I'm sure this has been asked before, but I couldn't find it. Is it kosher to keep playing the waiver wire and making moves after you're eliminated from playoff contention? That seems reasonable to me, since I still want to win whatever remaining matchups I can. But I can see playoff teams not liking it.
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums
This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Out of playoffs - OK to play WW? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Skipper
- Start date
Hu-Tang Clan
Footballguy
Is this a keeper or dynasty league at all or only redraft?
NREC34
Footballguy
I think it would be reasonable if your league has some version of a toilet bowl where you need to stay out of last place and it would help you some way.
Other than that it seems sort of like a doosh move to me.
We had a guy in one of my leagues pick up that Mitchell wr from NE Sunday morning and the guy needed like a bunch of people in front of him to lose plus out score one of them by 200 points or something crazy like that in order to make the playoffs. Just leaves me scratching my head and wondering why...
Other than that it seems sort of like a doosh move to me.
We had a guy in one of my leagues pick up that Mitchell wr from NE Sunday morning and the guy needed like a bunch of people in front of him to lose plus out score one of them by 200 points or something crazy like that in order to make the playoffs. Just leaves me scratching my head and wondering why...
MattFancy
Footballguy
Depends. In the one league I didn't make the playoffs, it's a keeper league. I'll scour the wire and see if I can find people that are useful to me next season. Plus, we also have a loser's bracket playoff where the team that finishes has to do something dumb. So there's incentive to keep trying even if you're out.
heckmanm
Footballguy
For the remainder of the regular season, it's absolutely OK. You could have games that affect playoff eligibility or seeding for other teams. Not picking up someone that could win you a game means someone gets an easy win who otherwise wouldn't.
Once the playoffs start, I'd be opposed to it, unless it's a dynasty/keeper. In my keeper leagues, we allow teams still alive in the playoffs to add players, but revert back to the end-of-regular-season rosters for keeper eligibility. This lets playoff teams manage injuries, but doesn't give them an advantage for the following year.
Once the playoffs start, I'd be opposed to it, unless it's a dynasty/keeper. In my keeper leagues, we allow teams still alive in the playoffs to add players, but revert back to the end-of-regular-season rosters for keeper eligibility. This lets playoff teams manage injuries, but doesn't give them an advantage for the following year.
Last edited by a moderator:
Ruffrodys05
IBL Representative
Depends on the type of league and it's rules. My keeper league allows waivers, free agent pick-ups and trades up till the start of week 17 games. You bet your sweet bum I'm still making moves trying to better my team.
A a far as a redraft league, if I was allowed to make moves even after being eliminated from playoff contention, I would still be making them. Just because I'm not going to the dance doesn't mean I have to give up. And just because someone else is assured of the playoffs doesn't mean "only they" have the right to players on the wire. I'll play spoiler.
A a far as a redraft league, if I was allowed to make moves even after being eliminated from playoff contention, I would still be making them. Just because I'm not going to the dance doesn't mean I have to give up. And just because someone else is assured of the playoffs doesn't mean "only they" have the right to players on the wire. I'll play spoiler.
Hawkeye21
Footballguy
If it's a redraft league that doesn't charge for transactions and you are not in the playoffs then I think you should be done. There is no reason for your team to affect the rest of the teams that are in the playoffs. You forfeit the right to do so by not having a good enough team. If they do charge for transactions then I say you can make as many moves as you want because your money just adds to the pool of the money they win. I would think the transaction fees would deter you from making the moves though.
If it's a keeper or dynasty league then you should be able to continue making transactions even if you are out of the playoffs. I say this because your actions now still reflect on your team for next year.
If it's a keeper or dynasty league then you should be able to continue making transactions even if you are out of the playoffs. I say this because your actions now still reflect on your team for next year.
omahawildcat25
Footballguy
Hawkeye21
Footballguy
Another reason why transactions should not be allowed for a team that is out of the playoffs is that it prevents any kind of possible collusion. No team should be allowed to drop their best players to allow a playoff team to pick up. This of course would only apply in redraft leagues.
Hot Sauce Guy
Footballguy
My leagues have very specific rules about this.
In one redraft league, anyone mathematically eliminated cannot make claims, but only if in order to fill a lineup gap for a late regular season game, they can make a FA pick-up between noon-5 PM on Thursday before games. The idea is that competing teams get access to players 1st, and by that late in the week a FA can be added by a non-contending team so that they put up a fair fight and don't violate our rules about fielding a complete roster.
In my other redraft league, we have a "loser bowl" with a $75 prize among the 8 teams that didn't make the playoffs. Round 1 is 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6, 4 vs 5, and round 2 (week 16) is high score takes all among the last 4 teams. Similar to above, teams in the loser bowl may not use the waiver system to make claims, and must wait until Thursday between 10:00 AM - game-time to pick anyone up. This gives the contending teams 1st choice each week of the playoffs, and allows the loser bowl teams to field a competitive team.
So for both of my leagues, non-contending teams may not use the waiver system, but can add FA's once the priority adds are completed. This has worked out ok for us over the years and no one has abused it (e.g. a non-competing team making 5-6 speculative adds) - since it's $4 an add, most teams who aren't competing don't want to accrue that much late season debt, so it's self-policing in a way.
In one redraft league, anyone mathematically eliminated cannot make claims, but only if in order to fill a lineup gap for a late regular season game, they can make a FA pick-up between noon-5 PM on Thursday before games. The idea is that competing teams get access to players 1st, and by that late in the week a FA can be added by a non-contending team so that they put up a fair fight and don't violate our rules about fielding a complete roster.
In my other redraft league, we have a "loser bowl" with a $75 prize among the 8 teams that didn't make the playoffs. Round 1 is 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6, 4 vs 5, and round 2 (week 16) is high score takes all among the last 4 teams. Similar to above, teams in the loser bowl may not use the waiver system to make claims, and must wait until Thursday between 10:00 AM - game-time to pick anyone up. This gives the contending teams 1st choice each week of the playoffs, and allows the loser bowl teams to field a competitive team.
So for both of my leagues, non-contending teams may not use the waiver system, but can add FA's once the priority adds are completed. This has worked out ok for us over the years and no one has abused it (e.g. a non-competing team making 5-6 speculative adds) - since it's $4 an add, most teams who aren't competing don't want to accrue that much late season debt, so it's self-policing in a way.
Hot Sauce Guy
Footballguy
Yeah, we have rules about "roster dumping" in my leagues - no one is allowed to drop their top players. That's a huge no-no.
Hot Sauce Guy
Footballguy
I am also a guy who keeps fighting until the final bell, and "spoiler" is a great approach if I'm eliminated. Makes for excellent trash talk among friends, too if you can knock a team out of the playoffs.
That said, it all depends on your league's rules for waivers.
Mr. Know-It-All
Footballguy
Our league allows waiver moves until your team has no games remaining. So 2 teams (9 and 10) are done after Week 13. Then the four teams knocked out in Week 14 are done. The remaining 6 teams (4 playoff round 1 winners and the two toilet bowl teams) can use waivers up until week 16.
The caveat to waivers after week 13 are that waivers can only be used if your team is not able to fill a full lineup. So if lets say you have 3 rbs, one is hurt but one is a 3rd stringer - you'd have to start the 3rd stringer. If however you only had 2 rbs and one was hurt, you could use a waiver but the player you waived has to be the same position as the player you picked up on waivers.
The caveat to waivers after week 13 are that waivers can only be used if your team is not able to fill a full lineup. So if lets say you have 3 rbs, one is hurt but one is a 3rd stringer - you'd have to start the 3rd stringer. If however you only had 2 rbs and one was hurt, you could use a waiver but the player you waived has to be the same position as the player you picked up on waivers.
Godsbrother
Footballguy
In our league teams that aren't in the playoffs are matched randomly and play non-playoff games for $10/win in weeks 14-17. It expands every week to include teams as they are eliminated from the playoffs. Since everyone always has something to play for all teams are free to make WW moves through week 17.
Joe Summer
Footballguy
We have a $25 weekly bonus for high score through Week 16, plus the Toilet Bowl winner gets an extra $5 in auction money, so everyone stays active all year.
Alex P Keaton
Footballguy
Exactly.
Does anybody invest in a #######g rule book anymore, or do people just wing it? Seriously, this is a basic topic that should be contemplated in the rule book.
BoltBacker
Footballguy
I couldn't disagree more.
If team A(out of the playoffs) put his best possible lineup against every other team up until week 13 and then he just punts week 14.... doesn't the lucky sap that gets to play him in week 14 get a free victory(which could have a huge impact on playoff seeding)? If the team that is out of the playoffs just lays down and doesn't do his best to win against all his opponents then the people that play him late are getting an advantage and that does affect the rest of the teams in the playoffs. I hate when people just ghost at the end of the season more than a guy trying to win each week until the end of the fantasy football regular season.
At the end of the day the guy payed to run his team through the regular season, it just doesn't make sense to handcuff him unless it's obvious collusion. And in the case of collusion.... if the rules in a league are so weak that there aren't any anti-collusion rules for the first 12 weeks you may as well not try to put that horse back in the barn a couple of weeks before the playoffs.
Skoo
Footballguy
This.
Most of us will kick people out who don't set their lineups, we shouldn't be punishing people for trying to win right up until the end, that's what we want.
theothervcruz
Footballguy
It's fairly simple to me:
During regular season, even if you are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs you should continue making moves for the sake of competitiveness and not giving other teams a cake walk victory.
Once playoff starts, then obviously a non-playoff team has no reason to make any waiver wire moves in a redraft league. Keeper/dynasty is obviously different and moves should be allowed the entire season.
During regular season, even if you are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs you should continue making moves for the sake of competitiveness and not giving other teams a cake walk victory.
Once playoff starts, then obviously a non-playoff team has no reason to make any waiver wire moves in a redraft league. Keeper/dynasty is obviously different and moves should be allowed the entire season.
Hankmoody
Footballguy
Because do you want to be the moron that hits a 1-in-1000 chance to make the playoffs and then realize you lost Mitchell because you didn't even submit?
If it's a keeper or dynasty it's absolutely ok. If it's a redraft, then as long as the owner is mathematically its absolutely ok. Redrafts where owners are eliminated can go either way and leagues that want waivers reserved for contenders need to state so in their rules. Otherwise game on. I don't care if I'm 0-12 if I can wreck your perfect record or be the one to knock you out of the playoffs I'm going all out to do so.
Hot Sauce Guy
Footballguy
I think some of the folks responding need to differentiate between "adds" and "waiver claims".
IMO teams out of contention have no business claiming players off waivers in a seasonal redraft.
If there's a post season contest, adds should be allowed after contending teams get the opportunity to make their adds 1st.
one man's opinion.
IMO teams out of contention have no business claiming players off waivers in a seasonal redraft.
If there's a post season contest, adds should be allowed after contending teams get the opportunity to make their adds 1st.
one man's opinion.
Last edited by a moderator:
NREC34
Footballguy
Hawkeye21
Footballguy
What are you talking about? Are you talking about late regular season games? I'm talking about the regular season being over. Your team is no longer playing anyone that is in the playoffs. Your team and the opponent's teams are officially done. It does zero good for you to make transactions.
Skoo
Footballguy
Is it though? I would say not trying is worse, because it can negatively affect the playoff race.
Here's a scenario which I've run into before:
Last week of the season,I need to win and I need another team to lose.
Now the team I need to lose is playing a guy who has given up. His TE Gronk is hurt, and his defense is playing the Patriots this week. In this case it really stinks for me if guy who has given up leaves Gronk and his defense in there instead of picking up replacements.
In short, when people don't try, it hurts the integrity of the league.
Hawkeye21
Footballguy
I have a feeling we are not all on the same page. It's the playoffs right now. At least it should be for almost every league out there. If you are not in the playoffs then you do not need to be making any waiver moves. You are not going to be affecting the playoff race because you are not in the playoffs.
If it is a regular season game leading up to the playoffs then that changes everything. Of course you should be allowed to make moves during the regular season even if you're not going to make the playoffs.
Hankmoody
Footballguy
To be fair your comment was slightly ambiguous. I first read it to be "eliminated from contention but still playing games" vs. the playoffs have started and the team isn't participating.
Skoo
Footballguy
yeah, seems like we aren't on the same page.
OP asked if a team is out of playoff contention is it ok to make waiver wire pickups, and that he has remaining matchups.
I'm in a 10-teamer with 4 teams going to the playoffs. Playoffs are weeks 15-16.
Hawkeye21
Footballguy
I get the confusion now.
If a team is mathematically eliminated from playoff contention that team has to be allowed to make waiver moves yet. It's only fair to the entire league that he continue starting a competitive roster so that it doesn't give another team an advantage trying to get into the playoffs. Once the playoffs start that team should not be allowed to make any more waiver moves though unless there is a cost to make those moves.
In my league we have to pay for each transaction. It helps limit them to a certain extent. One of the teams in my league just made two transactions yesterday after he had just lost his first playoff game. I don't think he knew he was eliminated or something but his team is done and yet he just spent $8 on transactions that will go into the pot to be paid out at the end of the year.
If a team is mathematically eliminated from playoff contention that team has to be allowed to make waiver moves yet. It's only fair to the entire league that he continue starting a competitive roster so that it doesn't give another team an advantage trying to get into the playoffs. Once the playoffs start that team should not be allowed to make any more waiver moves though unless there is a cost to make those moves.
In my league we have to pay for each transaction. It helps limit them to a certain extent. One of the teams in my league just made two transactions yesterday after he had just lost his first playoff game. I don't think he knew he was eliminated or something but his team is done and yet he just spent $8 on transactions that will go into the pot to be paid out at the end of the year.
Cowboysfan8
Footballguy
Agreed. Shutting moves off for teams that are eliminated but still playing is ridiculous imo
RUSF18
Footballguy
Quoted the most relevant line from the OP. Whole different story than the playoffs actually starting.
A lot of you are arguing different scenarios.
Hawkeye21
Footballguy
I was talking about once the playoffs started, not regular season games.
We've already established that.
Though if there are consolation brackets for the playoff weeks, everyone has a right to pick up whoever they want to give their team the best shot at winning. Even if I can't win the league, I still fight to give my team the highest possible final standing. If teams in the "winners" bracket complain, that's just too bad. Who are they to say I can't find value in competing every week.
Now if a team has no more matchups whatsoever and its redraft, then they shouldn't do moves.
Now if a team has no more matchups whatsoever and its redraft, then they shouldn't do moves.
BoltBacker
Footballguy
Three scenarios:
Whichever one it was, he played OK and I finally beat the little #%Q@%. The teams playing in the championship had like Drew Brees and Cam, so I knew whatever moves I made wasn't going to have an impact. But if I had had any other QBs already on my roster, I wouldn't have bothered
- Team is mathematically eliminated from playoffs before regular season is over. I think everyone agrees they should be able to continue managing their team as normal.
- Regular season ends, team doesn't make playoffs. Again, this is a no-brainer. If you're not actually playing anyone, there's no need to make any roster moves.
- Team makes playoffs, gets eliminated but continues to play in consolation bracket. This is the one gray area. If your league offers any kind of incentive to keep playing (say, money for fifth place or punishment for last place) then I think there is nothing wrong with continuing to make moves. If you're just playing for pride, I would have no problem with a league closing the WW to those teams, though neither of my leagues does that.
Whichever one it was, he played OK and I finally beat the little #%Q@%. The teams playing in the championship had like Drew Brees and Cam, so I knew whatever moves I made wasn't going to have an impact. But if I had had any other QBs already on my roster, I wouldn't have bothered
Last edited by a moderator:
WheelsUp
Footballguy
In dyno, you make moves to do what you want. If you want to block, because you have a better pick if someone wins, fair game.
In redraft, if you are officially eliminated, you do not make a move. If one does, commish reverses it. Integrity of the league is what is important here.
If you are not mathematically eliminated, anything goes. If you did not make the playoffs at this point, you do not touch your roster.
Pretty clear I believe. The bigger question is why are eliminated teams in redraft making moves?
In redraft, if you are officially eliminated, you do not make a move. If one does, commish reverses it. Integrity of the league is what is important here.
If you are not mathematically eliminated, anything goes. If you did not make the playoffs at this point, you do not touch your roster.
Pretty clear I believe. The bigger question is why are eliminated teams in redraft making moves?
Stompin' Tom Connors
Footballguy
Not gray at all, IMHO. This team is still playing in the playoffs (albeit the consolation bracket), and still has something to gain -- whether money, pride, bragging rights, etc. Bottom line, the team is still technically alive, and they should be free to pursue the best lineup they can regardless whether they are in the championship or battling it out for second to last place.
Thanks everyone for the thoughtful replies. I should have provided some context: This is a standard public Yahoo redraft league, $100 buy in where I don't know any of the other nine owners. There are 6 teams fighting for 4 playoff spots (though one is a long shot), and I'm out of it in 9th.
My take is that it should be fine for me to play how I've played all season, trying to win each week's matchup, because:
1. I still enjoy playing, I'm still in the league, and I want to compete.
2. Tanking could skew the results for the remaining contenders.
I guess there's a difference between tanking (not setting a lineup), and actively making moves, and a difference between adding free agents and making waiver claims. Still, if a team in contention is just behind me on the waiver wire and can now make a successful claim just because I'm sitting on my hands, that doesn't seem quite fair to the other contenders.
In the moot point department, this ethical question occurred to me last week as I was making a claim for Kaepernick.
My take is that it should be fine for me to play how I've played all season, trying to win each week's matchup, because:
1. I still enjoy playing, I'm still in the league, and I want to compete.
2. Tanking could skew the results for the remaining contenders.
I guess there's a difference between tanking (not setting a lineup), and actively making moves, and a difference between adding free agents and making waiver claims. Still, if a team in contention is just behind me on the waiver wire and can now make a successful claim just because I'm sitting on my hands, that doesn't seem quite fair to the other contenders.
In the moot point department, this ethical question occurred to me last week as I was making a claim for Kaepernick.
Pigskin Fanatic
Footballguy
it's for money and it's redraft. the commish of the league should have thought this through and have a rule in place to protect the teams that are making a playoff run AND at the same time keep teams that are done from dropping players into the pool that may help the teams still in it. The latter will do more to swing final results of the league than picking up whatever garbage is left in the waiver.
This might be the first loophole i plugged in my league before we got to the end of year 1 of the league 15 years ago.
This might be the first loophole i plugged in my league before we got to the end of year 1 of the league 15 years ago.
Pigskin Fanatic
Footballguy
I guess I misread the OP. If the question is for remaining fantasy regular season, then it should be fair game and i agree with this.
NREC34
Footballguy
DropKick
Footballguy
Redraft = noJohnnyU said:
Dynasty = no
When your season is over get out of the way. That's how we do it. It's a courtesy to the remaining teams. Understood this is a minority opinion but I think it works best. People may claim they lose a chance to build their team but they do have 50 weeks of that opportunity every year.
ETA: We wouldn't restrict player acquisition on mathematical elimination - but we do when your season is officially over.
Last edited by a moderator:
