Humbling Losses: You and I Can Overcome This

I will come out and say it. This week I suffered the biggest loss of my fantasy football career. But let this post be a lesson to you. That you can rise from an abysmal week. One loss, no matter the margin, is no reason to find your season as a total loss. It is still early in this game. Just like the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2 or the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1, every team, even fantasy, has an off week.

I went into Week 3 in my league projected by ESPN to win by 10 points. I was solid with my starters and thought that I would breeze through another week. Let’s take a look at how things turned out:

QB: Philip Rivers, 6 fantasy points
RB: DeAngelo Williams, 2 fantasy points
RB: Montario Hardesty, 7 fantasy points
RB/WR: Steve Smith, 1 fantasy point
WR: Hakeem Nicks, 2 fantasy points
WR: AJ Green, 2 fantasy points
WR/TE: Kenny Britt, -1 fantasy point
TE: Evan Moore, 1 fantasy point
 DEF: Tennessee Titans, 8 fantasy points
K: Mason Crosby, 9 fantasy points

That is a grand total of 37 points. For a week of fantasy football. My highest scorer was my kicker.

I would assume that there are more out there like me this week. More fantasy owners who put up an embarrassing score. But, let this be a testament that we can get through it.

Each week leading up to this one, all of these players had great games. It is only natural for them to be off. It was unfortunate for them to all perform poorly on the same week. But, with a low score under their belts already, it is hard to imagine this happening again.

If your team has been dissected by injury, keep your chin up. It is still early. With every injured player comes an unowned backup who will be taking over the number one roll. Take the chance and grab him. If you had Kenny Britt and a part of you died when he went down clutching his knee, go out today and pick up Nate Washington, who will be getting more work.

If you own Miles Austin or Dez Bryant, and you are suffering through weeks of questionable statuses, gamble on Ogletree, even Holley as you know that the Cowboys are a high-powered pass driven offense.

If Jamaal Charles or Arian Foster were your first round choice and you are certain that your team is done for, then take some risks. It is the only way to rebound from it. Dexter McCluster will take over carries and can be used as a receiver or running back.

Sleepers are popping up every day. David Nelson, Ben Gibson, Torrey Smith. They are all names on the rise that can fill in for your injured stars. They might not have the name in bright lights, but they are serviceable. They might not have the consistency that your star did, but they are NFL players, they are capable to have brilliant weeks.

So, if you are like me, and have had a loss, you might be thinking your season is done. But stand back, take a breath, and look at your team. You will find that they are still good players. And you will find that there are guys on the bench that can drive your team through your injuries. Just keep pushing. The person who quits is a loser. And you know how God feels about losers.