When to Hold Em or Fold Em?

Every year managers agonize over when to hold players or move on. Tuff calls.
I had players who I had show impact potential last season fall to me at picks #7, 8 and 10 in M Brown, Mooney and E Moore and all were off waivers.

All have had rough starts, especially “Black Cloud” Mooney with much talent who had downpours last week and goes to GB for more rain.

Not giving up on any now but the question is how long to wait. You always say to yourself “I know if I cut him now he will break out Sunday.”

Thoughts?

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I don’t have a problem churning the depths of my bench with guys who show promise in the first couple of weeks.

There are always a few guys who come out of nowhere each year, and those are the guys we’re trying to nail in the late rounds of our drafts. We usually don’t have a lot to go on, other than consensus rankings and projections, and some lucky few have Axe Elf, but other than that, we don’t really know if Robert Woods is a better bet this year than Robbie Anderson or Corey Davis. After Week 1, we have more information, and I made those swaps in two leagues because both were sponging up way more targets than Woods–and besides, I have Derrick Henry in almost all my leagues, so having Woods on the bench was a potential conflict of interest if I ever start him.

Anyway, Robbie and Corey might turn out to be worthless too, but on the basis of the target shares they enjoyed in Week 1, I now consider them better bets to be useful to my team down the road than Woods. In fact, I think I’ll be forced to start Corey in one league where I lost Keenan Allen and I don’t yet trust Doubs or MVS.

So anyway, yeah, the dynasty/keeper people have to think differently, but in redraft leagues–especially smallish ones with no penalty for making moves–churn your bench all you like. If you are doing it on the basis of new information, and not just churning to be churning, you are giving yourself the best chance of long-term success.

It depends on your own preconceptions about your players. If the first week’s results confirm your worst fears, then it’s time to move on. If there’s still room for doubt, then you have to hold on.

Generally, if there is any reason to excuse a poor performance, then you have to wait. Then again, that can work as trade bait. For example, I felt the first week confirmed Allen Robinson is not the great WR he once was. BUT a lot of people, experts included, wrote that poor performance off to a tough Bills defense. I look at that and ask, “Yes, but Cooper Kupp did just fine against Buffalo?” Trading Robinson for Michael Carter gets me a solid flex player, which was all Robinson would ever be for me anyway.

The key in “fold em” is whether there is still market value. If you jump early, you can still get something comparable for it.

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Ed, Robinson and Carter are both question marks. Here’s just a few for now,

Akers, Stevenson, Etienne, Hall, Montgomery, etc.

E Moore, Theilen, Metcalf, Cook, etc.

Lots of talent up in the air.

I like Carter. Strong floor.

Of the rest, I like Stevenson and Hall.

I also like Moore.

I assume when you mention Cook you mean James, not Dalvin? Dalvin is unquestionable as a starter. James is best left on the bench, if not as a waiver wire pickup.

edmcgonRegular

6m

I like Carter. Strong floor.

Of the rest, I like Stevenson and Hall.

I also like Moore.

I assume when you mention Cook you mean James, not Dalvin? Dalvin is unquestionable as a starter. James is best left on the bench, if not as a waiver wire pickup.


Actually Dalvin, Houston makes him shaky.

Hall and Carter could make each other both RB3’s.

Moore and Wilson face the same.

Stevenson and Harris are no different.

I understand it is what is happening but not yet ready to settle for half positions.