There are all sorts of monsters in this world. You have the fun, playful kind of monsters, such as Mike Wazowski and Sully from “Monsters, Inc.”
Then there are somewhat scary, metaphoric monsters like the ones who live inside the head of Phish guitarist and lead vocalist Trey Anastasio.
There also are mythical monsters such as Bigfoot and the sea-serpent found in Loch Ness, and an array of super-scary monsters like Pennywise, Pinhead or even Dr. Frankenstein’s creation.
But is there a worse monster in this realm than a fantasy football commissioner who makes you play through the end of Week 18?
Probably not.
Yet we find ourselves face-to-face with these demons and need to figure out who is worthy of a spot in your starting lineup one more time.
Obviously, you are looking for players who have something to play for this week.
There are playoff implications in a number of games, but we all know that money drives the bus.
Several players have statistical milestones and contract incentives that will trigger some serious cash bonuses if they are reached, and those are players in whom we want to be invested.
The player everyone knows about is Mike Evans for the Buccaneers.
With five more receptions and 85 more receiving yards, he will earn another $3 million, and neither he nor Baker Mayfield have been shy about discussing it.
But there are some more under-the-radar targets you want to use.
Though the Titans are out of playoff contention, running back Tony Pollard needs 83 more rushing yards to reach 1,000 on the season and trigger a $250,000 bonus.
Another two touchdowns will mean another $200K.
With Tyjae Spears out with a concussion, Pollard should remain the lead back against a Houston team that likely will be resting its starters by the second half.
If a collection of your starters are being benched or you’re looking for a DFS dart-throw, Marquez Valdes-Scantling needs just one touchdown catch to earn $250K.
His targets are minimal, but we’ve seen him produce in the past, and now he faces a Buccaneers team that continues to struggle in pass-coverage.
Betting on the NFL?
The expression to hold near and dear this week is to “follow the money.” If you need to find players to round out your roster, figure out who has the most attainable incentives.
To fight these monsters who make you play in Week 18, an army of Benjamins will be your best bet.
Howard Bender is the head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on X @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to FantasyAlarm.com for all your fantasy football news and advice.
