Week 17 Fantasy Playoffs: Special Strategies You Should Consider
Posted by Ray Tannock on Dec 27, 2011 in Fantasy Football
Is Felix Jones in your lineup this week? Well, he should be!
In some farther reached circles of the fantasy football universe, there are still a few of you who are wrapping up your Championship game this week, instead of the traditional Week 16 wrap up.
Why is this important?
Well obviously it means that you have another week left, before you can really cram your gullet with leftover Turkey, while washing it down with the remaining cookies you hid from your kids and the remaining wine you hid from the wife—oh yeah, and the last minute fantasy football advice you so desperately need to win it all, and have some leftover Holiday glory.
But the big question is just how does one—especially the newbies—go about conquering such a leviathan.
Don’t worry kids! You have faithfully followed us throughout the year, and we have done our best as a solid unit to put our best foot forward for you, so why not one more go around before Santa cracks the whip for 2012, and the entire city of New York illuminates the great glowing ball of future-hope on the eve of the New Year.
We’ll start, with strategies.
Playoff Strategies:
Tom Brady still has a lot to give this fantasy football season.
The playoffs have a distinct way of destroying even the greatest of teams, no matter what format you compete in—and there are quite a few.
The trick is, at this time of year, is to kinda know (or at the very least attempt to predict) just who will get the most playing time.
With a tough week like this, taking some online courses in fantasy football would be really helpful!
Thankfully, there a few things to consider here as you attempt to tackle the first wave of final playoff dominance.
Player knowledge, team strategies and basic playoff bracket knowledge are just a few aspects that can help you gain a leg up on your competition.
- You’ll be lucky to get anything out of Aaron Rodgers this week, as the Packers are sure to play him sparingly, but what you can bet on is Patriots QB Tom Brady doing everything he can to beat the Buffalo Bills, in an effort to earn home field advantage, and with a 22-1 record at home in regular season games, there’s plenty of fantasy love coming your way.
- Teams that are fighting for their playoff lives are always a great source of last minute fantasy points. The New York Giants, Cincinnati Bengals, Oakland Raiders, New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys are all still alive which means all of these teams are going to be playing at a very high level. Each of these teams offer quality fantasy starters, but also offer quality waiver wire fodder in some cases (league pending). When deciding your roster, keep in mind who has the most to play for, because it will be those players who play the most. I’ll leave a list at the bottom.
- Finally, don’t count out the players who are usually backups. Minnesota Vikings RB Toby Gerhart gets another chance to act as the starting back for Minny, and you can bet he’ll make the most of it for them, and you. 49ers wide receiver Kyle Williams could get some additional looks this week as the 49ers basically gave up on Braylon Edwards, while the Steelers could give backup QB Charlie Batch some quality time under center, after Big Ben gets his 20 reps or so.
The point to all of this is, you have to know your what match ups and team tendencies are, because stats can’t save you now as they have done all year.
If there is one time of the year you want to ask questions, NOW IS THE TIME! And as per usual, we will be here for you!
Good luck to all of you left in the fantasy world!
| Team | Starters | Waiver Wire | Opponent | Need to Know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals | WR- A. J. Green, RB - Cedric Benson | WR- Jerome Simpson | Baltimore | Simpson is an interesting WW grab against a Ravens team that, at times, struggles against ancillary receivers deep. He is worth a WR 3 spot since Cincy will be in "must-win" mode. |
| Oakland Raiders | WR - Denarius Moore, WR - WR - Darrius Heyward-Bey, RB - Michael Bush | None | Kansas City | The Raiders are basically limping to the barn with a very injured team taking on a Chiefs team that has a lot of fire underneath them. The Raiders do have a few options out there, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Chaz Schilens or even T.J. Houshmandzadeh put in more work, but both are last ditch considerations. |
| Tennessee Titans | WR - Nate Washington - RB Chris Johnson - TE Jared Cook - WR Damien Williams | WR - Lavelle Hawkins | Houston | Chris Johnson needs 20 plus yards to earn a bonus, Nate Washington is averaging 5.2 catches for 75.7 yards with two touchdowns over the last month, and Damien Williams is just tearing things up, but Lavelle Hawkins could wind up being the ace in the hole the Titans need to deal with a stingy Texans defense this week. Not a great option, but in deeper formats, he's worth a look. |
| New York Jets | WR - Plaxico Burress, WR - Santonio Holmes, RB - Shonn Green | WR Jeremy Kerley | Miami | The Jets are in a clutch game against a resurgent Dolphins team, but in these situations, the "forgotten" Jets players seem to have great output and unexpected great outings. Don't discount Kerley as a viable WR 3 this week, Weeks 7 through 10, the Jets needed him and he played admirably...so he may be a solid sleeper this week. |
| Dallas Cowboys | WR - Miles Austin, WR - WR - Dez Bryant, WR - Laurent Robinson, RB - Felix Jones | None, but you could find Robinson there if you're lucky. | New York (Giants) | The big news is RB Felix Jones, and yes, he is a go for the big showdown against the G-Men. The Cowboys will also try their best to jump out early with their three-wide sets, which should mean more targets for Laurent Robinson. |
| New York Giants | WR - Hakeem Nicks - WR - Victor Cruz, RB - Ahmad Bradshaw, RB - Brandon Jacobs | TE - Travis Beckum | Dallas Cowboys | There's a good chance that WR Mario Manningham will not play right now, and the Giants cannot beat the Cowboys with just two receivers on the field. While Beckum has done absolutely nothing this season, he may be the Giants secret weapon—in wait—if Manningham can't go. He's a bona-certified sleeper. |
How are u wanted to see if week 17 if I should start plax Julio jones Calvin Johnson Santana moss Nate Washington as I heard Detroit might sit its stars and Atlanta may do the same also at rb I got lynch mendenhall deangelo Williams and royster can u put together a team for me 2wr 2 rb and a flex I’d really appreciate it !
Plax or santana moss as Julio Jones will barely play when Detroit beats green. Ay