Fantasy football managers who had the number one pick in their league’s draft had every reason to expect a winning season. Most of the managers in that position probably used that first selection to draft Christian McCaffrey. Their number two pick went to either the Philadelphia Eagles’ outstanding veteran receiver A.J. Brown, or the Los Angeles Rams’ promising second-year receiver Puka Nacua. By this point, those managers would be fist-pumping, trash-talking, and feeling like they were off to a great start with a terrific lineup.
Except that it didn’t turn out that way. Before the start of the first game, McCaffrey was held out of the lineup with an unanticipated injury. By the end of week 1, Nacua was carted off the field with a serious leg injury and placed on injured reserve. Bengals star wide receiver Ja’Maar Chase was practically invisible in week 2 with a measly 7.5 points. Brown was the next to succumb to a hamstring injury in practice earlier this week. From a fantasy standpoint, these injuries could prove devastating, perhaps even leading to a 0-2 start.
Recovering From a 0-2 Start in Fantasy Football
It’s been a brutal start to the season. Sadly, while injuries are an inevitable part of professional sports, rarely have so many superstar NFL players been injured at the same time. Even managers who didn’t have the first pick in the draft are off to a disappointing or slow start. Fantasy managers everywhere are scrambling to cover for multiple injured players in their lineup.
In addition to McCaffrey, Nacua, and Brown, wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Amon-Ra St. Brown have been battling injuries. Despite missing practices, both are expected to play in week 3. However, they may not be back to 100% or could even be designated inactive at the last minute.
While managers were contending with multiple injured players, other highly ranked players got off to an unusually slow start this season. St. Brown and Chase were limited by heavy coverage that resulted in single-digit games. When the coach became frustrated with his sub-par performance, Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor was benched for an entire fourth quarter. Regardless of the reason, these slow starts can wreak havoc on a fantasy manager’s standing within their league and potentially cost them a spot in the playoffs.
All Is Not Lost – It Is Possible to Recover
As disheartening as it is to begin a fantasy season in this manner, the good news is that all is not lost. It’s still early in the season. There’s plenty of time to recover and even make the playoffs. However, it may take a bit of creative team management and a lot of luck. Most fantasy managers rely heavily on projected player stats to put together their weekly lineup. They look solely at the bottom-line stats and choose players with the highest numbers.
Going into the weekly match-up with their opponent, they assemble the best-looking lineup they can to have the best chance for success. But while analytics are a great tool, they aren’t always accurate in predicting how a player will do. For example in week 2, Bengals’ wide receiver Chase was projected to score 17.49 points against the Kansas City Chiefs. But the Chiefs defense double-covered him for much of the game and Chase fell far short of his projection with only 7.50 fantasy points.
Winging It
If a manager is already working with an injury-depleted lineup and is projected to lose by a wide margin, that manager could flip the script and use it as an opportunity to take a risk. Instead of relying solely on the analytics, why not take a gamble with a low-ranked player who could be well-positioned for a breakout week? For example, a young rookie who hasn’t had a chance yet to demonstrate what he could do on the field but has a good practice report. Or, a handcuff player who might be in line for a larger target share or added carries due to injuries on his team? Most of these players are flying under the radar with a lower projection.
Trust Your Gut
While there’s no guarantee that it will work out, some of the most satisfying fantasy victories come when a manager enters the week and is projected to lose. When a manager expects to lose, he has everything to gain by ignoring the expert projections and trusting his gut. It’s a great way to flip the script and turn a losing match into a winning season.
Main Image: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
