Jump to content
[[Template core/front/custom/_customHeader is throwing an error. This theme may be out of date. Run the support tool in the AdminCP to restore the default theme.]]

Interesting Ethical Dilemma re: Set Lineup


Butkus
 Share

Recommended Posts

Thanks to that very odd late 50+ FG by Akers last night, I'm up by 4 pts over my wk 9 opponent and all of his players have finished. My dilemma here is I still have Rothlisberger to go tonight, and against a fierce Broncos D in their house, I'm concerned that keeping by keeping Ben in my lineup, I'm risking a tie or loss given the -2 pts I would get per pick and -1 per fumble, combined with fact that this league only rewards 4 pts per TD and no points for yardage under 250.

 

Our league rules state that "Lineup deadline is 5 minutes before gametime for each player" I have Bulger on my bench (don't ask) who is on bye. CBSSports line will allow me to swap Bulger and Rothlisberger based on the rule above. So I could put in Bulger and guarantee a win.

 

I pinged our commish on this and he feels that while we don;t have a specific rule against it, it would be going against the "spirit of the league".

 

Anyway, I'm not posting this in advice because i think I'm going to do the right thing and let Rothlisberger ride and cross my fingers. But I'm curious what rules you guys may have in place in head-to-head leagues to account for such an anomoly (this league is never going to go with a total pts structure)and also welcome any general thoughts on FFL ethics.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Spirit of the league my ass. The rules are the rules. If nothing prevents you from making the change, make the change. Although the odds of Ben getting negative points are remote, in a money league, tight race for the playoffs, I'd do it.

 

A couple years ago I was in a league where we were allowed two IR slots. A player had to be listed questionable or worse to be eligible for IR. One week the site's injury report was not updated so the commish asked us for any injury moves that he could apply manually. I had Thomas Jones listed as questionable according to the NFL's official injury report, so I asked the commish to add him to my IR. He refused, later telling me that he knew Jones was going to play, and the "spirit of the rule" was to allow owners to replace players who were not playing. It was a keeper league and I told him immediately I was not coming back the next year, but still played out the season. I figured if even the written rules were changeable at the whims of the commish, fairness was out the window.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you were trying to lose on purpose, that would be tanking which would not be cool, but it's pretty obvious that you are simply trying to use your legally available players in a way which gives you the best chance to win. Nothing at all wrong with that as far as I can see.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In our main league we have a rule that states playing a player on bye is not allowed if you have another player who can be made active. The non-bye player is "automatically" set to active.

 

If you have more than one player to play (i.e you would have Roeth and Hass on your roster as well) and you set the bye week player to active you then get a -15 for that position for that week.

 

They typcially would keep anyone from doing what you propose. The issue we have found with this rule is if an owner gets discouraged and gives up and doesn't set his roster, this causes him to "give away wins" to the lucky owners who get to play him later in the season.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think your own instincts are right. You know that you SHOULD be starting Ben and that Bulger would be a bit of a dick move and don't want to do it. You are doing the right thing.

 

Most leagues I've been a part of, you have prizes for highest season total points (the points you potentially lose benching Ben) to act as a pretty ineffective control against what you contemplated.

 

I think it's cool you're going to roll with Ben. The chances of him blowing your win are very low anyway, but winning on technicalities makes a pretend game of football even more meaningless IMO.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it depends on the league. If it's a bunch of friends and you don't want to piss everyone off, then leave him in, you're almost certainly going to win anyway. If it's an online league or a big-money Muto league, then bench him.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've told our commish we need to institute a clause to rules stating that only "active" players (i.e. players with games that week) can be subbed if indeed that is inferred. He's telling me it's my call this week but he will send out a note to the league tomorrow for consensus.

 

This league actually consists of CLOSE friends, but this one opponent I don't know that well. However, 'm still thinking of keeping Ben in the lineup, just so there is no guff maybe.

Edited by Butkus
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Put it this way, if you forgot to replace Bulger for BigBen your opponent would have been happy Sunday morning. And if you remembered to swap them and it was 2 late you would have gotten a 0. You can't have it both ways, I am comish in my league and if you want to start bye players go ahead. If the team could not win when you have 1 player less, then he shouldnt win period.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

First off, your league needs a new rule to cover this. There should be a rule that states if you have an active player at each position, it should be illegal to start a player on a bye.

 

Sure, you could make the change, and it's a personal decision. Me, I would use Rothlisberger. Finding a loophole in the rules to assure a win would be for me, a cowards way out, but I'm not saying you would be a coward if you pulled him. I have my own rule set, others have theirs, and I would prefer to live up to the spirit of the league. Obviously many others want the win to be assured, and that's fine for them.

 

I have seen leagues fall apart when an owner uses a loophole to win before. It isn't pretty, but, you are within your rights to bench him.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How many times has someone scored negative points as a QB this year outside of Mark Nacho's doozy against NO. Ben is dirtying it up this year. Hes a lock for minimum 150 yards passing even against the worst of all teams. In a 25 yards pp league (-2 int, -1 fumble) you still have to have Ben roll a 150 yard 2 int 2 fumble performance to break even. You are an ass for even asking if that's ok.

Edited by imtoolowkey
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've told our commish we need to institute a clause to rules stating that only "active" players (i.e. players with games that week) can be subbed if indeed that is inferred. He's telling me it's my call this week but he will send out a note to the league tomorrow for consensus.

 

This league actually consists of CLOSE friends, but this one opponent I don't know that well. However, 'm still thinking of keeping Ben in the lineup, just so there is no guff maybe.

 

Why are you playing fantasy football in the first place? Your response is the answer to your question. As for rules, my local (which has been running for almost 15 years) has a penalty of ten points for anyone in the lineup who is on their bye. It's come into play several times this year and there is no grumbling about it because it is in the rules already. I don't think you want to add anything like that in your rules during the middle of a season but it might be worth considering for next year's league.

 

Do the honorable thing. You'll be glad you did.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How many times has someone scored negative points as a QB this year outside of Mark Nacho's doozy against NO. Ben is dirtying it up this year. Hes a lock for minimum 150 yards passing even against the worst of all teams. In a 25 yards pp league (-2 int, -1 fumble) you still have to have Ben roll a 150 yard 2 int 2 fumble performance to break even. You are an ass for even asking if that's ok.

 

First post says "league only rewards 4 pts per TD and no points for yardage under 250". So being a lock for 150 yards is not helpful. I'd still play him and I doubt he'll end up with neg points but if I was the team playing you, I wouldn't blame you for sitting him out either.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This happens on Sundays in daily lineup H2H fantasy baseball leagues all the time. You're far enough ahead in enough categories, you don't want to have your position wrecked by imploding pitchers, so you bench them all. Standard operating procedure.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Take the "W" and move on. A couple years ago I started Grossman and he did in fact get me negative points on Monday night and I lost. Not starting him would have assured a win. I lost by the slimmest of margins. Unless you're after "highest points on the week" or some total points money, bench him. Who's to say Roethlisberger doesn't get sacked, lose a fumble, and be out for the game on the first play? That's -3 in my league.

 

Easy decision in my book.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dont worry Ben is going to have a fine outing. That said I dont see a problem if you wanted to get the win.

 

Last season in my last week our playoff teams were set but the matchups were not. After examining the matchups I determined that my best matcup in week 1 would be against the highest scoring team. He was the top seed and a loss would mean that I would play him. It was a gamble and extremely hard -- becuase i HATE to lose -- but I put in a lineup that was not my best and lost (could have had the weekly high score).

 

If I would have won the team I would have played would have beat me in round 1 of the playoffs. Instead I beat the highest scoring team in the league and then the championship and don't feel a bit bad about it.

 

 

Kneel on the ball and take the win.

Edited by RussMan
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Drop Bulger and pick up the Steelers 3rd string QB and start him.

 

And leave Bulger on the waiver wire for someone else to pick up? ARE YOU NUTS?!?!?!?! :wacko:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information