Sony Michel was a huge reason the New England Patriots won Super Bowl LIII last season. Is the running back hitting his stride heading into the postseason?
Even though the New England Patriots have won the AFC East yet again, they still have a ton to play for on Sunday afternoon when they host the division-rival Miami Dolphins in their regular-season finale. New England will earn a first-round bye in the AFC playoffs should the Patriots take care of business vs. visiting Miami.
Of course, the Patriots will need that if they want to get back to the Super Bowl. In the six times New England has hoisted a Lombardi Trophy, the Patriots have done so as a top-two seed in the AFC. Last year no different, as New England finished the year as the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoff picture behind only the Kansas City Chiefs.
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New England can only do as good as the No. 2 seed this year, as the Baltimore Ravens have already locked up home-field advantage in the AFC. But the Patriots know exactly how to win in January and players like running back Sony Michel are big reasons for that. The Fantasy Footballers agree that Michel’s skill set works best come playoff time.
Because of Michel’s versatility in the New England backfield, the Patriots were able to get back to the Super Bowl and take care of Sean McVay’s Los Angeles Rams in Atlanta. With a familiar foe at home in Miami, look for Michel to be a huge reason New England is back playing in yet another AFC Championship game.
So for all the reasons mentioned, yes, you should feel comfortable about starting Michel in Week 17 in any fantasy league you play in. This is a game New England absolutely has to have, as the Patriots do not hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Chiefs, the other team vying for a first-round bye in the AFC playoff picture opposite of Baltimore.
Sure, it has been a frustrating year for Michel in fantasy, as he hasn’t been the receiver out of the backfield that many expected he would be as a former first-round pick out of Georgia. That being said, if New England wants to get back to the Super Bowl yet again, Michel will have to take on a bigger and more important role in the Patriots offense going forward.