Fantasy Reflections: Second Half Strategy

Hard as it may be to believe, we've nearly reached the All Star break. That's the unofficial halfway point of the season, although teams will have actually played roughly 60 percent of their games. Of course, depending on your league format, you may be even further past the literal halfway point of your fantasy season. Regardless of where you sit in the standings or how much runway you have left to make a move, there's advice to be found here today for how you should approach the season's final months.

This article is aimed at those playing in redraft leagues. Obviously, leagues with keeper considerations, contracts, or anything else that impacts 2019 and beyond require a different calculus. For those formats, I'll say this much - owners who have fallen out of contention are often far too reluctant to shift their focus toward future seasons, and by the time they've accepted that the current campaign is a lost cause, contenders have already beefed up their rosters via trades with rivals who weren't so hesitant.

Perhaps that's a column for another day.

Second Half Strategies

First Place: Don’t Let Up

No matter how large your lead may be, there’s plenty of season left. Resist the urge the rest on your laurels. After all, you likely worked hard to get to the top. Maintain the good habits you’ve developed, and don’t be afraid to take calculated risks when appropriate. If you play in a head-to-head league, be sure to monitor things like innings caps for pitchers and late-season prospect promotions that could make a big difference come playoff time. In rotisserie formats, keep a close eye on your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses as well as their transactions.

Contenders: Every Little Bit Helps

You’re in solid shape, but you’ll need to limit mistakes going forward if you’re going to grab the gold. The best way to do that is to outwork your opponents. Check the overall standings every day, especially in rotisserie leagues. It’s not just about where your team stands; you can often scratch out a few crucial points in the standings by making mutually beneficial deals that help another team at the expense of a rival ahead of you. Dealing from a weakness to improve or fortify a strength is counterintuitive, but sometimes the situation calls for it.

Bubble Teams: Make A Splash

Perched precariously on the edge of contention, your season hangs in the balance. Sure, you could stand pat. Maybe that injured star will come back strong and propel you to victory. Perhaps that first-half breakout will persist until October. But you could just as easily end up continuing to tread water while your rivals make moves and leave you in the dust. It might be better to change things up. Gamble on big names who struggled in the first half. Be more willing to cut bait on underachievers in favor of the flavor of the week. If need be, punt a category. You need numbers, and quickly; it doesn’t have to be pretty. Tools like RotoBaller’s waiver wire pickups list can be a huge help in identifying players on a hot streak.

Cellar Dwellers: Play Out The String

So, your team crashed and burned. It’s nice outside, you’ve got that trip coming up, football season’s just around the corner…yeah, we’ve heard it all before. Nobody likes a quitter. Even if your championship hopes have flatlined, you still have an impact on the race. Even doormats can win a matchup in head-to-head leagues, or swing a category in rotisserie and points formats. Nobody’s asking you to spend hours scouring the waiver wire or trade market every morning. Just do your rivals the courtesy of setting your lineups and trying to be competitive. You never know – a few breaks here and there, and you could be right back in the thick of things. After all, it ain’t over ‘til it’s over.

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