Don't expect Patriots to rest starters
I've received a few emails from fantasy owners worrying that the Patriots would rest their starters in Weeks 16 and 17 if they clinch home-field advantage early, so let's clear this up.
You have very little to worry about. If the Patriots possibly rested starters, it wouldn't be until Week 17 when most fantasy seasons are over. Even then, we shouldn't assume anything. Let's use history as a guide. Here are the three times in which a Bill Belichick Patriots team had nothing to play for in Week 17.
* In 2004, with a bye in hand but no chance at home-field advantage, the Patriots played their starters into the fourth quarter and won at home against San Francisco. They wound up winning the Super Bowl.
* In 2005, without a bye and nothing to play for, the Patriots rested their starters after the first quarter and lost by two points at home to Miami. Matt Cassell overthrew Bam Childress on the game's final play - a two-point conversion attempt. The Patriots wound up losing in the Divisional Round to Denver.
* In 2006, without a bye and nothing to play for, the Patriots played their starters until the start of the fourth quarter, and beat a red-hot Tennessee team, 40-23.
This year, they should have home field advantage locked up going into their Week 17 game. If they are still undefeated, that would provide extra motivation to keep the starters in for roughly three quarters. And as we've seen above, the Patriots don't need extra motivation to play their starters. They want to stay sharp.
The only time they rested people was when they didn't have a bye week, and the Patriots went on to have their ugliest playoff loss of the Belichick era. In 2004, they had a bye in hand, and still played their starters long enough to secure the win.
There is virtually no chance the Patriots will rest players before Week 17, and I would guess that they'll play their starters for as long as it takes to win against the Giants - especially if history is on the line. As most fantasy owners know, three quarters of Brady and Moss is better than a full game of almost anyone else.
Comments
hallelujah!
Brady, ah the cornerstone of my team.
I can almost swear a I signed a deal with the devil when I offered Cutler, Berrian and Santonio Holmes for Mr. Gisele Bundchen in week 1. The devil’s full meal deal included stipulations of many injuries with a side of bad luck.
1. (Before the trade but still a shocking turn of events) Drafted Bush in the 1st rd (PPR league) and Edge in the 2nd.
2. Andre Johnson injured (traded him off for Lee Evans)
4. Trent Green injured (not that it mattered much.....like my buddy says: I got TrentGreened)
5. Garrard injured (dropped and picked up Griese....8....9.....10....Grieser down for the count.)
6. Traded for LJ because of LJ's week 16 game vs DET (couple of weeks later he gets injured and I pick up Priest.....next thing I know....the Priest is Deceased)
7. Trade for Selvin Young (guess what happened to him the next week....u guessed right!)
8. Hackett injured (dropped)
Im still in 1st place in my league at 8-4.....why??? because of Mr. GQ, my savior……
So any presumptions that he wont be benched are like church choirs to my ears.
OG
Posted by: OG | November 28, 2007 4:10 PM
Well lets see. since draft I dropped Norwood, ronnie brown, vernon davis, eagles def, rackers,chambers, deangello williams, mark clayton, kitna, julius jones, dev henderson. I've added heath miller, ryan grant, selv young, ben watson, andre johnson, deion branch, brandon jacobs, kevin jones, colts def, big ben, lee evans. 8 team league, 16 spots, ppr league.
lets just say my coworkers arent very active. [1 trade all season, entire league]. lame, and this is for cash too.
Posted by: Jon Jon Mackey | November 28, 2007 11:26 PM
Who to start:
Earnest Graham or Reggie Bush (PPR league here)?
Eli Manning or Vince Young?
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