Just like the pros, fantasy owners experience all different types of wins. These three are all unique wins I had this week and they all illustrate why we play the game.
First is my team, “Gio Bernard’s Minivan” This team is in first place in a 14 team league…with me dealing Jimmy Graham for Aaron Rodgers the week he played the Bears. I’m supremely proud of this team. From top to bottom there is starting talent and I expect to win nearly every week. This win was entirely business. And handling business feels good.
We move on to, “A Boy Named Suh” a 10 teamer where I’ve fallen out of contention. Depressing as that is I still set a lineup each week. This week I knocked off the number one team in this league. Now if this owner looses next week they will fall to third in seeding, which could give him a far tougher matchup. Playing spoiler to a team when you’re out of it is supremely enjoyable and the best way to make good out of a bad situation.
The final victory here is the crown jewel of my victories this week. ATJ’s Kaeptain was a gigantic underdog this week. I was in a tie for the final playoff spot with the team I faced off against who was supposed to crush me. Not just defeat, crush. Obliterate. Demolish. I had Giovani Bernard and Marshawn Lynch on BYEs this week. It was custom scoring where I was a 60+ point underdog which would still work out to 30-35 points in standard leagues. I slowly started accepting not making the playoffs. But then it happened. Josh Gordon went off. Eddie Lacy tore up the Vikings. Kendall Wright grabbed his first TD since week 2. And benching the Browns D in favor if the Jets ended up greatly in my favor. Those weeks where most of your replacements do outstanding is truly something to behold. Even better is when it happens late in season when you’re fighting for a playoff spot.
These moments are why fantasy football is great. It’s why I play every year and why I scour the waiver wire for every team I own. Fantasy Football brings joy even in the most dour circumstances. It why you play the game