If you are eliminated from the playoffs with a regular season game to go, would you still pick up players? (1 Viewer)

[Down Under]

As the title says, you are eliminated from the playoffs but still have a regular season game(s) to go, do you just set your best lineup using what you have, or would you continue to pick up players (specifically to start, not talking about end of bench or stashes)?

There have been some grumblings about people doing this the past couple of years in one of my leagues, I'm just curious if the shark pool thinks this is fine or if it is considered "not cool".

 

[Cowboysfan8]

You play to win the game

 

[Terpman22]

As the title says, you are eliminated from the playoffs but still have a regular season game(s) to go, do you just set your best lineup using what you have, or would you continue to pick up players (specifically to start, not talking about end of bench or stashes)?

There have been some grumblings about people doing this the past couple of years in one of my leagues, I'm just curious if the shark pool thinks this is fine or if it is considered "not cool".

This means dropping players right? I have had too many guys over the years playing where they "rage drop" rosters b/c they didn't make the playoffs, forcing the Commish to make some stupid steps so teams don't pick up CMC off waivers b/c the guy that drafted him sucked at everything else during the season and didn't make the playoffs.

Once you are out, its sportsmanship to just let things be IMO so I would not.

 

[efactor]

In a keeper or dynasty league, of course.

In redraft, once you are totally eliminated, then I wouldn't. We have a Pride Bowl (AKA toliet bowl) game and people can still use waivers for that and IMO, that is fine.

 

[efactor]

As the title says, you are eliminated from the playoffs but still have a regular season game(s) to go, do you just set your best lineup using what you have, or would you continue to pick up players (specifically to start, not talking about end of bench or stashes)?

There have been some grumblings about people doing this the past couple of years in one of my leagues, I'm just curious if the shark pool thinks this is fine or if it is considered "not cool".

This means dropping players right? I have had too many guys over the years playing where they "rage drop" rosters b/c they didn't make the playoffs, forcing the Commish to make some stupid steps so teams don't pick up CMC off waivers b/c the guy that drafted him sucked at everything else during the season and didn't make the playoffs.

That would really suck and be a total pain in the assssssssssss

As a commish, anyone who pulled that wouldn't be back next season. 23 years into my local league and fortunately, never had to deal with that.

 

[JohnnyU]

Of course. Especially if there is a toilet bowl that rewards $$$ or the 1.13. Also, if someone tears an ACL, their backup could be relevant in 2024.

 

[Mongidig]

We have an owner who didn’t make any moves until the last couple games. Since then he has gobbled up a ton of players. We suspect collusion since he has been playing teams fighting for a playoff spot. He only has three wins. I think once you are eliminated there should be no trading or free agent pickups. The exception would be if you don’t have healthy player to put in your lineup. There is too much room for nonsense otherwise.

This pertains to redraft only.

 

[wlwiles]

In my oldest redraft we have a gentleman's agreement amongst everyone that if you're eliminated from the playoffs, you're welcome to add whoever you want on waivers, but do it on Thursday and leave Wednesday waivers to the teams that are still alive.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

My leagues (redraft) all have rules against that.

 

[menobrown]

Depends on if the team I'm facing has something on the line. If I'm not going to make the playoffs reaching out from the grave to have the team I'm playing join my misery is all I got so that's what I'm going to try and do.

 

[Army Eye]

Whoa whoa whoa. I don't like this idea at all that people eliminated from the playoffs should 'lay down'.

What this does is give an advantage to people who are playing against these waiver-compromised teams late in the season. If I played against MissedThePlayoffsGuy in Week 14, and you had to play against them in Week 7 when they could work the wire, I got the easier opponent, and thus was given an advantage due to scheduling. That's not right.

You play to win the game, people. In the interest of competitive equality, everybody should try to win every game they play, and that includes using the waivers if it will benefit you.

 

[TLEF316]

Yeah, I think you have a responsibility to "protect the field" so to speak. The schedule is already unbalanced (since in a normal 12 league, you're playing some teams once and others twice). Not fair for someone to get a "free" win against an eliminated team that doesn't field a full roster in week 14. (when their competition had to play when you were still trying a month earlier)

IMO, you field the best roster you can.......but I think you let normal waivers pass (so the teams still in it can make moves) and then you can pick up free agents if you need to/you feel it improves your team. (without dropping anyone who could unfairly influence playoff results a few weeks down the road if someone picks them up).

edit: that being said.....I could see a scenario where the last piece causes some conflict. Lets say a starting RB goes down in week 13 and their backup is on waivers. You have the first priority and pass, giving the 2nd team a player they otherwise wouldn't have gotten.

In that scenario, you could probably argue that picking that player up yourself is the most fair way to go about it. But I'd also argue that at this point in the year (in normal sized leagues) any impact backup should be rostered (either as a handcuff or a lottery ticket). Tough call on that piece.

 

[Spin]

100% I did, I've had terrible luck with Points Against this year, and finished outside the playoffs at 6-8, despite having the 4th highest points for, but by far the most points against. I've been streaming defense all year (unsuccessfully, I might add), and my buddy talked so much **** when he beat me back in week 5 when he had Chase go off and he ended up high points (I ended up 2nd highest, I had DJ Moore) and he eeked out a win by less than a point (which is I guess poetic considering I picked up Washington's defense for their game against Chicago and they finished with -1 points). Well, guess who was on the bubble for making the playoffs and matched up against me this week? I used my Waiver Wire to claim New Orleans defense who scored 21 and I beat him by 11, so now he gets to watch the playoffs from home alongside me.

Who's laughing now, Kyle?!

 

[jm192]

I think you play until you don't have matchups.

If you're out of playoff contention but have regular season games to go--I think the correct thing is to still field the best roster you can. That includes making free agent and waiver pickups. Each opponent should get your best effort so as to keep things fair in regards to making the playoffs. If nothing else, there's a pride factor in knocking someone else out of the playoffs when your season hasn't gone to plan.

If there is a loser's bracket and you're alive, you have something to play for. We do a toilet bowl and the worst team gets a punishment decided by the other 11 guys. I am absolutely picking up guys to avoid that.

If your season is effectively over, you don't have a current or future matchup--yeah, you should leave waivers alone.

 

[InDitkaWeTrust]

Funny. This exact topic comes up pretty much every single year around playoff time. There's probably a gentlemen's agreement to stop picking up players if you're completely eliminated from any kind of contention. If there's a toilet bowl that keeps some skin in the game, then all bets are off.

 

[Grahamburn]

Don’t most waiver pickups cost $$$?

 

[Neil Beaufort Zod]

If you put a game in front of me, I'm going to try and win it. If not, that's the end of the season. I'll pick up players until I don't have an opponent that week.

 

[Neil Beaufort Zod]

100% I did, I've had terrible luck with Points Against this year, and finished outside the playoffs at 6-8, despite having the 4th highest points for, but by far the most points against. I've been streaming defense all year (unsuccessfully, I might add), and my buddy talked so much **** when he beat me back in week 5 when he had Chase go off and he ended up high points (I ended up 2nd highest, I had DJ Moore) and he eeked out a win by less than a point (which is I guess poetic considering I picked up Washington's defense for their game against Chicago and they finished with -1 points). Well, guess who was on the bubble for making the playoffs and matched up against me this week? I used my Waiver Wire to claim New Orleans defense who scored 21 and I beat him by 11, so now he gets to watch the playoffs from home alongside me.

Who's laughing now, Kyle?!

Leagues need more managers like you. Good job.

 

[Jacob's Ladder]

Every owner should do everything they can to win every single game, no exceptions. Anything less and your league is broken.

Along those lines, take it out of owner’s hands when playoffs begin. Lock teams after elimination. No loser’s bracket. No toilet bowl.

 

[Da Guru]

As the title says, you are eliminated from the playoffs but still have a regular season game(s) to go, do you just set your best lineup using what you have, or would you continue to pick up players (specifically to start, not talking about end of bench or stashes)?

There have been some grumblings about people doing this the past couple of years in one of my leagues, I'm just curious if the shark pool thinks this is fine or if it is considered "not cool".

Manage like you normally would.

In my leagues we all have "side bets" with each other so even if you are out if it you still want to beat as many teams in the league as possible. In my 12 team league every team bets every other team 20 a game on the side. That way nobody ever tanks.

 

[belljr]

I played in a league where you paid for transactions and losses.

Once I was eliminated I stopped putting in transactions. I understand trying to protect the field but I wasn't going to pay in hopes of a meaningless win

 

[ignatiusjreilly]

Funny. This exact topic comes up pretty much every single year around playoff time. There's probably a gentlemen's agreement to stop picking up players if you're completely eliminated from any kind of contention. If there's a toilet bowl that keeps some skin in the game, then all bets are off.

It does come up, but the discussion is usually muddled because there are three variants of the situation that, IMO, call for different responses.

1. Scenario outlined in the OP: It's the regular season and you've already been eliminated from the playoffs. You should absolutely still continue making transactions to better your roster in order to maintain the competitive balance for the reasons @Army Eye outlines above. I suppose in scenarios that disrupt that balance, like rage-dropping your entire roster, the commish should step in and reverse it.
2. It's the playoffs, you've been eliminated, and there's no consolation bracket. In that case, teams should be prevented from making any transactions, since they no longer have any match-ups to play for.
3. You lose in the playoffs and are in a consolation bracket (either because the league has a bracket for the non-playoff teams, or you make it into the main bracket and then lose). If your match-up still has stakes -- for third-place money, or to avoid the last-place punishment -- then you should continue making transactions as usual. If it has zero stakes, my personal code is that I'll only make transactions if they're absolutely necessary, and I'll give the teams still alive plenty of time to pick up the guys they need. So let's say I'm in a consolation bracket and Herbert is my QB, with no backup. I won't put in waiver claims on the hot pickups, but on Saturday or Sunday I'll grab whichever QB is left on the wire.

All that said, I just finished in last place in a 12-team league with a consolation bracket. I've been playing fantasy for 20 years and have never once finished last, so I plan on trying pretty hard to make sure I win at least one of my remaining matchups

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

My leagues (redraft) all have rules against that.

Let me rephrase - in leagues we have a loser bowl, or if a team needs to add a player to field a lineup, add/drops are allowed after 12:00 PM PT on Wednesday.

But eliminated teams cannot use the waiver claim system.

Again, for redraft.

 

[jm192]

I played in a league where you paid for transactions and losses.

Once I was eliminated I stopped putting in transactions. I understand trying to protect the field but I wasn't going to pay in hopes of a meaningless win

I 1000% would not pay actual money for it.

 

[Wigglytuff's Gruff]

Redraft, not really.

Once all waivers have cleared and the teams in contention seem to have made their moves I'll pick up what I need to fill out a starting lineup.

Dynasty, play without restrictions all year.

 

[Hatch]

Redraft, not really.

Once all waivers have cleared and the teams in contention seem to have made their moves I'll pick up what I need to fill out a starting lineup.

Dynasty, play without restrictions all year.

If it is still a regular season game and I can win and make a difference whether somebody else makes the playoffs or gets a bye... you are darn right I am gonna make whatever roster moves I feel necessary to win that game (even though I am not in playoff contention)... why should a team fighting for a playoff spot or bye benefit from playing a team not making the playoffs and thus not being able to moves due to rules and/or indifference. It makes a difference to the integrity of the league. All games count the same in the regular season and make a difference in standings.

 

[GreenNGold]

I feel like people are talking about two different things here.

The original question, asked about when there are still regular season games left and other teams would still be competing for playoffs spots. In this case, yes, teams should still be allowed/encouraged to make transactions to keep the league as fair and competitive as possible, and I'd argue this is necessary to maintain league integrity as the outcome of this match up could have playoff implications for other teams in the league.

Once the playoffs start, I agree that teams that have nothing left to play for should stop making transactions.

 

[ChiefD]

100% I did, I've had terrible luck with Points Against this year, and finished outside the playoffs at 6-8, despite having the 4th highest points for, but by far the most points against. I've been streaming defense all year (unsuccessfully, I might add), and my buddy talked so much **** when he beat me back in week 5 when he had Chase go off and he ended up high points (I ended up 2nd highest, I had DJ Moore) and he eeked out a win by less than a point (which is I guess poetic considering I picked up Washington's defense for their game against Chicago and they finished with -1 points). Well, guess who was on the bubble for making the playoffs and matched up against me this week? I used my Waiver Wire to claim New Orleans defense who scored 21 and I beat him by 11, so now he gets to watch the playoffs from home alongside me.

Who's laughing now, Kyle?!

This is gold.

 

[Wigglytuff's Gruff]

If it is still a regular season game and I can win and make a difference whether somebody else makes the playoffs or gets a bye... you are darn right I am gonna make whatever roster moves I feel necessary to win that game

Good for you dude.

Once I'm out of contention my interest drops to virtually nil. Out of respect for league mates I'll do the bare minimum to make my team competitive but I'm not trawling through waivers and doing anything deeper than picking up the obvious best free agent option at the last minute (if it's absolutely necessary), usually when I'm checking my teams who do still have something on the line.

 

[Neil Beaufort Zod]

If it is still a regular season game and I can win and make a difference whether somebody else makes the playoffs or gets a bye... you are darn right I am gonna make whatever roster moves I feel necessary to win that game

Good for you dude.

Once I'm out of contention my interest drops to virtually nil. Out of respect for league mates I'll do the bare minimum to make my team competitive but I'm not trawling through waivers and doing anything deeper than picking up the obvious best free agent option at the last minute (if it's absolutely necessary), usually when I'm checking my teams who do still have something on the line.

With all due respect, you're missing out on a bit of fun. A team barely beat me a few weeks ago, just one example of close losses that eliminated me from contention. I played him last week and approached it like it was week 3. He needed to beat me to make the playoffs.

He did not make the playoffs.

That was more fun for me than a "meaningless" game should be. Probably not as fun for him, because I'm sure he was hoping I'd lose interest.

 

[Spin]

Funny. This exact topic comes up pretty much every single year around playoff time. There's probably a gentlemen's agreement to stop picking up players if you're completely eliminated from any kind of contention. If there's a toilet bowl that keeps some skin in the game, then all bets are off.

In my case, I was completely eliminated and could not make the playoffs, but because I picked up New Orleans defense, and they scored 21, I won by 11. This knocked one guy out of the playoffs, and another owner now made the playoffs. They had identical records but my opponent had the tiebreaker. If I had stopped picking up players, that guy would now be out. Don't I owe it to the guy fighting for the playoff spot to be competitive and give him a chance by beating my opponent.

 

[Hatch]

If it is still a regular season game and I can win and make a difference whether somebody else makes the playoffs or gets a bye... you are darn right I am gonna make whatever roster moves I feel necessary to win that game

Good for you dude.

Once I'm out of contention my interest drops to virtually nil. Out of respect for league mates I'll do the bare minimum to make my team competitive but I'm not trawling through waivers and doing anything deeper than picking up the obvious best free agent option at the last minute (if it's absolutely necessary), usually when I'm checking my teams who do still have something on the line.

Out of respect for league mates, you should be doing everything you can control to win the game at hand....The process should be the same in week 1 as it is in week 14... anything less and you are doing a disservice to the integrity of your league.

 

[Gally]

In redraft, once you are totally eliminated, then I wouldn't.

In this case there is a game left in the regular season. You may be totally eliminated from playoffs but the team you are playing may not be. Why shouldn't you try and put the best possible team out there with waiver pickups? You should most definitely be doing this in a redraft league.


Where I say you don't is once you are eliminated from the playoffs and aren't playing for anything (or against anybody playing for something) then you freeze the roster and don't let pickups or drops.

 

[Gally]

We have an owner who didn’t make any moves until the last couple games. Since then he has gobbled up a ton of players. We suspect collusion since he has been playing teams fighting for a playoff spot. He only has three wins. I think once you are eliminated there should be no trading or free agent pickups. The exception would be if you don’t have healthy player to put in your lineup. There is too much room for nonsense otherwise.

This pertains to redraft only.

But isn't that eliminated team still playing teams that are trying to get into the playoffs or fight for seeding. Why would you want the eliminated team to stop playing to win or put his best possible lineup out there? It's not fair for the other teams that are fighting for seeding that aren't playing against an auto win. I don't understand this philosophy

 

[rockaction]

Gally is spot on here. Absolutely dead correct. You should be putting out your best lineup every week regardless of whether or not you're eliminated during the regular season. It adds to the competitive balance of the league.

Consolation brackets on Yahoo! are a different story. That needs to be handled with care.

 

[Gally]

In my oldest redraft we have a gentleman's agreement amongst everyone that if you're eliminated from the playoffs, you're welcome to add whoever you want on waivers, but do it on Thursday and leave Wednesday waivers to the teams that are still alive.

But aren't you playing against teams that are still alive? Why shouldn't that eliminated team try and knock them out of the playoffs by putting a best lineup together? Now if the eliminated team isn't playing against other teams fighting for spots then maybe you do something like this. But if I am fighting for the #1 seed and the guy I am fighting against for that spot is playing this eliminated team and he isn't allowed to pick up the hot waiver pickup to try and beat him that would suck.

 

[efactor]

In redraft, once you are totally eliminated, then I wouldn't.

In this case there is a game left in the regular season. You may be totally eliminated from playoffs but the team you are playing may not be. Why shouldn't you try and put the best possible team out there with waiver pickups. You should most definitely be doing this in a redraft league.


Where I say you don't is once you are eliminated from the playoffs and aren't playing for anything (or against anybody playing for something) then you freeze the roster and don't let pickups or drops.

I was actually referring to the playoffs. Missed the part about there still being a week left in regular season

 

[Gally]

100% I did, I've had terrible luck with Points Against this year, and finished outside the playoffs at 6-8, despite having the 4th highest points for, but by far the most points against. I've been streaming defense all year (unsuccessfully, I might add), and my buddy talked so much **** when he beat me back in week 5 when he had Chase go off and he ended up high points (I ended up 2nd highest, I had DJ Moore) and he eeked out a win by less than a point (which is I guess poetic considering I picked up Washington's defense for their game against Chicago and they finished with -1 points). Well, guess who was on the bubble for making the playoffs and matched up against me this week? I used my Waiver Wire to claim New Orleans defense who scored 21 and I beat him by 11, so now he gets to watch the playoffs from home alongside me.

Who's laughing now, Kyle?!

Leagues need more of the above......

If it is still a regular season game and I can win and make a difference whether somebody else makes the playoffs or gets a bye... you are darn right I am gonna make whatever roster moves I feel necessary to win that game

Good for you dude.

Once I'm out of contention my interest drops to virtually nil. Out of respect for league mates I'll do the bare minimum to make my team competitive but I'm not trawling through waivers and doing anything deeper than picking up the obvious best free agent option at the last minute (if it's absolutely necessary), usually when I'm checking my teams who do still have something on the line.

.......and a lot less of this

 

[kutta]

Whoa whoa whoa. I don't like this idea at all that people eliminated from the playoffs should 'lay down'.

What this does is give an advantage to people who are playing against these waiver-compromised teams late in the season. If I played against MissedThePlayoffsGuy in Week 14, and you had to play against them in Week 7 when they could work the wire, I got the easier opponent, and thus was given an advantage due to scheduling. That's not right.

You play to win the game, people. In the interest of competitive equality, everybody should try to win every game they play, and that includes using the waivers if it will benefit you.

I agree.
We have a toilet bowl for those out of the playoffs and those people have to wait for waivers to run before picking anyone else up, but that’s after the regular season.
If it’s still in-season, then go win.

 

[Dez]

You always play to win the game other teams in the leauge may be counting on you trying to beat your opponent it could affect them.
Make pickups and play to win while still in the regular season yes.
Once you are in the playoffs and you are out and if no consolation round then you should not be allowed to make moves at that point.

You play to win the game.

 

[pinkstapler]

In a league where my team has really come on hot the past few weeks. Won 5 in a row, and was league high scorer 4 of those weeks. Sitting in the 5th seed, projected to win this week by about 20 points on Sunday just prior to the night games starting. My opponent, completely eliminated from the playoffs at this point, only had 2 flex players left in Barkley and Goedert, while I still had Pollard and Ferguson. When I woke up I saw the projections had changed a bit. He decided to bench Goedert last minute and instead picked up Wandale Robinson to play (huge Giants fan). Well guess what, Barkley had a great game and Wandale went off, and he beat me by 3. The way the other games shook out I got knocked to 7th position and out of the playoffs. The league rejoiced and treated this guy like he was an honorary champ. Sucked for me, but man did it make for an exciting Monday night with a ton of smack talk and a really unexpected outcome. I'll now be doing that thing where I pretend I was 5th seed and put my points against who should have been my opponents and cry as I see the matchups I would be winning if I was in.

You always play to win. It's not just for you, but for everyone else in the league. Week 14 is just as important as week 4.

 

[Sam Quentin]

Of course

Do NFL teams that are eliminated stop practicing or do they decide to stop trying to win?

Any league that makes “rules” against this are a bunch of crybabies.

 

[Da Guru]

Funny. This exact topic comes up pretty much every single year around playoff time. There's probably a gentlemen's agreement to stop picking up players if you're completely eliminated from any kind of contention. If there's a toilet bowl that keeps some skin in the game, then all bets are off.

In my case, I was completely eliminated and could not make the playoffs, but because I picked up New Orleans defense, and they scored 21, I won by 11. This knocked one guy out of the playoffs, and another owner now made the playoffs. They had identical records but my opponent had the tiebreaker. If I had stopped picking up players, that guy would now be out. Don't I owe it to the guy fighting for the playoff spot to be competitive and give him a chance by beating my opponent.

Manage your team the same no matter if you are in first or last. When teams stop it impacts the league

 

[Wigglytuff's Gruff]

Do NFL teams decide to stop trying to win?

Yes they do.

 

[Sam Quentin]

Do NFL teams decide to stop trying to win?

Yes they do.

Tell that to the players’ faces and let me know how that works out for you.

Tell that to to Titans and Giants

 

[zamboni]

Do NFL teams decide to stop trying to win?

Yes they do.

Don’t tell Lovie Smith that. Of course he thought he was screwing the Texans but ultimately helped them immensely by getting Stroud instead of Young.

 

[Wigglytuff's Gruff]

I didn't say they all did it. But some teams and players definitely 'check out'.

Nobody will ever convince me that the Colts didn't actively punt the Luck draft year.

 

[Ghost Rider]

Absolutely. Tanking is not fair to other teams.

One of my teams was hurt by injuries and bad picks (LOL) and has no shot at the playoffs, but I am playing one of three teams tied for the division lead with a week to go. If he beats me, he wins the division outright because he'd have the best division record (the tiebreaker; goofy online league rules). If I beat him, the winner of the other game wins the division (the other two teams tied for the division lead play each other). I am doing everything I can to try and win, partially because it is fun to play spoiler, but mostly because it would not be fair to two of the three teams for me to just tank.

 

[Grahamburn]

100% I did, I've had terrible luck with Points Against this year, and finished outside the playoffs at 6-8, despite having the 4th highest points for, but by far the most points against. I've been streaming defense all year (unsuccessfully, I might add), and my buddy talked so much **** when he beat me back in week 5 when he had Chase go off and he ended up high points (I ended up 2nd highest, I had DJ Moore) and he eeked out a win by less than a point (which is I guess poetic considering I picked up Washington's defense for their game against Chicago and they finished with -1 points). Well, guess who was on the bubble for making the playoffs and matched up against me this week? I used my Waiver Wire to claim New Orleans defense who scored 21 and I beat him by 11, so now he gets to watch the playoffs from home alongside me.

Who's laughing now, Kyle?!

This is gold.

Kyle is probably the sore loser that started the thread.

 

[wlwiles]

In my oldest redraft we have a gentleman's agreement amongst everyone that if you're eliminated from the playoffs, you're welcome to add whoever you want on waivers, but do it on Thursday and leave Wednesday waivers to the teams that are still alive.

But aren't you playing against teams that are still alive? Why shouldn't that eliminated team try and knock them out of the playoffs by putting a best lineup together? Now if the eliminated team isn't playing against other teams fighting for spots then maybe you do something like this. But if I am fighting for the #1 seed and the guy I am fighting against for that spot is playing this eliminated team and he isn't allowed to pick up the hot waiver pickup to try and beat him that would suck.

Guess I wasn't clear in my phrasing - once the playoffs start (this week), the teams eliminated wait until Thursday. They're only playing each other at that point so no impacting playoff races.