How do you guys over wrong lineup decisions? This drives me nuts to lose a game due to my lineup decisions. This past week I had 2 lineup choices at flex and defense and of course made the wrong choice both times. If I chose just one right I would be in championship. This is the only thing it's hard for me to get past in fantasy as it's the only thing in my control.
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Wrong lineup decisions (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter jobarules
- Start date
Funny you say that because I did actually wing it on my RB 2 this week. Rolled with Deon Jackson over Jamaal Williams, Brian Robinson and Allgeier. Had Allgeier in but decided against it based on Ravens run D and he doesn't get anything in passing game. Went 4-43 receiving and a nice 15 point game. Switched to Robinson but then decided pretty much the same issue that Allgeir had. Right on that one. Thought Jackson would get at least a 50/50 snap split with Moss and most of the passing action. Oops
Strange to say, but fortunately I lost by more than the 12 point difference between Allgeier and Jackson, so my stupid winging it didn't cost me the game at least. Would have had to punch myself in the groin if it had
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Boston
Footballguy
I would say that is semi-winging it...your thought process for not starting the other guys was legit...but starting Jackson was definitely winging it.
Chaka
Footballguy
I disagree. It's possible to make the right choice and still have a negative outcome.
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
Even us in best ball have bad decisions cost us. It's usually dropping the wrong guy to get a waiver wire wonder that craps out.
Agree with Chaka. I had to overcome Diggs having a horrible game but I would never bench him for Aiyuk. Technically you can call this a "wrong choice" but I think people would have questioned my sanity for doing so even though Diggs was playing in bad weather. I didn't seem to bother Gabe Davis
To me, the point is to manage your team. It would take a lot of the fun out if you didn't have to do this. I agree completely. The agony of lineups is the point of FF.
Hot Sauce Guy
Footballguy
Same.
I have to struggle with decisions even headed into my LCG. I was fortunate that my bad week 16 playoff decisions were
1. Outweighed by my good lineup decisions.
2. Not nearly as bad as my opponent’s bad lineup decisions.
But now I have to decide on whether I can trust Stevenson (yes, he’s been my ride or die, and I don’t believe I can bench him after a bad game when he put up 29 last week). I have to pick a WR3 between Davis & Sutton - the latter in a great matchup with a horrific QB, the former playing on MNF for extra thrills or spills….
But while this decision process is brutal and maddening & almost certain to lead to terrible choices, I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s this process that makes it that much more satisfying when I win - I don’t think I’d enjoy best ball for this reason.
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Sometimes, like last night, not very well. I could not sleep and just stayed up super late and pounded whiskey. That's probably not the answer you were looking to find.
Had a FFPC ME I went 0-3 on starting lineup calls and that could cost me thousands and that's not even bothering me nearly as much as a series of blunders I made in a just a draft playoff in my biggest dynasty league which cost me a shot at Bijan.
I tend to be critical of myself and beat myself up which only makes it worse. I feel like I err when I overthink it, err when I go with my gut and err when I say screw both and just be a sheep and go with rankings. Constantly feel damned if I do, damned if I don't. Some of have said they like the agony and I do not. Other then injuries it's what I consider the least fun aspect of fantasy football but I don't love full on best ball either, especially without waivers. This is why, and I've posted this a few times, I'd love a league that allowed you to address one after the fact mistake.
I do of course examine my mistakes and correct calls, examine my process and decision making but I've yet to find a solution to easier lineup calls or pinpoint what I'm doing right or wrong. I try and be positive when it's not season ending as in I'll tell myself "well at least I got player x looked great and he'll be in my lineup helping me in future weeks" but sometimes that falls flat. Mistakes will be made by everyone, I try and acknowledge that as well. But at the end of the day I don't know how to stop beating myself up over costly wrong calls or have found a method to improve on it.
It's life. I benched AJ Dillon in favor of Jamaal Williams and would have won my game last week and be in the finals this week of my local league (my only league I care about) if I'd made the right call.
It stings. But it's just part of the game. Part of why anything is fun and exciting is the risk of negative consequences.
For me, I yell at myself for a bit and then move on. Not really any other alternative.
It stings. But it's just part of the game. Part of why anything is fun and exciting is the risk of negative consequences.
For me, I yell at myself for a bit and then move on. Not really any other alternative.
I also will debrief a little and see if I can learn anything.
In my case, Jamaal Williams is a long time favorite player. And he got me to where I am in the league.
We actually had Dillon rated one player higher among RBs than Williams but I gave the sentimental nod to Williams.
There's also the pain factor. Losing with Dillon the bench and seeing Dillon post winning numbers hurts.
If I'd lost with Williams on the bench and he'd posted winning numbers, that would have hurt way worse.
In my case, Jamaal Williams is a long time favorite player. And he got me to where I am in the league.
We actually had Dillon rated one player higher among RBs than Williams but I gave the sentimental nod to Williams.
There's also the pain factor. Losing with Dillon the bench and seeing Dillon post winning numbers hurts.
If I'd lost with Williams on the bench and he'd posted winning numbers, that would have hurt way worse.
3 hour lunch
Footballguy
Pittman over Kittle cost me $1-2k. Sucks for sure. I do enjoy best ball, especially playoffs. It’s not for everyone though.
Dez
Footballguy
How do you get over bad lineup decisions ?
You don't
On the flip side when you make a tough lineup call and it wins you a game especially in the playoffs it is an amazing feeling. A big example for me this week was when Winfield was active and I had Jalen Thompson in my lineup I spent a full hour reading online about these guys and with Thompson having 5 straight bad to avg weeks it was really hard to not pull the trigger and put Winfield in my lineup. In th end I was afraid Winfield would limp off the field midgame for a 2nd straight week so I left in Thomspon.
End result Thompson 22.5 pts and Winfield 11 pts and I won by 10 pts.
Sometimes we do get stuff right but we sure dwell on the negative not the positive and I for sure am 1 of those guys. I sat Akers in this same league for Thielen so I was really sick about it for about 30 hours until I pulled out the win last night.
You don't
On the flip side when you make a tough lineup call and it wins you a game especially in the playoffs it is an amazing feeling. A big example for me this week was when Winfield was active and I had Jalen Thompson in my lineup I spent a full hour reading online about these guys and with Thompson having 5 straight bad to avg weeks it was really hard to not pull the trigger and put Winfield in my lineup. In th end I was afraid Winfield would limp off the field midgame for a 2nd straight week so I left in Thomspon.
End result Thompson 22.5 pts and Winfield 11 pts and I won by 10 pts.
Sometimes we do get stuff right but we sure dwell on the negative not the positive and I for sure am 1 of those guys. I sat Akers in this same league for Thielen so I was really sick about it for about 30 hours until I pulled out the win last night.
BlackCrowes
Footballguy
I generally drink it away
Wildcat
Footballguy
This. I've been playing FF since 1994. Wrong decisions used to eat me up. But over the years, I learned how to get over it quickly. There are far more important things in life and many other things to stress about than losing a fantasy football game.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
I feel way worse when I influence someone else to make a lineup choice & it doesn’t work out. So much so that I started avoiding the @Chaka WSIS thread.
****ing Wilson not being able to hit Dulcich...
It’s been happening for 20+ years for me. Just part of the deal. I’m human, I’m working off less than optimal information, and it’s also why the NFL is so awesome.
I love that the Rams blew out the Broncos, or that the Texans smacked the Titans in Nashville. The NFL and life in general would be sooooo boring if it were linear and always predictable.
If I do the work, use a logical & consistent process, I’m good with accepting that sometimes I’ll make a good decision that doesn’t work out.
****ing Wilson not being able to hit Dulcich...
It’s been happening for 20+ years for me. Just part of the deal. I’m human, I’m working off less than optimal information, and it’s also why the NFL is so awesome.
I love that the Rams blew out the Broncos, or that the Texans smacked the Titans in Nashville. The NFL and life in general would be sooooo boring if it were linear and always predictable.
If I do the work, use a logical & consistent process, I’m good with accepting that sometimes I’ll make a good decision that doesn’t work out.
On the flip side, if you’re stressing about fantasy football then you are probably winning at life.
Wildcat
Footballguy
Are you though? When I was stressing about it, I certainly wasn't winning at life. I get what you meant though: if all you have to worry about is winning at fantasy football, you have it easy.
Rookiefever
Footballguy
Don’t beat yourself up too bad. I had Akers and Kittle on my bench this week. Welcome to loserville lol
Deamon
Footballguy
For me the opposite. You went with an emotional call over what the experts said (nothing wrong with that especially since it's only 1 spot).
I'd be more mad at "why didn't I just trust the experts" than "I played the hand how i should have and it didn't work out"
BlackCrowes
Footballguy
Think of it this way. You probably don’t congratulate yourself when you get it right.
Chaka
Footballguy
Believe me, sometimes I want to avoid that thread.
Those guys are draining the life out of me.
Courtjester
The Town Drunk
Diggs sunk my team this week. I can say to myself if only I would have started M. Williams over him, I would have advanced. But who would have made that call? When you take a WR that high in the draft, you are not going to get cute and sit him. You just have to live with the results.
I never am mad at that.
Also, lots of times you can do the work and have the right process and things just don't work.
I look at things like how I missed on the preseason projections for Russell Wilson. Clearly I was wrong thinking he'd be much better. But I feel ok that my process was sound.
The year Le'Veon Bell held out we were still advising people to draft him in August as I felt sure he would eventually play. I was wrong. But my process was ok. Those kinds of things I just have to accept.
But I also think it's very important to understand and be clear I was wrong there.
I do see some analysts that seem to have a little bit of
" the process was sound" and that's not a good answer to someone who followed your advice that didn't work out.
I look at things like how I missed on the preseason projections for Russell Wilson. Clearly I was wrong thinking he'd be much better. But I feel ok that my process was sound.
The year Le'Veon Bell held out we were still advising people to draft him in August as I felt sure he would eventually play. I was wrong. But my process was ok. Those kinds of things I just have to accept.
But I also think it's very important to understand and be clear I was wrong there.
I do see some analysts that seem to have a little bit of
" the process was sound" and that's not a good answer to someone who followed your advice that didn't work out.
ignatiusjreilly
Footballguy
In addition to what others have said about process over results, my main rules for lineup decisions gone wrong are:
1. Can't beat myself up over a decision I never considered. It's one thing if you were agonizing over two names throughout the week and then went with the one who scored less. But I had James Cook on two different benches this week and never gave a thought to using him, because why would I?
2. No lineup decisions after 12:30 EST. The bad-results decisions that come as a result of a last-minute change sting way worse than any others. So the last half hour before the games start, I consider my lineup locked (obviously I'm not counting situations where a guy is a last-minute scratch and has to be replaced.)
1. Can't beat myself up over a decision I never considered. It's one thing if you were agonizing over two names throughout the week and then went with the one who scored less. But I had James Cook on two different benches this week and never gave a thought to using him, because why would I?
2. No lineup decisions after 12:30 EST. The bad-results decisions that come as a result of a last-minute change sting way worse than any others. So the last half hour before the games start, I consider my lineup locked (obviously I'm not counting situations where a guy is a last-minute scratch and has to be replaced.)
Leroy Hoard
Footballguy
You guys are right way more than wrong.
Duckboy
IBL Representative
Lost on 2 decisions last year that cost me championships. One was an active decision where I had to choose from 2 DE's - process was right but still hurts when it's as large a difference in the result. The other was a COVID inactive while I was eating Xmas dinner and the sub player would have gotten me over. More bitter on that but it's life. You always remember the bad ones, but forget that you needed all of the good ones to get where you were anyway.
Bozeman Bruiser
Footballguy
I was a lineup genius this past week, swapping out at the last minute Richie James for Marquis Goodwin, Cowboys D for Lions D, and Gano for Folk. It resulted in a 30+ point swing for me.
But it was irrelevant because my opponent had Engram/Lamb/Kittle.
This time of year with injuries and weather, luck can be as big a factor in winning as having the right/wrong guy in your flex or d/k. Our league's #1 scorer by close to 200 pts put up under 100 this week with the same lineup and was knocked out.
This is also the time of year when I strongly consider removing team defense. Of all the positions, they seem to have the most variance.
ignatiusjreilly
Footballguy
The fact that my opponent started two TEs and it paid off for him would bother me way more than any of my own decisions (unless you're playing in a must-start-2TEs league, in which case, are you high?)
Neil Beaufort Zod
Footballguy
I try to examine WHY I'm making the decision I'm making. Am I choosing a guy I drafted over a free agent just to make my draft look smarter? Would I rather have a Monday night player, so I have an out if Sunday doesn't go well? Do I simply like that player's team more? None of those are valid reasons to pick one guy over another, so I try to weed them out (not always successfully) and be more objective.
I listen to the experts and let them weigh in. They don't decide, but I listen to their counsel like a President listens to their advisors (or should listen).
Finally, I try to imagine which scenario would bother me more. Sometimes I realize that with one wrong decision I'd shrug and go "Oh, well" while another would bother me more because deep down I had a better feeling about the guy, and that tells me that's really the way I want to go.
And like someone else said, I avoid last-minute changes. Maybe it's a negative bias, but I have plenty of memories of that decision costing me...but not many of the other way around.
If I do all of that, and it doesn't work out, I can deal with it. I don't have to like it, but I made what I thought was the best decision and I went through the process. I also try to remember the times I've made the right move, and recognize that if I always made the right call I'd live in Las Vegas.
Narrator: He does not live in Las Vegas.
I listen to the experts and let them weigh in. They don't decide, but I listen to their counsel like a President listens to their advisors (or should listen).
Finally, I try to imagine which scenario would bother me more. Sometimes I realize that with one wrong decision I'd shrug and go "Oh, well" while another would bother me more because deep down I had a better feeling about the guy, and that tells me that's really the way I want to go.
And like someone else said, I avoid last-minute changes. Maybe it's a negative bias, but I have plenty of memories of that decision costing me...but not many of the other way around.
If I do all of that, and it doesn't work out, I can deal with it. I don't have to like it, but I made what I thought was the best decision and I went through the process. I also try to remember the times I've made the right move, and recognize that if I always made the right call I'd live in Las Vegas.
Narrator: He does not live in Las Vegas.
BobbyLayne
Footballguy
Ashokan Farewell - the official theme music for bad lineup decisions everywhere
Bozeman Bruiser
Footballguy
It is a start zero TE, start 3 WR/TE + 1 RB/WR/TE flex. Outside of Kelce I am not even aware that TEs exist. My opponent just got lucky as can be that Engram and Kittle got hot the last 2 weeks and with Lockett out he started both.
It is a weird league with no TE requirements, most teams carry zero and some teams carry 3-4 because they are overlooked.
If you make the wrong sit/start decision in the championship, you'll probably remember it for years. You just have to really try and remember the correct decisions. That will help offset the wrong ones.
Like this past week, I made the exact right decisions in my WR2 and to flex spots. I was seriously debating among six players for those two spots. I picked the only two players that got me the win, and starting any of the other four in either slot would've cost me the game.
Remember the good times!
Like this past week, I made the exact right decisions in my WR2 and to flex spots. I was seriously debating among six players for those two spots. I picked the only two players that got me the win, and starting any of the other four in either slot would've cost me the game.
Remember the good times!
greenmountaingoat
Footballguy
I don’t think of many moves lineup or waivers as mistakes. Mistakes for me are giving up early on a guy. Or laziness in switching to a different kicker if mine is in a wind game. If I put the time into getting it right, at least this year, I haven’t been too worked up about leaving points on the bench. That just seems like being mean to myself for making a good decision that turned out bad. Find analysts that you like listening to or reading and chill.
BlackCrowes
Footballguy
1000x #2. I know it and still do it
smcindoe
Footballguy
Personally I like to make terrible, season-destryong trades, like acquiring Cooper Kupp the week before his ankle explodes. I find it really makes me forget about those individual lineup decisions.
socrates
Footballguy
We used to have an award we gave at the end of the season to the team that made the most egregious lineup errors. It dates back to my opponent (it happened to be my younger brother) replacing Emmitt Smith in his playoff lineup with KC RB Greg Hill, based on what he called "a gut feeling". I cautioned him against the move, telling him that "gut feeling" was most likely his chili dog talking back to him, and it cost him the game. Long story to say that the annual award was called "The Chili Dog Award". My rule of thumb is to dance with the one that brought you, but if you set your lineup based on the best information available, you just chalk it up to lady luck.
sushinsky4tsar
Footballguy
I'm pretty convinced that I'm making the wrong one tonight. Starting Dallas, Elliott, and Lamb.
I'm good with DAL and Zeke. The chili dog is telling me to scrap Lamb for Godwin.
I've been relying heavily on fantasy footballers consensus and Paul Charchian for lineup decisions this year. They all have Lamb in their top 10, far ahead of Godwin.
DFS, despite having money coming in against Lamb and Dak, has it as a near draw in yardage, one additional reception to Godwin, and a higher TD likelihood to Lamb.
Dance with the one that got ya there? That's definitely start Lamb.
The damn chili dog is saying scrap Lamb tonight to open up a spot for Godwin. But instead I'm listening to the fantasy talking heads and mantras. Just can't imagine that I'm getting to my forecasted points starting all three entities tonight against TEN. If I get anywhere close, it's a decent first step towards the championship, but I'm fearful that I will be coming in way under.
I'm good with DAL and Zeke. The chili dog is telling me to scrap Lamb for Godwin.
I've been relying heavily on fantasy footballers consensus and Paul Charchian for lineup decisions this year. They all have Lamb in their top 10, far ahead of Godwin.
DFS, despite having money coming in against Lamb and Dak, has it as a near draw in yardage, one additional reception to Godwin, and a higher TD likelihood to Lamb.
Dance with the one that got ya there? That's definitely start Lamb.
The damn chili dog is saying scrap Lamb tonight to open up a spot for Godwin. But instead I'm listening to the fantasy talking heads and mantras. Just can't imagine that I'm getting to my forecasted points starting all three entities tonight against TEN. If I get anywhere close, it's a decent first step towards the championship, but I'm fearful that I will be coming in way under.
Im not sure how you would score that but if its just pure "did you have the right guys started percentage" than those people who have a lousy bench would almost surely win that. Guys with deep benchs win championships but make more " lineup mistakes"
socrates
Footballguy
Lamb had a pretty solid game in PPR. I hope you ignored the chili dog!
sushinsky4tsar
Footballguy
I'm pioneering a whole new strategy in my lineup decisions. Publicly proclaim my worst fantasy fears as fact on a message board. Look like a complete fool in the process, but most importantly, speaking those worst fears out of existence.Lamb had a pretty solid game in PPR. I hope you ignored the chili dog!
Back-to-back loser in my dynasty league's championship. It's very possible that I lose this week and get to 3/4 of the early 90's Buffalo Bills. I'm getting a little bit batty. This is despite having the highest scoring total for three consecutive seasons. I scored 30 points per game more than my championship opponent this season, and our matchup is basically a 50/50 with all of the week 17 garbage games that don't matter.
I'm reaching a point where it's really hard to justify the time and effort I put in to this hobby. The end-of-season randomness makes it seem like a slight step above gambling on dice. At least with dice I wouldn't take the results so personally or hyperventilate trying to make lineup decisions.
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