Intentionally lose in Week 1

[joneo 556]

If your league uses a waiver wire process and gives the losers of week 1 the first options to pick off the free agents going into week 2, I say intentionally lose BIG so you have the first pick. There's ALWAYS an injury to a key player that everyone wishes they could pick up the #1 replacement. 

[Alias Detective 1,388]

4 minutes ago, joneo said:

If your league uses a waiver wire process and gives the losers of week 1 the first options to pick off the free agents going into week 2, I say intentionally lose BIG so you have the first pick. There's ALWAYS an injury to a key player that everyone wishes they could pick up the #1 replacement. 

How many leagues use this stupid formula for the waiver process?

[joneo 556]

Just now, Alias Detective said:

How many leagues use this stupid formula for the waiver process?

How does your league determine who goes first in the waiver process?

[polecatt 474]

5 minutes ago, joneo said:

If your league uses a waiver wire process and gives the losers of week 1 the first options to pick off the free agents going into week 2, I say intentionally lose BIG so you have the first pick. There's ALWAYS an injury to a key player that everyone wishes they could pick up the #1 replacement. 

I guess it's something to consider if you're desperate. If you need the FA pick up that badly, then losing on purpose is probably not an option.

The only time I can recall, in all my years of playing that I would have needed to do something like this, it worked out any way.

I got stuck behind a big run on QBs and I ended up with Peyton Manning, the year he sat out before he went to Denver. I was starting Joe Flacco, ugh!

Just so happened that Cam Newton had just thrown for over 400 yards in his NFL debut. So that's who I picked up. As everyone knows, Cam had an excellent rookie season, 14 rushing TDs.

He was my starter the whole season.

[Phil Simms 11 133]

I changed all leagues to FAAB now. No, wouldn’t lose on purpose week 1

[joneo 556]

5 minutes ago, Phil Simms 11 said:

I changed all leagues to FAAB now. No, wouldn’t lose on purpose week 1

What is "FAAB"? 

ok..just googled.  just saying IF you use my scenario,  not yours.

[Reality 3,085]

It's a solid strategy, I'd probably consider losing the first couple games just to be sure. You're spot on about injuries and the ww.

[MTSkiBum 1,620]

Almost all of my leagues use FAAB. I think it is the more common approach now.

[TimmySmith 2,782]

Strategic losing is an art in FF. Most of mine are late season, but I see merit in your plan. Plus it's easy to blame a horrible lineup on week 1.

[titans&bucs&bearsohmy! 2,745]

Sure, if you want to play like a beotch.

[kutulu 1,659]

I do this every year but instead I lose the first three games on purpose. Sometimes it takes a few weeks to find those hidden gems. Because of the extra game this year I'm thinking it might make sense to drop the first four games. 

[robocardz 14]

I've been doing FFB since college in mid-90's -- I would never lose "on purpose" but the original post has more merit than it is being given if you are in a league that sets waiver wire order on W/L and pts scored.

I look back over the years and can say EASILY in the last 25 years that a League Difference Maker became available in week 1 or week 2 at LEAST 50% of the time -- Look no more than James Robinson last year.

Never good to lose on purpose BUT I would much rather lose in week 1 &/or 2 than in week 6 or 7 in certain types of leagues.

RB

[weepaws 3,143]

Winning is the name of the game, FAAB removes ones thinking of setting up a losing lineup. 

In which just seems very childish.

[Frozenbeernuts 2,101]

Or you get head faked into grabbing a guy who flashed week 1. I dont like the strategy. Some years it works out, some years it doesn't

[Phil Simms 11 133]

1 hour ago, joneo said:

What is "FAAB"? 

ok..just googled.  just saying IF you use my scenario,  not yours.

With weekly and annual prizes I also don’t do it.

I’ve also won the title by slipping into last playoff spot. My team barely made it in and barely won the title. 
 

I do see why you would consider it. The advantage of losing week 1 is part of why we changed to FAAB. 

[Alias Detective 1,388]

2 hours ago, joneo said:

How does your league determine who goes first in the waiver process?

worst record.  I play in a stupid league and we win stupid prizes.

[Alias Detective 1,388]

46 minutes ago, weepaws said:

Winning is the name of the game, FAAB removes ones thinking of setting up a losing lineup. 

In which just seems very childish.

You are playing Fantasy Football.  Seems very childish.  In fact, that's why I play.  To have fun and be a child again. 

Do you play to retire early?

[weepaws 3,143]

It’s not child’s play in the league I’m in, a child doesn’t have enough money to participate in the leagues I’m in. 

If you want to be a child again, watch coco melon and stop participating in ff. 

You play to win the game. 

Thanks. 

[tanatastic 2,062]

Not worth it.

[Alias Detective 1,388]

11 minutes ago, weepaws said:

It’s not child’s play in the league I’m in, a child doesn’t have enough money to participate in the leagues I’m in. 

If you want to be a child again, watch coco melon and stop participating in ff. 

You play to win the game. 

Thanks. 

Early retirement I see.  What prizes do you play for?

[nobody 2,540]

I would try to lose every game, so I could get all the best waiver pickups.

[nobody 2,540]

1 hour ago, weepaws said:

It’s not child’s play in the league I’m in, a child doesn’t have enough money to participate in the leagues I’m in. 

If you want to be a child again, watch coco melon and stop participating in ff. 

You play to win the game. 

Thanks. 

How much is the league you play in?

[weepaws 3,143]

More then a child can afford to play in . 

I could never play to lose, and i can’t stand it if someone does, I like the competition. 

Ive never had an undefeated season, that’s my last goal before I stop playing ff, the best I’ve done is 11-0. 

If I can go undefeated I’m done. 

Ive done everything else.  

 

[nobody 2,540]

4 minutes ago, weepaws said:

More then a child can afford to play in . 

So like $5?  Children don't have a lot of money.

[weepaws 3,143]

Do you work for the IRS. Lol

[AxeElf 787]

Yeah I mostly play FAAB in managed leagues these days too--but I've done this under certain circumstances in the past.  I got the idea from my very first fantasy football league when I (don't laugh) drafted Houston QB Cody Carlson as my first ever fantasy player drafted.  So obviously I had a ways to go before becoming the Axe Elf you know and trust today.

But anyway, I obviously lost my first game, and this free agent WR had a good game after transferring to Atlanta from the Jets, so I picked up Terance Mathis with my top waiver pick, and he became the WR3 for the season.

So it's not always just about injuries in Week 1; Week 1 is also when we see teams' real offenses, and the players they've been keeping under wraps.  But there is usually someone who emerges as a top pickup in Week 1, one way or another.  If you take advantage of your league's rules, while still playing within those rules, then all's fair in love and fantasy football.

That said, I wouldn't recommend dropping a game intentionally under most circumstances.  If you have a fairly strong team already, I wouldn't even consider it.  But if you know you're probly gonna lose that first game anyway, it can sometimes be an advantage to go ahead and be sure.

[posty 2,603]

2 hours ago, weepaws said:

Ive never had an undefeated season, that’s my last goal before I stop playing ff, the best I’ve done is 11-0. 

Isn't 11-0 undefeated?

[weepaws 3,143]

No not in what was a 13 regular game season. 11-0 was the closet I got to being undefeated, I did end up 12-1. 

Thanks. 

[leemer 2]

1999 Had Starting QB Testaverde go down in the first game of the season - lost badly.  Who the Heck is this Kurt Warner guy from St. Louis, well guess I'll grab him off waivers.

 

[Ray_T 738]

yeah dude, you play to win.

if its a case where half your team has played and its clear you are losing, maybe you do some roster changes to make sure you get the #1 waiver pick, but this comes at a cost.

lots of tiebreakers are done based on points scored.  so losing by 10 points vs losing by 50?   that means you lose all the tiebreakers.   and if your team is bad enough that you need the best waiver wire pick, you likely were gonna lose your league anyways.

[AxeElf 787]

8 minutes ago, Ray_T said:

if your team is bad enough that you need the best waiver wire pick, you likely were gonna lose your league anyways.

I don't think you can make that determination.  There's a lot of football to be played between the draft and the playoffs.

I once drafted a team from the free agents left over after all the other 9 teams had drafted theirs, with the compensation that I got the 1st waiver wire pick each week.  I finished third, but with 7 more points in the semifinal game, I would have won the league.  So yeah, you can basically win a league on waiver wire pickups alone.

So if you do an autodraft and end up with Taylor and CEH as your RBs, don't despair!  You can still fix this...

[Ray_T 738]

Just now, AxeElf said:

I don't think you can make that determination.  There's a lot of football to be played between the draft and the playoffs.

I once drafted a team from the free agents left over after all the other 9 teams had drafted theirs, with the compensation that I got the 1st waiver wire pick each week.  I finished third, but with 7 more points in the semifinal game, I would have won the league.  So yeah, you can basically win a league on waiver wire pickups alone.

all the same, the deck is stacked against you if you are at that point where you need this.

I'd never say its impossible, but highly highly unlikely.

you would need to make a great pickup almost every week.   most dont have that ability.  and those who do, usually they are not in the position where they get the #1 waiver wire priority.

see where I'm coming from?

your case was unique in that you were guaranteed the #1 waiver wire priority every week.  As your team got better, you were able to continue to improve because of the guarantee.

Thats not something this guy will have.  the minute he strings a few wins together he loses the #1 waiver priority.

but yes, I do fully agree, sometimes a team just has a bad week and you can bounce back from a terrible week 1 to win.  I just dont know that its worth giving up the tiebreaker to do it. (assuming points scored is the tiebreaker in your league)

 

 

[Law 241]

You should lose EVERY week then! You'll have a great team built up to watch the playoffs.

[AxeElf 787]

43 minutes ago, Ray_T said:

Thats not something this guy will have.  the minute he strings a few wins together he loses the #1 waiver priority.

If you have FAAB, you always have the #1 waiver priority.