ASK THE EXPERTS appears weekly from training camp through the Super Bowl with answers to a new question being posted Thursday morning. How the guest experts responded when we asked them: What is your strategy for dealing with uncertain injury situations -- gametime decisions and the like?
ALAN SATTERLEE
I tend to be conservative on injuries and not start those players, unless if my other option is truly much worse (especially if players aren't practicing). Case in point -- LeSean McCoy -- I advised this past week that there was no way I would play him this week. On a related note, I stay away from players with hamstring injuries. Also, players added to the injury report during the week tend to get extra scrutiny in my book and I might look for other options.
Satterlee is a co-owner and senior writer for Dynasty Football Warehouse. DFW is comprehensive site covering dynasty, redraft, IDP and Daily formats. DFW has a large writing crew with many people from the DFW community contributing to the insights and discussion. He is also the Fantasy Football Insider for the Charlotte Observer and is syndicated in a few other newspapers in the southeast.
IAN ALLAN
Case by case. Some teams like to list guys as questionable, even when it’s pretty clear they’re going to play — the Patriots and Bears come to mind. They’ll give a veteran a day off or some reps off to preserve his legs, then list him as questionable (trying, apparently, to make it harder for opponents to prepare). With most teams, I tend to look more at how much a player is practicing, rather than how he’s listed. If a player doesn’t practice at all or gets in just one limited practice, I am generally wary of using him.
Allan is the senior writer for Fantasy Football Index. He's been in that role since 1987, generating most of the player rankings and analysis for that publication. His work can be seen in Fantasy Football Index magazine, and also at www.fantasyindex.com.
SAM HENDRICKS
I always look at whether or not the player practices on Friday. A full practice is best. Limited depends on the injury. If he does practice and is questionable then it is pretty safe to think he will play on Sunday. If he is doubtful then of course I do not start him as he is most likely not playing. The dreaded gametime decision is a nightmare if they are in the 4 p.m. or Sunday or Monday night games. Planning for the contingency of "what if they don't play" is the smartest move. Often simply moving a player to the flex spot will open up more options in case such a player turns up gimp.
Hendricks is the author of Fantasy Football Guidebook, Fantasy Football Tips and Fantasy Football Basics, all available at ExtraPointPress.com, at all major bookstores, and at Amazon and BN.com. He is a 25 year fantasy football veteran who participates in the National Fantasy Football Championship (NFFC) and finished 7th and 16th overall in the 2008 and 2009 Fantasy Football Players Championship (FFPC). He is drafting live in the FFPC in Vegas this year. He won the Fantasy Index Open in 2013. Follow him at his web site, www.ffguidebook.com.
ANDY RICHARDSON
I definitely prefer to err on the side of caution. While it can be frustrating to bench a questionable player who then has a big game on my bench, at least I've got somebody else in my lineup who can score some points and make up for some of those numbers. Whereas if I start somebody who either stands on the sidelines the entire game (Will Fuller) or aggravates his injury early and leaves (LeSean McCoy), I get nothing at all. I'd rather take lesser points from a healthy player than zip from an injured one.
Richardson has been a contributing writer and editor to the Fantasy Football Index magazine and www.fantasyindex.com since 2002. His responsibilities include team defense and IDP projections and various site features, and he has run the magazine's annual experts draft and auction leagues since their inception. He previews all the NFL games on Saturdays and writes a wrap-up column on Mondays during the NFL season.