Six Rules For Winning In The Fantasy Football Playoffs

It’s December. Forget the holidays, this time of year is for the Fantasy Football Playoffs. All of the research, mock drafts, and preparation you did in the summer for your Fantasy Drafts, all of the waiver wire Pickups, starting lineup tinkering, and stress from injuries and bye weeks is all well worth it, because now you are in the Post Season.

You are one step closer to the culmination of the Fantasy Football season where you are crowned champion.

The Bragging Rights.

The Cash.

The Trophy.

All of it could be yours in just a few short weeks. But first you have to win your match-ups. Here are six rules to live by in the Fantasy Playoffs to help you do just that.

Rule 1: Start Your Studs:

This goes back to one of our most important Commandments we preach in the Preseason. We hammer it home each and every week on our Radio Show and our Start/Sit article. Starting your studs is not just the basis of our winning strategy, it is the quintessential rule we follow to help us win championships each and every year.  

The Fantasy Playoffs is NOT the time to get cute with your lineup. Doesn’t matter if your stud has a brutal match-up and maybe your RB4 or WR4 has a cupcake schedule, you always start your studs!  

For example: You’ll sleep better at night knowing you lost with a guy like DeMarco Murray in your lineup over using a player like Bishop Sankey because his match-up was better. Chances are, you won’t have to go to sleep a loser, because DeMarco Murray is a stud, and regardless of the match-up his talent and skill set will translate into solid production for your winning squad. The bad decision to roll with Sankey would haunt you for the rest of the off-season.

Don’t get cute. Start your studs!!!

Rule 2: Get your crucial handcuffs:

If your league’s playoffs start in Week 14 and run through Week 16, there’s only three more games left. Stop chasing the flavor of the week on the Waiver Wire. (SIDE NOTE: If you league has a championship in Week 17, start a coup and over-throw your commissioner). Jonas Gray and Latavius Murray were the hot pickups a few weeks back and now are not even worth a roster spot. Don’t try to get the next big pickup, instead, go after your stud’s handcuffs. Arian Foster-Alfred Blue, Jamaal Charles-Knile Davis, Matt Forte-KaDeem Carey, Le’Veon Bell-Josh Harris, CJ Anderson-Ronnie Hillman, Mark Ingram-Pierre Thomas, Justin Forsett-Bernard Pierce, DeMarco Murray-Joseph Randle, etc. Remove the stress from thinking of injuries to your studs and take out an insurance policy by grabbing their handcuffs. Stay confident in knowing if something were to happen to the Starter, their backup is capable of handling a decent sized workload and can still produce at a high level if given the opportunity. There’s no worse feeling in Fantasy than seeing your opponent use your own handcuff against you.

Rule 3: Defenses and Kickers Matter:

Our ROTW and FFCPI include Defenses and Kickers every week. Rule Number 1 does not apply to these two positions. Find the right match-up with a team this is capable of getting sacks, turnovers, and decent Special Teams. NO this does not mean use the Jaguars just because  they play Tennessee in Week 16. Again, find the right match-up, with a GOOD defense. Doesn’t have to be a great defense, but a good defense can help propel you to a championship. 

For Example: See what the Rams did in Week 14 against the Raiders? St. Louis isn’t a Top 10 Defense, but the match-up was great, they were playing at home, their defensive line puts pressure on the QB and the result was a bunch of sacks, turnovers, pick six, and a SHUTOUT.  

Even if you have to carry two defenses, its OK. Better you have the option of choosing the “hot” defense and deciding on the match-up. 

Same theory applies to kickers. Find a kicker that’s playing in a dome, playing at home, on an offense that gets into the red-zone. You are married to your RB1 and QB, but your kicker is like your girlfriend, you can change them at anytime. 

You’d be surprised how often a kicker and defense can be the deciding factor in the Fantasy Playoffs. Make sure you have the best available with the most projected potential for both positions. 

Rule 4: Block Your Opponents From Making Moves

Be ruthless. No Mercy. You can still be friends AFTER the fantasy season when you are crowned champion. As long as you follow the rules you should be doing everything in your power to prevent and block your opponent from making acquisitions to help their squad.  Your opponent’s Tight End isn’t practicing? Pick up one or even two of the next best options. Put the pressure on him/her to play Russian Roulette with their TE pickup.  If you have the roster space, pick up your opponents handcuff (See Rule Number 2 above). Grab a few defenses. Yes it’s OK to drop your QB3 or WR5 to make this type of move. 

It’s important to note: don’t make a move to block an opponent but at the sacrifice of your own roster, that wouldn’t be much help.

Rule 5: Check the Weather:

It’s December. Unless a match-up is in Southern California, Florida, or inside a dome, the weather is likely going to be a factor. NFLWeather.com is a GREAT resource for forecasts for each NFL match-up. Is it going to snow? High winds? Freezing Cold? You probably don’t want to use a kicker playing in those games. Maybe the weather can be a deciding factor on which WR3 to go with. Keep in mind Rule Number 1 still applies in all weather circumstances? Just remember what LeSean McCoy did in the Blizzard last year vs. the Lions, he DOMINATED.

Rule 6: Talk Trash:

Get in your opponents head by any means necessary. Send a text, post a message on their Facebook Wall, leave an email, call their cell and leave a voicemail dictating how much you are going to beat their ass in this week’s match-up. Play some reverse psychology:  act surprised when you see a certain player in their lineup and question why they are using player X instead. Make them question their own choices. Some people can crack mentally, but that’s not your problem, you are here to win. The more you can mess with your opponent and get them off their game the better. REMEMBER: NEVER let your opponent get inside your head. Stay Confident! 

Need some One on One help with your Playoff Lineup? Check out the FFCPI and use your Expert Advice Tokens. We are here to help and want to see you DOMINATE your Fantasy Playoffs. 

Get that trophy!

Get that cash!

Get the bragging rights!

Best of luck in the Fantasy Playoffs. When you win, brag to me about it on Twitter @BillEnright I love hearing about our member's success.