TFR: Tap’s Fantasy Report Week 7
Here at SnoTap, we will be helping you weekly throughout the football season. We will recap what happens each week on Tuesday, and also give you some advice on how to use these happenings to win your league. If you have any questions, put them in the comments below, or email SnoTap12@gmail.com, and we will answer them in a future post.
Each season, there is a week where injuries tear through the NFL, and good players are lost for the season. Week 7 was that week, with players like Reggie Wayne and Brian Cushing lost for the season. Jermichael Finley and Doug Martin also sustained injuries that will likely cost them their season as well. On top of that, Jay Cutler is out at least four weeks with a torn groin muscle.
Some of these injuries have more of an effect on fantasy football than others, and these times are generally when a good team will be able to separate itself from the pack. Much like the NFL, every fantasy team has injuries at this point in the season, so there is no use in whining that your team is hurt. Skill earns you a playoff spot in fantasy football, and luck probably wins you the championship. The skill aspect comes in by drafting a decent base of a team, and replacing underperforming and injured players throughout the season. Make sure you are still paying attention to your team, and reading and reacting to injuries the correct way.
There are many things to watch for while reacting to injuries, we will walk you through them this week.
The easiest injury to address is the season-ending injury. If you are in a non-keeper league and one of your players goes down, there is absolutely no reason not to immediately drop them, they will not be able to start for you again in the season. Replacing them is a different story however, and there are two main options. In the case of when a star player goes down, there will be a lot more opportunities available in their offense. For example, when Julio Jones and Roddy White were injured, Harry Douglas was given the chance to see more targets, and he was an easy replacement. Sometimes however, there is not a suitable replacement on the same team, so it will be necessary to look over the waiver wire for someone who has been preforming well.
The more difficult injury to address is the “out indefinitely” injury. This comes when a player suffers an injury that is not season-ending, but will take a long time to come back from. These are the hardest situations for a team to deal with. It seems like Doug Martin will be in that situation this year and Randall Cobb appeared on that track until fantasy owners were put out of their misery when he was placed on IR with the designation to return.
There are many things to consider in this situation. Is the player going to be able to start for a team, once they return from injury? If they are cut, will they immediately be picked up, or will they stay a free agent until they start to return? In a keeper league, are they worth keeping? Is their injury going to prevent them from being potentially helpful later in the season? The answers to these questions will likely help you to make a decision for your roster. In the case where it is difficult to decide what to do with the injured player, look at the player you would be adding as a replacement, is it someone who can be a difference maker, or is it just another player? Players with upside late in the year are very important.
There are many things to consider in this situation. Is the player going to be able to start for a team, once they return from injury? If they are cut, will they immediately be picked up, or will they stay a free agent until they start to return? In a keeper league, are they worth keeping? Is their injury going to prevent them from being potentially helpful later in the season? The answers to these questions will likely help you to make a decision for your roster. In the case where it is difficult to decide what to do with the injured player, look at the player you would be adding as a replacement, is it someone who can be a difference maker, or is it just another player? Players with upside late in the year are very important.
Finally, the toughest thing to keep track of is how injuries to other players can affect players at the skill positions. For example, when Ryan Clady went down in Denver, people were worried about Peyton Manning’s performance. This proved to be silly, until Manning played the Colts, and they were able to get some pressure. How will Jay Cutler’s injury affect Alshon Jeffrey, Brandon Marshall, Martellus Bennett and Matt Forte? Does Sam Bradford’s injury mean that Zac Stacy gets even more carries, or will a new favorite WR not named Austin Pettis. Be sure to know what is happening on the whole team that your players are on, it will give some insight as to what your player will be able to produce.
Good luck navigating your rosters through the injuries, as always, we will be providing bye-week fill-ins. (Bonus note, if nobody in your league has Andre Brown or Percy Harvin, pick them up)
Bye Week pick ups: Terrelle Pryor (I can’t believe he’s not owned in more leagues,) Mike James, Andre Ellington, Harry Douglas, Rod Streater, and Charles Clay.
Adam
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