You work all year to get to the fantasy post-season. You draft well, manage the waiver wire, hold on to your depth, analyze matchups and maybe get a little lucky at the right times. And finally, if things go well, you find yourself in the most important game of the year (so far).
Except your players don't know it.
They have no idea your playoffs have started. They don't know how important they are to your team. And to be honest, sometimes it seems like they don't care. Can you believe that? All that bonding you did over the last few months and it's like they don't even know you.
Take A.J. Green. He had one catch Sunday. One. You'd think he'd be down after that playoff performance, with a towel over his head and declining to answer questions after the game. But no. He seemed almost happy! Apparently, the Bengals clinched a playoff spot with that win. And, despite racking up less than 40 yards in a game you needed to win, he was all smiles. Doesn't he know your season might be over?
Larry Fitzgerald only had a few more yards than Green. And really, Larry knows better. Remember that playoff run he had a few years back? Nobody could cover him. It was an epic string of performances when the games really mattered.
Really mattered for the Cardinals, that is. But when it's your team, he doesn't seem to care. Arizona scores 40 points and he catches three for 43 yards? And again, he didn't seem upset at all. Why can't he come up big in your playoffs?
Some players get it. If injuries and depth issues meant you had to start Kirk Cousins as your quarterback, he was ready for you. Washington put up five touchdowns, and Cousins had a hand in all of them. He understood what was at stake. His team got a much-needed win, just like those other guys. But he made sure you were covered as well. That's professionalism, folks.
How about Danny Woodhead? I know there are playoff teams that had to start him, and figured he'd be the weak spot in their lineup. But Rudy -- sorry, I mean Danny -- kept chugging along, with 60 total yards and four touchdowns. And his team was playing a lame duck game in a lame duck season in front of what looks like a lame duck crowd sitting in a lame duck stadium. But he wasn't worried about that. He was worried about you.
Well, not really. The guys who did well don't care about your team any more than the guys who did poorly. Their game isn't really related to yours. But when you're watching your season go up in smoke, it feels like they let you down. When one unexpected performance helps carry you to the championship game, it feels like that guy is coming through for you.
In reality, it was mostly bad luck. As much as we try to mimic the NFL, the playoffs aren't the same. If Josh Norman gets in Odell Beckham's head, that's a real head-to-head matchup. When Darrelle Revis used to shut down top wideouts week after week, that's a true battle between two sides.
But it's different in fantasy. Your opponent didn't shut down Green or Fitzgerald. Your defense didn't blow its coverage and let Jordan Matthews score a long touchdown. You don't actually play your opponent. You just compare scores. Maybe those guys had a reason to try that week, and maybe they didn't. Maybe they played well, and maybe they didn't. But a player can do almost nothing statistically and he's happy his team won, while another blows up the stat sheet and feels disappointed. Their goals aren't the same as yours.
Personally, I've always preferred total points in determining a champion in fantasy leagues. It's not how the NFL does it, but it's a better indicator of which fantasy team was the best that year. But I get the appeal of head to head. You get game-day drama, elation when you win, and disappointment when you lose. A whole season can end in one afternoon. Just like in the real game.
I just think it would be nice if the losing players didn't look so happy just because the team that pays them millions won their game. They should have some compassion for their other team, and the dozens of dollars that were on the line in that league. Hopefully you're still in the running for that money. Good luck this week.
Did you have players who seemed to forget it was a playoff game? Any unexpected surprises propel you to victory? Share your stories below.
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