If you are celebrating a fantasy football championship this week, congratulations. A lot went right for you, and it’s probably time to take those winnings and buy yourself the jersey of your fantasy MVP.
If you lost, it’s time to play the blame game and single out those who disappointed us all year. Maybe you even go buy yourself a Falcons jersey, because nothing screams fantasy busts quite like that group out of Atlanta.
The excitement levels for the Falcons were high heading into the season.
Not only did they have first-rounders in Kyle Pitts (2021) and Drake London (2022) ready to break out, but they also used the No. 8 pick to select Texas running back Bijan Robinson, an elite talent who was expected to be a top back all season and considered a no-brainer first-round fantasy pick.
After Week 17, the Falcons are a hot mess, London is WR36, Pitts is TE14 and Robinson is RB12 in full-point PPR formats. Not goodnby any means, but also not your fault.
Consider your investment in the Falcons’ offensive weapons the fantasy football version of that moment in “Good Will Hunting” when Robin Williams’ character repeats to Matt Damon, “It’s not your fault,” over and over again as you rapidly went through the various stages of grief this season.
The Falcons couldn’t possibly misuse Pitts and London again this year, could they? Denial. How in the world is Tyler Allgeier getting more touches than Bijan? Anger.
Please, please, please! I will do anything to see Bijan get 20 touches in a game. Bargaining. Watching the three supposed superstars combine for just 75 yards in a 9-7 loss to Carolina in Week 14. Depression. And now, in your final stage, you have accepted your fate and vow never to draft any Falcons again. Ever.
But, as mentioned, none of this is your fault. The players are amazingly talented and, in the right offensive scheme, should soar to new heights. They just need a new scheme, and that means a new coach. Arthur Smith has systematically ruined the Falcons, which has trickled down to your fantasy teams. Now in his third season, he has wasted the talents of each of his past three first-round picks.
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Ask Smith and he’ll shift the blame to not having a proper quarterback, but his scheme is archaic and his play-calling was predictable. His continued attempts to prove he was the smartest person in the room each week by utilizing lesser-talented players because he assumed the opposition was focused on his top three stars? That was a disaster.
Maybe next year things will be different, but when looking to assign blame in the form of a fantasy bust, remember, the Falcons were not your fault.
Howard Bender is the head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on X @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to Fantasy-Alarm.com for all your fantasy football advice.