Thanksgiving is a time to take stock in your harvest and appreciate that you probably won't starve to death this year. That's how the Pilgrims did it, anyway.
For fantasy owners, it might be a good time to take stock in your team and see how the cupboards look for the stretch run toward the playoffs. We all have a different bounty, but everyone should have something to appreciate.
As you settle in to a day filled with food and football, see which meal your team resembles this Thanksgiving:
Turkey with stuffing and gravy, glazed carrots, squash soup, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. Your fantasy harvest has been a bounty this year. You're sitting pretty with just a loss or two, your quarterback position is a Brees, and you have plenty of depth at running back and receiver. You have guys like Spencer Ware, but no room to start them. Your backups would be starters for your opponents, but instead they start scrubs and lose to you each week.
If that's you, sit back and enjoy your ride to the post-season. But don't assume you'll be at the head of the table when it's all said and done. You can't start everybody, and if the guys you pick have an off day, someone else could steal that title from you. Don't get fat and lazy late in the year. Anything can happen week to week. But for now, enjoy the fruits of your labors.
Turkey, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and a slice of pie. You have a solid, if unexciting, lineup. But the basics are there, and you're winning enough games to earn a playoff spot. If your players perform up to their ability, you have a good shot.
If you're in this position, be thankful. You might not be at the very top, but you're having a good year. And if things break right you could win it all. Maybe you had to patch some holes in your lineup, but it's made you resilient and kept you sharp. You need to keep that attitude through the rest of the season. Now's a good time to appreciate what you have, but stay vigilant for the upcoming games.
Turkey sandwiches and leftover casserole. You've got a pretty bare-bones meal in front of you. But hey, it's something, and it keeps you going. Your team is likely just talented enough to not embarrass you, but not good enough to make the post-season.
If that's what you have in front of you on Sundays, there isn't too much you can do about it now. Never give up, of course. You could still win out, other teams could lose and you'd sneak into the playoffs. And if that happened, you wouldn't be the first turkey sandwich to win a championship. But realistically, other teams have more supplies than you, and you're missing too many dishes to contend for a title.
Still, you're not starving. You've got a plate in front of you. As long as you're not eliminated, you've got a shot. Enjoy the games and keep hope alive. You never know. And be thankful, because it could be worse.
Frozen turkey TV dinner and your microwave is broken. Okay, it's worse. Your dried-out turkey and wrinkled peas won't even thaw out to give you a bite of success. The season has been cold and unappetizing. Injuries, benchings and all-around disappointments have plagued your draft harvest since week 1. It ain't over 'till it's over, but in your case, it's over. You're not going to the playoffs.
If that's your situation, you have my condolences. But you don't get to throw your paper plate in the garbage and forget about it. It's your team, and you owe it to the league to play out the season. That means setting the best lineups possible, and being a real opponent instead of a piece of abandoned driftwood. They don't serve cupcakes on Thanksgiving, so don't serve them up to your fellow owners. Appreciate that you're a member of a good league. Do your best.
There's one thing that all of these fantasy football meals have in common, and it's the same with Thanksgiving, too: Friends and family. No matter how good or bad your team is, or how fancy your holiday meal looks, the thing that really matters is who you're sharing it with each year. Winning is always fun, but your league matters because the owners are close. Some are basically family, and others might actually be family. On Thanksgiving, hopefully you'll be sitting with loved ones as well. Regardless of circumstance, those are the people you should appreciate and who make you thankful.
I hope you win the rest of your games, and you see all your favorites at the holiday table. But however it turns out, appreciate what you have, and recognize that many others have less. Good luck this week.
What kind of meal does your team resemble this year? Share your thoughts below.