If you’ve made the playoffs playing my recommended players, there must be some BAD teams in your league. That being said, there are people for who this is the case. Well, there’s at least one. Me. It’s me. If that’s not enough to get you to follow my lead blindly, I don’t know what else to say.
Fantasy Playoffs are a different breed. Trust me. I’ve been there. I don’t mean to brag, but I’ve been to SO MANY PLAYOFFS. Just kidding, I go to the normal amount.
One thing about Fantasy Playoffs you must understand is that locker room guys are more important than ever. Laugh all you want, but it’s true.
Here’s a three-year example, 100% true, I swear:
In 2009 I made it to the finals in my biggest league. That season, I had rookie Mohamed Massaquoi on my team. He started a few games here and there, and for whatever reason, he started in the finals for me. We won, and he played well.
In 2010, I made the playoffs with a fairly bad team, unsure how I made it honest. I had a few guys on my bench who I knew weren’t going to get on the field for me (or anyone else, for that matter), so I decided to cut one of them for Massaquoi. He knew his role. He wasn’t getting into games for me, but he had that championship pedigree. We made it to the finals that year.
In 2011 Massaquoi once again found himself in my locker room, leading the young guys. That year, he finished what they started in 2010 and got another ring.
Long story, long, here are some players to help you get a ring, whether that’s via points on the field or leadership in the locker room.
Running Back
Alfred Morris, New York Giants (available in 100% of Yahoo! leagues)
This guy still plays football! Remember when he and Doug Martin were dominant backs in this league? Those days are long gone, and this is Wayne Gallman‘s backfield, but good ol’ Freddy is still being used in this offense. In most games, he gets 8-10 carries, and he’s become somewhat of a touchdown vulture. Last week, while Gallman got the heavy lifting, Morris got to do two touchdown dances. Worst-case scenario, you keep him on your bench, and his 1,600 yards from 2012 are a great story to tell your starting backs.
Phillip Lindsay, Denver Broncos (available in 56% of Yahoo! leagues)
I’m not sure why his ownership is so low. Yes, he’s the second back in a committee backfield, but he still has a safe floor of carries. In the last three weeks, he’s carried the ball 14, 9, and 16 times respectively, and those were while playing through a knee injury. Denver has shown a commitment to getting him the ball, and that safe volume can translate into flex play if you need, down the stretch. What he’ll bring to your locker room is just as important. An undrafted rookie, Lindsay has had to grind his way to a successful NFL career.
Wide Receiver
Mohamed Massaquoi , Free Agent (likely not technically available in any leagues, but if he is…)
C’mon. Could anyone else have really been in this spot after that long-winded trip down memory lane? If you can figure out a way to add players to your league, GET THIS MAN ON YOUR ROSTER.
Demarcus Robinson, Kansas City Chiefs (available in 99% of Yahoo! leagues)
This one is a much more realistic recommendation. Robinson plays in one of the most fantasy-friendly offenses we’ve seen, and Patrick Mahomes seems to trust him. With all the focus that defenses have to put on the other weapons, Robinson flies under the radar to the tune of a 6.5+ PPR point floor. He also won a Super Bowl last year. The championship experience is huge this time of year.
Tight End
Hayden Hurst, Atlanta Falcons (available in 31% of Yahoo! leagues)
Hurst may not be available in your league, and if he is, I don’t recommend playing him. If you’ve read this article each week, you’ll know that I think tight end is a very frustrating position to write about, so I’ve decided to highlight him as a person instead of football-related. Since coming into the league, Hurst has been outspoken about mental health awareness and has recently opened up to share his own struggles with depression. This is something tons of people deal with every day, whether we know it or not, and the courage it takes to talk about it is inspirational. Props to him, and all those who are speaking out about this topic.
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