As tough as it is to roster solid backups, the NFL had a number of noteworthy performances last weekend. Mac Jones kicked things off on Thursday, with 342 yards and a pair of touchdowns subbing in for Brock Purdy. Carson Wentz logged another win for the Vikings, this time in London. And Rico Dowdle won games for some desperate managers with more than 200 yards on the ground in relief of Chuba Hubbard. All those teams won, and it was because they had good depth when they needed it.
And then there's your fantasy team, taking advantage of these opportunities and skating by with some valuable wins thanks to these injuries and celebrating your good fortune.
But what's that saying about all good things? They come to an end. And as players get healthier, your good luck is coming to an end. Best to prepare now.
First things first: The byes are coming. This coming week is the only "break" you'll get for a while, with just Minnesota and Houston off. Then it gets ugly, with Buffalo and Baltimore the following week, six teams the week after that, and then four teams each of the following two weeks. You'll probably lose your best players before Thanksgiving for at least one game.
Also, some of those guys you've been using will be headed back to the bench soon. Barring bad injury news, Rashaad White won't be the main runner in Tampa much longer. Wentz, Pickens, and Jones (a law firm name if I've ever heard one) are all likely headed back into supporting roles once other players get healthy. So if you've been using those guys to get by, you have more issues coming up than just bye weeks.
And sure, some of those guys have earned more playing time, as in just enough to hurt the value of both players. Dowdle/Hubbard and Gainwell/Warren might be subtraction by addition. By having two good runners on one team, fantasy managers have none.
In any case, now is the time to figure out just what the future holds. One way to do that is to take advantage of a lesser-used function of many websites. Most online leagues allow you to set lineups in advance, and I suggest you do that for the next month just to see how it looks to you. It's one thing to know what teams are off each week or who might be coming back from injury, but it's quite another to actually see what your starters look like when it happens. That jolt might encourage you to make some changes now.
For example, you might have to look for more gold on that scrap heap your league calls a waiver wire. It's unlikely another hero is sitting there, but it's always worth a look. Maybe a Chargers guy emerges as the heir to Omarion Hampton's workload. Or it might be as simple as finding a solid replacement for your regular kicker or defense before someone else grabs them. What you don't want to do is wait until the Wednesday before that week's games to deal with it, because that's what your opponents will do. Stay a step ahead of them and you might stay ahead of them in the standings.
It might even be time to consider trades. I know they can be hard to accomplish (more on that next week) but if you're staring at player issues down the road, the time to start is now. Trades are easier to get done if you don't look desperate, so if things look rough in a few weeks, try it now while you look stronger.
I wish I had an easy solution. But as they say, forewarned is forearmed. You have to know what you're facing if you want to address it properly. And while you feel like a genius for using plug-and-play guys to defeat your opponents, that strategy won't hold up all year. Don't be caught with a bunch of benchwarmers or part-time players who used to score points for you. Preserve the gains you have now so you won't lose them later. Good luck this week.
Have you been winning games with backups? What are your plans for when the original guys get healthy? Share your thoughts below.