Fantasy Football Playoff Strategy: Player Trends and Matchup Dynamics

Key Quotes

"I'm very high on Joe Burrow last week. We knew it, we knew it when we were talking on Sunday's show. You, I mean, you did it all morning, but there was a segment with me, you, and Jacob, and we were kind of going over a lot of these start-sit calls, and a lot of them were, you know, Likely was involved in them. Who had a nothing burger? That's a killer for anyone."

The speaker expresses regret over previous fantasy football advice, specifically mentioning Joe Burrow and a player named Likely. This quote highlights the unpredictable nature of fantasy football and the difficulty in making consistently correct player recommendations, even with thorough preparation. The speaker acknowledges that some of their advice led to poor outcomes for listeners.

"The question is, can it continue against a Broncos defense that is elite, but at the same time, like some offensive schemes have figured out how to move it. We just saw two weeks ago Marcus Mariota was able to move the ball pretty successfully in that Washington Commanders' offense, and their scheme with Kingsbury was able to move it successfully."

This quote discusses the potential for Trevor Lawrence's recent success to continue against a strong Denver Broncos defense. The speaker references how other quarterbacks, like Marcus Mariota, have found ways to move the ball against Denver, suggesting that offensive schemes can overcome talent disparities. This implies that strategy and execution are crucial factors in fantasy football performance, even against elite defenses.

"I think Kyle Pitts would be basically the easiest decision to make against Arizona next week because they are horrible against tight ends, and he's on fire. Three straight games with eight or more targets, but Kyle Pitts has not played a game yet this year with Kirk Cousins and Drake London, and he's played a couple of partial games, but not a full game."

The speaker identifies Kyle Pitts as a strong fantasy football start due to his recent performance and a favorable matchup against the Arizona Cardinals, who are weak against tight ends. However, the speaker also notes the uncertainty surrounding Pitts' production because he has not played a full game with both Kirk Cousins and Drake London healthy, indicating that team dynamics can impact individual player performance.

"Joe Burrow is our next big topic, big thing, and he said he had one of his worst games, and he really did. He struggled, 5.5 fantasy points against Baltimore. And up next, it will be at Miami, which you go, oh, Miami, they're so easy. They've been pretty good defensively lately."

This quote addresses Joe Burrow's poor fantasy performance against Baltimore and the upcoming challenging matchup against the Miami Dolphins. The speaker contrasts the perception of Miami as an "easy" opponent with their recent defensive strength, highlighting that even seemingly favorable matchups can be difficult. This emphasizes the need for careful analysis of opponent performance rather than relying on general reputations.

"The question I have is like, Higgins could come back from the concussion, but like, what's the point to play? Like, if you're the Bengals or Burrow, like, what is the point to play down the stretch? I don't, like, I don't know if they're going to bench these guys at some point or rest."

The speaker questions the motivation for players like Joe Burrow and T. Higgins to play in games with little playoff implication, suggesting they might be rested. This raises a strategic consideration for fantasy managers: the potential for key players to be benched or limited in their playing time late in the season, impacting their fantasy output. The speaker implies that team goals beyond immediate game outcomes can influence player availability.

"The question I have is like, Higgins could come back from the concussion, but like, what's the point to play? Like, if you're the Bengals or Burrow, like, what is the point to play down the stretch? I don't, like, I don't know if they're going to bench these guys at some point or rest."

This quote raises a strategic consideration for fantasy managers regarding player motivation and availability late in the season. The speaker questions the incentive for players like Joe Burrow and T. Higgins to play if their team is out of playoff contention, suggesting they might be rested. This highlights the importance of monitoring team situations and potential rest-day decisions when making fantasy lineup choices.