IT’S ROUND 12 and it’s time to awkwardly smile and wave hello to the bye rounds.

Unlike previous seasons, this year the bye rounds are spread over a five-week period, which should technically make life a little easier for Fantasy coaches.

In theory this sounds good but there will still be chaos … just stretched out now like a slow-motion car crash.

Carlton, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs will be putting their feet up this weekend, while Fantasy coaches scramble to get as many green dots on the field as possible — knowing only their best 18 on-field scores will count each week during this time.

Using your three trades this week is the toughest of them all. No matter what moves you make, you will be trading in a player who has a bye coming up. Many coaches are opting to boost their bank balance this week, ready to target players who will be coming off their bye in round 13.

Whichever way you look at it, the byes are here … and they’re not going anywhere for the next five weeks.

Trap or treat?

Here are some of the traps to avoid and some treats worth considering for the round ahead.

Zach Merrett (MID, $1,007,000) – TREAT
After responding with a huge 149 last week, Merrett is back in the good books of Fantasy coaches and they’re jumping on his deflated price tag after low scores of 80 and 54 in the past three weeks.

Max Holmes (DEF/MID, $916,000) – TREAT
Although the ride can be a little bumpy, Holmes ticks plenty of boxes this week. Not only does he have the round 16 bye, he’s coming off a nice 117 and has the Eagles, Suns and Bombers up next.

Kai Lohmann (FWD, $351,000) – TREAT
His price reflects the run of injuries Lohmann has had this season. He averaged 61 from 27 games last year which included nine scores of 70-plus … those scores will be very handy over the byes.

Will Hayes (MID/FWD, $253,000) – TRAP
Hayes sits as the fifth-most traded in player this week … but we have better options. He was great last week on debut with 52, but job security is extremely shaky. We need to shop elsewhere.

Zak Johnson (MID, $230,000) – TREAT
Essendon is the gift that keeps giving. Johnson plays on Thursday night and has been named on field to battle the Lions at the Gabba. He has averaged 94 in the VFL this season and is certainly a player to target.

• Angus Clarke (DEF, $291,000)
• Nic Martin (DEF/FWD, $1,067,000)
• Zach Merrett (MID, $1,007,000)
• Max Holmes (DEF/MID, $916,000)
• Will Hayes (MID/FWD, $253,000)

You’re wide open … dribbling the ball in open court … this is a lay-up. You can’t miss!

Angus Clarke (DEF, $291,000) was impressive last week with 98 and has arrived at a time when the ‘rookie crisis’ was at an all-time high. Now it needs to be said, he doesn’t get to play the Tigers every week and meets a much tougher match-up on Thursday night. However, Clarke has a breakeven of -23 and will make a truckload of much-needed cash over the coming weeks.

Most traded out

• Zach Reid (DEF, $749,000)
• Luke Trainor (DEF, $570,000)
• Sam Lalor (MID/FWD, $560,000)
• Caleb Daniel (MID/FWD, $780,000)
• Cooper Simpson (FWD, $321,000)

After a week of injuries and misfortune it should be easy to use those three trades this week … or is it? Which players go first?

Players who are injured need to be the first on the chopping block. Zach Reid (DEF, $749,000) was having an amazing season and was averaging 91 in his last four games leading into round 11. His injury has meant that now he needs to be traded, along with rookies Sam Lalor (MID/FWD, $560,000) and Cooper Simpson (FWD, $321,000).

Draft: One-week wonders

A strategy in Draft is to find one-week streaming options. This means finding a player who has low ownership (most likely on the waiver wire) and is an option for a one-week play. You may require a player like this to fill any holes in your team while you wait for an injured player to return or for one of your players to gain dual-position status.

Here are some players with low ownership that might be worth a punt on for this week.

Sam Banks (DEF/MID) v GWS Giants – Even though the match-up isn’t one we usually chase, Bank’s role is. He has now averaged 97 in his last three games and features in 36 per cent of Draft leagues.

Matthew Johnson (MID) v Gold Coast – Johnson sits in just 19 per cent of leagues. Not only is he coming off a solid 97, he meets the easiest team for midfielders to score against. Get on!

Jake Riccardi (FWD) v Richmond – At home … Riccardi could have a day out against the Tigers, a team he had 87 against last year from just one goal. He’s undrafted in 85 per cent of leagues.

Draft: Captain smokies

In Draft, every player is unique so it’s important to think outside the box when it comes to finding a captain. Here are some options to consider if you’re a lucky owner.

Toby Greene v Richmond @ Engie Stadium, SAT 4:15pm AEST
Yep… you know it. It’s the match-up! Greene was on fire last week with 133 and could be huge again. He scored 95 on the Tigers last year and returns home to put on another show. Could be massive!

Jack Sinclair v Melbourne @ TIO Traeger Park, SUN 3:20pm AEST
Last year in Alice Springs we saw some huge scores from Jordan Clark (151) and Luke Ryan (142). Defenders have been feasting on the Demons so expect Sinclair and Wanganeen-Milera to have a day out.

Jeremy Cameron v West Coast @ Optus Stadium, SUN 7:20pm AEST
In round 24 last season, Cameron kicked nine goals against the Eagles for his score of 121. Adelaide kicked 19 goals against the West Coast last week and you know Cameron will want a slice of that.