Lineup Advice: Week One

Jeff Haverlack

***  Please read this introduction fully BEFORE posting your question!  ***

To our knowledge, DLF is the only fantasy site that answers your specific lineup questions all seventeen weeks of the NFL regular season and into the post season as well.  It’s just another feature we offer our valued premium subscribers.

Our lineup advice isn’t an overly-simplified one-dimensional list of players each week which doesn’t account for your own individual situation, changing player variables or your match-up. Every week, each question is given our full attention with respect to match-up, weather and trends in combination with your unique circumstances to render a decision as if it was our own team. That’s the commitment that we make to each of you and what you hopefully have come to expect from DLF.  We’ve been performing this service for years and despite our continued Premium subscriber growth, we’re not stopping now.

If you’d like a second opinion on your lineup for the week, simply comment to this post with your question. We’ll answer every single lineup question submitted in a timely fashion as an exclusive service only for our Premium subscribers.

Before submitting a question, please take note of the following items which will help us help you:

  1. DLF continues to grow and our weekly lineup advice is very popular.  Our goal is to aid in your decision making, not manage your roster.  Please don’t post each position from EVERY one of your teams.  The fewer the questions, the more thorough our research can be.  Because of the growth we’ve seen this past year, I ask that you please be very mindful of this request.  Quality lineup advice means taking time with each one so please help us out in this area.
  2. Scoring System – Let us know if your league is PPR, non-PPR or if there are any unusual scoring rules that would affect our advice.  “Standard” scoring often means different things to different owners.
  3. We always like to see what YOU are thinking on your question(s) first. On those “toss-up” or “coin-flip” plays, as we call them, knowing which way you are leaning helps us.
  4. Go easy on us! We strongly encourage each coach to make their own decision(s) but we’re here to help as much as possible. We pride ourselves on our accuracy and research, but our crystal balls aren’t perfect.
  5. If you wait until game day to ask your question, we may not get to you. Be sure to register your question as early as possible.
  6. If you respond to one of our comments, it’s usually best to do so as a brand new comment so it’s sure to be seen! Responses can get lost or missed as the string grows.

Good luck this season!

Let’s get to it!

Week 1

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Don’t get cute with your lineup(s) out of the gate.  The first few weeks we don’t make any great risk-based leaps.  It’s not uncommon for offenses to experience trouble with rhythm, consistency and timing through the first three or four games.  During this period of time, defenses often have the upper hand.  I will always suggest a proven veteran quarterback with returning receivers and experienced O-line play over all others ‘sexier’ plays.  Timing and chemistry with these players will be much less of an issue.

If you find yourself with rookie running backs or receivers that you are dying to get into your lineup, think twice if you have proven players with known roles as an alternative.  There are not many things more frustrating in week one than finding your coveted rookie on the outside looking-in when it comes to snap count, in favor of a more proven veteran.  If you aren’t sure what the role will be, fall to the side of safety and play your veterans.  Frank Gore may not be as intriguing as Christian McCaffrey, but you know Gore will see his touches.  Slow-playing time-share situations can help you to avoid critical mistakes early in the season.

This is the week to keep it very vanilla.  Play your studs, don’t worry so much about that dreaded cornerback or defensive match-up.  It’s a relatively long season, resist the temptation to throw dice before you need to.  When injuries and bad-beats begin to mount, there will be a time and place for risk.  It’s not in week one.

Most of all, bask in the glow of this most glorious of weeks.  We’ve waited a long time.  You’ve spent time with us during this “off-season” preparing for this very week.  Surround yourself with great food, even better friends and, win or lose when the week comes to a close, smile widely with the acknowledgement that it’s football season again!

Good luck to all, especially you our Premium members!

If you’d like to hit me up on Twitter, please do: @DLF_Jeff

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jeff haverlack