Fantasy football managers overthink just about everything. They often need a calm, measured voice of reason to remind them of what makes sense. Don’t be afraid. Take a deep breath. Make practical decisions on lineups, trades and foods for the tailgating party, and things will work out. Try to enjoy the ride. You would not believe the things fantasy managers overthink. Well, you are (presumably) a fantasy manager. OK, so perhaps you would.

Don’t … force WR A.J. Brown into playoff lineups

The Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver is one of the most talented in the NFL, and we generally treat him as a WR1 in the rankings. This week, however, Brown and his mates face the cross-state rival Pittsburgh Steelers. These are two exceptional defenses, and Brown might find things more difficult than normal — and things have, obviously, not been normal with him lately — because the Steelers figure to assign the excellent Joey Porter Jr. his way as a coverage shadow. Porter has handled other top receivers this season (CeeDee Lamb, Drake London, Courtland Sutton).

Normally when a receiver says something controversial, as Brown did after the Eagles barely topped the Carolina Panthers in Week 14 in a game he saw a mere four targets, the offense looks to appease him the following week, overcompensating with early attention. It happens all the time with diva receivers — or at least it seems that way. However, I don’t think Brown is a diva. He just wants to win, and what he pointed out is obvious. This has become a run-based offense. Do not expect QB Jalen Hurts to force the football to Brown this week. This is why we rank Brown as barely a WR2 option. Not because of some silly, misunderstood controversy — a non-story.

Of course, controversy sells, and everyone wants to overreact to those making comments. If the Eagles were facing the Panthers this week, Brown would be — as he was last week — expected to be among the top WRs. Hurts isn’t deliberately avoiding Brown. He’s deliberately not throwing as much for the good of the team. Hurts attempted 30 or more passes each of the first four weeks of the season. He threw four interceptions, and the Eagles went 2-2. Since then, Hurts hasn’t attempted 30 passes in any game. The Eagles have won nine games in a row, with Hurts throwing only one interception. Brown scored 19.9 PPR points over the past two games total. Hurts ranks 21st in pass attempts.

Brown seems likely to return to WR1 status for Week 16 against the Washington Commanders, even though that defense is roughly middle of the pack in permitting fantasy points to QBs and WRs. Don’t assume Brown has a lower ranking this week than typical because he and Hurts aren’t pals anymore, if that is even true. What is this, kindergarten? The Eagles rely more on MVP candidate Saquon Barkley, as they should! It’s OK to sit Brown this week for the Minnesota Vikings‘ Jordan Addison, Jacksonville Jaguars‘ Brian Thomas Jr. or myriad others. This is about the numbers, not any comments.

Do … add Sincere McCormick (and others), even for your bench

I participate in a league in which we bid for free agents each week, and while I had little need to covet New York Jets fill-in RB Braelon Allen for Week 14, it was clear my playoff opponent, dealing with injuries and bye weeks, did. Armed with higher funds to bid, I secured Allen and subsequently left him on my bench. This is OK if you are a playoff team, playing the game the right way. It is not OK if you are in 11th place, nowhere near the playoffs. Leave the top free agents for others.

Regardless, playoff fantasy managers should always add suddenly playable options such as Allen, the Las Vegas Raiders‘ Sincere McCormick, Seattle Seahawks RB Zach Charbonnet, Panthers WR Adam Thielen and others so these fellows don’t upend them while activated for other squads. Check your bench and ask yourself the key question: Are you really going to activate Indianapolis Colts WR Josh Downs the rest of the season? How about Cleveland Browns QB Jameis Winston or any of the running backs for the Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers or Denver Broncos? If not, get the top free agents instead. You might need them in a week.

Allen and McCormick are the most-added players in ESPN standard leagues this week (so far), and they should be. Allen needs Breece Hall (knee) to sit to make him viable, but even if Hall does sit, it doesn’t mean you have to place Allen in your lineup. Same with McCormick, who averages 5.5 yards per rush this season and is starting Monday night against the Atlanta Falcons. It might not be enough to trust him over more established running backs, but it certainly is enough to make sure he doesn’t score significant fantasy points against your team.

Don’t … be surprised when Ja’Marr Chase is the top 2025 pick

The Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver is delivering an outstanding season, producing more than 40 PPR points in three games (including Week 14) and posting an average of 24.4 points per game. For perspective, Dallas Cowboys star CeeDee Lamb led all receivers last season with 403.2 PPR points, or 23.7 per game. Chase, meanwhile, averaged 16.4 points per game. Chase is achieving these huge numbers despite starting slowly, scoring 19.7 combined points in the first two games and with fellow WR Tee Higgins having missed five full games, including the first two in which Chase underperformed.

As noted by colleague Tristan H. Cockcroft, Chase is the most popular player on ESPN playoff rosters, and QB Joe Burrow, RB Chase Brown and Higgins also made the top 50. This offense is thriving, and it should continue this week against the Tennessee Titans and in Week 16 against the Browns. We will worry about the Broncos and Steelers in the final two weeks later!

San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey was the top pick in nearly all drafts, and for good reason. He simply needed to remain healthy, but he didn’t do that. While I did rank McCaffrey first — we all did — my teams with the No. 1 pick did not have great seasons. It is a lot to overcome. I typically prefer a later pick in Round 1, combined with the early pick in Round 2. Why? Wide receivers are safer. They tend to be more consistent for production and health. Not all the top receivers from draft day dominated this season (Tyreek Hill, Chris Olave, Marvin Harrison Jr., etc), but it looks a whole lot better than running back (McCaffrey, Hall, Jonathan Taylor, Travis Etienne Jr.).

Chase over Saquon Barkley next season? I sure am leaning that way. As for the No. 3 pick, well, we still have a month left of this season, but the Falcons’ Bijan Robinson and Vikings’ Justin Jefferson are in the conversation!

Do … consider Aaron Rodgers — for this week only

Beleaguered Jets QB Rodgers threw for 339 yards against the Miami Dolphins in Week 14, the first time he had surpassed 300 yards since, well, about the Clinton administration. We shouldn’t unilaterally trust that Rodgers, 41, is suddenly a reliable fantasy quarterback. However, the Jets face the Jaguars on Sunday. Only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers permit more fantasy points to QBs than the Jaguars, and only three defenses permit more points to WRs. Don’t play Rodgers in Week 16 or 17, regardless of how he performs versus the Jaguars. This week, he should be fine, though I admit he didn’t approach my top 10.

Jets WRs Garrett Wilson and Davante Adams — or Adams and Wilson, depending on weekly guesses as to whom will score more points — average 15.3 and 14.8 points per game this season, respectively. They are firmly in the safe WR2 range, and that is how we have ranked them this season, though they got a bump this week. Wilson hasn’t been consistent, but the Jaguars permit a league-high 8.2 yards per attempt. Adams has seen double-digit targets in four of five games. These fellows should be safe for fantasy.

As noted with Philadelphia’s Brown earlier, matchups are critical during playoff time. They matter all season, really, but fantasy managers are mainly guessing about streamers in September. Remember in the preseason when the Browns D/ST went first in most of the ESPN average live drafts? Today, they rank 21st in fantasy points, averaging only 4.8 per game. By December, we know the good and terrible defenses. The Jaguars fall in the latter group. Fantasy managers should take advantage.