I will introduce this the same way I did when there was speculation over what the NFL would do about Monday’s postponed — now canceled — Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals game from Week 17: The most important thing right now is Damar Hamlin’s health.
His collapse and recovery has made the game of football and, even more so, fantasy football seem small and insignificant. They are all just games.
So while I’m going to address a fantasy question that so many leagues are asking — somewhat like the one the NFL is addressing about its playoff situation — I’m doing so while not forgetting Hamlin.
With the Bills-Bengals cancellation becoming official on Thursday, fantasy football championships (and other results from Week 17) were affected by Cincinnati and Buffalo players ending up with zeroes as their scores. Although sites have weighed in on their policies, commissioners can still make their own decisions.
And that’s what these ideas are for:
1
Donate all your winnings to Hamlin's charity
This is inspired from what many leagues are doing and from stories I’ve heard from some friends.
This is the altruistic option that is fair for all parties and a wonderful gesture.
This one is great. Fantasy league donated winnings pic.twitter.com/JZK6vMDuDX
— Casey Pauline (@CAPauline) January 4, 2023
2
Declare a co-championship
Also a fair way to deal with an unprecedented situation. If you’re one of those managers who was, say, down by two points and had Josh Allen going that night and ended up losing, don’t you leave this season with the knowledge that in any other universe, you would have won?
So let’s be nice to each other and put both championship game teams on the trophy.
As for the money, if you decide not to donate it?
3
Split the money in some way
You could agree to split the winnings between the two winning managers. You could donate some of it and pay back entry fees. You could split it based on the percentage of how each team was projected to win.
You get the idea.
4
Live with the results as is
If you’re playing fantasy football, the results are the results. Allen, Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, etc … they all have zeroes next to their names. Whatever the score is, that’s it, the winner on paper is the winner.
This feels like taking the hard line on things. My take is this is all unprecedented and should be treated as such. So how about …
5
Have the championship teams play Week 18
You could either combine it with the Week 17 results or play it separately. And don’t complain that a bunch of teams will bench their stars or play them sparingly. If you think you’re so smart in fantasy football, then prove it in a week that will test you.
Curious what others think but I feel like the most logical answer to fantasy championships is to use week 18 scores for any remaining Bills/Bengals. https://t.co/ggvTzLv8v6
— Ron Stewart (@RonStewart_) January 6, 2023
