FantasySharks.com

What's more agony: Making a draft pick each round or making a critical Start/Bench decision each week?

My answer: The Start/Bench decision.

I lost a game one week because i benched Brandon Marshall because the Bears were on the road against the Cowboys and the Cowboys D hadn't given up a TD reception all year. I played Leonard Hankerson instead for 7 catches for like 57 yards. Not bad, but nothing compared to what Brandon Marshall did.

If I didn't pay attention to the "Bust Alerts" from the fantasy wiseguys, I would have won my game.

Lot of people must agonize over Start/Bench decisions because I always see comments in the comment thread for someone's help in choosing 1 player out of this group of 3-4 players or choose 2 players out of this group of 3-4 players.

These Start/Bench decisions are brutal.

You make the right call and it's optimal, you don't get credit.
You make the wrong call, and you lose, you're stoopid.

I'm 2-3 in one league and only because of start/bench decisions. I could have easily won the three I lost. This past week I played Rivers instead of Luck and lost by 0.4 points.

Welcome to fantasy football...

Wow, glad to see I am not alone.

Lost a game because I benched Marshall against the cowboys and played L. Hankerson instead...

wth Cowboys!, The Bears have one, ONE, receiver and you leave him wide open in the middle of the field so that he can jog into the endzone.

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League 1
QB: Eli
WR: Welker, Wallace, Nicks, L. Moore
RB: Forte, Mendy, V. Ballard, William Powell, Stephans-Howling, A.Brown, M.Bush, D.Richardson
TE: Miller
K: Matt Bryant
Def: Sea

You don't bench guys like Marshall for guys like Hankerson.

Hankerson over Marshall?..you deserved to lose

A little bit of knowledge can be a dangerous thing in fantasy football.

Always start your studs.

Yeah, I think those decisions get to all of us. Marshall, to me is just one of those guys, you just always start, no matter what defense he's facing. You drafted him too high to sit on your bench and yes, every stud will have a crap game or two, more than usual, they get the targets and the points. Just my Good luck.

^^This, except I don't agonize over them anymore because I've learned to treat it like the game that it is.

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I like to set my lineups for the next week Monday night. I don't look at it again. If I did, I'd over think every decision and be tinkering with it up until kick off. Whatever. Monday night I'm thinking clearly, I set my lineup, and it is what it is.

Of course if there's an injury concern I'll have to make a change, but for the most part, this is what I do.

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Back to Back Fantasy Sharks Wall2 IDP Champion - 2011, 2012
Back to Back Fantasy Sharks OverWall Champion - 2011, 2012

Demmit! The writers of "Bust Alert!" warnings totally disregard the "Always Start Your Studs" theory.

You know what they do? They play "Matchup" theory instead!

The "Bust Alert" dudes generally believe "Matchup" theory > "Start Studs" Theory.

I have learned my lesson about benching studs regardless, but in my defense the Cowboys secondary was amazing for those first few weeks and the Redskins were playing TB...I figured at the worst I would see the same production with Hankerson, with potential for more upside.

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League 1
QB: Eli
WR: Welker, Wallace, Nicks, L. Moore
RB: Forte, Mendy, V. Ballard, William Powell, Stephans-Howling, A.Brown, M.Bush, D.Richardson
TE: Miller
K: Matt Bryant
Def: Sea

X 1000 you asked for the loss. Never bench your talent they find a way. Chase the dream of picking that boom bust guy you win once out of every 5.

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FOR MOD!

Okay, here's a Start/Bench decision that I'm wrestling over: "Stud" Matthew Stafford at Philly and their Pass Defense or do I start Andy Dalton at Cleveland and their Pass Defense?

Isn't Matthew Stafford considered a "stud"? But doesn't Philly have a clamp-down Pass Defense? And doesn't non-stud Andy Dalton have a good matchup against Cleveland even with Joe Haden returning to guard AJ Green?

Start Stafford/Bench Dalton? Or start Dalton/bench Stafford?

Start Stafford and don't think twice about it. Also Haden is back.

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FOR MOD!