In week 15, we saw the first postponement of NFL games during the 2021 season. The Cleveland Browns vs Las Vegas Raiders was moved to Monday. While the matchups between the Washington Football Team and the Philadelphia Eagles and the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams were moved to Tuesday.
This will cause added drama heading into the first week of the fantasy playoffs. Hopefully, the games that were postponed are played on their new date and thing go on as normal as can be.
But now is the time you need to check with your commissioner and make sure there is a contingency plan in place. We understand every league is different and some will not make alterations to the rules. However; here at the Couch GMs, we think you should put a plan in place, so this is how we like to handle a potential forfeit.
We like to allow managers to designate “COVID Replacements” (similar to the NFL).
Using whichever method your league uses as commutation (Group chats, Facebook group, Fantasy App(s), etc) allow your league mates to post a designated player as a replacement in the event of a forfeit.
So for example: In our league of record, I am slated to start RB Rashaad Penny. Now that the Seahawks game has been postponed and a higher risk for a forfeit. I posted in our league chat, “I am designating Jeff Wilson Jr. as a replacement for Rashaad Penny”
Then in the event, the game does forfeit, the commissioner will insert Jeff Wilson into my lineup despite him already playing.
That’s the catch ...you MUST post your designated player before his game starts to be eligible as a replacement.
This method ensures you maintain a competitive matchup, and one player doesn't suffer for an unforeseen event, such as a game being forfeited.
As always we hope none of the games come to this. We hope all of those who are affected have a quick recovery. And we hope you enjoy the extra days of football.
But you know how the saying goes… “prepare for the worst, hope for the best.”
Good luck with your matchups! If you have any questions about our method feel free to reach out to us on any of our social media platforms @TheCouchGMs or you can comment below. Also, don't be afraid to share with us if your league is doing something different.
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