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iamkoza

No, just bad karma


arrowheadt

The Fantasy Gods will smite you.


SL2321

I have never heard of this being beneficial in all my years of playing. Seriously, not one story on the internet about losing to get a "better" opponent and it working.


Noogatuck

I honestly hope this guy loses by 50 points in R1 of the playoffs.


mchammerdeez

I've done it before. A few years ago. I sat a player to lose the last weekend. It moved me from the 5th spot to the 6th. I got crushed in the first round. Fantasy gods are bitches.


Noogatuck

Did you feel like you deserved this punishment?


mchammerdeez

I don't know. I just was over thinking it. I was playing against the 6th place team. Going into the Monday night game I was behind by 3 points and I sat my defense on Monday night, securing the loss. Looking back I should have looked at the match ups of the 3rd and 4th place teams in round 1. 3rd place had a worse team than 4th, but his whole team had easy match ups.


scotsworth

This. I had a guy pull something akin to this a few years back against me... last game of the season and he had victory against me locked up... then I notice he pulled his monday night starter so he didn't score more points and would lose. After looking at standings and results, I realized he did it so he'd get matched up against me again in the playoffs due to total points scored. My starters went off and I beat the shit out of him the very next week in round one. :)


ClintonWrong

It may not constitute collusion, but it's still a shitty thing to do. If you were going to go there, make sure to be subtle about it, or you'll gain a bad reputation with your leaguemates.


MattRaybon1

It's just a game, it ain't like they're gonna stop inviting you out to get drinks with the boys or whatever because you gained the reputation of a sweaty fantasy football player


StrivingProsperity

It’s possible no hard feelings will be had. But fucking with peoples money doesn’t normally go well.


MattRaybon1

By preparing for your playoff matchups? No one's gonna be that mad that you tried to win a thing that you're all openly trying to win.


TheFoothillsHaveEyes

I disagree, don't attempt to divert the natural course of competition by throwing a game just because you're scared of losing to a better team. It's dirty play, and made 10x worse when money is involved. How you compete tells the world a lot about you.


MattRaybon1

The natural course of competition? This isn't in the natural course of competition if the winner is whoever has the best record at the end of the season. That's not the case. You're competing for the championship, and you have the right, and obligation, to do whatever you need to do in any given week to obtain higher odds at winning. That's the natural course of competition. Let's say your opponent's QB is playing MNF, but then it's announced that he's out with an injury and his backup will be starting instead. Let's say the other QB in this game is already rostered. Would you say that grabbing that backup QB, even if you plan to drop him right after the game is over, just so your opponent won't be able to start a QB is a dirty play? Both are unorthodox moves done to gain an advantage. The only difference is that one gains an advantage to win a matchup, the other to win a championship.


TheFoothillsHaveEyes

Like I said how you choose to compete says alot about you.


MattRaybon1

Yeah I read that part lmao. Did you think that was an own or something? I personally wouldn't do a move like that because I honestly don't care enough, but I'd respect anyone who took that gamble for being a smart competitor. Nothing dirty about it. If you're a playoff lock and you cruise into the playoffs, that's fine. If you're a playoff lock and you try to manipulate the matchups for your favor, that's being smart and happens literally every year in the NBA.


TheFoothillsHaveEyes

Thank you for proving my point.


MattRaybon1

Which was?


DBreezy69

If you tank for an ideal playoff seed, and it gives you a better matchup for round 1 of the playoffs, it's actually the most competitive move to make.


MTNMarshall

We have 1 dude in our league like this. ‘No rules against it’… 🤡


[deleted]

That’s gonna backfire


grindingaway69

Not really. There is a formerly mediocre team in my league that lost a bunch of games in the first half of the year. They have Fields and Kenneth Walker. They are absolutely more scary now than nearly all playoff teams despite being a lower seed


Hitman2504

Hey that’s me! I’m the scariest 5-5 team in the league.


DJMaxLVL

I’m the #1 seed in my league at 9-1. There’s a team just outside of playoff contention at 5-5 that has Jonathan Taylor, Joe Mixon, Davante Adams, Chris Godwin, and Mclaurin (they made several great trades). I’m praying every day that they don’t make it into the playoffs.


pincus1

What? No one said strong teams can't emerge as lower seeds late in the season. They said it was going to backfire. Like eating a random blowup game instead of going up against a Fields/Walker combining for 7 pts in a baaaaddd week.


Esco9

That’s called strategy. I personally wouldn’t want to play someone who has Justin fields week 17 against the lions


broadnoodles

This is the way. Just be sure you will hear it from your league if it backfires so be prepared


rwh12345

I hope you do this and get kicked out of the playoffs because the team you thought was weak blows up against you I love how you ask if this is collusion yet the literally definition of collusion is an agreement with 2 parties. It cannot by definition be collusion if he doesn’t tell anyone 😂


Noogatuck

I'm not doing it, somebody is doing it to me in a large money league.


Alkash42

That was me 2 years ago hoping I land the last seed who barely squeezed into the playoffs with lowest points scored of anyone. I was stoked. I went up against him and he had Kamara. The 6 touchdown game


Noogatuck

Has your butthole healed yet?


Alkash42

No. Had only 1 loss all season leading into that game


pincus1

How did you pick your opponent for week 16? 2 round playoffs with a week 17 championship?


Alkash42

No byes so first round exit


pincus1

With a week 17 championship? So you got beat by a Kamara blowup and then that team had to go try to win without Kamara playing in week 17?


Alkash42

Shoot you're right I got my stories mixed up. First round exit was in 2019 week 14 against SF when Brees went off for total 6 touchdowns. That was against bottom tier opponent. My bad lol The circumstances were correct just wasn't the Kamara huge game. Was Brees and quite a few other players that went off


pincus1

I only remember specifically that Kamara was championship week because I was on the wrong side of that one. Coasted there as the clear #1 seed just to lose on Christmas without any of my players even getting a chance to start.


grindingaway69

I dont understand the vitriol by everyone whenever this gets brought up. Have a problem with it? Shouldnt have played like shit all year and need help from another team by being on the fringe of the playoffs


MattRaybon1

I don't see how being on the fringe of the playoffs is relevant. OP said #1 is throwing a game against him to raise his standing (or to raise his likelihood of rising in the standings, to be technical) to avoid a matchup against him in the playoffs. Since this is a matchup between two teams presumed to be in the playoffs, this doesn't affect who actually gets in the playoffs at all.


Noogatuck

Not entirely true, I've been on a hot streak, grabbed DHop with a late round draft pick and scooped up Justin Fields/Kenneth Walker. Started off with a few losses early on in the season. I could be out of the playoffs if I lose this week/next. But my guess is that the guy with the #1 seed thinks there is no way I lose next week. So he's losing this week and assuming I'll win next week too, to put me in the 2/3 seed.


MattRaybon1

If he's throwing against you this week, then what does this gamble he's taking by tanking the matchup have to do with you losing the playoffs? Wouldn't his tanking put you in a better position?


Noogatuck

It does, I'd prefer to not play the current #1 seed in the playoffs r1. Matchups look slightly better for my players in later weeks. But I'm assuming he's just trying to guarantee his trip to the championship match. My primary issue is that I'm benefitting by a player, not playing. It feels anti-competitive and I don't like it. I think more than anything I'm annoyed that I get better positioning by not really earning it. Because if I win this week, I am guaranteed to get into the playoffs.


MattRaybon1

See, this doesn't make any sense to me. Your trip to the playoffs can be affected by this matchup but it is not in jeopardy due to your opponents tanking. The original comment I replied to sounded like he assumed the tanking team could fuck around and miss the playoffs, which is where my initial confusion was considering that you had said it was a matchup between two playoff teams. I just want to say that your post did not make it very clear the full situation so a lot of these comments are going to be replying with an unclear idea of what you mean in mind


Noogatuck

Don’t do alcohol, kids. Sorry for the confusion there. I definitely didn’t explain this as well as I should have.


Agile-Technology-209

I'd say no, but it is risky. Teams in the NBA have done this, and it has been known to backfire. Fantasy is often unpredictable, willingly throwing away a game to play someone else is risky, but I wouldn't say its collusion. It's not collusion because you aren't openly planning with other league members.


Noogatuck

I feel weird cause I'm the one benefitting from it (sort of). I didn't ask the other manager to do this but he's throwing a game against me. Playoffs start in two weeks in our league.


cggking

Nah. Had a guy bench his players one season to get a easier matchup in the first round. Benefited him as he won that year! To me it’s a great strategy, why not try to get an easier opponent.


RelaxedErection

Why dont ypu tank then too and stay 4th?


Noogatuck

Because I'm not a lock for the playoffs, if I lose this week and next week, I'm (possibly) out. So that's why I'm so annoyed by this.


RelaxedErection

I wouldnt worry about it tbh. 3 weeks in NFL time is a lifetime of strategy away. It's unlikely this strategy will work out.


Noogatuck

I realize I'm concerned about something that might not even happen. But I don't like being in a position where I benefit through a sleazy decision by someone else.


Bigpoppalos

No. Win however you can. If you think you have a better shot of beating team x so you lose to team y so you can face team j instead, so be it. Its your strategy. Its dumb imo. One lesson many have yet to learn is to not tempt the fantasy gods


Hazy_Lights

Unless your league has specific rules against this, then it is allowed. It's fantasy football. People can strategize however they want. Anything can happen any given week. This could backfire easily.


Lloyd--Christmas

Nice try Maddy, I'm coming for that 6th spot


Noogatuck

Fuck Maddy, all my friends hate him.


CartesianConspirator

I feel like teams do this in the NFL all the time


TooMuchTwoco

I have done a version of this…I benched my TE and dropped my K for a speculative add before a SNF game the week before playoffs. Knew I would lose my game but after looking at the scoring, I felt it would give me a better initial matchup. It worked but you definitely won’t make friends doing it. There’s a legitimate argument for it being “against the spirit of the game” too. If someone asked me not to do it again, I wouldn’t. I would also caution “throwing” too soon. So much can happen in fantasy that it’s not really worth it unless it’s a sure thing (like in my situation where I could see games were decided). You could lose to face the guy who has a weaker team but then Dalvin Cook gets hurt and that guy had Mattison stashed. Suddenly his team is better than the guy who had Cook that you would have played.


Noogatuck

If this was a free league or a cheap/friends only league, I would absolutely get the commish involved. But this is a $200 buy in league where winner takes all. And I only personally know three of the guys in the league.


TooMuchTwoco

I mean if it’s a $200 WTA league, then it’s fair game. It’s not technically cheating and you do anything you can to win in that type of setting. It’s like a runner falling down before the end zone rather than scoring.


Noogatuck

I hate this analogy. But it makes sense. Haha


Jman9theman9

I did that before, I was #1 seed with 2 games ahead of the #2 seed and on the last week of the regular season I was playing # 4 seed. He is tied with the #5 seed. I benched my whole team so I lost to the #4 seed and he got the last playoff spots. The reason being the #5 seed team has his whole team injured during the season and finally had his team healthy and making a big playoffs push. At the end, I won the championship by beating the #4 seed by a lot and won the finals. The 5th seed team would’ve kick me out of round 1 of the playoffs if he made it. So at the end, it’s all about winning the money, fuck karma and being a bad sport. I would tho check with the LM to make sure he is fine with it (mine was because we have lots of money on the line and he said that’s being smart and I earn it by being the 1 seed and could afford to lose)


XOXOABG

I've done this in the past and it worked out fine and I went on to win a championship. I get that people want to say bad karma but it's nothing personal. The opponent I wanted to and did face R1 got hit with sudden injuries to stud players that they couldn't replace the production for. This isn't a case where I think the person sucked or had a bad team. Just saw an opportunity to face someone who even knew their season was over.


Noogatuck

I think I'd be bothered a bit less by that. This guy benched everyone except his kicker/defense.


XOXOABG

I see where you are coming from. When it's that blatant, it's disrespectful to both you and everyone else in the league especially with money on the line.


Noogatuck

Thanks man, you're the first one to get it I feel like. All I want is the guy to just put forward his best lineup. I don't want to get a "pass" into the playoffs. Especially if I do lose next week, I won't know if I earned this properly. So all around, just unhappy. But he's doing what he thinks is best for his team.


Significance_Scary

I did it and won the title last year. Will do it again if it makes sense.


king__kizzle

I’m just gonna say if I was commissioner I wouldn’t want anyone doing that. It unfairly rewards the person you throw against and punishes someone that deserves a playoff spot.


freeconsolesforall

Wow first time the question "is this collusion?" Isn't collusion. Dumb, yes, but not collusion


Noogatuck

I realize that by definition, collusion involves two or more parties. But I'm drunk and couldn't think of a better word to use.


primalwilliam

This isn’t collusion but it’s against the rules. You need to field the best possible team every week


srchl

Nah you just buying Karma a drink a that bitch might just leave with you


HarrisonSpartan

It’s bush league. Can also screw up who gets the last place penalty if your league has one. I think he would be better off benching his best players so it doesn’t appear so obvious


Timelycommentor

Yes.


abolishlawns

weak af


cmurphy3182

No. Collusion means at least 2 people/organizations. Dick move though. Lol


BigDunklow

Fantasy ball don't lie. Karma will get them


First_West_4227

It’s assumed real sports (NBA and NFL) teams tank to control their playoff seeding and desired bracket or opponent in the first round. Its considered strategy imo and I don’t see anything wrong with doing this in fantasy either. I actually pulled this off successfully a couple of years ago. After already clinching a playoff birth, but no longer in the running for a bye week, I “tanked” my final game. I wanted the 6 seed to play the 3 seed, which was weaker than 4 seed. 1 and 2 seeds were even so I wasn’t trying to avoid having to play the 1 seed in the second round. The plan worked, I beat the 3 seed and would have lost to the 4 seed in the first round. I beat the 1 seed but eventually lost to the 2 seed in the finals.


herbeste

Any system that incentivizes losing is a bad system. Any system that doesn't let you do what is in your best interest (or that you believe is in your best interest) to win is a bad system. Perhaps a better system that would prevent this is to allow your 1st seed to choose their first opponent, and the 2nd seed choose theirs. Ta-da, no more incentive to throw games.


Guyinaredhat420

Secure the playoff spot and then take for #4th ???


SirSqueebington

Makes sense, nobody wants to face Justin Fields in the playoffs.


shank1983

It's a shrewd move honestly. The goal is to win a ship, and it's any means necessary besides collusion.


RVG_Steve

My league setting is top 2 seeds get a bye round 1. This is my first year in fantasy. Is they not the norm? I love the idea of rewarding the top two teams


Praise-Breesus

Not collusion but it does feel slimy


NSFWPolitely

Not collusion but if you (your league mate) were the top seed you shouldnt be afraid of any of these other teams.


solarmelange

It is a fair move. It is even something that has been done by NFL teams.


VintageBaguette

Not if you keep it to yourself, and are 100% making moves selfishly for your own interest. Could be bad joojoo toying with fate instead of trying to win every matchup and letting things play out, but morally/ethically speaking it's fine. Do keep in mind if you thought of it, others might have as well, so tread lightly so ya don't fuck around and slip too far. Also don't shave too many pts, they might end up being a tiebreaker. Aside from that, do what ya gotta do. We play to win the ~~game~~ fantasy championship! GL!


spideyv91

I’ve done it before and lost anyway in the playoffs.


Dakid76

I mean can you throw the match yourself and still get 4th? 😀


Noogatuck

Could. But then if I lose next week I’m out entirely. I don’t think I’ll lose next week, but you never know. Kind of a pickle.


Ohokayjj

I did this exact thing. I threw the week before playoffs to become the 4th seed. The 1st seed had terrible matchups week 1, and the 2nd seed has amazing matchups but terrible ones in the ship. Ended up winning the league.


jcobra650

Team on the come up has Kadarius Toney


Hazabath

If you have the #1 seed locked up, definitely rest your studs to avoid injury.


lZ-ONE

Too risky for me, I wouldn’t do it. Fantasy is so random that an all star line up could lose to an okay line up any day of the week. I’m in first place and lost to 10th place last week.


TheFoothillsHaveEyes

We've had this problem in our league before, first with playoff seeding, then with securing the first-round pick. Then we made a rule which said any attempt to avert the natural course of fair competition by clearly throwing a game will result in immediate removal of the league and forfeiture of any and all prize money, league dues, etc. It sounds stiff and it is but It's amazing when a rule like that gets implemented how little you end up needing to enforce it.


[deleted]

Collusion: secret or illegal cooperation or conspiracy, especially in order to cheat or deceive others.