In the midst of the global coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 NFL season began as scheduled with little resistance. Now, here come the hiccups. In Week 4, Tennessee/Pittsburgh was called off due to positive tests in the Titans’ locker room, and the teams were forced to take premature bye weeks. That same week, Cam Newton tested positive for COVID, and the Patriots/Chiefs game was moved back a day. In Week 5, the Titans/Bills game has been pushed all the way back to Tuesday due to continued positive tests from the Titans, and it’s a real possibility that game is just cancelled. Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore also tested positive this week, and Broncos/Patriots was moved to Monday night for precautionary measures.
Positive tests and rescheduling of games seems likely to become a regular part of the NFL season, and the fantasy football community must be prepared! How should leagues handle potential cancellations or schedule changes? How should rosters be constructed? And how can you navigate through uncertain times to most effectively manage your roster? Let’s get to it!
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Potential Game Cancellations/Postponement Options for Your League
Submit a Replacement List to Your Commissioner
In the event that a game is moved back a day or two and is in danger of being cancelled, submit replacement options to your league commissioner. This one is pretty simple. Set your lineups as if every game would be played, but in case you have players in a game that’s in jeopardy, submit a written/typed list to your commissioner specifically naming the players you’ll have to replace if a game is not played, which roster spot the players occupy (WR, RB, W/R/T, etc), and which options you’ll want to be subbed in.
It’s important to remember that by going with this option, you have to lay down ground rules from the jump. The players you set in your lineup are the ones you would go with under normal circumstances, and they are who you consider your best plays of the week. Replacement lists can’t turn into best ball, where you decide you want a player named as a replacement to be in your lineup rather than the original player just because they have a huge week. To keep things fair, ask leaguemates to post their lineup replacement plan on the league message board, a group text, Facebook Messenger, Slack, or wherever else your league communicates together. Transparency and fairness are key.
Auto-Select Replacements
This one is even more simple than the first option, because it places all of the work on the commissioner. In this scenario, the league determines which set of weekly rankings they’d like to use (FantasyPros ECR is an excellent choice), and the commissioner handles the rest. Managers set their lineups as they normally would, and if any of the players in their lineups have their game cancelled, the commissioner automatically replaces them with the next player on their roster based on highest ranking.
For example, I have Derrick Henry, Joe Mixon, and Kenyan Drake as flex options. I opt to play Henry, and his game is cancelled. In that case, my commissioner auto-replaces him with Mixon because Mixon’s ECR is higher than Drake’s for that week. Even if Drake has a monster game and Mixon flops, Mixon is inserted as the replacement. Just like the first option, transparency, fairness, and ground rules must come into play.
No Replacements, Plan Accordingly
This one is just how it sounds – there are no contingency plans in place, the commissioner doesn’t make changes to lineups, and every manager is on his own. If a game is in question for a given week, managers must make some difficult choices about playing their preferred options and hoping the game is still on, or playing it safe and using a backup in the lineup to avoid getting a goose egg if a game is cancelled. This one may seem like a tough way to go through the season, but ultimately, everyone will be in the same boat. Everyone will have to deal with the possibility of games being moved or not played, and that’s where deep benches and streamers come into play. If your league doesn’t want to go with a replacement option but wants to make things a bit more fair, the next option makes a lot of sense.
Bench Spots, IR Spots, Lineup Size
This option is completely based on league preferences, and every league will be different in approach. Some smaller leagues, such as 8-10 teamers should have enough bench and waiver wire depth to survive the unexpected bye weeks, but bigger leagues will surely have more difficulties. That’s where a roster re-haul comes in. If you’re in a 12-team league or larger, you probably don’t have an enormous wealth of quality replacement options on your bench. Consider paring down your lineup size. Instead of three WR spots, consider two. Instead of two FLEX spots, go for one, or eliminate the FLEX altogether if it best suits the league.
If you’re really in a bind for a particular week and don’t want to give up some gems on your bench, consider expanding the bench by a couple of spots. That way, managers can pick up players they’ll need for just one week in a pinch without having to drop a player who will be critical later in the season. Finally, if your league doesn’t already have IR Spot(s), consider adding one or two. This is helpful for typically injuries, but if a player is listed as out due to COVID, they should be able to slide into an available IR spot to save some room on your team’s bench.
Roster Management
Trading
When games being played comes into question, there will certainly be a fair share of overreactions in the fantasy world, particularly as it pertains to trades. If you’ve got a player whose game has already been or is likely to be cancelled for the week, the temptation exists to trade him for a filler option to get through the week. That temptation can lead to devaluing a player and trading him for pennies on the dollar. Sometimes it’s better to take the ‘L’ for a week than to trade away a stud and be without him the rest of the year just because of one game. Remember, the fantasy football regular season is 13 or 14 weeks, and you’ve got to be in it for the long-haul.
Conversely, when your back’s up against the wall, you do what you’ve got to do. If you’re 0-4 and desperately need a win, that’s the time to consider making a deal where you win the week and live to fight another day. Trade your RB1 for an RB2 if you can use him to win the current week’s matchup. Your ROS outlook isn’t as rosy as it once was, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
Waiver Wire
Remember to always, always check your waiver wire. I don’t just mean placing bids and setting priorities on Tuesday night. I mean, check your league transactions as often as you can to see who’s been dropped. You’d be surprised how many quality players might be sitting on your league’s waiver wire because a fellow manager got desperate and had to drop someone good for a quick-fix replacement. With bye weeks on the way and positive COVID tests beginning to come in, desperation drops should increase. Take advantage.
Tennessee/Buffalo (if it’s played) will be the first Tuesday game of the season, and it’s likely that it won’t be the last. With that in mind, leagues should consider updating the day that waivers run. For those that process Tuesday, move waivers to Wednesday. For those that run Wednesday, consider moving back to Thursday so that managers can have an extra day to digest information and make informed claims following Tuesday Night Football.
Dropping Players
In addition to scouting out the waiver wire, be prepared to cut bait on players you can’t envision ever ending up in your lineup. A.J. Green has been a big disappointment this season, yet the name value alone has kept him around on many teams. If you’re in need of points and a win, don’t be afraid to move off big-name talents who will just sit on your bench all year. Your bench needs to be ready to roll when COVID-related absences pile up.
Keep it all in Perspective
No matter what your league decides to implement (or not) in case of cancellations or postponements, respect the rules, honor your word, and play fair. It shouldn’t have to be said repetitively, but fantasy football is the ultimate form of fun for sports fans. Don’t ruin your great time by obsessing over some rule changes (or lack thereof) or roster updates in your league. Roll with the punches, and be happy that we even have football to watch and fantasy football to play. This season was never a guarantee, and there are still roadblocks on the horizon. Enjoy it, and remember that we are fortunate to have it! Also, remember to treat commissioners with respect. They already have enough on their plate, and the added stress of game cancellations, subbing in players, and dealing with the opinions and gripes of 10 or more people can be overwhelming. Cut them a break.
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Zachary Hanshew is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Zachary, check out his archive and follow him @zakthemonster.
