By MIKE HERNDON

The playoffs are almost here. If you play in a league with six playoff qualifiers, and your commissioner isn’t insane enough to set your championship for the very last week of the regular season, this is the last week of your regular season. If you have four playoff qualifiers, you have two more weeks.

Long story short, if you haven’t already nailed down a playoff berth, or if you aren’t already eliminated, you need to win. Now.

Quit saving those stashes that will pay off “one day.” Go get the players that can get you the win you need this week. Or get a player just to keep your opponent from getting him and using him to beat you. It’s a cutthroat world out there. If you have to play the waiver wire defensively to get a win at playoff time, so be it.

Hopefully, you got KJ Osborn. If not, here are some suggestions on who to start and who to sit this week:

QB:

Start:

Taysom Hill, Saints: No, he isn’t a very good passer and he probably isn’t an NFL-caliber starting quarterback. But he’s going to give you some points with his legs and the opponent this week is the New York Jets. You won’t want to ride with him all the time, but you can ride with him this week.

Sit:

Justin Fields, Bears: He’s got sore ribs and the Packers have been playing strong defense. Hopefully, you have better options.

RB:

Start:

Javonte Williams, Broncos: Last week, Williams finally got a full workload and he delivered with 178 total yards and a touchdown. Melvin Gordon may be back this week, but Williams has earned 1a treatment at the very least and the opponent this week is the Lions. Giddy up.

Jeff Wilson, Jr., 49ers: Kyle Shanahan loves to run the ball and his outside zone scheme is RB friendly. Elijah Mitchell is out this week and Wilson, who has delivered in a pinch before, is the next man up. Don’t overthink this.

Sit:

Darrell Henderson, Rams: He missed last week with a quad injury and backup Sony Michel erupted for 121 yards and a touchdown. Rams coach Sean McVay has since said that Michel has earned a larger role. We don’t know what the split in this backfield is going to look like this week against a decent Cardinals defense even if Henderson is healthy. Hopefully, you have enough options to avoid this Monday night headache.

WR:

Start:

Mike Williams, Chargers: Williams looked like a league-winner early in the season, but has cooled off considerably from midseason on. With target hog Keenan Allen out this week on the COVID list, however, it’s a prime spot for Williams to eat again. While he’s considered a close contact of Allen, he’s been testing negative so he should be good to go; keep an eye on him in case that changes, however.

Tee Higgins, Bengals: Ja’Marr Chase has cooled off and Higgins has fired up to fill the void, exploding for more than 100 yards and a score in each of the last two weeks. Ride the wave.

Sit:

Russell Gage, Falcons: Gage has become the Falcons de facto WR1 in Calvin Ridley’s absence, putting up 130 yards last week. But the last time the Falcons faced Carolina, the Panthers stuck Stephon Gilmore to tight end Kyle Pitts. This time, it seems like they’d shift him onto Gage.

Allen Robinson, Bears: Yes, you may be excited that he’s playing this week, but he still hasn’t given you a single usable fantasy line all year. Hold your horses there, chief.

TE:

Start Travis Kelce, George Kittle and Mark Andrews. If you don’t have one of those three, you’re on your own. Godspeed and good luck.

Categories: Fantasy Football