The Fantasy Football regular season has officially come to a close. December marks the start of the Fantasy Football playoffs, and managers everywhere are feeling the pressure. Whether you are a top seed with a first-round bye, or barely holding on to the final playoff spot, these next 3 weeks will determine who takes home ultimate bragging rights, or for some of you, a cash prize.
For most leagues, playoffs kick off this weekend, week 15, and conclude in week 17 with the championship. Every start/sit decision, waiver wire claim, or late-season trade can make or break your chances of victory. If you have a first-round bye, congrats! Your hard work has paid off and you can enjoy a stress-free week. Brody Crist ‘26 commented, “I feel great about my team going into the playoffs. I will keep trusting the guys who have been performing all season, and a bye week takes a lot of stress off.”
If you barely made it into the playoffs, embrace the chaos. Upsets are common and anything can happen. And for those of you that were unable to clinch a playoff spot this year, better luck next season. Fantasy football is not solely about attaining the championship win, but ultimately about having friendly competition and enjoying the game.
This season has been rife with injuries and surprise stars, and it takes close attention and a lot of luck to succeed. For example, the consensus #1 overall pick going into the season, Christian McCaffrey, has only played in 4 games this season. He is ranked RB59 in PPR (Point Per Reception) leagues. He recently suffered a PCL tear, sidelining him for the rest of the season. Situations like these are incredibly frustrating for managers who were counting on McCaffrey to have a huge impact on their team’s success.
Lincoln Martinez ‘26 commented, “I was extremely confident in my team going into the season and I believed a championship was in my future. However, overconfidence in unproven players and injuries really derailed my season, and I ended up missing the playoffs.”
This perfectly tells the story of this season. Some crucial pickups such as Jordan Mason, Kareem Hunt, and Bucky Irving (RB16) have been massive contributors to fantasy owners’ success. Rookie phenoms Jayden Daniels (QB2), Bo Nix (QB7), and Brock Bowers (TE1) have been very rewarding surprises for fantasy owners who selected these players in the later rounds of the draft.
Success in the playoffs will come down to a few things. Matchups are perhaps the most important thing to look out for, and even the best players can struggle against elite defenses. Be aware of news and injury updates and make sure players are healthy and are getting a full workload before placing them in your starting lineup. Handcuff stars by picking up their backups in case they go down with an injury, and finally, don’t overthink.
Don’t let one bad week deter you from starting players who have been consistent for you all season. Whether you are a seasoned fantasy football veteran or a rookie, this is the most exciting part of the season. Best of luck to everyone in the playoffs!
