Tyler Paper staff writer Chris Parry (Sarah A. Miller/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

I have never claimed to be an expert on fantasy football, but in my 20-plus years of enjoying this yearly obsession, there is one thing I have learned to be true: Those who stay still in fantasy football waters are going to sink.

If you do not make moves, relying on the team you draft, you will lose. I am sure there is always an exception, but 99.9 percent of the time, the team that stays put with the squad the owner drafted (unless it’s a best-ball league, which doesn’t allow transactions) is not going to win the trophy.

There are just too many variables now in professional football that must be addressed on a weekly basis: injuries, bye weeks, players not living up to perceived potential and coaching systems and decisions holding players back.

Remember, NFL coaches and players DO NOT CARE about your fantasy teams. Their job is to win the game, period.

So, every year I introduce the ABW rule to fantasy owners. The letters A, B and W are a moniker for Always Be Working.

I kind of grabbed it from a line by Alec Baldwin’s character in the movie “Glengarry Glen Ross.” He is trying to inspire his salespeople and writes on the chalkboard ABC – Always Be Closing.

For fantasy, I challenge owners to ABW – Always Be Working.

That means every Tuesday, you need to look at your roster and make necessary add/drops or go to the trade block and see if there are options to make your team better.

Think about the owner who picked No. 1 this season in their snake draft. I guarantee those owners have already put ABW to use because of the near season-ending loss of their No. 1 pick, Arizona running back David Johnson.

Fantasy football is not a “set your lineup at the beginning of the year and forget it” kind of deal.

If you prescribe to that strategy, you will lose.

Two weeks into the season is a good team to start assessing your roster, although I do it after each game (I am obsessed with ABW, and it’s a reason why my teams usually make the playoffs), and see what tweaks can be made.

If I had these five players in my starting lineup, I would seriously consider putting them on the trading block and seeing what you can get. You don’t have to trade them, but just work with other owners and see what happens.

1. Odell Beckham, WR, N.Y. Giants

2. Brandin Cooks, WR, New England

3. Dez Bryant, WR, Dallas

4. Todd Gurley, RB, Los Angeles Rams

5. Jason Witten, TE, Dallas

 

OK, so how did I come up with these five names? The first two are for underperformance or not living up to perceived potential. Now, this can be a good thing or bad. It means you might need to cut bait, but it also means you would be selling these assets at a low value.

That brings me the next three. Bryant is not setting the world on fire, but he has 25 targets through two games, and you can point that out to whomever you are trying to trade with. Gurley is ranked No. 2 at running back through two weeks and that is the highest he will be for the rest of the season, so sell now while he is at the highest value. The same goes for Witten, who leads all tight ends in points for PPR scoring. He will finish around 12-15 on the list, so see what you can get for him.

But there is more than just trading to improve your roster.

Be mindful of the waiver wire and pay attention to teams’ depth charts. For instance, this week you could pick up Washington Redskins backup running back Samaje Perine, who will get plenty of carries now that starter Rob Kelley is dealing with an injury.

Do not sit still or you will sink. Fantasy football champions are always trying to improve their rosters. Remember to ABW, and you will succeed.

 

PLAYERS TO THINK ABOUT STARTING IN WEEK 3

(Each week, I will provide some players to consider based on matchups). These are not the normal plug in and forget it kind of guys, but players who should be able to take advantage of a good matchup. Reminder: These plays are for point-per-reception leagues).

 

RECEIVERS

Ricardo Louis, Cleveland (at Indianapolis) – All of the talk this week is to run to waiver wires and grab Rashard Higgins after the injury to starter Corey Coleman, but Higgins doesn’t play Coleman’s position, Louis does. The Colts have been very nice to opposing wide receivers. Through two games, Indianapolis is allowing an average of 13 catches for receivers for almost 220 yards. Prediction: 4 catches for 52 yards, TD

Devin Funchess, Carolina (vs. New Orleans) – You don’t just want to say play whichever No. 2 receiver faces the Saints each week, but the numbers say go for it. In week 1, Minnesota’s No. 2 Adam Thielen went for 9 catches and 157 yards. Last week, New England’s No. 2 Chris Hogan went for 5 catches for 78 yards and a TD. Funchess is Carolina’s No. 2 receiver. Prediction: 6 catches for 76 yards

 

RUNNING BACKS

Chris Johnson, Arizona (vs. Dallas) – The Cowboys were sliced up last week by C.J. Anderson and Johnson is a similar bruising back that could cause Dallas problems. Prediction: 75 yards rushing, TD; 2 catches for 16 yards

Theo Riddick, Detroit (vs. Atlanta) – The Falcons have allowed two receiving touchdowns in two games. That is Riddick’s specialty. Prediction: 5 catches for 61 yards, TD

 

TIGHT ENDS

Jack Doyle, Indianapolis (vs. Cleveland) – Cleveland struggles to cover the tight end seemingly every season, so this matchup must be exploited. Doyle caught eight passes for 79 yards last week. I see at least that against the Browns. Prediction: 8 catches for 110 yards, TD

 

HOW DID I DO LAST WEEK?

WR Randall Cobb – 6 catches for 60 yards before getting injured. Prediction: 7 catches for 80 yards. He would’ve got that without the injury. That’s a win for me.

WR Jermaine Kearse – 5 catches for 64 yards and 2 touchdowns. Prediction: 8 catches for 100 yards, TD. Okay, not on the yards, but nailed the overall production.

RB Alvin Kamara – 3 catches for 51 yards, 3 yards rushing. Prediction: 5 catches for 50 yards, TD; 3 carries for 37 yards. A bit of a head scratcher as to why New Orleans did not feature Kamara more.

RB Andre Ellington – 2 rushes for 11 yards; 3 catches for 12 yards. Prediction: 9 catches for 77 yards, 2 carries for 10 years. This was a negative on the prediction.

TE Tyler Higbee – My biggest miss of last week. The matchup was there, but Higbee did not register a reception. I predicted 50 yards and a TD, which was not even close.

 

Good Luck In Week 3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chris Parry is a staff writer for the Tyler Morning Telegraph and has been an avid fantasy football player for decades. His fantasy football column appears each Thursday. To contact him, email to cparry@tylerpaper.com or tweet to @CParryETFS