This might be relegated to the Bench forum but I'm looking at it as more of a strategy question. I'll use my team this week as an example however.


The example from my league is that my opponent has Eli Manning and our league scores 4 pts for a TD. I own and will start Hakeem Nicks. I have 2 options at TE in Fred Davis and Kevin Boss. I believe Fred Davis will likely have the better day but I'm leaning towards starting Boss as our league awards 7 points for receiver TDs. If Manning would throw a TD to either Nicks or Boss I would actually be gaining points on my opponent. I also have a chance to drop a player to pickup Domenik Hixon whom I could play as my last WR. I would effectively be blocking Eli from 3 out of his 5 most likely targets. The main drawback of course is if Steve Smith or Manningham would go off but that seems unlikely.

Can you justify starting a lesser player to block your opponent?

Play your best players every week.

Exactly. Don't worry about who your opponent is starting...always start your best players.

So if Eli has a big game, you spread out the wealth among 3 players (Smith and Manningham are threats too for points). If Eli has a terrible game, you have nothing and he still has the rest of his team while you wasted 3 of your players. Play your best players.

Agreed with the masses. Put in your best lineup regardless. If Eli passes to other options or QB sneaks it in, you'll have wasted 2 roster spots trying to"block" your opponent. It's not sound strategy. If you have an option you like more, i.e. Davis, then play him....

Dumb idea, play your best players, period. My opponent has Fitz, I start Warner and bench Peyton right? See - dumb idea...

My opponent is starting Matt Cassel and I have Manning and McNabb. Hasselbeck was somehow available on waivers so I scooped him but other than that I disagree with this whole theory.

There's just SO much that can go wrong. I agree with starting your best players... if you have two players and you can't decide, then maybe you can bring your opponent into the equation.

I have used a similar idea in the past and luckily it worked for me. But, I do not go about benching my best guy. I have only used it when there are two players of equal value and I am not sure who to make active.

well... he's talking about playing kevin boss over fred davis at TE... it's hardly similar to starting warner or manning...

I've actually done this a few times but I usually always play the best players. Usually when both my options just suck I chose the one where my opponent has to throw too.

It's about points. You play the guys who will score the most points. I would be "okay" with the Boss or Nicks play given your options, but you can't seriously consider Hixon.