Bad teams better than good teams for Fantasy Football?

[9er Fan]

It happens every year in the fantasy football playoffs. Good_Team_A has already clinched their division (or playoff position) so they bench Superstar_B in week 16. The 49'ers and Packers were good examples last year. Would you ever consider giving a player on an average or bad team additional value because of this?

It's probably too unpredictable to use this info during the draft, but how about when trading? When it was clear the 49'ers and Packers were going to run away with their divisions, should owners of players on those teams looked more seriously at possible trades (especially in non-keeper leagues)?

[Canadian Seahawk]

and thats why most fantasy leagues have their championship on week 16. I know in the league I run the reg. season ends at 13....playoffs 14,15 adn 16...usually benching doesnt occur on the 16 minus nagging minor injuries.

[VIPER]

No doubt just like last season with Owens sitting out the last couple of games.

[converge241]

bad teams get tons of junk yardage and scores great for fantasy

[Homeless]

Im not a huge fan of this situation, but it does make for some exciting end of year match ups.

Last year the winner of my league came from mid table with a late surge to win the whole thing based on guys like culpepper pulling out all the stops.

[Canadian Seahawk]

I think if anyone uses this strategy to draft is out of their mind, and I don't think anyone does???

[DraftDodger]

Yeah CS it's not a matter of drafting with this in mind, but rather as suggested doing some late season trades or grabbing PlayerX off the waiver wire to fill in for your superstar who's going to be "rested" the last few weeks of the regular season. About all this suggests for the regular draft is beware taking just players from the top teams. Better to have someone who still needs a 100-yard and 2TD game in Week 15 than someone who's going to put on a headset and tell dirty jokes to the QB.

IF you did want to draft with this is mind, however, consider that
the AFC East, for example, is usually quite volatile at the end of the season, with most of the teams clawing for the division title or a wildcard spot. As a result, a guy like Travis Henry should give you good bang for your buck every game, unlike say Ahman Green who may be reclining on the sidelines sipping a Pina Colada during the final few games of the regular season because the Pack has the division sewn up.

[Canadian Seahawk]

Agreed.