I've been playing Russian Roulette the last few weeks in one of my fantasy leagues.
So far, I've survived and even thrived.
But this last week, my luck ran out.
I've been playing Chicago Bears' Quarterback Jay Cutler.
I originally drafted him in the eighth round, as one of the last starting quarterback drafted. At the beginning, it wasn't too bad. Cutler wasn't on the level of Aaron Rodgers or Peyton Manning, but he was still a serviceable quarterback.
Then the wheels started to come off.
Quickly, before things got out of hand, I grabbed Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer off the waiver wire.
Two weeks later, Palmer tore his ACL and was done for the year.
With the waiver wire cupboard barren, I was forced to continue to play Cutler, despite my reluctance to.
I was able to win in spite of him, but sooner or later, I knew he would doom me.
Of all the times to have it happen, it had to be in the fantasy playoffs.
Going into the Monday Night Football game that put Cutler's Bears against the New Orleans Saints, Cutler had not one, not two, but THREE interceptions.
Despite two late touchdowns, Cutler was unable to get my team into the lead when I needed him to most.
But that isn't what bothers me the most.
What bothers me the most is that not only did I lose, I lost by .16 points. That's point-one-six points. As in a yard and a half more from any one of my running backs or wide receivers and I would have won.
Instead, Cutler's three picks sunk my team and any hopes of making it to the championship game.
And now Cutler's been benched, so what little hope I had in winning the consolation matches is gone as well.
This week as a whole was crushing.
Two weeks ago, I messed up by not playing Aaron Rodgers and losing. This week I lost, in part, because I played Rodgers.
That's because Rodgers had, statistically, the worst game of his CAREER against the Buffalo Bills.
Plus Julio Jones was a last-second scratch and I didn't have time to swap him out.
Finally, my two-week playoff matchup ended in disastrous defeat. Not only did I fail to make up the 14 point difference, I slipped even further, losing by 62.
This week was the worst of the season, and possibly, my entire fantasy football career. I went 0-6. That's right, six losses and not a single win.
Early in the season? You can come back from it.
With three weeks left? It's all over.
I've been bumped from contention in all six of my leagues, and now I'm left playing for pride.
What's your horror story as the season winds to a close? How close were you to making the championship? Email me at [email protected] for some commiseration!
Nick's Waiver Wire Picks of the Week:
1) Toby Gerhart, Jacksonville Jaguars Running Back
Gerhart was off to a less-than-impressive start in Jacksonville before he got injured in week 5, giving rise to Denard Robinson. However, now Robinson is injured and Gerhart is healthy. If he can find the end zone against a mediocre Tennessee Titans' defense, he could prove to be a good pickup for a team desperate for a running back. Owned in just 16 percent of leagues, he should be available for you to grab.
2) Harry Douglas, Atlanta Falcons Wide Receiver
This one is entirely dependent on the health of fellow receiver Julio Jones. If Jones is good to go, Douglas won't be a good play. However, if Jones doesn't play, Douglas is absolutely the Falcons receiver you want in your lineup. He's also owned in just 16 percent of ESPN leagues, so you should be able to grab him and see what happens with Julio.
3) Lance Dunbar, Dallas Cowboys Running Back
Again, this one is dependent on injury. If DeMarco Murray is sidelined with the broken hand he sustained last week, then Dunbar is a player you want to roll with. The Indianapolis Colt's defensive line has been a weak spot for the team all season, and Dunbar could be in for a big day both running and catching the ball. He's around in 95 percent of ESPN leagues, so he should be around for you to grab.
Good luck, fantasy experts! And may my teams lose, so yours don't have to.
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