Fantasy Football: Being thankful in 2014 and wishing ahead for 2015

For the majority of the fantasy world, the season has ended and winners have been crowned.  One person in every league is very happy with the outcome, and the rest of the people have finished another disappointing season with no title.  

But, no matter whether we won or lost, we can still all appreciate another season of something that we all enjoy– fantasy football!  The end of the football season and the current Holiday Season got me thinking of some things that many of us can be thankful for in 2014, and what Holiday wishes for 2015 might involve.

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Four things to be thankful for in fantasy football in 2014

Rookie Wide Receivers
Has a class of rookies at any position in fantasy football ever contributed like this class of wide receivers did in 2014? Odell Beckham Jr., Kelvin Benjamin, and Mike Evans all played extremely well and started for owners most of the year. Sammy Watkins, Brandin Cooks, Jordan Matthews, Jarvis Landry, and Martavis Bryant all found themselves as starters at one point in most leagues.  Even players such as John Brown, Allen Hurns, Donte Moncreif, Allen Robinson, and Davante Adams had roles that could turn into more in 2015.  To hope for another class of rookies at one position to contribute like these guys did would be wishful thinking – be thankful if you were able to get a hold of these guys!

Playing against star QBs in round 15 and 16 of the playoffs
If you were able to make the playoffs, and had to play against one of the best couple of QBs in fantasy – then good news for you!  The best fantasy QBs of the year sure did throw up some bad games when it mattered the most.  Andrew Luck had less than one point in week 16.  Peyton Manning had less than thirteen in both weeks. Tom Brady had ten in week 16. Aaron Rodgers had six and fifteen in each of those weeks.  Brees and Big Ben threw up twelve spots in week 16. Tough matchups for fantasy owners against scary QBs made many owners thankful!

DeMarco Murray and Le’Veon Bell
If you were smart enough to wait past the top couple RBs and get Murray or Bell (or get them both as my wife did in her league-which I would love to take for credit for but cannot), then you hit fantasy gold this year.  Not only will they finish first and second in the league in yards, they both were threats in the receiving game and had double digit touchdowns.  These two were easily the best two RBs on the year, and if you had them then I bet you were thankful the entire season, and most likely in play for a title!  

The National Football League
It is hard not to be thankful after another season of fantasy football, of the NFL and what they give us every Sunday, Monday, and Thursday.  The league is not without its share of controversy, but overall it is still growing and able to get past some very ugly incidents. The game is more popular than ever, and every season gives fantasy owners something new to watch, marvel at, and complain about.  The NFL is churning out the best fantasy product of all the sports, and new players flock to the sport every year.  From the games, to free agency, to the draft, the NFL keeps fantasy owners involved all year long.  No longer do people have to cheer only for their favorite teams; they can now cheer on the league as a whole and enjoy almost every game that they watch for fantasy purposes!  For that, I am thankful of the NFL, and the joy (and sorrow) that came with the NFL and fantasy football in 2014!

Four holiday wishes for fantasy football in 2015

One wish that I know I am hoping for, as are scores of other keeper league owners, is that players can stay out of trouble and stay healthy before the season starts in 2015.  Injuries and arrests in the off-season are killers for the plans that you have in place going into a new year.  Here is hoping that the stars of the league can stay healthy, stay out of cop cars, and off of drugs!

A second wish would be for players to return to form and health in 2015.  LeSean McCoy owners know what I am talking about, as do owners who relied upon Peyton Manning the last six weeks of the year!  A drop in numbers from McCoy, Brees, Jimmy Graham, Brandon Marshall, and the lost games of AP, Gordon, Julius Thomas, and Calvin Johnson destroyed a lot of seasons in 2014.  If these players and others like them that disappointed you and your team in 2014 are able to get back to form in 2015, then a lot of fantasy owners wishes for next season will come true.

Another wish for everyone will be to have the foresight to draft that breakout player, and to avoid the player that will bust at your draft.  For those that took Emmanuel Sanders, Jeremy Hill, Russell Wilson, or Odell Beckham “earlier” than you should have, great work.  For those that drafted Zac Stacy, Cordaralle Patterson, Montee Ball, and Vernon Davis, and got draft day “steals” then better luck next year.  Hitting and missing on draft picks can make or break a season, and it is hard to predict all the hits and misses in a season.  Hit on a couple breakouts, and miss on any huge busts, and your season gets a lot easier! 

The biggest and most popular wish for 2015 of course will be TO WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP.  There is no better feeling in fantasy football then watching those players walk off the field after that last Monday night game, knowing that you are the champ!  Having bragging rights on the league message board, getting to have the trophy at your house for everyone to see (even when your wife wants out of the living room), and taking home the money that you won are the ultimate goals in fantasy football.  For all those that won in it 2014, I congratulate you all on a season well done and the ability to call yourself a champion. For those that did not win it in 2014, the preparation starts now for 2015.  Do some research this offseason, follow the draft, follow free agency, and most importantly, HAVE FUN in 2015!

This article was written by Ryan Thyer. Like this article or hate it?  Let me know on Twitter  @bignoahd05