Using Your Bench to Put Pressure On Your Opponents

Posted by Kurt on Aug 20, 2009 in Fantasy Football, Fantasy Football Draft

So you’ve just finished your fantasy football draft. Now what? Do you just set up your starting lineup and then watch for sixteen weeks?

NO!

Some people say a draft contributes to half of a fantasy football victory. I am here to tell you that saying is crazy. The draft contributes only about 25% to your victory in my opinion. You might think I’m the one who is crazy, but I have a method to my madness.

Here is a breakdown of what goes into a championship:

25% – Drafting a strong team.
25% – Finding trades that will improve your team.
25% – Knowing the best players to play each week depending on match-ups!
25% – Using your bench space for waiver gems and denying your opponents. (Our Dominator Service is very handy for this)

Quarterbacks make bad decisions when under pressure by the defense. Put pressure on your opponent and he may start to make bad decisions.

Now, each player in sports has a strategy they are known to use. Peyton Manning? He uses his head to outsmart the defense. Brandon Jacobs? He uses his ogre-like strength to barrel through defenders. DeSean Jackson? He uses his blinding speed to get open.

Fantasy owners have strategies too to help them win after the draft is over. What is the name of my game? Pressure.

So how do you pressure your opponents with your bench?

Deny your opponents with quick and smart free agent adds! Players on the bench don’t earn you points but your bench might be the most important tool that you use against your opponents. Let’s say you drafted Jason Witten and Dustin Keller. You’re set at TE right? So what happens when Vernon Davis has a breakout game in week 1? Do you let him sit as a free agent since you don’t need him? No way! Pick him up and deny your opponents the chance to grab a waiver wire gem.  You can always try and trade him to the team starting Jeremy Shockey each week.

Don’t think of your bench as a “bench”, but as a list of players your opponents can’t use against you! Are there two defenses coming up in week 5 that are free agents and have great matchups? Can’t decide which one to pick up? Pick them both up! Then no one else can take advantage of the great matchup. Don’t be afraid if you have to drop a “handcuff” type player for a week. Most handcuffs won’t be added by your opponents unless the starter goes down.

When you see this happen to a starting running back you should log into your fantasy league and grab the backup immediately.

Be a waiver-wire hawk. If you are watching a game and you see Adrian Peterson go down to a high ankle sprain, there is only one thing that should go through your mind.

“Is Chester Taylor a free agent?”

Even if you aren’t sure of AP’s injury, you’re better off safe than sorry. Being the first to your waiver wire to pick up backups to injured stars will drive your opponents crazy! Make sure you know the backup to every starting running back in the league so you know who to get in case of an emergency. Don’t be afraid to even watch football with your laptop right next to you!

When you have a stud on your bench with no place to play on your team, trade him! One of my favorite strategies is pointing out flaws in an opponent’s team to help trades move along. Say one of the owners in your league is starting an unreliable QB. Let him know! He may agree with you and ask you if you have an extra QB to trade him! Success! If he doesn’t want to trade right away, start picking up every QB that performs well each week…it’ll start to drive him nuts when he cant get his hands on a reliable QB and he may give in to trading for your backup QB.

To win a fantasy league, it’s important to use every advantage you have. Don’t let a guy sit on your bench for 12 weeks because he has a “chance” to take over for a guy in case of an injury. Instead, use your bench to deny your opponents of valuable free agents! You might be the most hated owner in your league but being liked within your league doesn’t earn you points!