Deciding who you should start from your fantasy football team on a week to week basis can be a migraine-inducing game of switching back and forth. One of the best ways to make a choice is by playing the match-ups. There are a few easy to remember steps that will help ensure that you make the choice that will benefit you the most in the long run. Nothing can predict the future regarding what players will perform the best week to week, but by gathering the most information and abiding by this idea you hopefully won’t have too many “I should have started with…” weeks.

The easiest way to choose one player over another is to simply look at their opponent. If you have a quarterback playing a tough defense and your back up is playing a terrible one, you might want to slide the other one in. Sometimes it is better to look more in-depth at these and not just the overall defensive numbers. Some defenses have very big issues in one level or another and this is often overlooked in fantasy football. Always look through the season stats and see where the defense’s strengths and weaknesses lie. Just keep in mind that it is not always about who is playing the team with the worst record, but rather who is playing easier match ups.

If you have a wide receiver playing a really bad team that they are supposed to beat convincingly, he may not have as many opportunities for producing as the player who is playing a more challenging opponent. Conversely, if you have a good wide receiver on a bad team playing a good opponent, it might be a good play to start him. The team may be down big and early and have to give up on the running game. This will lead for far more opportunities for the wide receiver to make some plays. Remember coaches don’t feel your fantasy football team is all that important

A similar strategy goes into selecting running backs. If a running back is playing a good team or a team that they might not beat as a whole they might have to abandon the running game early and try to score through the air. However, if they get a solid lead they’ll want run the ball more often to eat the clock and get the game over as soon as possible to avoid injuries. If you are torn on what running backs to start or who to put in your flex spot, I always go for my best running back who has a challenging but winnable match up. As always however, always account for the team defenses.

This is just one of the many strategies that fantasy football owners utilize on a weekly basis. Sometimes you just need to think a little deeper and look at the numbers to make a sound choice. Remember, it’s not all about the names on the back. It’s how they can help you win.