In football, you're not supposed to look past your current opponent. It's one game at a time. Looking too far into the future can jeopardize the present.
But that's football. This is fantasy football. We do things differently.
Our constant trash talk provides bulletin board material every day. We gloat when we win. We never get fired. In fact, as owner/coach/spokesperson/number one fan, we wield more power than any NFL executive. Except maybe Jerry Jones, who seems to wear those same hats for his team.
The point is, we don't have to do things the way the NFL does them. Right now, their coaches are looking at week 9, and nothing else. But if you have a strong record right now, it's time to look ahead to the playoffs.
After eight games, 8-0 teams look like shoe-ins for the post-season. A 7-1 squad isn't far behind, and even 6-2 is happy with their record. Nothing is guaranteed, but unless you got destroyed by injuries over the past couple of weeks (which is entirely possible), a playoff berth looks likely.
Now is the time to look ahead to the playoff weeks and make sure you have the best lineups possible. There might be kickers or defenses on the waiver wire who have particularly-attractive matchups at the end of the season. That's also when rebuilding teams give young players a shot, which means their growing pains can mean points for you. The right special teams player could provide a couple extra points, which could be the difference between hoisting a trophy and congratulating someone else in December. Also, keep in mind that some fantasy leagues hold their championship games in week 17. I know that's considered an unpardonable sin in many circles, but it happens. And with four undefeated teams (three in the same conference), there's a good chance that week 17 won't mean much to a lot of teams. The top ones will have already secured byes, and good teams with no shot at a bye will manufacture one at the end of the season.
You can argue the validity of a week 17 Super Bowl, but like the dysfunctional end of the Miami/Duke game, you can't change it now. If you have players who will probably be resting when you need them most, it's time to find replacements.
The easy solution, of course, is to use the waiver wire. Find good playoff defenses and kickers. Secure backups who might get work while the starters rest. And seek out role players who might have excellent matchups for a game or two.
That will help. But like I said, that's easy. Here's the hard part: Make trades.
With the trade deadline approaching, it's getting to be crunch time if you want to make any deals. And, as you're probably well aware, owners are hesitant to help out an owner in first place. If trades are a challenge in your league, they can be impossible when you're a top team. Unless it's lopsided in their favor, of course.
So the solution is to offer lopsided trades. Make moves you'd never consider in week 3. A starting receiver for a kicker or defense? Sounds crazy, unless you have a lot of depth and need to bolster some starting positions. Go ahead and overpay if it gets you the guys you need. If you have a panicking bubble team, you might get exactly what you need.
I'm aware that there's a lot of risk in this advice. Where would the Le'Veon Bell or Matt Forte owners be if they took that advice last week? I'm not saying to trade your top backup for a defense. But if you give up a good player for a position you thought was worthless on draft day, it might pay off in week 16 or 17.
If you get that far, of course. Your team might fall apart, and without that depth you had, you could miss the playoffs. Sure. That's possible. If you want to keep all your toys and have a deep roster into the playoffs, that's fine, too. But nobody ever won anything (fantasy football or otherwise) without taking some risks. And when the trade deadline passes, your options are limited to the flotilla of garbage known as the waiver wire. It's up to you to decide if you can make the necessary moves closer to the postseason, or if you can win with what you have.
And maybe you can. You might have the best team, and the best thing you can do is let it ride. But either way, now is the time to make those decisions. Not when you clinch a spot, not in week 12 and not when teams with better records have already taken this advice. Look ahead to the playoffs, and you might win it all if/when you get there.
Are you making playoff moves yet? Too early to be thinking like that? Share your thoughts below.
And follow Michael Murillo on Twitter for all kinds of comedic nonsense: