Engel's Angles: In-Season Tips for Success and Survival

This has been a somewhat stressful and more of an anxiety-inducing fantasy football season than what we have been used to. Major injuries and other health concerns have appeared to add more challenges than we normally deal with in a given year. Of course, the twists and turns we face throughout a season makes our game so riveting and entertaining.

Here are some key tips and recommendations to help you survive and advance this season. While nothing in fantasy football is absolute, following many of these guidelines can help you navigate through the rest of the schedule with more confidence and potentially better results.

The King’s In-Season Fantasy Football Tips

-Don’t assume the negative in terms of your fantasy outlook for Week 6 or any other week if you have key players on byes. Sure, there is no Russell Wilson, Alvin Kamara, Keenan Allen or Darren Waller this week. You may not have ideal replacements in your lineup for this upcoming matchup. But that doesn’t mean your outlook is surely a negative one. Replace these idle players with ones that have a chance of giving you a decent statistical floor. Don’t look for explosive upside in every situation in which you have to replace a regular starter, put in someone that can give you an adequate amount of points to stay competitive. In some cases, getting seven to nine points from a reserve can keep you in the mix to win your game. Also remember that your opponent may be dealing with similar issues.

-When you are making waiver moves, always go for the player who can help you more immediately than the “stash” type of option. With a heavy wave of injuries having already impacted many rosters and potential game rescheduling instances possibly cropping up at any time, your bench needs to be stocked with “insurance” and “emergency” options first and foremost. If you have to cut one player to add another, the guys who don’t seem like they can immediately contribute have to go first.

-Do not fear matchups as you did in the past. Matchups should only be used to govern decisions between two similarly valued players. The days of the shutdown defense are gone. Darrelle Revis and the Legion of Boom are no more. Through five weeks, we have seen a total of 51.4 points per game, and seven teams are averaging over 30 points per game. Those markers are the highest in each category since the 1970 season. The 3,958 points and 436 offensive TDs to this point are also the most in league history.

Earlier this season, DK Metcalf had a six-catch, 92 yard outing with a 54-yard TD catch vs. New England when many fantasy players were concerned about him facing Stephen Gilmore. Miles Sanders ripped off a long TD run vs. Pittsburgh in Week 5. Defenses don’t always win the matchup, especially in today’s higher-scoring environment. A matchup can be considered when making a tough lineup decision, but should not be a mandate to bench a quality player.

-This may be hard to do, but don’t panic or overreact while you watch live scoring, Matchups are not fully decided on Sunday afternoons at 2 pm ET, and certainly not after one Thursday game. Let the games play out, and remember that many good performances are not spread out over a full game, they can happen in bursts. You may be behind by 20 points at 2:30 and that deficit may be erased by 4:30. More on that here.

-Pay attention to kickers. Too many Fantasy players just go for familiar names on high scoring offenses and ignore the trends. Graham Gano and Randy Bullock are both Top 5 kickers right now and are widely available in many leagues. Meanwhile, Greg Zuerlein is 17^th and Robbie Gould is 15^th, and remain locked into many lineups based on reputation and past production. Kickers can save your week when other players don’t perform up to expectations, so pay closer attention to who is truly performing well at the position.

-Don’t try to predict what will happen during your waiver runs. Many times, I have seen players assume they won’t get a guy because of where they are in the order, and are surprised when they land the targeted acquisition the next morning. If you really want to go aggressively after a free agent target, trade up in the waiver order if you can.

-Do not worry about who the other team has or starts. You can’t control who your opponent plays, you have enough to be concerned about with your own lineup. Never, ever make a lineup decision based on who the other team starts. You cannot control outcomes that way. Starting Preston Williams because your opponent has Ryan Fitzpatrick does not cancel out or ease the impact of Fitzpatrick’s production vs. your team. A good day for one of those players can still be possible while the other has a bad outing. The scoring is also different at each position.

-Do not consider benching a player because he faces the defense you are starting, as the two performances can also prove to be independent of each other. Sanders could still rush for 100 yards and a TD this week vs. Baltimore while the Ravens roll up sacks and force a turnover or two.

-When you have good depth at a position, that does not mean you have to make a trade. With the aforementioned injuries and unpredictable scheduling issues, having a strong bench is an asset, and you should not necessarily weaken your bench to improve your starters. When injuries strike, or a game is postponed, you will be thankful for quality depth. A starter quality player on your bench does not have to be dealt away when he can serve as top-notch insurance.

-If your team is performing well, don’t mess with success. Seek out trades when you have a clear need. You should always entertain offers, but you should not look to actively get rid of players when they are leading you to success. Ride with a positive wave as long as you can.

-If you have not started well, the season is not over after five weeks. It sounds cliché, but take one week at a time. Don’t let the bigger picture overwhelm you and remember there are still eight games left in the fantasy regular season. Last year I lost six of my first seven games in my most important league and then never lost again throughout the Super Bowl. That was in a league where no trades were allowed.

-When you are making trades, you should always try to win the deal and get the better end of it. But in most cases, you have to be prepared to give up something to get something. Sure, you can start out with a lowball offer, but most of them will be rejected by savvy fantasy opponents. If you want to upgrade, be prepared to part with something of value. If you can pull off a favorable trade that clearly marks you as the winner, go for it. But always be ready to give up more than you initially offered in many situations.

-If your league allows for trade vetoes, don’t get angry if your deal gets voted down, especially if it appears lopsided. Those are the rules and you knew what they were when you signed up for the league. I am not a fan of vetoes, as I believe each player should learn his own lesson if he comes out on the short end of a deal. But if those are the rules, you have to deal with it.

-Don’t second guess your decisions too much, or fret about them too much afterwards. You can only make the most informed calls to put your team in the best position to win. Once the games start, no one can fully predict spontaneous athletic execution. A tipped pass, a blown coverage, are among many items that are nearly impossible to forecast. None of us are privy to NFL playbooks and adjustments are constantly made throughout games to uniquely affect outcomes. Don’t always confuse the result with the decision. Fantasy Football is a game filled with unpredictability, and that is why it is so compelling.

-Appreciate the game of Fantasy Football as much as you can in today’s environment. I personally thank the players for providing us with much-needed fun and entertainment, and for the league for working through unprecedented circumstances. I do believe they have considered the impact of every rescheduling matter on fantasy football to some degree, even if it’s not a top priority. I am thankful for Fantasy Football for all it has done for all of you this year, to give you a great diversion and hobby when we have truly needed it.

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