Week 13 Waiver Wire Pickups: Expert Advice for Every Fantasy Football Roster

In addition to knowing which players to start/sit or add/drop, there's just general guidance that can also be doled out to help you get into the playoffs and make a deep run.

Who to stick with throughout, which positions not to overlook, and what about matchups?

Well, questions as such will be answered, so here are four solid pieces of advice to help you make more conscientious decisions.

Kickers Are More Important Than Meets the Eye

When playing fantasy football, you don't just want to have a kicker for the sake of having a kicker. The kicking game is astronomically important in real football.

Problem is, it goes overlooked until those waning seconds when a game-winning kick is needed—at least by most fair-weather fans. That being said, in fantasy football, having a solid kicker can be the difference of three-to-five points and 10-15 points.

And no matter how many years you've played fantasy football, think back to all the times you may have lost a close game because the kicker didn't score so much. Or maybe you won because the kicker you had put your team over the top.

We tend to forget the kicking game as there's so many players who start on offense in fantasy. But if you're in the need of a kicker, look for those who attempt a lot of FGs around the 30- to 40-yard range.

Right now, kickers such as Denver's Matt Prater and Kansas City's Ryan Succop may be solid additions despite being this late in the season.

Starting Multiple Players from the Same Offense

Obviously if you have players like Tom Brady and Wes Welker, you're going to start them every week except the bye. But along with them, don't be afraid to start other players from the same team.

For instance, having Cam Newton and Steve Smith is a solid connection as well as Baltimore's Joe Flacco and RB Ray Rice. Having Aaron Rodgers is a big advantage, but can you imagine if you've had Jordy Nelson or even Jermichael Finley as well?

Sure, Rodgers dishes the rock around the clock quite well, but you do a lot more maximizing on points when starting two (or even three) good players from the same offense.

The downside is obviously when one or more has a bad game, so this must be a cautiously approached philosophy. That said, the combination doesn't matter as long as the players have shown to both produce consistently well.

Whether it's one RB and one WR, one QB and one RB, etc...don't be afraid to use this approach, especially if you're still fighting to get into the playoffs.

Going this route is basically "go big or go home," but it gives you a fighting chance nonetheless.

Having Two Defenses

Along the same lines as kickers, you don't just want to start a defense for the sake of having a defense. Also, don't be afraid to start a defense that's susceptible to allowing tons of points.

In that case, the defense has to be one like the Packers who, although they allow points, get INTs and return them for TDs. Additionally, if your league combines special teams returners and defense, well, that just increases your odds of scoring more.

Having two defenses will take away stress while you figure out which offensive players to start. In some ways it helps and makes setting your offensive stating lineup a bit easier.

And if you have two defenses, it assists you in finding the right matchup. You then have the adaptability to figure out which defense will perform better and could potentially score you a lot of points.

So don't limit yourself to having one defense for the year, even if you drop the drafted defense for a different one. Having two defenses can prove to be very beneficial in the long run, as matchups are vital late in the season.

Live by the Sword, Die by the Sword

It's what must be done in real football and what must be done in fake football: Stick to what got you into the playoffs, that is, if you're in the postseason.

The second you try to change everything around can ultimately be the catalyst that destroys the very effort you put in to positioning yourself for a championship opportunity.

Whichever players you have relied on the most to get into the playoffs, they give you the best odds of winning, right? Otherwise, how did you make the postseason?

You still have to look at the matchups, because chances are you haven't started the exact same players every week of the season. However, there will be a select numbers of players who have been carrying your team all along.

After them are your role players, so to speak—guys who've contributed to winning, just not as consistently. Those are the players in which you need to find the best possible matchup.

Follow John Rozum on Twitter @ Sportswriter27