is not the ideal situation, scouting players for next year is a key to success. Exspecially for those of you in dynasty leagues who can claim those studs who have been plagued by injuries or grab the backup who is positioned to be a starter next year.
Regardless of your teams status, this time of year is extremely important to both your teams short-term and long-term success. However, not every team in your league will take advantage of this information. Inevitably some owners in your league will stick with the same players who they have been playing the entire season, and there is nothing wrong with that, but they may be missing out on potential changes that could effect their teams playoff run and/or implications for the future.
Just as the 2-10 team in your league has changed thier goal from making the playoffs in week 1 to now rebuilding for next year, so have the NFL teams who already know their teams postseason destiny this year. As NFL teams lock up their playoff spots, home advantage, and are mathematically eliminated from the post season, their approach towards the season may also change. Teams who are out of it, like Indy, may bench their normal starters or players in contract years they intend to let walk ( ie J. Addai) the next couple weeks to evaluate thier bench players who may become the starter next year. Other Teams who have secured their playoff spots may bench their starters to avoid injuries and get them ready for their playoff run. In either scenario, players who have been backups this year may now have significant immediate fantasy value that could help pave your teams way to the championship or provide insight into who will takeover starting roles next year.
That said, the following teams are either eliminated or are almost eliminated from playoff contention and may be inclined to bench their starters to evaluate the talent they have behind them on their roster for next year:
TEAM - Backups of Interest
Indianapolis Colts
- QBs: D. Orlovsky (Starter)
- RBs: Donald Brown; Delone Carter
- WRs:
- TEs: J. Tamme
St. Louis Rams
- QBs:
- RBs:
- WRs: A. Pettis; D. Alexander
- TEs:
Minnesota Vikings
- QBs:
- RBs: T. Gerhart
- WRs: D. Aromashodu
- TEs: K. Rudolph
Carolina Panthers
- QBs:
- RBs:
- WRs: B. LaFell
- TEs:
Jacksonville Jaguars
- QBs: L. McCown
- RBs: D. Karim
- WRs: C. Shorts
- TEs:
Miami Dolphins
- QBs:
- RBs: D. Thomas
- WRs: C. Gates
- TEs:
Of the teams who will more than likely lock up their playoff spots this weekend, benching their teams starters for the playoffs depends on the coach. Below is a list of those potential teams (coach not taken into consideration):
TEAM - Backups of Interest
Green Bay Packers
- QBs: M. Flynn
- RBs: B. Saine
- WRs: R. Cobb
- TEs:
San Francisco 49ers
- QBs: C. Kaepernick
- RBs: K. Hunter; A. Dixon
- WRs: T. Ginn; K. Williams
- TEs: D. Walker
New Orleans Saints
- QBs: C. Daniel
- RBs: P. Thomas; M. Ingram; C. Ivory
- WRs: A. Arrington; C. Roby
- TEs:
Baltimore Ravens
- QBs:
- RBs: R. Williams
- WRs: L. Evans; T. Doss
- TEs:
New England Patriots
- QBs: B. Hoyer; R. Mallett
- RBs: S. Ridley; S. Vereen
- WRs: T. Price
- TEs:
As previously mentioned, the decision to bench the starters, specifically for the playoff teams, is a coaching strategy that not every coach chooses to implement. Historically this is something that Indy has done down the stretch. If any of the above teams take this approach grabbing the backups could help lead your team to success in the playoffs and beyond.
Please let me know your thoughts, any updates, or historic information on coaches benching their starters down the stretch that may help identify ff gems in the coming weeks. Hope this helps a bit and good luck.
