There comes a time in most seasons when you have to face facts and admit it’s not your year. Poor planning, poor luck or just enough poor performances to sink your hopes, and it’s not going to turn around. Time to pack it in and look toward next year.
For fantasy teams, that time is still a few weeks away. As I discussed previously, your team can go on a winning streak easier than a downtrodden real team. You can still make the playoffs. But for NFL teams, the time to give up seems to be right now. And that decision will affect your fantasy season going forward.
It’s not just about record; circumstances play a role as well. For example, the Ravens are more done at 4-4 than the Saints at 2-5. In the suddenly-competitive NFC North, a .500 record is the bottom of the division, and Baltimore is looking at third-tier quarterbacks for the foreseeable future. I don’t see them making any major trades to save their season, either. If anything, it would be something small to reinforce their commitment to mediocrity. So how will that affect Derrick Ravens (I’m changing is surname because he is the entire team right now)? You can expect a stacked box for just about every carry. Even if the Ravens went full-on Buccaneers and ran the ball exclusively, I’m not sure it will help. That’s plenty of work for a back who’s not far from 33 years old. If they happen to lose to the Chargers in two weeks, how soon do they decide to protect their valuable assets and coast through the rest of 2026?
Speaking of that Los Angeles team, 0-7 is finished in the NFL. If you haven’t given up on their players, I think the team will do it for you soon enough. They need a victory to escape a winless season (that Ravens game looks better right about now), but then what? Why risk your players through two months of possible injury? A mild ankle sprain could turn into IR very quickly.
The Colts are trying to sell whatever they can, and there will always be buyers for the right price. But what about your players on the team that acquires Jonathan Taylor? Whether it’s the Broncos, Packers, Vikings, Giants, or some other team, that trade will affect some fantasy players negatively. One trade can shake up your league, and that can be either good or bad for you. And this isn’t breaking news, but Saquon Barkley is nowhere close to 100 percent. At 2-6, how long do they keep him out there? Why rush DeVonta Smith back? Could they be trade targets? Teams that pack it in often send valuable players packing. How will that affect your fantasy team?
The truth is, we don’t know. The best team in your league might be facing new challenges, and the teams at the bottom might have new opportunities. Players like Seth McGowan might be productive waiver wire additions for teams with priority. That’s part of the reason why you can’t give up now, regardless of record. You also can’t get complacent. Your 6-2 fantasy team might be facing new challenges once players have found new homes. No matter your record, you can’t afford to ignore the waiver wire and let dead weight occupy the back end of your roster. You might need those guys.
Stay tuned for the next couple weeks, and see the results as opportunities for your fantasy team. Good luck this week.
What fantasy players have the best upside thanks to a potential trade? Which ones are at risk? How do you see them affecting your team? Share your thoughts below.
