In fantasy circles, the phrase "dance with the one that brung ya" means you should stick with your starters when the games matter most. There's no reason to get silly with your lineup and bench guys who have produced for you all year. And while that's good advice throughout the year, it needs to go in the garbage for the fantasy playoffs.
During the regular season, it really does make sense to stick with your starters after rough games. Over time, they'll tend to produce for you, and you don't want to miss out on their good games because you made moves too quickly. In the long run, it's great advice, and will help you garner more wins by exercising patience.
Unfortunately, there is no "long run" in the playoffs. It's just a handful of games if you're lucky, and many leagues have their very last one coming up. Nothing matters except the week in front of you. Nothing matters except which player will score the most in that particular game. If you're still playing, you owe it to yourself, and your team, to consider every player when setting your lineup.
Now, that doesn't mean you make changes just to make them. You shouldn't shake things up without a good reason. But in the playoffs, good reasons are easier to find. A favorable matchup, avoiding the impact of a bad quarterback, or even severe weather are all reasons to consider a change in week 17.
Again, note the word "consider." If no player looks better than your starter, leave him in. But if you identify a better option, don't let long-term prospects hold you back. You should also pay attention to red flags that make your starter less viable. Maybe they’re out of the playoff hunt and they want to see what a younger, cheaper player can do. Maybe they're losing interest in the season and not giving full effort anymore (looking at you, week 15 George Pickens). Or maybe you think someone is due for a breakout game (looking at you, week 16 George Pickens). My point is, feel free to make changes to your lineup, even if you wouldn't do it for a full 14-week fantasy season.
Now, keep in mind that it might cost you. The guy you bench could be great, and the guy you choose could be a dud. That happens. You’ll have to ask yourself how you would feel if you lost because you benched a starter. You shouldn’t let fear determine your path, but you also need to accept that some of our decisions don’t work out. Some pay off, and some send you packing.
My point is that you have actual decisions to make. It’s lazy management to just start your starters and hope for the best. When your future depends on one game, you can't worry about anything but what a player can do for you in the next 60 game minutes. Nothing else. To do that, I suggest you employ all available information: Stats, expert opinions, weather updates, practice reports, and your gut. But whatever you do, don't put anybody in your lineup without scrutinizing them and determining how they look for this coming week.
I understand the relief in knowing you have most of your lineup set. It's a great feeling compared to pondering multiple decisions. But that's the price you pay for getting this far. If you want to win it all, you need to give your team the very best chance to come through for you. And that means making tough decisions for week 17.
Of course, you could ignore this advice and just start the guys you normally start without giving it any thought. But, in the immortal words of the great Geddy Lee, "If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice." I encourage you to choose free will, like he did. Good luck this week.
Do you stick with your starters, or do you bench them for better potential that week? How has it worked out for you? What’s your favorite Rush song? Share your thoughts below.