Another week, another matchup; you know the drill. The fantasy football season is in rhythm, and Fantasy Points has been here supporting new managers in this series the whole way. Week 8 is like any other, right? Sort of, except there are six NFL teams on bye (Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Rams, Las Vegas Raiders, and Seattle Seahawks). It sounds like a big hurdle, but don’t stress — we’ll attack this together like always.
But if this is your first visit, here’s the lowdown: Each week, we’ll talk through the five most important things to be aware of for the NFL week ahead and how it matters for fantasy football in a straightforward, teachable way. My goal is for you to elevate from beginner status to being a top-notch team manager who can win a championship.
Last week’s edition spoke to folks whose teams are struggling to stay afloat right now. If that’s reflective of your situation, go back and check that piece out. There’s tons of great advice in there. Entering Week 8, it’s time to focus on what to do with a playoff-bound roster. Let’s cook:
Thing #1: How To Manage A Winning Roster
If you’ve made it to this point with a positive record, or even an undefeated streak, kudos! That’s a wonderful feat. But let’s not turn this into another Adonai Mitchell situation; never spike the football before reaching the end zone. Our goal now is to make sure the winning ways continue. Here are some core tenets to follow for maintaining a winning squad:
Don’t deviate from what’s working: When was the last time you heard of a profitable business throwing out its entire model when sales are through the roof? Being in the playoff hunt means, at least to some degree, that the approach you’ve applied is successful. Feeling invincible and taking dramatic swings will only lead to mistakes.
Look for upgrade opportunities: The concept of roster consolidation from last week applies to contenders as well. Any two-for-one bundle deals you can conjure to stack the bench with high-end depth are worth exploring. A champion doesn’t need flex-level maybes in case of emergency. Break glass knowing there’s production waiting for you.
Stash quality handcuff running backs: Fantasy managers have already seen backups, like Rachaad White, become relevant due to starters being hurt this year. There’ll be more injuries to come in 2025, and rostering high-upside replacements is essential for when you-know-what hits the fan. Prime example: Atlanta Falcons back Tyler Allgeier (36.6% ESPN rostership, 42% Yahoo rostership) shouldn’t be this widely available. He’s a league-winner if anything happens to Bijan Robinson (knock on wood).
Some of this is recycled info, and there’s obviously a lot more that goes into sustaining victory, but a little reinforcement never hurt anyone. Plus, we’ve got plenty of time to get into more granular tidbits in the following sections and future entries. It’s a damn good thing we publish this column weekly, ain’t it? Just stay alert and even-keeled — slow and steady wins the race.
Thing #2: How To Manage A Winning Bench
A lot of championship-level success comes from keeping a good bench. Our last section covered a little bit on that, and Week 6’s guide serves as an excellent touchstone for broader philosophy surrounding depth management. But beyond the procedural aspect(s) of reserve maintenance, it’s crucial to understand the purpose of a bench at this time of year.
What you don’t need are any unnecessary redundancies. A contending team doesn’t require a second quarterback or tight end if its regular starter is producing well. Unless there’s a truly compelling reason to deviate from a lineup stalwart at a onesie position, stand firm. Those positions don’t need “depth” like running back or wide receiver.
The exceptions to that rule, however, are bye week fillers. Five out of the next six weeks will also leave managers without key players due to scheduled absences. Here’s a handy chart with all upcoming byes and the teams affected through the end of the 2025 season:
| BYE WEEK | NFL TEAMS AFFECTED |
| Week 9 | Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| Week 10 | Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, Tennessee Titans |
| Week 11 | Indianapolis Colts, New Orleans Saints |
| Week 12 | Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers, Miami Dolphins, Washington Commanders |
| Week 13 | (none) |
| Week 14 | Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers |
Seek necessary replacements for your impact starters now. If you’ve been churning the end of your bench properly, there’s definitely space for at least a couple of forward-thinking stashes. Don’t get caught scrambling with your pants down. A lack of preparedness leads to Ls.
Lastly, look to acquire injured players with regular roles when healthy who may be returning soon. For example, Tampa Bay Buccaneers wideout Chris Godwin Jr. has been out since Week 6 with a fibula injury. He’ll likely be an impact piece again following the Bucs’ Week 9 rest period, so add the vet and immediately place him in an IR spot; it’s a free way to leverage upside while keeping an open roster space. Always exploit every legal option to gain value.
Thing #3: Set Injury Contingency Plans
Yeah, those last couple of sections leave a lot to digest. We’ll keep the rest of this exercise a little bit lighter so as not to overload anyone. Let’s quickly address a more specific bench strategy that folks can use to manipulate time (but not in a cool The Matrix-style way, sadly).
Available spots through bench-churning can be used to hold potential last-minute replacements for injured starters listed as questionable. Say you have a guy considered as a game-time decision in the late 4 p.m. ET window. Having a pivot in a parallel contest on the same slate buys additional wait time for final word on your injured star. It’s a real-time backup system.
Always think critically about when games kick off. The flex position, when used tactically, is a dangerous weapon. Keep the ailing player in question docked there in your lineup, and be ready to make a swap if bad news arises. These small moves lead to big upside if executed properly.
Thing #4: The Dangers of Lineup Tinkering
For as smart as these approaches can be in practice, it’s also vital that managers don’t overthink every lineup move. Not every micro-edge needs to be in mind at every waking moment. The risk you run by thinking too much is colloquially known as analysis paralysis, which is a mental state of being so overwhelmed by different information to the point of anxiety.
People don’t make the best choices when their brains are bombarded. It’s best to view these adages and heuristics as tools in a tool belt. Unless you really need to use a screwdriver, don’t hold it in your hand during an unrelated task. Most lessons in this series are only applicable in specific situations; the bulk of winning stems from basic routine execution.
Thing #5: Keep Having Fun Playing Fantasy Football
Ultimately, this game is supposed to be enjoyable. Never lose sight of the fact that you’re playing fantasy football because it’s a fun thing to do. Getting bogged down by numbers and little tricks to flip a W will make this experience more of a chore than a hobby, and what adult human being needs more daily chores to attend to? Only play if you really want to.
Plus, it’s okay to hone your process and elevate your skills slowly. Again, there’s a reason this series is weekly and not some one-shot, 200-page manifesto on exactly how to play fantasy football. Such a document would’ve been more helpful in August than right now anyway.
Deep breaths, chin up, and keep it groovy, my friends. Savor the championship journey as much as possible. Best of luck in Week 8 — you got this!
