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Playoff Strategy (1 Viewer)

Peak

Peak

Footballguy
If you are up by 4 pts heading into Sunday Night Football where you have two players yet to play, but your opponent is done, what do you do?

Do you pull your remaining players from your lineup to secure your 4 or victory?  Or do you leave them in to risk a fumble and negative points?

I've seen both play out.  Curious how others would view this scenario.  Is it bush league to pull the players?  Is the honorable thing to leave them in?  Does it matter if it's a RB/WR vs a Defense/Kicker?

 
That is up to your league rules on how lineups are constructed.  I can't imagine any leagues replacing someone about to play with someone who played.  

 
FairWarning said:
That is up to your league rules on how lineups are constructed.  I can't imagine any leagues replacing someone about to play with someone who played.  
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Fair question. Assume no league rules impact the decision.  The scenario isn't replacing a player who has yet to play with one who has. But rather removing a player yet to play and leaving holes in your lineup.

I bring this up as I thought it was an interesting scenario compared to the lineup police thread that was discussed previously.

 
Peak said:
Fair question. Assume no league rules impact the decision.  The scenario isn't replacing a player who has yet to play with one who has. But rather removing a player yet to play and leaving holes in your lineup.

I bring this up as I thought it was an interesting scenario compared to the lineup police thread that was discussed previously.
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Our league doesn't allow that.  Now what you could do is if you start connor tonight, pick up the active RB on Pitt that is a ST player and not get a carry, start him instead.  .  

 
FairWarning said:
Our league doesn't allow that.  Now what you could do is if you start connor tonight, pick up the active RB on Pitt that is a ST player and not get a carry, start him instead.  .  
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That's a creative workaround. 

I agree with @Gally that negative points have to be considered. What if that ST RB gets to field a return and fumbles due to lack of reps?  Or a stat correction takes place and you lose by .5 instead of winning by 4?  

How many points do you need to win by before you feel comfortable to pull players from your lineup? (Assuming your league allows holes in your lineup)

 
It would depend on the position and scoring system obviously, QB would have the greatest risk while TE would be the safest.  I would say a 5 point lead would be safe.  

I agree that negative points have to be considered, that is why you have to turn in a complete lineup in good faith.  

 
Peak said:
If you are up by 4 pts heading into Sunday Night Football where you have two players yet to play, but your opponent is done, what do you do?

Do you pull your remaining players from your lineup to secure your 4 or victory?  Or do you leave them in to risk a fumble and negative points?

I've seen both play out.  Curious how others would view this scenario.  Is it bush league to pull the players?  Is the honorable thing to leave them in?  Does it matter if it's a RB/WR vs a Defense/Kicker?
Click to expand...
If you feel you secured the win, I would not classify that as tanking or cheating. Assuming you have someone who you could possibly start. 

 
FairWarning said:
Our league doesn't allow that.  Now what you could do is if you start connor tonight, pick up the active RB on Pitt that is a ST player and not get a carry, start him instead.  .  
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As someone who Unfortunately had to start Connor tonight, there wouldn’t have been much of a difference points wise either way. 😩

 
rockaction said:
But he almost lost a fumble if not for JuJu and his heads-up play.
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Lol. That’s right! Thanks for reminding me it could have been worse. I mean, it’s not enough that he’s not going to contribute points, but now he’s trying to take them away.

 
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Peak said:
If you are up by 4 pts heading into Sunday Night Football where you have two players yet to play, but your opponent is done, what do you do?

Do you pull your remaining players from your lineup to secure your 4 or victory?  Or do you leave them in to risk a fumble and negative points?

I've seen both play out.  Curious how others would view this scenario.  Is it bush league to pull the players?  Is the honorable thing to leave them in?  Does it matter if it's a RB/WR vs a Defense/Kicker?
Click to expand...
This type of thing is hard.  I'm in a league where I could be down 8 with Chubb left in my lineup playing against a team that also has Chubb.  Higgins is on my bench.  Basically a guaranteed L unless I swap Chubb for Higgins.  If I'm allowed to make a switch that likely negatively impacts my total score in order to win, why should it matter if I'm ahead or behind?

 
Peak said:
If you are up by 4 pts heading into Sunday Night Football where you have two players yet to play, but your opponent is done, what do you do?

Do you pull your remaining players from your lineup to secure your 4 or victory?  Or do you leave them in to risk a fumble and negative points?

I've seen both play out.  Curious how others would view this scenario.  Is it bush league to pull the players?  Is the honorable thing to leave them in?  Does it matter if it's a RB/WR vs a Defense/Kicker?
Click to expand...
Who are the players?  And what is league scoring?  These things matter.

For example, if it's -1 for a fumble in your PPR league, there's almost no chance a WR can score negative.  Even if he caught one pass for 1 yard and fumbled it, he would still be positive points.

The odds of your combined points from two players being -5 seems to be as close to 0 as it gets. 

 
Deamon said:
Who are the players?  And what is league scoring?  These things matter.

For example, if it's -1 for a fumble in your PPR league, there's almost no chance a WR can score negative.  Even if he caught one pass for 1 yard and fumbled it, he would still be positive points.

The odds of your combined points from two players being -5 seems to be as close to 0 as it gets. 
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This right here.  In most scoring systems it's near impossible for a single player (someone who'd be in your starting lineup anyway) to score negative, much less two starters.  Keep your lineup and enjoy your close, hard fought win.

 
There is nothing wrong with doing ANYTHING with your lineup that gives or preserves you a win.

The only gray area I can think of would be in a victory point league.  Say you are up 20 points on Monday night.  Your opponent is done, and you have 2 players left.  Some other guy you hate has scored less than you, and some other worse team with more points this week could make the playoff if things stay where they are, and you bench those guys to allow the other team to make the playoffs.  

Then again, to me, it's fine unless league rules dont allow it.  

 
crowe1130 said:
My league allows empty spots in your lineup, but in 29 years no one has done so in this situation. 
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As long as it's allowable under the rules, then I don't see any problem with it.  Sometimes when I play blackjack, I split 10s against a bust card.  Maybe it's not the "generally accepted" thing to do, but if I feel like it gives me the best chance to maximize my winnings (even if I'm wrong), then who is anyone else to tell me what I should do?

Back to fantasy, I've often left holes at kicker or defense if I feel like I have an easy matchup and I want another spot on my roster to stash a high-upside type.  I know it's not the same thing, but again, why not?

 
BassNBrew said:
This type of thing is hard.  I'm in a league where I could be down 8 with Chubb left in my lineup playing against a team that also has Chubb.  Higgins is on my bench.  Basically a guaranteed L unless I swap Chubb for Higgins.  If I'm allowed to make a switch that likely negatively impacts my total score in order to win, why should it matter if I'm ahead or behind?
Click to expand...
I don't think swapping a player in because you know it is the only chance you have to win is comparable, in your scenario making the swap is what every owner should and imho would do.

The OPs scenario is a bit different since the swap isn't the only possible path to victory, though it might be their best. Having said that, if the OP has players on his bench he can swap in he/she is free to do so. If the owner doesn't have a player to swap in and wants to leave the slot empty that is a bit of a different story, however even then if the rules allow it (submitting an incomplete lineup) I wouldn't have a problem with it (because it is not against the rules). Its a bit like horseshoes when you know you have the point\win and you throw the shoe away so as not to risk losing it. Reasonable minds may differ but pretty cut and dried for me.

 
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I don't see anything wrong with it if your rules allow you to have empty starting spots. It is the fantasy equivalent of taking a knee. 

 
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