Fantasy Football Diary: Feast or Famine

There’s a saying in life, “feast or famine.” It refers to either too much of something or too little. I feel like it’s a common theme in my life. Sometimes I go through a streak where everything seems to be going my way. I will experience a win in one aspect of life and then something else good happens, and then another. But then after those wins, I abruptly hit a wall and I’m knocked on my ass and experience multiple losses at once. I travel through valleys where it seems like nothing is going right, and I struggle to find my footing to climb to higher ground.

I referenced in my Losing Really Sucks diary article about my career aspirations and some hurdles I faced along the way. For the past couple of months, I have been putting myself back out there and applying to different promotional opportunities. Nothing came from any of those applications until recently. I was offered interviews for two different jobs within the same week. As you can imagine, I was excited to have multiple wins. I had high hopes that this was my time, and that the opportunity I’ve been seeking will finally be mine.

I received a rejection after the first interview, which was disappointing. Instead of shrinking in defeat, I used that to fuel my drive going into the second interview. I absolutely nailed that interview. It seemed I had the panelists in the palm of my hand and they keenly listened to everything I had to share. I walked out of that room feeling self-assured and confident. I really liked the people and felt they liked me in return. I wanted the job so badly.

Unfortunately, I found out I was not chosen for the position. Once again, out of nowhere, I was knocked on my ass. It was gut-wrenching. Because of how well I thought I performed, I was left feeling bewildered and confused.

On the same token, the Minnesota Vikings have experienced their share of feast or famine this season. It took a while for the team to find their groove in the first couple weeks, but once they did, everything was firing on all cylinders. Kirk Cousins was playing the best football of his career and the team’s playoff aspirations were starting to become a reality. But then Week 8 happened. The Vikings hit a wall, and the team was left to face the stark reality of having to finish the season without Cousins. How would they move forward this season without him?

The team traded for Joshua Dobbs from the Arizona Cardinals and was plotting their plan to be contenders for the rest of the season. In Week 9, the Vikings started rookie Jaren Hall at quarterback as Dobbs was brand new to the team. Unexpectedly, Hall suffered an injury early in the game, and Dobbs was forced to go in. Without knowing the plays and the playbook, somehow Dobbs miraculously pulled out the win against the Atlanta Falcons, displaying impressive playmaking ability. Riding this high, the Vikings also won the next game against the New Orleans Saints.

But as you know, the feast never lasts long. The Vikings subsequently suffered losses to the Denver Broncos and the Chicago Bears. These were games that this high-powered team SHOULD’VE won. Coming into Week 14, it seemed like Coach Kevin O’Connell and quarterback Dobbs were aligning to manifest success once again.

Regrettably, Dobbs majorly struggled against the Las Vegas Raiders. Towards the end of the game, there was ultimately a quarterback switch and backup QB Nick Mullens was sent in. Mullens was able to move the offense down the field, leading to a field goal. The game ended with a score of 3-0, making it the lowest scoring game in NFL history since 2007. That terrible showing by the offense was a new low for this team. They will need to find their footing to climb out of this valley, somehow.

Playing fantasy football also has its own share of feast and famine moments. We just wrapped up Week 14, and the final cuts have been made as to which teams make the fantasy playoffs. Since my last diary, I have been chopped from both guillotine leagues I was in. I made a disastrous lineup error in the public guillotine one, which led to my demise. Admittedly, I foolishly went against a fantasy analyst’s advice I received to start a player with a higher ceiling. Instead, I started the player with a higher floor. This decision proved to be costly. However, it was incredibly thrilling to experience that kind of format, and I look forward to trying again next year.

I’ve since been knocked out of the Marcas Grant Fantasy Cares Eliminator League, yet I am surviving in the one with Kate Magdziuk. Again, I will tell you, Kate is absolutely my 1.01 of fantasy analysts. She and Michelle Magdziuk were pivotal in my learning of fantasy football when I started five years ago. I would never have continued playing fantasy football had it not been for their leadership and superior analysis aptitude. It is especially fitting that Kate’s is the Eliminator league that I’m still alive in. Also, I need to mention — I’m currently sitting at #14 on the overall leaderboard for ALL the Eliminator leagues. What a thrill!

For my various leagues and formats, it’s a mixed bag of highs and lows when it comes to my fantasy prospects. I finished between tenth and twelfth place in a couple leagues, including my work league. If you remember, when asking to join the league, I asserted to that commissioner, “I play fantasy football, and I’m good at it.” My tail is between my legs when it comes to that one. I want to tell them, “I swear I’m not this bad at fantasy!” (lol) In the draft, I went bully TE with both Mark Andrews and Darren Waller. Who would’ve thought both would have suffered significant injuries?

On the flip side, there are leagues where I finished the regular fantasy season in first or second place. This was my first year trying dynasty. In the managed league, I’m entering the playoffs as the two seed. (Thank you, CMC.) In the best ball dynasty I’m in, I have the one seed. I think I got lucky with those drafts this year as I don’t fully understand trades in dynasty and haven’t successfully completed any yet.

In this first year of trying IDP, I also made the playoffs despite, again, not fully understanding the format. Luckily, there are amazing fantasy analysts who specialize in IDP and have assisted with my lineup questions. I am hopeful I can make it past the first round of the playoffs in these new league formats to which I’ve ventured.

It’s exhilarating to make the fantasy playoffs in the leagues mentioned, and also in a couple of my redraft leagues. It feels satisfying to know that my hard work with drafting and lineup decisions paid off and got me here. I also know there’s now added stress being on the playoff battlefield. The other fantasy competitors in the playoffs will be bringing their A game, and it’s time for me to level up. Any little mistake can prove to be costly and could end my run.

Heading into Week 15, I will do my very best to achieve success in the fantasy playoffs. I am hopeful I can feast on more fantasy wins and feel the fulfillment that comes with hard work paying off in this game within a game we play. The Minnesota Vikings are starting Nick Mullens at quarterback this weekend. It’s unknown if that means the end of Joshua Dobbs for this season, and it’s unclear how the team will fare going forward. Will the Vikings continue down the path of struggle, or will they be able to find their footing and climb out of this valley? I am hopeful the ship can be righted, and we can get back to feasting on more Vikings wins- wins that actually count and are earned– not another shameful 3-0 win.

I am hopeful I can experience more feasts in my personal life as well. I don’t know the reason why it didn’t work out with the recent job interviews I had. I struggle with reconciling the fact that I performed my very best, and yet it still wasn’t enough to be chosen for the second one.

I do believe and have always believed in “what’s meant to be, will be.” I have to trust there’s larger meaning at play. Maybe we need the lows in life to fully appreciate the highs. For now, I will have to embrace the discomfort of walking through this famine on the job front and trust that the ultimate feast lies ahead.

Because when I finally achieve my sought after goal, then all this struggle will have been worth it.

xoxo

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