This weekend I noticed something wrong with one of my cat’s eyes so I had to take him to the vet on Monday. Nitro was diagnosed with something called Horner’s Syndrome, a neurological issue. As the vet was examining him, the Assistant was patiently holding my kitten, trying to comfort Nitro.
When the Assitant’s job was done, I stopped talking to the vet to tell her, “Thank you.” I was surprised by her amazement that I and acknowledged her. As I reflected the day, I thought about how meaningful acknowledgement is, especially to those performing the work out of the spotlight. Their contribution may be undervalued or taken for granted, but most times worthy of recognition.
In Fantasy sports, the players not in the spotlight make significant contributions towards the success of the players t we draft. It took me a couple of seasons of playing Fantasy Football to look deeper than the player stats. I had to learn to look at the big picture. Offensive line players are very important for both QB’s and RB’s, but are oftenoverlooked. Similarly, injuries to the offensive line can have a big impact. Andrew Luck was a good lesson for me. He is a great QB; however, he really needs a decent line to protect him.
Goalies in both soccer and hockey are supported by their defense and offense. Even if a goalie has a high Save 
Percentage, the defense is needed to keep the number of shots low helping the Goals Against Average (GAA).
On the other hand, a goalie with a lower Save Percentage supported by an elite defense, can have fantasy value. The offense is important for the win points. Even if the GAA is low and the Save Percentage is high, the goalie doesn’t get a win if the offense doesn’t score. Both Jake Allen and Robin Lehner have a .906 save percentage thus far this season. However, Allen has 111.8 points compared to Lehner’s 76. One difference is the GAA – Allen’s GAA is 2.75; Lehner’s GAA is 2.93. The telling difference is the number of wins. Allen has 14 wins; whereas, Lehner only has 6. Goalies gain the most points from wins. So that offensive supporting cast is very important.
Baseball pitchers are similar to goalies. They need batters to score to get the wins. So, when evaluating pitchers, it’s worth a look into the hurler’s offensive support squad. Since pitchers have more of a role in controlling the game than goalies, they are not as reliant on defense. The defense is still important (think Cody Bellinger’s error in the World Series).
On the flip, homerun hitters do better with a supporting cast also. They need good hitters around them in the batting order, for a power hitter cannot hit a homerun if the opposition pitches around the batter. For example, iIt was frustrating for Bryce Harper owners in 2016 when the Cubs walked him 13 times over a four-game series. Harper actually got six free passes in one game, becoming the first player in 100 years to make it on base seven times without recording an at-bat. 2017, however, was different, as Harper was supported by Trea Turner, Daniel Murphy and Ryan Zimmerman, jumping his slugging percentage went .441 in 2016 to .595 in 2017.
It takes a little more time to appreciate the players who aren’t always in the spotlight. Looking at the bigger picture can help improve player assessments and decisions for drafting and roster lineups. Support and role players contributions may seem small but their contributions are a big part of the game.
And, there is a reason Adrian Peterson gave his O-line snowmobiles; Joe Montana gave his O-line, offensive coordinator and offensive line coordinator Rolex Presidential watches; and, Tom Brady gave his supporting cast Audi Q7s.
Those guys all know who helps them stay healthy and successful.
Follow Elaine @Elaine_Speaks.
