For most people, the week before Christmas is not anything to look forward to. Sure, you're one week away from the holiday and being off from work and all that, but the actual week is actually kinda shitty. You're looking forward to gathering with your family, receiving/giving gifts, and having a good time. Only problem is, you're still one week away, so the mild agony of not quite being there yet sours that particular week for you. In other words, there's nothing spectacular about the week before Christmas.
Well, that's true, unless you're in the championship of your fantasy football league. In that case, the week before Christmas is basically like being at a Jay Gatsby party every day for 7 days straight. As a two time champion, I can say with confidence that the thrill of looking at your team and thinking I'm one win away from being the champion is almost unrivaled (I may bring up the fact that I have two championships often in this post just to drown out the more recent memories of my nightmarish 4-9 season this year. Sorry). Of course, the prospect of winning a grand prize in money leagues only heightens the stakes, but in any competitive league among close friends, it is well understood that bragging rights are more equivalent to the Lombardi Trophy than the money.
Simply making it to the 'chip is enough to feel great pride over your season, and enough to give you a solid point in any fantasy argument that may occur between the end of the season and next year's draft.
"Yo, you suck at fantasy bro. Montee Ball in the second round and Cordarelle Patterson in the 5th? You're garbage, man."
"Yeah, but who made it to the championship though?"
Game, set, match right there. Argument over. Unprovoked fantasy shit-talker at the top there can't say anything back. You know why? Because he wasn't still playing relevant games the week before Christmas.
As nice as that is to have in your back pocket, winning the championship makes being able to do that look like having to get a tattoo of Justin Bieber's face on your leg. Winning the fantasy championship, on the other hand, is somewhere between Jesse from Breaking Bad trying heroin for the first time and how Tom Brady probably feels whenever he goes home to his trophies and trophy wife (not advertising the use of heroin by the way. Don't do drugs kids).
The week leading up to Championship Sunday is a clusterfuck of probably some of the strangest emotions you'll ever experience. Throughout the week, you're fairly guaranteed to go through varied phases of extreme anxiety, fear, doubt, jubilation, anticipation, exaltation, exasperation, perspiration, and constipation. Ok, maybe not those last two. Or maybe you do, I won't judge.
That's the beauty of the week, at least in my opinion. You don't just win the championship on Sunday and Monday (or, in the case of this year, Saturday as well. But definitely not Thursday, because there's no way any championship roster is starting a Titan or Jaguar. If you are, enjoy second place). You win a championship by successfully dealing with an unexpected injury, like the one plenty of owners are currently dealing with in Demarco Murray. Fortunately for his owners, and the Cowboys, it looks like he will play this Sunday, but in what capacity and condition is what is still uncertain. In my league, SP Football, Demarco Murray, along with Aaron Rodgers, is the centerpiece of What are the chances, one of the squads competing in the championship. Like any halfway-decent owner would, the owner of What are the chances, George, immediately scooped up Joseph Randle, Murray's likely backup, as insurance. Even though this was an obvious move, in this case, and many others, the obvious move is also the smartest and most necessary. George, who also rolls out Mark Ingram, Alfred Morris, and Latavius Murray as his RB's, is probably ecstatic to learn that Murray got in a limited practice on Thursday and is on track to play, but simply having Randle on his roster as opposed to not is just a small example of the types of moves needed to win a championship.
You also win a championship by filling out your bench with viable starters for Week 16 so that you can decide on who to start based on matchups. For example, the other member of my league's championship, Notorious M.A.F.I.A. owned by my brother Dylan, just lost his WR3, Keenan Allen, to injury last week. Rather than being content with his incredible Dez-Jordy-Keenan combo and not worry about having other receivers, Dylan has hoarded Kenny Stills, who will now step in as Dylan's WR3, on his bench for weeks now, and he even started him at the FLEX last week. He also has the enviable task of deciding between Tre Mason and Andre Williams for his FLEX spot this week. Both of those guys are reasonable fantasy starts for this week (Mason's Rams and Williams' Giants coincidentally happen to be playing each other on Sunday), which allows Dylan to feel confident in whichever player he picks. He also snatched up both the Baltimore and Green Bay defenses in advance of this week, with their respective matchups against Houston and Tampa Bay this week in mind. As a result, he has two viable starts at the D/ST spot, and he really can't go wrong either way.
Most important of all, you win the championship by having incredible luck, like I had last year when Roddy White and Frank Gore combined for 50 points on Monday night to give me a .75 point victory (hey, I warned you). You can make all the right moves, have all the right guys, and sometimes it just will just all go wrong for you. That's just part of this game that we all love. That is also why fantasy championship week should be, above anything else, 7 of the best days of the year for all those fortunate enough to compete for their league's title. In no other facet of life can the week before Christmas rival the excitement of the actual week of Christmas.
My final advice to all those who are in close-knit leagues with members who live close to each other: Watch the games on Sunday together. I'm hoping my league can meet up somewhere on Sunday, as the shared experience of the league's final week is undoubtedly an occasion that calls for congregation and celebration. You battle against these guys all year, so it only feels right to come together at the conclusion of the season to reminisce on the year and just appreciate the greatest imaginary game in the world.
Good luck to all championship hopefuls this Sunday, and remember to talk as much trash as possible if you win.
P.S. I figured I'd throw the rosters of the two teams in my league's championship for anyone reading this that isn't in my league. You guys decide which team you think will win and let me know in the Comments section:
What are the chances
QB Aaron Rodgers
WR Alshon Jeffery
WR Josh Gordon
WR Steve Smith Sr.
RB Demarco Murray
RB Mark Ingram
TE Jimmy Graham
FLEX Alfred Morris
K Adam Vinatieri
D/ST Miami Dolphins
Notorious M.A.F.I.A.
QB Matt Ryan
WR Jordy Nelson
WR Dez Bryant
WR Kenny Stills
RB Matt Forte
RB Joique Bell
TE Greg Olsen
FLEX Tre Mason
K Cody Parkey
D/ST Baltimore Ravens
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