1 Essential Thing to Do (and 1 Mistake to Avoid) to Win Your Fantasy Football Playoffs
The grueling grind of the regular season is now over in fantasy football, with the focus shifting over to the playoffs. It was more than three months full of roster decisions, pickups, trades, and drops that have all got you to this point where the real run to the championship begins. Here is some last-minute advice to those that are stressing out over their starting lineup heading into Week 14 action.
Keep it simple, don’t overthink it
As simple as that sounds, it’s a common thread when it comes to any decision made in fantasy football.
In the playoffs, it often comes down to choosing between which player you believe has a better chance to put a better performance against their matchup. It puts fantasy owners on the fences throughout the week up until kickoff at 10 a.m. P.T. on Sunday morning.
There are no easy choices, but it’s something that simply should be hammered in on too much. The fact of the matter is that you are one of the few in your league that reached the fantasy playoffs with a chance to compete for a championship beyond Week 13. The starting lineup decisions that were made up to that point have been working to get you to this point.
Again, all of this may sound ridiculous, but keeping it simple with decisions could be the key to putting the best lineup together and regretting one later on.
Don’t let matchups dictate your lineup choices
It’s reached the point in the season where there is more than enough of a sample size of games played to get a strong sense of which players and defenses are the real deal.
Yes, there are those star players that stick out like sore thumbs like Christian McCaffrey, Lamar Jackson, Michael Thomas, and Russell Wilson that have been the cream of the crop. At the same time, many other players have proven their worth and reliability every week to trust them fully in the playoffs.
Players like Derrick Henry and Josh Allen are not just a flash in the pan week-by-week performers anymore. They have each proven to be strong assets regardless of the matchup behind their production. Others may not be in such promising positions, namely Devante Parker and Austin Ekeler, that have shown over long stretches of the season that they will produce at a high level despite their team’s continued shortcomings.
Matchups may be something to factor into the equation, but it shouldn’t be the deciding factor when setting your lineup.
Trust your instincts, enjoy the process
It’s the best time of the year in fantasy sports where everything is on the line in a win-or-go-home scenario behind the culmination of the first 13 weeks of the season. The stakes are high, but it’s a time where the thrill of getting a win is at its highest.
It’s also something that should be taken with great enjoyment, given all the work it has taken to reach this point. You should have full trust in your roster to perform up to their capabilities in marching their way towards the championship. Trust your instincts with their lineup choices, as that could be the difference in what lifts you to forward in the playoffs.
Most importantly, have fun with the process as this is a chance to gain the ultimate bragging rights over the rest of the league, be it friends, family, or co-workers for the whole next year.
