2021 is the hardest working fantasy year I've ever had (1 Viewer)

[JohnnyU]

I thought 2020 was bad with COVID.....BUT.....If you are not working hard this year with the waiver wire and trades you are probably not doing so well.  I have found that this year is the hardest I've ever had in dynasty due to injuries, COVID, and the extra week.  Whatever you win this year be proud of it.  I know I will.

 

[rockaction]

I thought 2020 was bad with COVID.....BUT.....If you are not working hard this year with the waiver wire and trades you are probably not doing so well.  I have found that this year is the hardest I've ever had in dynasty due to injuries, COVID, and the extra week.  Whatever you win this year be proud of it.  I know I will.

I'm going to finish close to last or last in one league and be proud of the steps I made in that league, aside from one bad trade that I knew I probably shouldn't make but did out of respect for consensus. 

I think I'll think a little more clearly next time, but overall, I'm happy with even a dead-### team that is going to finish out well in all-play and points for. 

 

[TampaMike19]

I thought 2020 was bad with COVID.....BUT.....If you are not working hard this year with the waiver wire and trades you are probably not doing so well.  I have found that this year is the hardest I've ever had in dynasty due to injuries, COVID, and the extra week.  Whatever you win this year be proud of it.  I know I will.

It ain't worth it lol. The highs don't even feel that high, but the lows feel lower than ever. Just defeated this season especially when small start/sit decisions cost you double digit points. Not sure how to stop my self-imposed destruction. I feel I'm my own worst enemy when it comes to this game, and need to just keep it simpler.

Football is way too random to have any sense of prediction in fantasy.

Waivers are also pretty trash this  year, so yeah. 

I wish each of you luck. I haven't done this poorly in fantasy in a while. Every team .500 or worse

 

[Leroy Hoard]

As always, if you lose it's 100% luck. If you win it's 100% skill.

 

[[icon]]

I thought 2020 was bad with COVID.....BUT.....If you are not working hard this year with the waiver wire and trades you are probably not doing so well.  I have found that this year is the hardest I've ever had in dynasty due to injuries, COVID, and the extra week.  Whatever you win this year be proud of it.  I know I will.

Absolutely. Waivers have been HUGE this year... between long term pickups and streamers. 
 

Football is way too random to have any sense of prediction in fantasy.

Waivers are also pretty trash this  year, so yeah. 

I wish each of you luck. I haven't done this poorly in fantasy in a while. Every team .500 or worse

Seriously? Patterson, Mitchell, Schultz, Freiermuth, Hubbard, etc have been solid to huge additions.  Streaming has been particularly good with TEs and DSTs this year. Tons of movement in the RB world that required wire work. 

 

[phandango]

.  

I don't play fantasy anymore, but I couldnt imagine having to deal with covid and the amount of people who cut players who are on IR for 3 weeks. My friend plays on that Yahoo pay stuff and he is already crying people are starting people on byes. Can we talk about Week 14 byes btw? WTH?

I bet the number of teams who had Kamara are now screwed. CMac, not as much as he was gone most of the year. People still probably play Barkley because of name recognition, but I think he is absolutely terrible since the ACL. RBs not named Henry cant win you games on their own. 

The variables and bad refs and the ability to gamble with ease by these refs have impacted the game as well. 

My guess is Mahomes is probably terrible this year in fantasy points depending on your scoring. People who own him, how are their teams? Should people who own Mahomes really expect having to debate benching him? Im not in depth at other certain players but he sticks out as one who isnt performing to expectations. 

I have never seen so many scrub names get run. Patterson is good now in fantasy it appears so I see so many think he is a good football players as if his tape before this year didnt exist? He is just the only skill player on the team and its a fact that when you are the only option you will perform fantasy wise most times

One of my favorite leagues is a dynasty I've been in since 2006. My season got derailed because of injuries, but I was still in the playoff hunt until three weeks ago, when I desperately needed a running back and turned down a trade that would get me Devonta Freeman. That decision cost me two wins. Not having Devonta Freeman on my team ruined my entire season.

 

[rockaction]

One of my favorite leagues is a dynasty I've been in since 2006. My season got derailed because of injuries, but I was still in the playoff hunt until three weeks ago, when I desperately needed a running back and turned down a trade that would get me Devonta Freeman. That decision cost me two wins. Not having Devonta Freeman on my team ruined my entire season.

 I wanted to use the laugh emoji, but that seemed cruel and people love their teams, so...a crying one is what you got. But who would have thought, huh? 

 

[phandango]

 I wanted to use the laugh emoji, but that seemed cruel and people love their teams, so...a crying one is what you got. But who would have thought, huh? 

I do love that team, but I wouldn't have made it very far even if I made the playoffs.

Mainly, I wanted to point out the absurdity of this season, that someone as previously irrelevant as Devonta Freeman would have been so necessary to my success. I feel like there was a lot of that this season. 

 

[fightingillini]

One of my favorite leagues is a dynasty I've been in since 2006. My season got derailed because of injuries, but I was still in the playoff hunt until three weeks ago, when I desperately needed a running back and turned down a trade that would get me Devonta Freeman. That decision cost me two wins. Not having Devonta Freeman on my team ruined my entire season.

Having Devonta Freeman is saving my season.  It's hard to believe.

 

[rockaction]

I do love that team, but I wouldn't have made it very far even if I made the playoffs.

Mainly, I wanted to point out the absurdity of this season, that someone as previously irrelevant as Devonta Freeman would have been so necessary to my success. I feel like there was a lot of that this season. 

Somebody offered me a trade involving Cordarrelle Patterson at the beginning of the summer. I laughed and told him the guy wasn't even ranked in most publications, so why on earth would I want a guy that had never done anything fantasy-wise? Now that's a doozy of a dismissal given what happened this year and served as an ego check and comeuppance about how much I know about this fantasy game.  

It was still a bad trade offer, even knowing what Patterson has done. 

 

[tigerz]

I thought 2020 was bad with COVID.....BUT.....If you are not working hard this year with the waiver wire and trades you are probably not doing so well.  I have found that this year is the hardest I've ever had in dynasty due to injuries, COVID, and the extra week.  Whatever you win this year be proud of it.  I know I will.

You guys should really try guillotine. Actually gives you a chance to build your roster post draft so the draft isn't the end all be all. And you aren't stuck wasting all year on a roster that will never win it all. You get eliminated then you move on. 

Actually think it made me a better standard player to as I'm 10-3 and maybe 9-4 after this week in my other 2 leagues.

 

[phandango]

Somebody offered me a trade involving Cordarrelle Patterson at the beginning of the summer. I laughed and told him the guy wasn't even ranked in most publications, so why on earth would I want a guy that had never done anything fantasy-wise? Now that's a doozy of a dismissal given what happened this year and served as an ego check and comeuppance about how much I know about this fantasy game.  

It was still a bad trade offer, even knowing what Patterson has done. 

No one could have predicted Patterson. 

 

[rockaction]

No one could have predicted Patterson. 

Nor Freeman running like he just turned 26 or 27. He looked...washed in his stint with the Gi'nts. 

 

[yoman]

No one could have predicted Patterson. 

I did - My real name is Cordarrelle Patterson Sr. 

On a serious note I can't remember having a bigger patchwork of players as I did last weekend in many seasons but felt fortunate that I was able to get some decent/luck help from the WW. 

 

[FairWarning]

Ive worked the WW all year and am fighting for last place.  Just an ugly year,

 

[wgoldsph]

One of my favorite leagues is a dynasty I've been in since 2006. My season got derailed because of injuries, but I was still in the playoff hunt until three weeks ago, when I desperately needed a running back and turned down a trade that would get me Devonta Freeman. That decision cost me two wins. Not having Devonta Freeman on my team ruined my entire season.

Im in the opposite spot.  I lost dobbins, Hunt, and CEH at rb and had to find someone, anyone, to keep me alive.  Enter my rb savior and Baltimore legend...

 

[BobbyLayne]

Felt this way about last year. Really revitalized my passion for the hobby.

TBH this year has not been nearly as hard. Not saying I haven’t had challenges or dealt with injuries. But I nailed my first 6 picks (obvs a little lucky) and had another 7-8 solid contributors who have been used as every week spot starters.

The only hard thing about it is I took my first QB around round 12 or 13 (it’s 18 x 12) and streaming has been a weekly slog. But hit or miss on that weeks choice, generally my team has been killing it - often it ends up not nattering.

 

[wgoldsph]

Early this year I knew I needed a WR upgrade so I traded my first for Adam Thielen.  Then I lost hunt and CEH and managed to survive on an in season ww pick up for Devonta Freeman (who another team had just dropped) and Ty Johnson.   Later, after a lucky string of wins and hunts imminent return I decided to blow my load and ship off dobbins and CEH for Ekeler and cpatt, which luckily coincided with Deebo suffering his groin tweek, leading me to the highest point total this week despite missing my highest scoring player.

What do I contribute it all to?  I drafted Brady for the first time in both our careers (his real, mine fantastic) and nobody beats the GOAT

 

[TampaMike19]

Whoever got the greatest ROI from their round 4 through 7 picks is loving life right now. And that is not how this should go at all. Tons of early rounders have been dog#### and I am an advocate for Auction drafts as the norm. 

If you swinged and missed on those round picks, then yeah you're in crap trouble. 

 

[wgoldsph]

Whoever got the greatest ROI from their round 4 through 7 picks is loving life right now. And that is not how this should go at all. Tons of early rounders have been dog#### and I am an advocate for Auction drafts as the norm. 

If you swinged and missed on those round picks, then yeah you're in crap trouble. 

Haven't been in auction for years and I agree 100%, it's a much better way to handle the draft.

 

[habsfan]

This year has been a reality check in a good way in terms of relaxing and trying to find some sane "delta" between results and effort.

I might squeak into the play-offs in my 12 team redraft PPT league with a top five of Kamara, Mixon, Lamb, Chase and Stafford. Another team that will likely make it was auto-drafted and has made literally two moves all year. It's an obstacle course through a minefield while riding tricycles...

 

[rockaction]

It's an obstacle course through a minefield while riding tricycles...

It has gotten worse as the years progress. Before, when I first started, there were complaints about the proliferation of information to the casual player. That there were experts who, for free, would identify and do the work for you. That was seen by older heads as causing the sharps to lose their edge. 

Now it's injury. The game the players are asked to play is too destructive of the body to have those bodies retain their integrity throughout the year. This has happened in the past ten years, and I've noticed it gets worse. 

Your metaphor is apt, if violent. It's becoming less about skill and more about avoiding things over which one has no control. It has diminished the game a bit. I'm noting that in our dynasty league, the best teams are generally simply the healthiest at the time, and you can't really point to too much skill in winning anymore. Avoiding losing is one thing. You indeed can lose through mismanagement. Winning is another. 

 

[MAC_32]

Whoever got the greatest ROI from their round 4 through 7 picks is loving life right now. And that is not how this should go at all. Tons of early rounders have been dog#### and I am an advocate for Auction drafts as the norm. 

If you swinged and missed on those round picks, then yeah you're in crap trouble. 

I don't agree. Acquiring talent in the top 40 is easy, no matter the format. Just hope you don't get unlucky with injuries. The best rosters are formed from the mid-late rounds. I was wildly successful last year cause I aced them. I'm scratching and clawing to get in this year cause I didn't. As it should be.

 

[Gilroy34]

My starting line up last week consisted of 7 guys I picked up off waivers and 2 guys I drafted. (Mixon & Waller).  This week it was 7 again with Kyler Murray back but Waller out.  Somehow if I win next week I will make the playoffs.

 

[wgoldsph]

It has gotten worse as the years progress. Before, when I first started, there were complaints about the proliferation of information to the casual player. That there were experts who, for free, would identify and do the work for you. That was seen by older heads as causing the sharps to lose their edge. 

Now it's injury. The game the players are asked to play is too destructive of the body to have those bodies retain their integrity throughout the year. This has happened in the past ten years, and I've noticed it gets worse. 

Your metaphor is apt, if violent. It's becoming less about skill and more about avoiding things over which one has no control. It has diminished the game a bit. I'm noting that in our dynasty league, the best teams are generally simply the healthiest at the time, and you can't really point to too much skill in winning anymore. Avoiding losing is one thing. You indeed can lose through mismanagement. Winning is another. 

Identifying depth has become the name of the game as you are basically guaranteed to be without 3 of your top six players for large chunks of the season simply because the game is just so physical that a human being can't make it through a season without picking up an injury.  Winning means being able to spot that, as we've been mentioning, Murray and then Freeman was the man for bal instead of holding out hope for ty'son williams (which would make sense) instead of knowing that your cheat sheet is better than the other guys.

 

[jobarules]

The weirdest part of this season has been the crappy and inconsistent play of all QBs not named the GOAT

 

[Truebluey]

The week before last my entire starting roster consisted of NOBODY I drafted. 

For that week I had lost Henry, Hopkins, Lamb, Kupp (bye, not injury), Gus Edwards, Antonio Brown, Logan Thomas, Dan Jones, etc. 

I got 64 points. 

I don't think that ever happened to me before. 

 

[JohnnyU]

Ive worked the WW all year and am fighting for last place.  Just an ugly year,

sometimes it just isn't your year, but in dynasty, the main thing is to look to next year.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

The Patriots threw three passes tonight. One to Jonnu Smith. Which caused me to lose by 0.18 points...to the highest scoring team. The next highest score was 30 points less.

In that league I now have three of my six losses by a TOTAL of 2.77 points.

What a stupid hobby.

 

[Sarlakticacid]

I started Fitzmagic week 1. I didn’t think I could put do that performance…

 

[Don Quixote]

In Week 12, my RBs in one league were Cook, CMC, Jacobs, Mitchell, and Drake. In Week 14, it looks like I will be starting Jacobs and, uh, not sure...

 

[TheWinz]

I just realized - the OP call fantasy football... WORK!!

"Honey, I will be back in 10 hours.  I gotta sit in my man cave, pop a beer, and get to work on my laptop."

 

[rockaction]

I just realized - the OP call fantasy football... WORK!!

"Honey, I will be back in 10 hours.  I gotta sit in my man cave, pop a beer, and get to work on my laptop."

It's hard damn work having this much fun. 

 

[TampaMike19]

Is it addiction when you feel very bummed about a decision you make and you can't wait for the next week? There's just not enough data / weeks to get these things right in the NFL, and I'm just wondering what is the best way to curb my enthusiasm for something that you have to wait a long time for week to week.

Maybe I should just play in dynasty only going forward. 

 

[rockaction]

Is it addiction when you feel very bummed about a decision you make and you can't wait for the next week? There's just not enough data / weeks to get these things right in the NFL, and I'm just wondering what is the best way to curb my enthusiasm for something that you have to wait a long time for week to week.

Maybe I should just play in dynasty only going forward. 

You still make those decisions and lament everything you do in dynasty. Only it's more permanent and irreversible. So mistakes are magnified even worse. 

 

[phandango]

It has gotten worse as the years progress. Before, when I first started, there were complaints about the proliferation of information to the casual player. That there were experts who, for free, would identify and do the work for you. That was seen by older heads as causing the sharps to lose their edge. 

Now it's injury. The game the players are asked to play is too destructive of the body to have those bodies retain their integrity throughout the year. This has happened in the past ten years, and I've noticed it gets worse. 

Your metaphor is apt, if violent. It's becoming less about skill and more about avoiding things over which one has no control. It has diminished the game a bit. I'm noting that in our dynasty league, the best teams are generally simply the healthiest at the time, and you can't really point to too much skill in winning anymore. Avoiding losing is one thing. You indeed can lose through mismanagement. Winning is another. 

Add to that the Thursday games. Sure, I like having a game mid-week, but it's a joke for the league to say it's concerned about player safety and then turn around and make them play on four days' rest. Fantasy-wise, you've got guys getting concussed who could pass protocol if the next game were seven days later, but not four days later, not to mention the myriad of other injuries that keep players out because the turnaround time is too short. 

 

[menobrown]

Agree with the injuries like no year most of us can ever recall, COVID, and on top of that we got a guy needing to walk away for mental health issues and that guy is/was on 1/3rd of my dynasty teams and was my most common second round redraft pick.  This year was a triple lindy degree of difficulty.

It's been exhausting at times but I got to say that's one of the reasons I start going into serious withdrawal as soon the season ends. I got this stuff occupying my mind for months and then it's just gone.

 

[Kuz]

I have tried my best to start the best possible lineup that I can.. 14 team league but really nothing on the waiver wire.. But not sure anybody could over come this.. First 6 picks.. All missed some time or out for the year.

Henry

AJ Brown

Gus Edwards

Kyler Murray

Tee Higgins

Jerry Jeudy..  -

 

[MrJimiT]

As always, if you lose it's 100% luck. If you win it's 100% skill.

Through 13 of the 14 regular season weeks, I am my leagues top scoring team by a fairly wide margin. However...I am already OUT of this years playoffs. I am also the recipient of the most points scored against as well. Even using ALL-PLAY standings, I am in first place. I cannot recall playing in a fantasy year where I felt very strongly about my team and had THIS kind of luck. Sooooooo....I'm in the 100% luck mindset for 2021.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Through 13 of the 14 regular season weeks, I am my leagues top scoring team by a fairly wide margin. However...I am already OUT of this years playoffs. I am also the recipient of the most points scored against as well. Even using ALL-PLAY standings, I am in first place. I cannot recall playing in a fantasy year where I felt very strongly about my team and had THIS kind of luck. Sooooooo....I'm in the 100% luck mindset for 2021.

I know where you are coming from, but not quite to your extent. I am #2 in total scoring but #5 in the standings. These things should even out in the long haul but I'm not sure when.

 

[GreenNGold]

I don't think injuries are any worse than they have ever been, it's just hit or miss each year how much they effect your team.  

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Through 13 of the 14 regular season weeks, I am my leagues top scoring team by a fairly wide margin. However...I am already OUT of this years playoffs. I am also the recipient of the most points scored against as well. Even using ALL-PLAY standings, I am in first place. I cannot recall playing in a fantasy year where I felt very strongly about my team and had THIS kind of luck. Sooooooo....I'm in the 100% luck mindset for 2021.

In my money redraft league, we give prizes to top 3 H2H, top 3 total points and top 3 all-play precisely because of situations like this. This year, the guy who is third in total points and second in all-play is not going to make the playoffs.

 

[MrJimiT]

In my money redraft league, we give prizes to top 3 H2H, top 3 total points and top 3 all-play precisely because of situations like this. This year, the guy who is third in total points and second in all-play is not going to make the playoffs.

Yes my former leagues did something similar as well. But I am the noobie in this league this year. Next year I will have much more to say. However...no matter how much preparation and research you do, you cannot control everything. Most years for me, it does even out some. Just not 2021.

 

[wgoldsph]

Through 13 of the 14 regular season weeks, I am my leagues top scoring team by a fairly wide margin. However...I am already OUT of this years playoffs. I am also the recipient of the most points scored against as well. Even using ALL-PLAY standings, I am in first place. I cannot recall playing in a fantasy year where I felt very strongly about my team and had THIS kind of luck. Sooooooo....I'm in the 100% luck mindset for 2021.

My league has made the wildcard spots based on total points to avoid this very thing happening.   Too many years of lucky teams getting in because of division luck while the number one scoring team is left out.

 

[TampaMike19]

In my money redraft league, we give prizes to top 3 H2H, top 3 total points and top 3 all-play precisely because of situations like this. This year, the guy who is third in total points and second in all-play is not going to make the playoffs.

It's never about the prizes. It's about what's "right" and having a chance to "win it all" and the emotional satisfaction. #### the money as far as I'm concerned. Go play DFS if you want a chance at cash.

12 team leagues should be one h2h game and one game vs. the rest of the league so that you can get rewarded for being the "better team" in the long run and not rewarded because you "beat some dog#### teams who clearly packed it in." 1 h2h, 1 median / vs rest of the league, get awarded fractional points or 1-11 power ranking, not sure if Sleeper does this but I will commish leagues like this next year 

Also, I am down for 4PM or late substitutions  if your 1 PM player got injured. If the player was ruled out, you'd be able to swap in a player, have the option to at least, or do nothing at all. That way Injuries don't continue to ruin head to head matchups.

I'm all for taking some of the randomness out of this nonsense. It's generally chaotic to begin with, but it isn't even fun anymore when you're losing to kickers and defenses. 

I am swearing off fantasy defenses and kickers forever- refuse to play in those leagues going forward. 

 

[rockaction]

It's never about the prizes. It's about what's "right" and having a chance to "win it all" and the emotional satisfaction. #### the money as far as I'm concerned. Go play DFS if you want a chance at cash.

Also, I am down for 4PM or late substitutions  if your 1 PM player got injured. If the player was ruled out, you'd be able to swap in a player, have the option to at least, or do nothing at all. That way Injuries don't continue to ruin head to head matchups.

Exactly. If you want cash, beat Vegas. 

In one league I'm in the commissioner tracks conditional starts. Like you can say, "Start Elliott, if not, start Pollard," but we only do it if the player is officially ruled out before the game. Injuries in-game still gank your week. 

 

[tricky92]

Is it addiction when you feel very bummed about a decision you make and you can't wait for the next week? There's just not enough data / weeks to get these things right in the NFL, and I'm just wondering what is the best way to curb my enthusiasm for something that you have to wait a long time for week to week.

Maybe I should just play in dynasty only going forward. 

In 2010, I made a roster mistake and let Mike Wallace slip to another team very early in the season. I somehow patched together a squad led by Roddy White that won a championship (winning starting line-up consisted of Tim Tebow, Joe McKnight and Rashad Jennings) and I still think about losing out on Mike Wallace.

 

[TampaMike19]

Exactly. If you want cash, beat Vegas. 

In one league I'm in the commissioner tracks conditional starts. Like you can say, "Start Elliott, if not, start Pollard," but we only do it if the player is officially ruled out before the game. Injuries in-game still gank your week. 

I get this too. Injuries are part of the game so I guess that's fantasy for you but if there is something to eliminate some frustration I am all for being able to have a late substitution. Also agree with if someone is ruled out and you can't get to a computer, let the league know etc. 

 

[TampaMike19]

You still make those decisions and lament everything you do in dynasty. Only it's more permanent and irreversible. So mistakes are magnified even worse. 

I agree with this too, but at the very least you are trying to acquire players you have some analysis or conviction in, while analyzing coaching, rosters, etc, trying to gain some little edges, and it's for the long haul. Also, if your team is bad, boom, blow it up and rebuild, acquire picks, etc.

IDK- maybe I shouldn't play at all lol 

 

[rockaction]

I agree with this too, but at the very least you are trying to acquire players you have some analysis or conviction in, while analyzing coaching, rosters, etc, trying to gain some little edges, and it's for the long haul. Also, if your team is bad, boom, blow it up and rebuild, acquire picks, etc.

IDK- maybe I shouldn't play at all lol 

No, I agree. But dynasty is really humbling. You think that through evaluation and dedication that you're gaining an edge on your competition, only to find out that you were completely wrong about a player or situation, and it all goes for naught. There's a great amount of dissonance and lessons in humility that go with playing dynasty. It's interesting.