Fantasy football is all about decisions. It starts with big-picture decisions – what type of league should I play in, who should I draft? – but it doesn’t stop there. The questions extend into the season, including which players to target on the waiver wire and in trades.

Of course, setting your lineup each week is another dilemma. Most teams will have their locked-in studs, but having a loaded team from top-to-bottom is not very likely. Typically, managers will face decisions on which players to start at their weaker positions each week. That includes what quarterback or tight end to stream and which running back or receiver to use in the flex spot.

Fortunately, the Start/Sit Tool at FantasyLife is completely free to use and available to make your life easier. It allows you to compare a number of different players across multiple categories each week, helping you to make informed decisions.

Let’s dive into everything you need to know to get the most out of this tool.

What is the Start/Sit Tool?

The Start/Sit Tool is available to make your weekly lineup decisions easier to manage. Even the most complete fantasy squads are going to face tough decisions each week when it comes to setting your lineup. Maybe you have a stud receiver in a brutal matchup and are considering benching him for a backup. Maybe you picked up a backup running back who is being thrust into the spotlight. Maybe your starting tight end got hurt and you need to find a replacement on the waiver wire.

The Start/Sit tool is going to provide you with all the information you need to make an informed decision.

You can select all the players that you’re considering for a starting spot, and it will compare them in a number of categories. The most important is how many fantasy points each player is expected to score, and that is presented right at the top using our in-house projections. You can customize the scoring settings to accommodate most leagues, including standard, PPR, 0.5 PPR, and superflex.

NOTE: From time to time our rankings team and projection model have different perspectives on certain players. When that happens, our rankings are weighed higher than our projections. 

If you’re unfamiliar with the difference between the various settings, it typically comes down to how many fantasy points are awarded for a catch and what types of players are eligible at each roster spot:

  • Standard Scoring: zero points awarded for each catch
  • Points Per Reception (PPR): one point awarded for each catch
  • 0.5 PPR: 0.5 points awarded for each catch
  • Superflex: Quarterbacks are eligible for the “superflex” spot in addition to the usual running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends

Regardless of which scoring setting you use, our tool will recommend which player is the best choice for your lineup. You can compare players across multiple positions, so you can compare receivers to running backs and tight ends if you’re looking to fill out a flex spot.

What Else Is Available in the Start/Sit Tool?

In addition to the fantasy projection, you can also compare players across a variety of other categories. The categories available will depend on the player’s position.

Quarterbacks are going to be judged on their passing and running prowess. That will include projections for passing yards, pass attempts, and passing touchdowns, along with rushing yards and rushing touchdowns.

Other positions will focus on rushing and receiving projections. Receivers and tight ends will be evaluated based on projected targets, receptions, receiving yards, and scores, while running backs will be judged on their running and receiving prognostications.

Additionally, you’ll be able to compare the matchups between the selected players.

In each player’s breakdown, you’ll be able to see how their opponent has fared against each position for fantasy purposes. It will also include the Vegas point spread and over/under, both of which can have a huge impact on the game script.

For example, being a large favorite tends to bode well for a between-the-tackles running back. Teams tend to run the ball more when they establish a lead, which produces more opportunities to rack up yards and touchdowns.

Additionally, games that feature high point totals are expected to be high-scoring, which leads to more touchdown opportunities. Regardless of what position you are looking for, games that feature lots of touchdowns are always appealing for fantasy purposes.

Of course, all of that information is already baked into our projections, but it makes it easy to see at a glance if you want to draw your own conclusions.

How Do I Use the Start/Sit Tool?

Using the tool first requires you to narrow down your selections for your roster.

Let’s say that you were building a fantasy lineup for Super Bowl LVII, and you were down to Jerick McKinnonMiles Sanders, and DeVonta Smith for your final spot. At that point, you could enter all three names into the Start/Sit tool to see how the players stack up against each other:

 

Using the tool, you can see that McKinnon is projected for 11.6 points, Sanders is projected for 16.0, and Smith is projected for 16.8. That gives Smith the edge for PPR contests, but for different formats, Sanders would end up getting the nod.

Ultimately, the player that the tool is recommending will be highlighted in blue, along with a “Start Him!” graphic in the upper right corner.

This tool will be updated with our projections and rankings for each week, so it will always be available to help you navigate your toughest decisions.