For whatever reason, the season didn't go the way you planned in one of your leagues. Maybe it was injuries, maybe you ran into each opponent on their best week, or maybe your strategy just didn't work out. In any case, you're playing your last game with no hope of making the playoffs. So naturally, you let that team fade into oblivion and concentrate on other teams that still have a shot at a title.
Except that isn't what you should do at all. If your league still has a game left to play, you might have a chance to ruin someone else's postseason chances, or at least end the year on a high note. And you should try to do just that at the end of any disappointing season.
Missing the playoffs is never a good time, but denying someone else the chance to make it (especially a friend) is its own fun. If someone needs you to lose to help their chances, why should you roll over for them? They're counting on your attention going to other leagues where your teams have fared better. They expect you'll turn into a cupcake and let them dance into the postseason. You have no reason to pay attention to the waiver wire and put together the best lineup possible. And when you do it, and send them packing in the process, it's extra satisfying.
I saw that scenario play out just last weekend. A team needing a win faced another team that had already been eliminated. Did the latter manager just ignore their roster and lie down? Of course not. There was trash talking, wrestling gifs on the text chain and more confidence than you'd expect from a four-win team. And now, of course, both teams are out of the playoffs. Why deny yourself a week of fun at the end of a frustrating year? If you can play spoiler at the end of the season, you're missing out by not taking advantage.
Besides, if you don't try your best you're upsetting the integrity of the league. Other teams in contention might need your opponent to lose to get in themselves. You don't owe those managers anything specifically, but you do owe the league your best effort. Next year it might be you who needs a team to lose, and watching an abandoned lineup offer up an easy win is a frustrating way to miss the playoffs. If everyone always tries their best, at least it's a competitive situation for all teams involved.
And if your game is meaningless, you still owe it to yourself and the league to try and win. Did you sign up for an abbreviated season? Did you agree to play only until your team was out of it? No, you saw the schedule when it came out, and that's what you're expected to play. I'm not saying you have to be glued to the television to track your players, but I am saying that you need to field the best team possible. Besides, what's the harm in finishing a tough season with some wins? NFL players do it all the time. The Titans might have hurt their 2026 draft by beating the Browns, but they're paid to try and win. And despite whatever that two-point conversion attempt was supposed to be, the Browns are paid to try as well. If you had to pay an entry fee to play fantasy football, it would be silly not to get all the fun and success you can for your money. Try your best.
And yes, if you have a team that's in the playoffs in a different league, you'll clearly focus on their prospects. I'm just saying that if you can juggle multiple teams during the season, you can give the appropriate attention to the team that's playing out the string. Whether you do it to ruin someone's day, end the year with a victory, or just hold up your end of the bargain, do your best to win all the games on your schedule. Good luck this week.
How do you keep up your enthusiasm when your team is out of it? Do you have any good spoiler stories? Has your season ever been spoiled by a manager who was already eliminated? Share your thoughts below.