Bye week strategies for 2008

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In 1990, Jim Henson and Sammy Davis Jr. passed away. "Wind Beneath my Wings" was song of the year. The college football title was split between Georgia Tech and Colorado, which helped lead to the eventual formation of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS). Heaped onto these unfortunate happenings that same year was one of the most devastating events to ever impact the fantasy football season -- the NFL decided to give every team a week off and add an extra week to the end of the NFL schedule. And the "bye" week was born.

While the bye week is often the bane of fantasy owner's existence, players and coaches love them. Byes are not going away; they're here to stay. But that doesn't mean you have to let them obliterate your fantasy football season. Here are some ways to handle the bye weeks, both before and during the season:

Tip No.1: Depth wins bye weeks. Talent wins championships.

This might be the best general fantasy advice I was ever given. When selecting a player at a particular position, take the best player at that position, regardless of his bye week. Let's assume you've drafted Joseph Addai and you have the opportunity to take the next highest rated RB on your board, Laurence Maroney, as your RB2. You really like him, much better than either of the RBs behind him ... let's say they are Willie Parker and Maurice Jones-Drew. But Maroney and Addai have the same bye week. "I don't care", I reply. While you're busy wondering how I got to your draft site and how I was able to read your mind, you should take Maroney as your second RB. Don't worry if they have the same bye week. You never know what injuries might strike or which situations might change. Maybe Jones-Drew cuts the wrong way and sprains his ankle in Week Two. Maybe Rashard Mendenhall takes over the job from Parker. Maybe you swing a blockbuster trade. And this decision is even easier when it involves two players at different positions. You'll have multiple options at the other positions, too. Don't worry about it. At worst, you take a bad loss one week and dominate the rest.

Tip No. 1a: If you like two players equally, take the one without a bye week conflict.

This is the corollary of the above rule. Of course, how often do you like two guys equally? But if you really can't decide, make your life easier and avoid a messy bye week situation.

Tip No. 2: If you play in a standard redraft league, worry about bye weeks during the season, rather than at the draft.

This is really an extension of Tip No. 1. I'm aware that there are exceptions, because leagues come in all different shapes and sizes. The number of teams and variety of roster sizes can fluctuate from league to league. Some leagues restrict the amount and types of add/drops you can make. But the general rule is this: the shallower the league and lower add/drop limit you have, the more you should worry about the bye during the season.

If you're in a 16-team league with little talent on the waiver wire, and you have limited moves, go ahead and worry about it at the draft. Otherwise, you can worry about it during the season. Wait to see how the season plays out in the early going. Maybe by the time your stud's bye week arrives, you've got a five-game lead and can take a chance of having a hole at RB. Maybe your sleeper pick is leading the league in TDs. Maybe that backup you selected is now starting due to the usual injuries. Trying to guess how the season will play out is an exercise in futility. But if you have to make a move, you should be able to do so. You can play the matchup game in any given week. There is always something available on the waiver wire, especially in shallow leagues, and it is usually worth grabbing at least for one week.