For many leagues, fantasy football is done for the year. The champ has been crowned, the congratulations have been wished, and, if you're lucky, the money has been paid out. It's time to settle in, watch the rest of the NFL season and playoffs, maybe take a little break, and start thinking about the draft at the end of April.
But my question is: Why? Why is the season over for those leagues? There's a perfectly good regular-season week coming up that's going to waste. Why isn't this coming week the league championship?
In previous years, leagues ended in week 16 because they didn't want to hold the championship at the end of the regular season, when teams might be resting starters. NFL teams that didn't earn a bye often sit their essential personnel. And teams that are out of the playoff race often do the same thing. Teams don't want to risk their best players unnecessarily, so why play fantasy football in a week with fewer starters available? And that made perfect sense to me, even though I've played in leagues that went until the very end, and it didn't ruin the game. But ending things a week earlier is logical and ensures that more healthy players will take the field.
The thing is, week 17 isn't the last week anymore. Nobody is resting starters. Neither conference has locked in its top seed, so nobody has a guaranteed bye yet. And headed into week 17, just a quarter of the league is out of playoff contention. Very little has been resolved, so teams are still going all out to win. Sounds like an ideal championship week to me.
Unfortunately, too many leagues still haven't changed their playoff schedule, so an extra week that actually matters goes to waste. Those leagues could have expanded their playoffs, or simply added a week to the regular season. They could have gotten creative and held a two-week championship game. Instead, they did nothing. Imagine having an opportunity for more fantasy football, and turning it down? I'm a firm believer in playing how you want to play, but that decision makes no sense to me.
If the fantasy playoffs ended last week, that's it. There's nothing you can do about it this season. But make a mental note to address it in the offseason and get more football on the fantasy schedule. You have many different options to extend the season, and I think any of them would be better than ending things early.
Now, I realize that making changes in some leagues is like amending the U.S. Constitution: It's tough to do, and only happens every few decades. It's not always easy to get people on board. Some folks like to keep things the way they are because, well, just because. But I think this is a battle worth fighting. You can go back and see how many teams would have stayed alive for an extra week, or what teams would have made the expanded playoffs. At the very least, an extra week would have given teams more hope after a slow start. The longer you can keep fantasy managers engaged, the better the league will be from a competition standpoint, as well as an enthusiasm standpoint.
Besides, if you don't adjust, your league will deal with the ramifications of the NFL's adjustments. If your fantasy season ended in week 14, how did you like dealing with six teams on the bye? In a must-win week when fantasy teams will make or miss the playoffs, is it good for so many players to be unavailable? Isn't that why we used to hold the championship in week 16? In competitive leagues, the week before the playoffs start usually comes with its own drama. Don't ruin it by having good teams deal with a bye week.
There’s a good chance that week 17 means nothing to your fantasy league, and that’s a shame. As you watch the games, make a note of the good performances that won’t matter, and see if you can extend the fantasy season next year. And if you are still playing, congrats and good luck this week.
Do you think leagues should add a week, or playoff teams, or do something to accommodate the NFL’s extra week? Or do you like things the way they are? Does this week mean anything for your fantasy team? Share your thoughts below.