i fairly routinely start sub-optimal lineups of the whole season (except maybe a couple select games, and of course, the NT), to get young players (not just FR, but key sophs) more playing time. this is really true for my better teams only. why? i dont really give two ***** if im the #1 overall seed or a lower 1 seed, or even a 2 seed - not if my team is now that much better, and my advantage over the field that much greater. but on my lesser teams, it can go either way, i still do it, but i wouldnt call it routinely. seeding changes are bigger and have bigger ramifications - a 2 dropping to a 4, or a 5 to an 8, i mean thats a pretty big difference in your chance of making various rounds of the NT. so, sometimes its worth it, sometimes its not. if you think you might have a championship team next year - id go for it, for sure. or even sub "championship" with whatever means "one of my greatest seasons ever". if you never made the final 4, and think you have a shot of it next year, id often start the right guys to increase my chances of getting over the new threshold.