Football injuries are common and can cause your star player to miss a number of games, which can adversely affect their performance. Most leagues offer an Injured Reserve (IR) spot to minimize the impact of injuries on your team.
But what is IR in fantasy football, and how does it work? In this guide, I have discussed why the IR spot is essential when dealing with injuries during the fantasy football season. Something to note about the IR feature is that it is available mainly when playing season-long fantasy football leagues.
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If you are new to fantasy football, you have probably asked, “What is the IR spot in fantasy football?” Well, this feature allows fantasy managers to move an injured player to a reserve list and add a new player to the active roster.
While the Injury Reserve (IR) spot is available in most leagues, the default rules governing this feature often vary. In my recent What is Fantasy Football guide, I noted that various platforms have different guidelines and preferences for handling players, awarding points, and resolving disputes.
More often, the NFL team must place a player on the IR list if they are to be automatically eligible for the fantasy football IR spot. In some leagues, such as Yahoo! and ESPN, players listed as “Out” can be placed on the Injured Reserve spot. Other DFS platforms like Sleeper offer more customization, allowing managers to move even suspended, doubtful, and holdout players to the IR spot.
You do not need an IR spot when playing daily fantasy football on platforms like FanDuel and DraftKings since you can set new lineups for each contest. With DFS platforms, players must monitor injury reports and make informed decisions before drafting players. Here is how the IR spot varies from one fantasy platform to the next.
| Feature | DraftKings | FanDuel | ESPN | Yahoo! | Sleeper |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IR Spot | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Eligibility | N/A | N/A | Out, IR | Out, IR | Out, IR, Suspended, Doubtful, Holdouts, and N/A players. |
| Lineup Change | Before lock | Before lock | Any time | Any time | Any time |
Like any other feature, knowing what use the IR position has in fantasy football is not enough. You must also understand how best to blend it into your overall strategy. Below are tips to enhance your team’s performance and overall success.
Identify players who are temporarily injured but, when healthy, have the potential to make a significant impact upon their return. You want to add these players to your IR spots early since they can easily outperform their current rankings or fill critical roles in your lineup.
To manage your IR spots successfully, you want to closely monitor weekly injury updates and matchups. You can maximize your roster’s productivity by rotating and streaming players based on their current short-term injuries and bye weeks.
Before moving a player into the IR spot, you want to consider their long-term value with respect to your overall fantasy football strategy. If your league uses a PPR scoring system, for example, you may want to prioritize high-volume receivers and running backs or emerging PPR assets. Refer to this guide, “What is PPR in fantasy football?” to learn more about the NFL scoring system.
The Injured Reserve spot in fantasy football has its advantages and disadvantages. Here are some of the pros and cons:
Injuries are common in every field sport, and football, being a high-stakes, high-intensity game, is no exception. The option to replace an injured player and reserve them until they are healthy is a great way to ensure your team remains competitive throughout the season. Use this IR feature whenever necessary to make strategic roster moves.
This is a designated slot on your fantasy team lineup where you can place players who are injured and unable to play for some time.
The IR spot allows fantasy managers to move injured players off the active lineup. This frees up space to add healthy substitutes without necessarily dropping the injured yet valuable players.
When using the FAAB waiver wire strategy to manage your IR spots, a rule of thumb is to acquire high-impact players. You also want to allocate the FAAB funds strategically to consider immediate needs and potential long-term gains.
When you move your star player to the IR spot, you should adjust your starting lineup to ensure critical positions are covered. It is also advisable to keep track of the injured player’s recovery progress so you can plan for their reactivation. This is where daily fantasy sports guides and resources can come in handy.
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