Coping with a high-scoring fantasy team that keeps losing (1 Viewer)

[LordHusker]

One of the obviously frustrating parts of fantasy football is the luck factor. Case in point: In one of my two money leagues, I have the second-highest scoring team, yet I'm in second to last place. I'm sure there are lots of you guys who are in the same boat. I'm tempted to just give up the season in that league since I'm 2-5-1, but pride makes me want to try as hard as I can to finish the year with the highest scoring team in the league (or second to highest) even though I have no chance in hell of making the playoffs. However, doing so will require me to dump a little more money into it for waiver wire transactions, etc.

Thoughts? Would you guys do it? And what techniques do you use to cope with the fact that you're getting screwed by Lady Luck?

 

[Dirty Hairy]

I'd go for it.

I do this for the fun of it; the challenge; the entertainment.

The money is insignificant in terms of the enjoyment I receive.

In terms of dealing with Lady Luck, I know that things average out.

Some weeks (or some years) you win a game with the second lowest score because you played the lowest score.

Other years, like this year for you, the reverse is true.

Unless only four teams make your playoffs, you are not out of the playoff picture yet. Remember, the teams ahead of you still have to play against you and against each other, so you'll start closing the gap.

 

[bshell27]

One of the obviously frustrating parts of fantasy football is the luck factor. Case in point: In one of my two money leagues, I have the second-highest scoring team, yet I'm in second to last place. I'm sure there are lots of you guys who are in the same boat. I'm tempted to just give up the season in that league since I'm 2-5-1, but pride makes me want to try as hard as I can to finish the year with the highest scoring team in the league (or second to highest) even though I have no chance in hell of making the playoffs. However, doing so will require me to dump a little more money into it for waiver wire transactions, etc. Thoughts? Would you guys do it? And what techniques do you use to cope with the fact that you're getting screwed by Lady Luck?

Take it on the chin. Keep managing your team, try to win, but why dump more money into it? Manage the bye weeks and play who you have. Be a respectable owner and see it through. This kind of thing happens. It has happened to me two years in a row. I am THE highest scoring team yet I am 5-3. THe LOWEST scoring team is 6-2. Go figure. THat is the way the schedule has paned out for them and me. Stick with it.

 

[vikingsguy22]

This exactly why in every league I run I have made the final of 6 playoff spots to go to the team with the most amount of points that didn't win their division or a wild card spot.

Rewards a good team with bad luck and keeps all teams hope later into the season.

 

[Wrigley]

I'm in 3rd place in my division with the highest scoring team in the league.

I'm not out of it by any means, but if I were you, I would try and play spoiler.

No playoff contender is going to want to face you down the road.

 

[LordHusker]

I'd go for it. I do this for the fun of it; the challenge; the entertainment.The money is insignificant in terms of the enjoyment I receive. In terms of dealing with Lady Luck, I know that things average out. Some weeks (or some years) you win a game with the second lowest score because you played the lowest score. Other years, like this year for you, the reverse is true. Unless only four teams make your playoffs, you are not out of the playoff picture yet. Remember, the teams ahead of you still have to play against you and against each other, so you'll start closing the gap.

I play in a 14-team league and a 10-team league. This is the 10, and it doesn't have a points wildcard, so I'm out of it. But thanks for your input. Like you, I can't help but keep trying. I also agree that it often balances out. (I'm in first place in the 14-teamer with a fairly mediocre squad. )Still, it's just so frustrating to do everything right and still lose each week.

 

[Dirty Hairy]

My aging team in Z32 won the championship two years ago and finished 11-2 last year.

So I trade my 2009 first rounder, Greg Jennings & Edge for Marshawn Lynch, thinking this is another championship year.

I'm 2-6 with the highest points against in the league, by far.

So I"m well aware of the bad turn of Lady Luck.

 

[TankRizzo]

My work league is like this. I'm the highest scoring team in the league by a good 60 points, yet I'm 4-4. 3 of my losses I've played the highest scoring team for that particular week. Sucks.

Jay Cutler

Chad Pennington

Derek Anderson

SJax

Matt Forte

Michael Turner

Chris Johnson

Sean Alexander (took a flier on him with the last pick )

Roddy White

TO

Jericho Cotchery

Braylon Edwards

Devin Hester

Sidney Rice

Kris Brown

Nate Kaeding

NE and Was D

 

[Warhogs]

We have not really talked about the kind of money involved in making free agents moves and such but I would think that anyone in a money league would find it acceptable for any owner who was mathematically eliminated to quit spending money making moves as long as they still submitted the best lineup they could with the roster they had each and every week.

 

[burd]

my league has an $ award for the team that scores the most points during the entire regular season, in addition to a small $ award for the week's high scorer. you might want to suggest something like this for next year... it keeps people interested.

 

[Neil Beaufort Zod]

One of the obviously frustrating parts of fantasy football is the luck factor. Case in point: In one of my two money leagues, I have the second-highest scoring team, yet I'm in second to last place. I'm sure there are lots of you guys who are in the same boat. I'm tempted to just give up the season in that league since I'm 2-5-1, but pride makes me want to try as hard as I can to finish the year with the highest scoring team in the league (or second to highest) even though I have no chance in hell of making the playoffs. However, doing so will require me to dump a little more money into it for waiver wire transactions, etc. Thoughts? Would you guys do it? And what techniques do you use to cope with the fact that you're getting screwed by Lady Luck?

Honestly, I'll never understand why fantasy owners put in a ton of preparation, have a strong draft or auction, work the waiver wire, field and make trade offers and run their franchise successfully-- only to put everything in the hands of a random event like the schedule. It makes absolutely no sense to me.I could take just about any team with a winning record, play with the schedule and make them a loser. Same with the bottom-feeder teams. It says nothing about how you run your team or how successful you are. Why waste all that effort just to let luck determine the outcome of the season? If it's "not any fun" playing total points (a false assumption, but many feel that way) at least have two games per week, or play everyone each week, or use the CBS Power Rankings or something. Straight head-to-head can be fun, but ends up being an equalizer for owners who don't perform as well as other owners.Now that that's off my chest, I advise you to do whatever gives you the most enjoyment. If saving your money and focusing on the other team is more fun for you...do that. You do not owe the league your transaction money. Just field the best team you have.But from your post, I suspect you'd feel bad about not being as competitive as possible. In that case, go ahead and spend some money and field a great team each week and feel good about the way you run your team. Your team is about you, and what you want to do. Run it the way you'd want others to run their team, and the way that you think is best.

 

[PatrickT]

I don't have fee based transactions, so it's easier for me. This is my second year in a row of having top3 points in my division, but having a losing record. I'm now 2-6, with 6 games to go, which means there's a shot to go 8-6 and make it.

I tell you this, I'd much rather have an injured team that goes south than to make all the right moves and continue to lose. In one league, we have the division leaders in H2H as the 1 and 2 seeds, and then the top scorer in each division get seeds 3 and 4.

I may try to move my other league to the same.

 

[Nemesis]

This exactly why in every league I run I have made the final of 6 playoff spots to go to the team with the most amount of points that didn't win their division or a wild card spot.Rewards a good team with bad luck and keeps all teams hope later into the season.

I brought up the same proposal to my league and we modified it so thatlayoff spots are awarded and seeded #1 - #6 like normal.............however, if the Scoring champion is NOT among the top 6, his team "bumps" the #6 seed.Note that this "golden parachute" option is ONLY for the scoring champion........if you're 2nd in scoring and don't make it.....tough, that's the breaks.

 

[belljr]

This is why we added a Total points prize. Sure 90% of the time that team makes the playoffs but if they don't they still get a nice 10% of the kitty

 

[RBM]

2nd most pts scored

Most points against (by far)

2-6

Ill still play

 

[two_dollars]

Sitting at 4-4, averaging only 5 points a week less than the #1 scorer.. I have renamed my team Victim of Scheduling. 4 of my 7 opponents either put up their best score of the year, or led the week in scoring.

If I get bumped because of bad luck, I'll do my best to play spoiler.

 

[Johnny Ice]

Go ape #### and shake up your roster. You have nothing to lose at this point. My team is the highest scoring team in the league yet I have 932 points against me and I'm 3-5. The next closet team has 842 points against. I'm going to trade Barber, Wayne, Schaub and get back players who I think have a good shot at outproducing them in these last 6 games.

 

[notdarkyet]

4th in scoring (12 points off of first) and I am 3-5. Despite the bad luck, had I made better coaching moves I would be at the very least 5-3, and the top overall scorer. The team in 1st is undefeated, with the weakest schedule. He would be 3-5 with my schedule. Luck of the draw.

If I win out I still have a shot at the playoffs I guess.

 

[Andrew]

This exactly why in every league I run I have made the final of 6 playoff spots to go to the team with the most amount of points that didn't win their division or a wild card spot.Rewards a good team with bad luck and keeps all teams hope later into the season.

Same. 3 division winners, 2 wildcards based on record, final wildcard based on highest remaining points. Very rare to have teams eliminated from the playoffs until the last week or two.

 

[Nate]

I still don't get how you're out of it in a 10 teamer? How many teams make the playoffs? 4?

You play until the end the same as you always do. Neglecting your roster or making silly trades isn't fair to your leaguemates. If you're the 2nd-highest scoring team with your current roster, why would you do anything differently?

 

[stevegamer]

Until a couple weeks ago I was sitting in last place in my division while undefeated. Inmy case schedule luk held me down, not because of whome Ibeat but how much I scored when - it's a league where a win is 2 points, a tie is 1, a loss 0, and top 1/3 weekly score gets 2, mile 1/3 1, bottom 1/3 weekly score gets 0. That makes having a good scoring team valuable.

Since my stint in last place, I took ove the division lead, and passed the #1 team to take over the top seed. I've now lost 2 in a row, and am back on the bottom.

I wouldn't diump a ton of money into it, but if you can try some things, you might not be done. Second half of season strength can carry you to playoffs.

 

[Chaka]

Don't ever quit.

 

[5-ish Finkle]

Don't ever quit.

x2Paul Stanley(or, apparently, the Chipmunks) would never quit.

Be like Paul.

 

[madshot31]

Two years ago I was 1-6 and then won six straight to get the last playoff spot and won the championship. If you have a good point total keep on trying for the title.

 

[Gators]

The standard for leagues should be a win for head to head and a win for top 5 in points. It's amazing this format hasn't caught on yet.