Know when your favorite team and key fantasy players are on bye this season
Whether you build your draft strategy around them or pretend they don't exist, bye weeks are just as much a part of fantasy football as the waiver wire or setting up your starting lineup each week. As a fantasy GM you have two choices when it comes to bye weeks - pay attention and plan accordingly or simply ignore them and accept the consequences from playing someone who can get you no points.
This season's bye week schedule runs from Week 4 through Week 12. There are only two weeks (8 and 9) with six teams on bye, but either week could turn out to be a pivotal one in your league. For example, in Week 8 alone Arian Foster, Ray Rice, Matt Forte, Chris Johnson and Ryan Mathews are all on bye, not to mention Andrew Luck, Brandon Marshall and Andre Johnson, while in Week 9 those who have Peyton or Eli Manning, Matthew Stafford or Colin Kaepernick will have to turn to a backup to carry them to victory. Who says bye weeks aren't important?
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2013 NFL Bye Week Schedule:
Week 4: Carolina, Green Bay
Week 5: Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, Washington
Week 6: Atlanta, Miami
Week 7: New Orleans, Oakland
Week 8: Baltimore, Chicago, Houston, Indianapolis, San Diego, Tennessee
Week 9: Arizona, Denver, Detroit, Jacksonville, New York Giants, San Francisco
Week 10: Cleveland, Kansas City, New England, New York Jets
Week 11: Dallas, St. Louis
Week 12: Buffalo, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Seattle
2013 NFL Bye Weeks by Team:
| Arizona | Week 9 |
| Atlanta | Week 6 |
| Baltimore | Week 8 |
| Buffalo | Week 12 |
| Carolina | Week 4 |
| Chicago | Week 8 |
| Cincinnati | Week 12 |
| Cleveland | Week 10 |
| Dallas | Week 11 |
| Denver | Week 9 |
| Detroit | Week 9 |
| Green Bay | Week 4 |
| Houston | Week 8 |
| Indianapolis | Week 8 |
| Jacksonville | Week 9 |
| Kansas City | Week 10 |
| Miami | Week 6 |
| Minnesota | Week 5 |
| New England | Week 10 |
| New Orleans | Week 7 |
| NY Giants | Week 9 |
| NY Jets | Week 10 |
| Oakland | Week 7 |
| Philadelphia | Week 12 |
| Pittsburgh | Week 5 |
| St. Louis | Week 11 |
| San Diego | Week 8 |
| San Francisco | Week 9 |
| Seattle | Week 12 |
| Tampa Bay | Week 5 |
| Tennessee | Week 8 |
| Washington | Week 5 |
