12 Moves to Turn Your Losing Fantasy Team Around

Here's the situation: Your fantasy team is bad, maybe even terrible. Injuries may be dragging your team down as you sit and watch your depleted roster struggle without your first round pick, Jamaal Charles. Andre Johnson missing has you starting Antonio Brown, who is chalking up maybe three points a game.

I've been there, and the bottom line is that you need to make some moves to get back to the top, or at the very least, get yourself a win or two. It's often tough to figure out where to start, and there are a lot of ins and outs that need to be taken into account, such as strength of schedule, player trends, injury history and a whole lot more.

Here, you can get a start towards rebuilding your struggling fantasy squad.

Carson Palmer

I know he's been on the couch for months now. I also know he'll probably be your starting quarterback in three weeks. If he's still available in waivers, don't hesitate and pick this man up if you need to fill that quarterback slot. There is no way around saying that he was a bonafide stud in Cincinnati. He's been in need of a fresh start for a while, and now that he has one, he's sure to be a stud again.

With Heyward-Bey and surprising rookie Denarius Moore at his disposal, Palmer will be good for a few big plays a game, and maybe a touchdown or two. If you're looking for a solid 15-plus points per game from your QB, this is your guy. McFadden is the star of the offense, but Palmer will certainly make his presence felt.

Jackie Battle

Take a chance on this guy.

If you were one of the unfortunate managers who drafted Jamaal Charles, this is your replacement, and his.

Battle proved his worth two weeks ago, running for 119 yards on 19 carries. Granted, it was against the Colts who shouldn't really even be considered a defense, but why not gamble? If you're starting a James Starks or Shonn Greene, or anyone else who has been floundering under fantasy expectations this season, then give Battle the start, or at least pick him up and keep him on your bench while you wait and see how he develops.

He chalked up roughly 14 points last week without getting into the endzone, which is good for over 140 yards total. He matches up against an Oakland defense who has given up the third most fantasy points to backs this season.

The good news for you is that you don't have to really worry about someone stealing his carries either. Thomas Jones has been so bad he might get five touches all game, and McCluster has fumbled so consistently I'm wondering if he has a fumbling clause in his contract that grants him two per game.

Battle will get the carries this week, and the matchup isn't all that bad. If you're sitting at 1-5, 2-4 or unfortunately 0-6, why not roll the dice on him?

Curtis Painter

Peyton Manning's replacement isn't going to win the Colts games, but he can win your fantasy team games. He hardly throws any interceptions, and he's made a knack for big plays with Pierre Garcon in his three games as the starting quarterback. He struggled against Cincinnati's stingy defense, but delivered two 17-plus point games in his first two starts.

If you're looking for a QB for a bye week or if you just traded your Tony Romo for a Frank Gore and don't have a man for the job, look no further than Painter, who is probably available in waivers.

Trade Your First Round Pick

If you're reading this, your first round pick isn't helping your team win.

Sure, he's probably getting you your most points per game, but the bottom line is that you're not winning. Trade him for all you can get.

The good thing with first round draft picks is that people are foaming at the mouth for them. The second you say Adrian Peterson or Michael Vick is on the block, you'll start getting offers. You need to make the best of those offers.

It's completely possible to get a No. 1 receiver, a No. 2 back and a decent QB just for a Michael Vick and your No. 2 back. It's better to hoard depth than just sit back and pray that one player delivers you the victory.

Stay Away from Time Shares

It can be tempting to go with a speedster back like DeAngelo Williams.

Know this, though. If he isn't tearing off a 35-yard touchdown, then Jonathan Stewart, the bigger and more powerful runner of the two, will get more goal line carries if rookie QB Cam Newton doesn't run it in himself.

The problem with a back that is part of a "time share" is that he's not getting as many carries as full time backs, and there is also the possibility that the other back could eventually just take over. If your team is struggling, it makes no sense to go after the guy who gets a significantly less amount carries than the other guy you're considering, just because he's splitting time.

Take a Chance on a Running QB

If you manage a team in need of a quarterback, why not go with a dual threat? Guys like Josh Freeman, Cam Newton, Tim Tebow and even a healthy Tavaris Jackson can be worth a look. They'll throw some touchdowns and pick up an additional 30 yards on the ground that Curtis Painter or Alex Smith won't get you. They're also good for a rushing score every now and again (or in Newton's and Tebow's case, frequently), which is six points that your average quarterback won't deliver.

Don't Start Only Big Play Wide Receivers

It's a high-risk, high-reward scenario. The issue is that the risk is much greater than the reward if you start a guy like Torrey Smith on the Baltimore Ravens. Sure, there's a chance he could light it up for three touchdowns and 100-plus yards again, but I'll bet he won't.

Smith didn't follow his spectacular performance with anything amazing. In fact, he followed it up with a performance that featured him snagging one reception for a grand total of one yard. It's better, safer and more consistent to start your younger possession receivers who still have big play capability, like a healthy Julio Jones or an AJ Green.

Don't Be Afraid of Rookies

There is a reputation that rookies are inconsistent and always struggle. That isn't necessarily true. Everyone is going to have a bad game, but Cam Newton's rookie experience isn't going to make him a worse start than Matthew Stafford. In fact, he's a better start.

Look no further than guys like AJ Green, Denarius Moore and Julio Jones (when healthy) who are performing for their team. The bottom line is this: If a rookie is producing, don't shy away from starting him because you're scared of inconsistency.

Look for the Random Receiver

Find the random receiver.

There is always a receiver who no one has ever heard of who is producing at a pretty consistent rate. Don't hesitate to pick him up in waivers and give him the start.

Guys like Eric Decker, Doug Baldwin and Nate Washington have essentially emerged from the dust and become consistently targeted receivers.

If you've never heard of any of these three players, then the first thing you should do is check and see if they're available on waivers. Chances are, your league-mates might not know who they are either.

Don't Trade Just Because of Bye Weeks

If you have two running backs that share the same bye week, don't trade one for another that isn't as good just because of that.

The same goes for backups. If you have a backup that you really like and think might break out, don't give up on him because he has the same bye week as Fred Jackson or Darren McFadden. You can always release a scrub for a decent waiver pickup that'll fill that bye week slot fine while you hold on to that player that might just burst onto the scene and become one of your two starting backs.

Pick Kickers Based on Team's Offense, Not off of Their Leg

The kicker is the most expendable position in fantasy football. There is always another one out there in waivers, so it's hard to ever commit to one (unless you have Sebastian Janikowski).

The best way to find a kicker that you can commit to is to look at how talented a team's offense is. Some offenses score too many touchdowns; some don't advance the ball enough. You have to find the teams that struggle to convert in the redzone.

Dan Bailey of the Cowboys isn't a bad bet after he canned six field goals against the Redskins, as the Cowboys continuously failed to break the planes.