Fantasy Football: With Playoffs Coming Soon, Stick With What Got You This Far

December has arrived, which can mean only one thing.

No, not a month full of cheerful holiday music. Not a month full of impressively irrelevant bowl games. With December comes something almost as enjoyable as that beloved morning awaiting us in three weeks: the fantasy football playoffs.

Those who drafted Ryan Grant and Tony Romo and let fantasy dreams fall apart faster than they could say “broken clavicle” need not read more. This is, however, geared to those proactive on the waiver wire, owners who have ended up in playoff contention thanks to the likes of Arian Foster and Michael Vick.

Owners of waiver wire studs such as Foster and Vick often fall into a late season trap and think that one acquisition all of a sudden turns them into King Midas. “Sure,” they say, “my team might be 9-3, but I can definitely get a few extra points from my second wide receiver.” Now, after three months of starting said receiver and receiving key contributions to a team in first place, the greedy owner is scouring the waiver wire every day trying to piece together favorable matchups.

Sure, a receiver on a team who spends the fantasy playoffs (Weeks 15 and 16 in most leagues) playing indoors might sound better than one who will play two outdoor games in cold weather cities, but at this point in the season why change what’s been working? If Jeremy Maclin and Anquan Boldin have gotten you this far, then why drop everything and risk everything just to see if Danny Amendola can have a couple big games?

The bottom line is this: if a player has put up strong fantasy numbers from September through November, enjoy it, and don’t think you are smarter than everybody else by making radical roster moves. After all, if someone has languished in your league’s free agent pool all season, there is probably a reason behind it.

If you end up in the playoffs, go to bat with the same team that got you there. After all, win or lose, at least you will have given it your best shot. And it will all be over in time to celebrate Christmas night, which incidentally happens to be the Sunday of Week 16.