First Down Blog: Fantasy football in a COVID-19 world

Multiple times each week, Brad Evans, in this space, will ramble on about whatever random, likely tequila-influenced fantasy football/betting thoughts are coursing through his often-moronic mind. Today’s topic: How to adjust to the outside world on draft day.

As the old adage implies, change is very much hanging in the air. 

The times we’re living in are unprecedented. Though remaining socially distanced from your ex-girlfriend, the same individual who keyed your car after you engaged in an innocent conversation with a random neighbor of the same sex, is standard procedure, the self-enforced isolation from everyone else isn’t. 

Masks, empty restaurants, deserted streets, unoccupied stadium seats — major metropolitan areas normally teeming with life have suddenly turned into scenes from a post-apocalyptic blockbuster. Until a safe and effective vaccine inoculates millions, normalcy is nothing but a distant memory. 

With training camps ramping up and fantasy drafts preparing to commence, leagues, too, are being impacted by these dark days. Unique challenges lay ahead for commissioners and participants. To successfully navigate the choppy waters, exhibiting creativity with rules and roster construction are imperative. Guys will get sick. Stars will disappear for 2-3 games. Injuries, due to a lack of offseason workouts, are likely to increase. Personnel turnover in reality or fantasy is inevitable. 

Buckle up, gamers, 2020 is going to be one mind-bending roller-coaster ride. Hey, with murder hornets, near-miss asteroids, political turmoil, high unemployment rates and bubonic plague cases in our midst, why should we expect anything different? 

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To help you deal with the unpredictable twists and turns, here are a few suggestions all fantasy commissioners should strongly consider: 

Adding bench spots. This is the most obvious and glaring adjustment to weigh. Expanding rosters from a traditional six-man to an eight-man bench would provide extra crutches in the event your team is crushed by COVID-19. 

Adding multiple IR slots. Allowing players to be reserved isn’t as foolproof compared to simple bench expansion. People have used and abused such an inclusion in the past putting “Questionable” or “Probable” designated players into IR-classified spots. Unless hosting sites label players who test positive and are appropriately placed on the NFL commissioner’s official exempt list, gamers are bound to violate the slot’s true intention. In theory it’s an excellent remedy, but be prepared to police often. There’s always someone who’s unlawful.  

Expanding FAAB budgets. Traditionally, the default setting for free agent budgets is $100. With typical roster turnover, exercising judiciousness is integral in most seasons. This year, obviously, it’s amplified. Tacking on an extra zero to budgets is recommended. Transaction volume is bound to rise. Gift your leaguemates an oversized bankroll. Oh, and pack some extra spice by allowing them to trade FAAB dollars. Doing so will boost the fun factor. 

Daily over weekly waivers. With players expected to be tested daily to start, the unpredictability of when positive results are released is high. Trips to the commissioner’s exempt list are likely to occur randomly. Giving fantasy managers more freedom, under equitable conditions, to tweak rosters is recommended. Free-for-all wires sans Sunday-Tuesday waivers were dumb before and are even dumber now. Applying safeguards to give everyone in your league a fighting chance to acquire priority pickups is a noble integration. 

Install a contingency ‘pause’ plan. Admittedly, this is an imperfect design. There isn’t a right or wrong answer here. But in the case a rampant outbreak swallows NFL teams whole, leading Warden Goodell to temporarily suspend play, it’s important to have an executable blueprint. Do you simply wait it out? Do you refund everyone’s entry fees? Should keeper contracts count the year? 

How many games played is an important determining factor. Addressing this matter in five versus 10 games in would look very different. Agreeing on what constitutes a full season must be discussed. Operating under the latter scenario, one option is pivoting to a DFS style upon resumption for playoff qualifying teams. Private league. Redraft teams each week on DraftKings, FanDuel, Yahoo or whatever your favorite DFS platform is. This would alleviate random positive coronavirus tests. Everyone is placed on an equal plane. Determine the league champ over a two- to three-week period with highest accumulated points. On the surface, it’s a fair protective measure in the event of a worst-case scenario. 

FLEX-ability. Another avenue worth exploring is converting one standard RB and one standard WR spot to a traditional flex (RB/WR/TE). In the case one or multiple fantasy franchises is crippled by spread, the reduced fixed position requirements would give owners the power to field a team easier.  

Join the Team. Team QB or, if your league is stubborn in its belief playing Younghoe Koo is an absolute necessity, Team K, could be implemented. If news of a player testing positive is released in the 11th hour this would alleviate last-minute dashes to discover an employable body on a sparse waiver wire. The need to handcuff untraditional positions would also be squelched. 

Zoom drafts. Hijinks? Unwanted nudity? Mysterious people, objects or animals meandering in the background? Salacious revelry could be at an all-time high, but seeing and engaging with your buddies in a virtual setting is better than nothing. Smack talk still applies. Trophy ceremonies and rituals can carry on. Plus, it keeps everyone healthy and safe. Alcohol, as usual, is strongly encouraged. 

We’re all residents holed up in Bizzaroland, but adjust with the times, administer changes and fully embrace the fantasy football escape.