Popular Fantasy Football Excuses Made By Managers When Losing Leagues

January 12, 2026

Here are some popular excuses made by fantasy football managers when losing their leagues. Some people get very creative when making fantasy football excuses.

The fantasy football season has come and gone. Along the way, we saw many young players like RJ Harvey and Jaxson Dart establish themselves as top names to monitor heading into 2026, and several high-end players like Justin Jefferson and Brian Thomas Jr. lost some value due to their disappointing performances.

While the winners of the leagues will proudly flaunt their hardware, the losers of the league always have a reason why they lost. Because, of course, they did not just have a bad year, the fantasy gods sent every curveball possible to keep them from claiming the trophy.

Let's take a look at the worst excuses you have likely heard your fellow league mates make shortly after you took them down in the championship.

My First Round Pick Got Injured

The age-old excuse in fantasy sports, "My best player got injured." This year, the likely culprit of this excuse was Giants wideout Malik Nabers. As a rookie in 2024, Nabers immediately burst onto the fantasy scene and finished as the overall WR6 in PPR scoring.

However, in 2025, the former LSU standout was unable to have much of a sophomore campaign as he suffered a torn ACL during their Week 4 contest against the Chargers. In the first three weeks, Nabers eclipsed the 12.0 PPR point mark twice and even dropped a massive 37.7 PPR point showing back in Week 2, making his injury hurt even more.

Russell Wilson MOON BALL TO MALIK NABERS.

GIANTS LEAD. pic.twitter.com/Chl9HdjldL

— NFL (@NFL) September 14, 2025

Managers should gladly take any injury discount they could get on Nabers in 2026. The 22-year-old could have very well contended for Puka Nacua and Jaxon Smith-Njigba for the WR1 crown with Dart under center.

This remains the worst excuse in all of fantasy sports. Given the numerous breakout options that emerged on the waiver wire this season (Michael Wilson and Parker Washington), you likely could have acquired a reliable top-12 option in most weeks if you stopped complaining and found a solution.

I Got Auto-Drafted

They say the league is not won on draft day, but that won't stop your league mates from saying it was. Managers who missed their draft often blame their absence for losing the league. While the auto-draft function may have prevented them from implementing the precise roster construction technique they wanted, they were still given the top players based on consensus rankings.

However, most platforms now allow you to "pre-rank" your players before the draft even begins. Managers who are "too busy" to attend draft day can now pre-rank their players to avoid mishaps like this.

The next time a league mate complains about the draft time, let them know that they can pre-rank their players to avoid any future excuses.

I'm in Too Many Leagues

We've all been there. There is always that one league in the yearly pool that you always save for the end of your waiver wire claims on Tuesday nights. By the time you hit the halfway point of the campaign, you may even forget to put in a waiver wire claim or replace an injured player.

While all fantasy players have the leagues they "truly" care about, don't use that as an excuse to lose interest in that league you forgot you even joined. Always be sure not to bite off more than you can chew in August. Only sign up for the leagues that you can put your utmost interest in on a weekly basis.

If drafting is the highlight of your season, there is always best ball...

I Didn't Understand My League Scoring

While there are more scoring systems and platforms in fantasy football than ever before, not understanding or, let alone knowing, your league's scoring is not a valid excuse. Before you begin your draft preparation, understanding your scoring should be the first step in your process.

The difference between standard scoring and PPR scoring is massive and greatly affects the consensus ADP and end-of-season results. This season, Nacua finished Week 17 with 375.0 PPR points, the most at the WR position by nearly 30 points. However, when looking at the results in standard scoring, his production is not as impactful.

In standard leagues, Nacua actually finished as the WR2, scoring 230.0 FPTS, trailing Smith-Njigba, who earned a significantly higher 232.5 FPTS. In this format, running backs lead the way as Jonathan Taylor and Christian McCaffrey both eclipsed the 300.0 fantasy point mark.

More importantly, the difference between a superflex draft and a standard one-QB draft is enormous and far different than standard scoring compared to PPR. In two-QB leagues, sharper managers would likely begin their draft selecting a high-end QB in the opening round and potentially pairing him with another QB in Round 2.

Managers who are unaware that they are in a two-QB league and beginning their draft with two FLEX position players will be in for quite a surprise in Week 1, knowing they can barely fill their starting lineup.

Nobody Wanted to Make a Trade

While this excuse is warranted, it should not be used as a reason why you lost and finished in last place. Playing in leagues that are not active in the trade market is frustrating and creates an overall negative experience, but it does not prevent you from improving your team in other ways, the primary one being the waiver wire.

As noted above, when discussing the Nabers injury, managers needing a WR could have found a viable replacement throughout the season. Down the stretch, Wilson and Washington were legit must-start WR2s with upside and likely played a key role in you securing your fantasy championship. Throughout the season, players like Alec Pierce and Troy Franklin also held high-end WR3 upside.

The running back position saw Kenneth Gainwell (who opened the season as the team's No. 3 option on the depth chart) finish as the RB20 in PPR scoring just behind his teammate Jaylen Warren, who was the RB19. From Weeks 15 through 17, Gainwell was the RB11 in PPR scoring.

KENNETH GAINWELL HOW

TD STEELERS 😱

PITvsDET on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/sZg9uFqkMF

— NFL (@NFL) December 21, 2025

Under center, managers who needed a replacement for their injured and underperforming Lamar Jackson could have acquired rookie Tyler Shough, who was the QB8 in the fantasy football playoffs, and potentially Trevor Lawrence of the Jaguars in shallower formats, who was the QB1 in the postseason and was available in just under 30% of the leagues heading into Week 17.

Jaguars jump to a 28-7 lead

TENvsJAX on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/vIEmQyQMcM

— NFL (@NFL) January 4, 2026

The Buy-In Wasn't Enough

We all like to win money when playing fantasy football. Who doesn't? Unfortunately, not all leagues have a buy-in, and typically, those leagues take the bottom spot on our scoreboard-watching on Sunday afternoon. While you may still put in the effort to win this league, you do not ponder every lineup decision or waiver claim as you would for the league you spent $100 to participate in.

Nonetheless, the buy-in should never be the reason you decide to tune out a league mid-season. Just because you weren't fast enough to pick up the whichever defense was facing the Jets that week, don't say you didn't put in the effort because of the lower payout.

A fantasy championship is a fantasy championship at the end of the day.

I had to Co-Manage a Team

This may be the "worst" excuse of worst excuses. When working with a co-manager, you are taking on the responsibility of not making lineup decisions and waiver claims on your own, but instead consulting with your partner. Even if you don't want to start the weekly headache that is a Seattle running back, but your partner is pushing to do so, you have to play along with the co-GM's honor code.

Know what you are getting into before the season starts, and you will avoid this issue.

I Have a Real Life and Don't Have Time to Set Waivers

Of course, the infamous excuse will conclude our piece. "I don't have time for fantasy football, I have a real job." Using this statement as a legitimate excuse for why you lost your fantasy league is entirely ridiculous.

To put yourself in a good position to take home the fantasy championship, you have to check your lineup three times a week (Thursday, Sunday, and Monday) and place waiver claims on Tuesday evening. In reality, an efficient manager can complete your "weekly checklist" in just under an hour per league, and likely less for those in shallower formats.

It's not hard to do this. If you put in even the minimal effort, you will likely secure a spot in the fantasy postseason.

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