Good preparation is the key to any successful venture. Fantasy football is no different. Eventually you know that you're going to have to figure out how to survive without some of your star players. While you can't control injuries, you can plan on how to work around the dreaded bye weeks. To help you in that endeavor, we've compiled a handy cheet sheet on which players have potentially favorable matchups based on last season's fantasy points against.
A word of caution: using FPA as a planning tool can be deceiving. Teams change over the course of a season whether through free agency and the draft or with coaching changes. A defense's ranking from last season might not resemble that same unit's fortunes this year. Consider it just one tool in your toolbox when assembling a winning fantasy team.
The replacement players listed are those likely to be available in the late rounds of fantasy drafts or on the waiver wire.
Week 4
Teams:Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles
Players:Eddie Lacy/James Starks, Ryan Mathews/Darren Sproles
Replacement options:Cameron Artis-Payne (at ATL), Lance Dunbar (at SF), Alfred Morris (at SF), Chris Thompson (v. CLE)
Week 5
Teams:Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks
Players:T.J. Yeldon/Chris Ivory, Jamaal Charles/Charcandrick West/Spencer Ware, Mark Ingram/C.J. Spiller, Thomas Rawls/Christine Michael
Replacement options:David Cobb (at MIA), Andre Ellington (at SF), Chris Johnson (at SF), Theo Riddick (v. PHI), Juwan Thompson (v. ATL)
Week 6
Teams:Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Players:Adrian Peterson/Jerick McKinnon, Doug Martin/Charles Sims
Replacement options:Cameron Artis-Payne (at NO), Juwan Thompson (at SD), DeAngelo Williams (at MIA)
Week 7
Teams:Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys
Players:Jonathan Stewart/Cameron Artis-Payne, Darren McFadden/Alfred Morris/Lance Dunbar
Replacement options:Jerick McKinnon (at PHI), Charles Sims (at SF), Spencer Ware/Charcandrick West (v. NO)
Week 8
Teams:Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers
Players:Justin Forsett/Javorius Allen, Todd Gurley, Jay Ajayi, Rashad Jennings/Shane Vereen/Andre Williams, Le'Veon Bell/DeAngelo Williams, Carlos Hyde
Replacement options:David Cobb (v. JAX), Lance Dunbar (v. PHI), Christine Michael (at NO), Darren Sproles (at DAL), James Starks (at ATL), Juwan Thompson (v. SD)
Week 9
Teams:Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans, New England Patriots, Washington
Players:David Johnson/Chris Johnson/Andre Ellington, Jeremy Langford/Ka'Deem Carey, Jeremy Hill/Giovani Bernard, Lamar Miller/Alfred Blue, LeGarrette Blount/Dion Lewis, Matt Jones/Chris Thompson
Replacement options:David Cobb (at SD), Isaiah Crowell (v. DAL), Bilal Powell (at MIA), Charles Sims (v. ATL), C.J. Spiller (at SF), Spencer Ware/Charcandrick West (v. NO)
Week 10
Teams:Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, Oakland Raiders
Players:LeSean McCoy/Karlos Williams, Ameer Abdullah/Theo Riddick, Frank Gore/Ahmad Bradshaw, Latavius Murray
Replacement options:Chris Johnson/Andre Ellington (v. SF), Juwan Thompson (at NO), Darren Sproles (v. ATL), DeAngelo Williams (v. DAL), Charles Sims (v. CHI), Bilal Powell (v. LA)
Week 11
Teams:Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos, New York Jets, San Diego Chargers
Players:Devonta Freeman/Tevin Coleman, C.J. Anderson/Juwan Thompson, Matt Forte/Bilal Powell, Melvin Gordon/Danny Woodhead
Replacement options:LeGarrette Blount (at SF), Cameron Artis-Payne (v. NO), Christine Michael (v. PHI), Javorius Allen (at DAL)
Week 13
Teams:Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans
Players:Duke Johnson/Isaiah Crowell, DeMarco Murray/David Cobb
Replacement options:Javorius Allen (v. MIA), Theo Riddick (at NO), Charles Sims (at SD)
Why wait? CLICK HERE to get your 2016 NFL Fantasy season started.
Marcas Grant is a fantasy football editor for NFL.com. Follow him on Twitter @MarcasG.
