Costly Championship Mistakes
So you’re in your league’s championship game. Congratulations! Now it’s all about winning the title. Its championship week, so every fraction of a point matters even more than usual and every decision is magnified. Losing isn’t an option, so take the next few minutes to try to learn from the mistakes that others have made on the most important weekend of the fantasy football schedule and try not to repeat any of them.
Mistake #1 – Changing your philosophy
This is the most common mistake among fantasy owners, especially those making their first appearance in a championship game. Just because the decisions you’re making this weekend are the most critical ones you’ll make all season, doesn’t mean you should change the way you make them.
Over the last few weeks on Twitter, there’s been an endless debate among fantasy owners about how to handle lineup decisions in the fantasy playoffs. Many strictly stick to the “play your studs” theory. Others think going with the better matchup is the way to go. No matter what your philosophy is, you should stick with whatever got you to this point. If you’ve consistently stayed with the same lineup, only making changes because of bye weeks or injury, continue doing so. If you’ve constantly made your decisions based on good matchups that your players have, why change?
One of the worst ways to lose a fantasy championship is because you tried something new on the final week of the year, which brings us to…
Mistake #2 – Going somewhere new for advice
It’s okay to admit it, we all have sources we look to for direction when making tough lineup decisions. Whether it’s a website, somebody on Twitter or the butcher slices your ham, you trust them to point you in the right direction for a reason. So, why would you suddenly go somewhere else for guidance?
When you’re making lineup decisions on Sunday morning, use the skills that got you to this point. Gather the facts and feel free to ask the opinion of those you trust to come to an educated decision, but don’t suddenly decide to search the web looking for any list of rankings you can find to make the call for you. It seems silly to put the fate of YOUR fantasy championship in the hands of someone you don’t trust.
Mistake #3 – Overthinking things
Because it’s the biggest game of the year, many fantasy owners look at their matchup and start overanalyzing every little detail. Many look at their opponent’s roster and start considering ways they can get a leg up, only to hurt their own chances of winning.
For example, your opposition has Antonio Brown and Heath Miller and you have Ben Roethlisberger as the backup to Tony Romo. You think to yourself that if you have Big Ben in your lineup, you’ll score every time Brown or Miller score. While that logic is accurate, it doesn’t make it correct. Sure, if the two receivers have big games, your quarterback will have a big game. But if they struggle, your quarterback will likely struggle too.
At the end of week 16 (just like every other week on the schedule), you’ll win as long as you have more points than your opponent. So don’t get cute with your roster. Play your best players. If Roethlisberger is your best option at quarterback, play him. But don’t play him over a better option. That’s the type of mistake that can cost you a championship.
Mistake #4 – Not knowing smack
Have you and your league mates been smack talking all year? If so, by all means keep the tradition alive. Throw out your best stuff leading up to the title game. Make sure to bring up your past triumphs against your opponent, tell them how you’re planning on spending their money and make sure to try to get in their head about the tough lineup decisions they have to make against you. And when you win, poor it on thick. Personally, I like to send a thank you letter or e-card to the second place team thanking them for being such a doormat. Remember, that’s only in a league that’s been doing it all year.
If your league isn’t the type that throws down leading up to every matchup, don’t start this week. You don’t want to give your rival any extra motivation to take you down and you’ll look like a jackass for trying to start something late in the season. Especially if you lose. If you win, you absolutely don’t want to start talking smack the second you lock up the championship. There’s nothing more annoying in a fantasy league than a guy who is quiet all year and then starts blowing his horn when things fall his way. Don’t be that guy.
Mistake #5 – Playing the blame game
While a smack talking champion may be irritating, they’re not nearly as bad as a sore loser.
If things don’t go your way this weekend, don’t jump on the league’s message board blaming your wide receiver for getting hurt in the first quarter, a backup offensive lineman missing a block causing a field goal to get blocked or your butcher for suggesting you play Bobby Rainey over Zac Stacy. Injuries are a part of the game, players make mistakes and at the end of the day, every lineup decision you have is yours to make, not somebody else’s. Have some pride, tip your cap to your opposition and accept defeat with a little class.
Mistake #6 – Failing to enjoy victory
The best thing about winning a fantasy football title isn’t the money, getting your name on a trophy or the jealousy that all your friends have towards you because you did what none of them could. It’s all of the above. Every one of those things are what make fantasy football so much fun! So try not to stress out too much and enjoy the final week of the year.
Whether you’re battling for a championship or playing for the toilet bowl in your league this week, keep in mind that there’s more than 250 days until we get to set our lineup again. Enjoy it!
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