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Playoff strategy--playing for weeks 15 and 16 (1 Viewer)

-fish-

-fish-

Footballguy
Once you're fairly confident that you're in the playoffs (or if you've clinched already with several games to go) what are your strategies to position you the best for the playoffs?  I'm not talking about trying to maneuver to play the weakest team.  I'm talking about roster moves that set you up to be the strongest team you can field for weeks 15 and 16.

My main redraft has pretty short benches.   Last week I dropped the Bears D because the Green Bay/KC schedule weeks 15 and 16 seemed pretty brutal.   I'm looking at Browns/Jags for matchups against the Cardinals/Falcons week 15 and 16.   Carrying an extra D is going to make me drop a guy that I've spot-started a couple times, but once I'm through the week 10 bye I don't see playing him anymore.   Someone will pick him up...hopefully someone that isn't a contender.

I know a lot of people start adding handcuffs for their RBs just in case of a late season injury.  

Do you use a spot for a lottery ticket or block other contenders from shoring up any weaknesses?  Grab Foles for that Oakland/Atlanta week 15 and 16 just so nobody else can?  Do you roster Josh Reynolds in case Cooks doesn't come back?

What's your difference between winning and being the first loser?

 
Did you look at the Giants?

edit: with a short bench it’s had to carry two Ds...not sure I would

 
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Good thread. I actually just dropped Butker in a short bench as his bye is coming up and Lutz was dropped last week.  Didn’t like the move but sometimes it’s tough to get ahead of byes. 
 

Saints, Falcons have a bunch of indoor and warm weather games coming up.  
 

Foles is a good idea.  

 
-fish- said:
Once you're fairly confident that you're in the playoffs (or if you've clinched already with several games to go) what are your strategies to position you the best for the playoffs?  I'm not talking about trying to maneuver to play the weakest team.  I'm talking about roster moves that set you up to be the strongest team you can field for weeks 15 and 16.

My main redraft has pretty short benches.   Last week I dropped the Bears D because the Green Bay/KC schedule weeks 15 and 16 seemed pretty brutal.   I'm looking at Browns/Jags for matchups against the Cardinals/Falcons week 15 and 16.   Carrying an extra D is going to make me drop a guy that I've spot-started a couple times, but once I'm through the week 10 bye I don't see playing him anymore.   Someone will pick him up...hopefully someone that isn't a contender.

I know a lot of people start adding handcuffs for their RBs just in case of a late season injury.  

Do you use a spot for a lottery ticket or block other contenders from shoring up any weaknesses?  Grab Foles for that Oakland/Atlanta week 15 and 16 just so nobody else can?  Do you roster Josh Reynolds in case Cooks doesn't come back?

What's your difference between winning and being the first loser?
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Not a fan of cutting a lottery ticket for marginal defense match ups.

Great topic though.

 
In one league I picked up the Baltimore D for their week 14-16 matchups. I’m in 2nd place so far, so I’m willing to risk their other matchups to hold them for the playoffs (not planning on carrying two DSTs). I started Greg Z through his bye to avoid having to drop him. Dropped bench players for Mattison, Penny and stashed Snell on IR just in case. 

In another short bench league I’m currently 8th and fighting for the playoffs. The Eagles D was just dropped and I’m hoping to pick them up after the bye, or maybe the following week, for their week 13-15 matchups (playoffs start week 14). I’m scared they won’t last though. I stashed Mattison and just picked up Guice. I actually dropped Cooks to keep Mattison.

I want good D matchups and lotto ticket RBs....

 
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As a giants fan, I know the matchups are attractive but that D Stinks and I’m having a hard time pulling the trigger on them.  I had held the Jets for their run and their D stinks too.  So there has to be some balance of talent and matchup for me.  I am riding the niners in two leagues who have bad matchups but I’m inclined to believe in their talent 

 
In a league with 4 bench spots and waivers and adds close when the playoffs start. Brutal.

typically I go 2 rbs, 1 wr, and a qb on the bench to have backups at the core positions 

This year i would like to carry philly (13 - 15) and Steelers for 16 vs the Jets. Lamar Jackson is my qb, so his rushing usage raises the concern of injury higher in my mind and gives me pause about carrying 2 defenses.

 
If I'm comfortably in 1st or 2nd and a playoff spot looks like a lock, I'll start trying to consolidate depth for studs.  Target teams in the middle who need a little push to get into the playoffs and try to give them two good pieces for their one stud.   You're taking a gamble on health though, so it's good to have handcuffs (or acquire them) so you're not totally dead if your RB1 goes down.  It also frees up a roster spot to grab multiple defenses to stream with, and you can stay a week ahead of other streamers. 

For example: last year in a 14 team I made two deadline trades:  
Gave Hilton and Dalvin to get Hopkins
Gave Diggs and Michel to get AB

 
boilerdave said:
Good thread and good info. But don't disregard the "dance with the one that you brought" theory.
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Barring injury this is how I've always approached the playoffs.  Never has given me any issues.

Although I'll always remember the one year I rode Billy Volek to a championship.

 
I actually somehow clinched a bye in one league already.  I have literally nothing to play for rest of season.  No rules on starting a full line up.... do I just stash wild card plays and good week 15/16 defenses and not carry or start a kicker every week?

 
Deamon said:
I actually somehow clinched a bye in one league already.  I have literally nothing to play for rest of season.  No rules on starting a full line up.... do I just stash wild card plays and good week 15/16 defenses and not carry or start a kicker every week?
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This is where I'm at, except we have to at least roster a full lineup even if you don't start one.   I'm 8-1 and clinched my division.   My opponent this week is 9-0 and hasn't mathematically clinched his division yet, but he just needs one win or the second place team in his division to lose one game and he's in.   We're both in bye week hell this week, so he's not starting a QB, TE or D against me.   Since I've already clinched, his move doesn't affect any other teams in the league and the outcome of this game doesn't matter to anyone else.   We also have weekly cash prizes for high scores weeks 10-14 to keep people interested.   He's sacrificing a chance at this week to position himself for the playoffs.  

Any move I make requires dropping a startable player at this point.   I'm thinking of dropping a RB for a second defense and a WR for Foles.  I'm going to wait until after this week's games just in case someone gets hurt this weekend.

In your position, I'd stash whatever defense(s) you want for weeks 15/16 and grab the kicker you want for those weeks (I'd be looking at Lambo, Gonzalez or Bagley if any of those three are available).  I don't think it makes a lot of sense not to carry a kicker if you're just going to have to pick one up week 15.

 
Deamon said:
I actually somehow clinched a bye in one league already.  I have literally nothing to play for rest of season.  No rules on starting a full line up.... do I just stash wild card plays and good week 15/16 defenses and not carry or start a kicker every week?
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Not starting full lineup doesn’t seem fair to the rest of the league

If I’m fighting for a playoff spot and you give a win to the team I’m fighting with I’m not going to be happy 

 
Also looking at Cleveland D as potential matchup play.  They get Cincy twice (Week 14 and Week 17 if your league playoffs go till then), and Miami in Week 12 if you need that last push to get in

 
Cowboysfan8 said:
Not starting full lineup doesn’t seem fair to the rest of the league

If I’m fighting for a playoff spot and you give a win to the team I’m fighting with I’m not going to be happy 
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All depends on your rules.   My league has been going for 20+ years.   We decided long ago that the goal is to win a championship, not any individual week.  If starting a player that is going to get you 0 points is what's best for your team, then that's what you do.   Since we all know the rules, we also draft accordingly.  I have 6 guys on bye this week, by design.   It's actually kind of amazing that I can start a full lineup this week.

 
wlwiles said:
Also looking at Cleveland D as potential matchup play.  They get Cincy twice (Week 14 and Week 17 if your league playoffs go till then), and Miami in Week 12 if you need that last push to get in
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Cle and Phi have a good combined schedule up until week 15.

Bills, Steelers, Dolphins, Dolphins, Bengals or Giants, Redskins.

 
Ravens or Giants for the playoff matchups as others said, I paid a good chunk of faab for Ravens D this week.

Seems as good a place as any to ask - who the hell is Derek Henry's handcuff? Rod Smith?

 
Runnyb said:
Ravens or Giants for the playoff matchups as others said, I paid a good chunk of faab for Ravens D this week.

Seems as good a place as any to ask - who the hell is Derek Henry's handcuff? Rod Smith?
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I’d lean Dion Lewis.

 
-fish- said:
All depends on your rules.   My league has been going for 20+ years.   We decided long ago that the goal is to win a championship, not any individual week.  If starting a player that is going to get you 0 points is what's best for your team, then that's what you do.   Since we all know the rules, we also draft accordingly.  I have 6 guys on bye this week, by design.   It's actually kind of amazing that I can start a full lineup this week.
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Cowboysfan8 said:
Not starting full lineup doesn’t seem fair to the rest of the league

If I’m fighting for a playoff spot and you give a win to the team I’m fighting with I’m not going to be happy 
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This is the dilemma I'm in.  There's no rule against it, it's not cheating, but it does suck for the other owners who are counting on me to beat their rival.  But it would help me potentially win more money, so am considering it.  

Will probably still field a full line up but just keep defenses that may suck in that week but will be good in playoff weeks.

 
Deamon said:
This is the dilemma I'm in.  There's no rule against it, it's not cheating, but it does suck for the other owners who are counting on me to beat their rival.  But it would help me potentially win more money, so am considering it.  

Will probably still field a full line up but just keep defenses that may suck in that week but will be good in playoff weeks.
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It’s not your responsibility to help other teams make the playoffs.  

 
Deamon said:
This is the dilemma I'm in.  There's no rule against it, it's not cheating, but it does suck for the other owners who are counting on me to beat their rival.  But it would help me potentially win more money, so am considering it.  

Will probably still field a full line up but just keep defenses that may suck in that week but will be good in playoff weeks.
Click to expand...


-fish- said:
It’s not your responsibility to help other teams make the playoffs.  
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Yeah, everyone’s leagues are different.

I play in 3 leagues with some family and am friends with almost everyone in all of them. We play for relatively low stakes and the goal isn’t to make money.

 
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