Fantasy Football - Saving Your Season

It happens, and when it does, you’ll need some new tricks to stem the tide. Here are some season-saving strategies to consider:

Ditch the Defense – If you have a top fantasy defense, you might be better served trading it away for help at key positions (QB, RB, WR). That’s because replacing a defense is easier than you might think. Rather than starting one unit each week, rotate in defenses with favorable matchups. Sometimes the defense itself is less important than who is playing against it. Look for the free agent team playing the worst or most turnover-prone offense, plug it in, and reap the rewards.

Empty the Bench – If your back is against the wall thanks to bad luck, consider sacrificing depth at a position for a high-scoring stud. Depth is nice, but it won’t be of any use to a team sitting at home during the playoffs.

Trade Down – If your problem has been injuries, do the opposite. Take a stud and turn him into two starters by use of a trade. I’m sure one of the top teams in your league would love to upgrade a position and almost certainly will have the pieces you need to get back on track.

Matchups, Matchups, Matchups – Ignore names. Ignore pedigree. Ignore draft position. Look at each player’s opponent and start the man with the best match-up. However, remember that some defenses are bad against the run, but great against the pass (and vice versa). Take a look at each individually, or you might be burned by what you thought was a “bad defense.”