I have no idea what Nick Saban told his team when they were down 20-7 at halftime this past weekend. I do know that Alabama responded with 27 straight points, shutting out Tennessee and coasting to a double-digit victory. And while the Tide are still a great team, they're not the dominant force they used to be. They can't just wake up and decide to crush a ranked team in the final 30 minutes. He must have made some adjustments that really made a difference in the second half.
No reason you can't do the same thing with your fantasy team. Let's look at the four categories (five, really) that your team could be placed in, and decide how to approach the second half of your season.
Good Record/Good Points. Can't argue with this kind of success. You're winning games and your players are scoring. Your main concern will be bye weeks, injuries, and complacency. If you had to replace your starters, is your bench capable of decent production? Work the waiver wire every week to make sure your bench is as strong as possible, even if you'll never use them. Remember: Players on your team can't score for your opponent. You don't want to run into a D'Onta Foreman-type on the wrong weekend.
Good Record/Bad Points. You've been lucky, which is fine. Maybe you faced the league bully on the right week, or your opponents magically fizzle out when they face you. Who knows, and who cares? You are your record. So far so good.
Just know that your luck will absolutely run out at some point. You know where your weaknesses are, and a big one will be your expectations. If your opponents never score much against you, you might start to believe you have a good "defense," and expect that trend to continue. But it's just luck, and it will certainly change eventually. Shake up your roster and keep searching for talent like you have a losing record. Because if your team doesn't get it together, you'll probably have one at the end of the year.
Bad Record/Good Points. This category is probably the most dangerous, because it's the one most prone to self-sabotage. It's hard to keep your cool when the losses are piling up. Even if you know you've been facing the top-scoring teams every week, you still feel the need to "do something" to right the ship. In reality, your team is fine. It’s just bad luck that (hopefully) will start to work in your favor as the season continues. But if you mess with a high-scoring team, make an ill-advised trade or start benching good players, you'll take yourself right out of the running for Comeback of the Year.
You can only control what you can control. And the only real control you have is setting your lineup. If your team is scoring points, you're doing your job. I know hope isn't a strategy, but all you can do is hold on to the idea that your luck will change, and your points will translate to some victories in the second half of the season. But if you mess with what's working, you'll lose winnable games and take yourself out of contention. Resist that temptation.
Bad record/Bad points. Well, here's a place nobody wants to be. Unfortunately, some years this is where you end up. Maybe it was bad luck with injuries, just missing out on the guys you wanted on draft day, or unexpected benchings or disappointing performances.
And I hate to point this out, but it also might be none of those things. Maybe it was you. Your strategy didn't pay off. The guys you thought would be good simply weren't. They players you passed on were better than you expected. Maybe you got it wrong in 2023. We’ve all been there. If that's the case, you have an excellent opportunity to face reality and learn from it. Because you're not getting fired at the end of the year. If you recognize where you went wrong, and what mistakes you made on draft day, you'll be less likely to repeat them next year. You might not be able to do much with your team this season, but you can pay attention and help yourself next season.
Besides, maybe things will break your way in the second half. Lady Luck might smile on you. Anything can happen. In any case, you can still have fun trying to earn some wins and knock off some friends. you waited all offseason for this opportunity. Don't sell yourself short now.
The Fifth Category. Sadly, one of my teams is here. It's mediocre record and mediocre points. Not bad enough to make wholesale changes, but not good enough to have any confidence in making the playoffs. Just a middle-of-the-pack record, and about average in points. Is it a good team that needs a little more time to gel, or is it a bad team that's treading water before eventually sinking? I have no idea. It's hard to devise a workable strategy, because I don't know if I'd be sabotaging a strong second half, or acting too complacent while watching the team collapse, or refusing to acknowledge my team is the ho-hum result of a ho-hum draft. Where’s Nick Saban when you need him?
Wherever your team falls, acknowledge reality and do your best to finish the year strong. Whatever you do, don’t give up. You owe it to your league mates, and yourself. A winning streak could begin (or continue) in week 8. Good luck this week.
How do you see your team so far? What adjustments are you looking to make, if any? Share your thoughts below.