Losses are frustrating most when your players that are supposed to perform the best, perform the worst. It's one thing to have an injury, it's another thing when the player is on the field and just is failing to perform.
I am a firm believer in the "start your studs" mentality. In other words, just because a player had one bad game or is going against a tough opponent, it doesn't mean you should bench them right away.
However, it's getting to the point of the season where if bad performances pile up, that idea might need to be changed.
Take, for instance, C.J. Spiller from the Buffalo Bills. Spiller was ranked by ESPN as one of the top 40 players in all of fantasy football coming into this season. So far, in five contests, Spiller has put forth a grand total of 321 rushing and receiving yards as well as one touchdown. That's a pitiful six and a half fantasy points per week.
Another player that should be putting up consistent numbers, yet isn't, is LeSean McCoy. Drafted in the top-five by essentially every fantasy draft, McCoy has put up a total of nine points over the last three weeks. If you take away his lone touchdown in week two, he'll have broken the 10 point mark only one time.
Other top-50 players that are having difficulty (not related to injury) include Percy Harvin (hasn't broken the 100-yard mark in a game this year, or found the end zone), Montee Ball (who before getting injured this week had only found the end zone in week one and hasn't finished above 10 points since), Andre Johnson (also hasn't broken 100 yards or found the end zone in a game this year) and Larry Fitzgerald (no touchdowns and has only broken 50 yards twice all season).
And that's not even mentioning Adrian Peterson.
Then you have the players that are boom-or-bust. In other words, they'll have one good or great week, and then have an absolutely awful week.
Demaryius Thomas is definitely one of those players. In his first three games, he broke 60 yards once, and found the end zone once.
On Sunday, "DT" caught eight passes for 226 yards and TWO touchdowns.
Boom-or-Bust players are some of the worst players to have, because they're entirely unpredictable. But I think it's worse when you expect a player to be a stud, and he either fails to live up to potential, or becomes dangerously inconsistent.
When it comes to these players, there are two options. You either stay the course and hope things turn around, or you bench them.
Sometimes it takes one good game to wake a player up, and they're consistent the rest of the way.
However, on the other side, some players just never get going and face a down year.
It's a player-by-player basis when it comes to this situation, and you just gotta go with your gut. Maybe you'll get lucky. Maybe you won't. But at the end of the day, a little luck is sometimes all you can hope for in fantasy football.
In my money league, I was taking on the number one team in the league. My spirits were extremely high after the Thursday Night Football game saw my Packer's Defense score an astounding 23 points. My confidence grew when I saw Peyton Manning finish with an amazing 31 points after his career-high 479 yards.
But my hopes were dashed on Monday Night Football with Marshawn Lynch's fourth quarter touchdown.
Despite my strong performances from Manning and the Packers, only two other players broke 10 points on my team. My keepers (McCoy and Doug Martin) combined for 12 points, while most expensive picks (Roddy White, Michael Floyd and Kelvin Benjamin) combined for an embarrassing 3 points.
In another league, my poor running back situation, plus Calvin Johnson's lingering ankle injury, doomed me. In a PPR setting, Johnson and running backs Bishop Sankey (Tennessee) and Daren Sproles (Philadelphia) combined for nine and a half points. Just despicable.
I was hoping to follow up my 4-2 week with another winning week, but unfortunately, I finished a sad 2-4.
Back to .500 on the season, I guess!
Frustrated with a big name player that isn't performing up to your standards? Need some roster help? Want to just talk fantasy? Please Email me! I had my wisdom teeth out this week, so now, more than ever, I'm able to respond to emails! You know the address, [email protected].
Nick's Waiver-Wire Picks of the Week:
1) Andre Williams: New York Giants Running Back
With Rashad Jennings out, Williams will likely get the bulk of the carries against Philadelphia this week. If Williams can find the end zone, he will make it three-straight weeks with a score, making him a player you can start in the flex with confidence. It does help that Philadelphia hasn't kept a team under 25 points since week one. Williams is currently available in 36.4 percent of ESPN leagues, so get him while you can.
2) Justin Forsett: Baltimore Ravens Running Back
Forsett has emerged as the best option in a very crowded Baltimore backfield as they attempt to fill the void left by the Ray Rice scandal. He's best suited in a PPR league, where he averages over four catches a game. If he can keep finding the endzone (another player with two straight weeks with touchdowns), he can make it worth your while. Owned in 21.8 percent of ESPN leagues, he should be out there for you to grab.
3) Chargers D/ST
I never put defenses here, just because there's no such thing as a sure thing at the position.
The Chargers are playing the Raiders.
This is as close of a sure thing you'll ever get.
Still around in just over 20 percent of ESPN leagues, so grab them if you can, and reap the rewards.
Good luck fantasy experts, and may my teams lose, so yours don't have to.
I am a firm believer in the "start your studs" mentality. In other words, just because a player had one bad game or is going against a tough opponent, it doesn't mean you should bench them right away.
However, it's getting to the point of the season where if bad performances pile up, that idea might need to be changed.
Take, for instance, C.J. Spiller from the Buffalo Bills. Spiller was ranked by ESPN as one of the top 40 players in all of fantasy football coming into this season. So far, in five contests, Spiller has put forth a grand total of 321 rushing and receiving yards as well as one touchdown. That's a pitiful six and a half fantasy points per week.
Another player that should be putting up consistent numbers, yet isn't, is LeSean McCoy. Drafted in the top-five by essentially every fantasy draft, McCoy has put up a total of nine points over the last three weeks. If you take away his lone touchdown in week two, he'll have broken the 10 point mark only one time.
Other top-50 players that are having difficulty (not related to injury) include Percy Harvin (hasn't broken the 100-yard mark in a game this year, or found the end zone), Montee Ball (who before getting injured this week had only found the end zone in week one and hasn't finished above 10 points since), Andre Johnson (also hasn't broken 100 yards or found the end zone in a game this year) and Larry Fitzgerald (no touchdowns and has only broken 50 yards twice all season).
And that's not even mentioning Adrian Peterson.
Then you have the players that are boom-or-bust. In other words, they'll have one good or great week, and then have an absolutely awful week.
Demaryius Thomas is definitely one of those players. In his first three games, he broke 60 yards once, and found the end zone once.
On Sunday, "DT" caught eight passes for 226 yards and TWO touchdowns.
Boom-or-Bust players are some of the worst players to have, because they're entirely unpredictable. But I think it's worse when you expect a player to be a stud, and he either fails to live up to potential, or becomes dangerously inconsistent.
When it comes to these players, there are two options. You either stay the course and hope things turn around, or you bench them.
Sometimes it takes one good game to wake a player up, and they're consistent the rest of the way.
However, on the other side, some players just never get going and face a down year.
It's a player-by-player basis when it comes to this situation, and you just gotta go with your gut. Maybe you'll get lucky. Maybe you won't. But at the end of the day, a little luck is sometimes all you can hope for in fantasy football.
In my money league, I was taking on the number one team in the league. My spirits were extremely high after the Thursday Night Football game saw my Packer's Defense score an astounding 23 points. My confidence grew when I saw Peyton Manning finish with an amazing 31 points after his career-high 479 yards.
But my hopes were dashed on Monday Night Football with Marshawn Lynch's fourth quarter touchdown.
Despite my strong performances from Manning and the Packers, only two other players broke 10 points on my team. My keepers (McCoy and Doug Martin) combined for 12 points, while most expensive picks (Roddy White, Michael Floyd and Kelvin Benjamin) combined for an embarrassing 3 points.
In another league, my poor running back situation, plus Calvin Johnson's lingering ankle injury, doomed me. In a PPR setting, Johnson and running backs Bishop Sankey (Tennessee) and Daren Sproles (Philadelphia) combined for nine and a half points. Just despicable.
I was hoping to follow up my 4-2 week with another winning week, but unfortunately, I finished a sad 2-4.
Back to .500 on the season, I guess!
Frustrated with a big name player that isn't performing up to your standards? Need some roster help? Want to just talk fantasy? Please Email me! I had my wisdom teeth out this week, so now, more than ever, I'm able to respond to emails! You know the address, [email protected].
Nick's Waiver-Wire Picks of the Week:
1) Andre Williams: New York Giants Running Back
With Rashad Jennings out, Williams will likely get the bulk of the carries against Philadelphia this week. If Williams can find the end zone, he will make it three-straight weeks with a score, making him a player you can start in the flex with confidence. It does help that Philadelphia hasn't kept a team under 25 points since week one. Williams is currently available in 36.4 percent of ESPN leagues, so get him while you can.
2) Justin Forsett: Baltimore Ravens Running Back
Forsett has emerged as the best option in a very crowded Baltimore backfield as they attempt to fill the void left by the Ray Rice scandal. He's best suited in a PPR league, where he averages over four catches a game. If he can keep finding the endzone (another player with two straight weeks with touchdowns), he can make it worth your while. Owned in 21.8 percent of ESPN leagues, he should be out there for you to grab.
3) Chargers D/ST
I never put defenses here, just because there's no such thing as a sure thing at the position.
The Chargers are playing the Raiders.
This is as close of a sure thing you'll ever get.
Still around in just over 20 percent of ESPN leagues, so grab them if you can, and reap the rewards.
Good luck fantasy experts, and may my teams lose, so yours don't have to.
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