Ask the Expert Question: Holdouts and/or contract situations have seemingly impacted the seasons of several big-name players. Do you believe fantasy coaches should try to avoid such players in the future?

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Holdouts and/or contract situations have seemingly impacted the seasons of several big-name players. Do you believe fantasy coaches should try to avoid such players in the future?

Avoid...never; downgrade in your rankings...by all means. I never dismiss a player out of hand simply because of a holdout or contract dispute. I do expect them to have issues getting back to speed. I do expect them to have a greater chance of injury depending on their own workouts and duration of the holdout. But I adjust my rankings/projections to account for this fact. Then if they are a value play due to the position I can draft them, I may draft them. But I never cross anyone off my draft rankings before draft day unless they are out for the season. I have never met a player I would not draft in the right spot.



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Sam Hendricks is the author of Fantasy Football Guidebook, Fantasy Football Tips, Fantasy Football Basics and Fantasy Football Almanac 2011, all available at his website, http://www.ffguidebook.com/, at all major bookstores, and at http://www.amazon.com/. He is a 20-year fantasy football veteran who regularly participates in the World Championship of Fantasy Football (WCOFF), National Fantasy Football Championship (NFFC) and finished 7th and 16th overall (out of 228 top players) in the 2008 and 2009 Fantasy Football Players Championship (FFPC).

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