Often times some people will focus mostly on statistics when it comes to fantasy football, but during your fantasy season there is normally a certain natural feel for the game that you need to have in order to win.
When should you bench certain players? When do you need to cut ties on underperforming stars? How to value trade offers? There are no numbers or analytics that can fully answer those important questions, but those owners that deal with the ups and downs of a season the best are often there at the end of the season fighting for the championship.
Lions at Vikings fantasy focus
The Detroit Lions continue their season of ups and downs. They continue to preach consistency, but the team as a whole has been anything but consistent in 2020 and this goes for their fantasy football performers as well.
Looking at this week’s game against the Minnesota Vikings, there are a few key fantasy options on both sides. Dalvin Cook (RB Vikings) and Adam Thielen (WR Vikings) are two crucial pieces for Minnesota. Adrian Peterson (RB Lions) and T.J. Hockenson (TE Lions) will be players to consider for your lineups when it comes to the Lions this week.
Recent games in Minnesota have often not been fun at all for Matthew Stafford, and he will have to be very good to give the Lions a chance this week. Dalvin Cook won many fantasy owners their matchup last week where he had over 200 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns, which is an amazing game. Will Cook be able to have a similar game against the Lions poor ranking rush defense?
Keep your eye on a few of these key players, but with no Kenny Golladay (WR Lions) and Stefon Diggs, the former Vikings wide receiver now in Buffalo, this isn’t a very exciting fantasy football matchup when you look at it on paper.
Start/Sit
Start
Matt Ryan (QB Falcons)
Adrian Peterson (RB Lions)
Stefon Diggs (WR Bills)
T.J. Hockenson (TE Lions)
Sit
Lamar Jackson (QB Ravens)
Johnathan Taylor (RB Colts)
D.J. Moore (WR Panthers)
Rob Gronkowski (TE Bucannears)
Top 3 projected players by position
Quarterbacks
Russell Wilson, Seahawks
Josh Allen, Bills
Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
Running Backs
Dalvin Cook, Vikings
Derrick Henry, Titans
Alvin Kamara, Saints
Wide Receivers
Davante Adams, Packers
Stefon Diggs, Bills
Tyler Lockett, Seahawks
Tight Ends
Travis Kelce, Chiefs
Darren Waller, Raiders
T.J. Hockenson, Lions
Team Defenses
Washington
Steelers
Patriots
Kickers
Younghoe Koo, Falcons
Harrison Butker, Cheifs
Justin Tucker, Ravens
Waiver wire options
Drew Lock (QB Broncos)
Jake Luton (QB Jaguars)
Damien Harris (RB Patriots)
Wayne Gallman (RB Giants)
Allen Lazard (WR Packers)
Marvin Hall (WR Lions)
Eric Ebron (TE Steelers)
Logan Thomas (TE Washington)
Intriguing games and players in Week 9
(Week 9 Bye Weeks: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams)
Green Bay at San Francisco, Thursday 8:20 PM, EST
- GB: Aaron Rodgers (QB), Aaron Jones (RB)
- SF: Tevin Coleman (RB), Brandon Aiyuk (WR)
Seattle at Buffalo, Sunday 1:00 PM, EST
- SEA: DeeJay Dallas (RB), Greg Olsen (TE)
- BUF: Zach Moss (RB), Stefon Diggs (WR)
Detroit at Minnesota, Sunday 1:00 PM, EST
- DET: Marvin Jones Jr (WR), Matthew Stafford (QB)
- MIN: Justin Jefferson (WR), Kyle Rudolph (TE)
Miami at Arizona, Sunday 4:25 PM, EST
- MIA: Tua Tagovailoa (QB), Miles Gaskin (RB)
- AZ: Christian Kirk (WR), Kyler Murray (QB)
Pittsburgh at Dallas, Sunday 4:25 PM, EST
- PIT: James Washington (WR), James Conner (RB)
- DAL: Michael Gallup (WR), Tony Pollard (RB)
New Orleans at Tampa Bay, Sunday 8:20 PM, EST
- NO: Drew Brees (QB), Michael Thomas (WR)
- TB: Tom Brady (QB), Antonio Brown (WR)
Bottom Line
Don’t get so fixated on the past statistics that you forget about what might happen in the future. Don’t focus so much on the numbers that you forget that feel for the ups and downs of fantasy football and the NFL as a whole.
When looking over your roster, place a good amount of value on those consistent players that always seem to come through week after week. Consider cutting those players that are very inconsistent.
These immeasurable aspects of fantasy football are often what help decide who makes the playoffs and who doesn’t. If you have a good feeling about a player, don’t always ignore that when the analytics say otherwise. A consistent team that also isn’t afraid to bold at times is often one that wins. That is true not just in fantasy football but also on the actual gridiron.