Buy Sell Hold. Lessons from 2023 for the 2024 Fantasy Football Season

Just because we're in our fantasy championships era doesn't mean that we can't still talk about buying and selling. The season isn't over just yet. Cooterdoodle is here to walk us through some fantasy championship buy-ins.

Champions were crowned this past weekend, but that doesn’t mean that we’re ready to log off and completely unplug from fantasy football just yet. This is a great time to relax a bit but also to reflect on this past season, adjust, and plan for the future. As the cool kids say, “The grind never stops!” So let’s get into some buys, sells, and holds for the fantasy postseason.

Buy

Never give up

Check the win/loss record of your league’s championship team. There’s a chance that a team with a .500 or lower record managed to sneak into the playoffs and took home the trophy this year.

While some fantasy managers would find that frustrating (especially if the other finalist lost despite a much better regular season record), I find it inspirational.

NEVER GIVE UP.

Queue the inspirational movie score. If a team that lost Justin Jefferson or Nick Chubb can go on to win it all, then first-round picks aren’t everything. On the other hand, if someone who drafted Christian McCaffrey or Tyreek Hill can make plenty of mistakes along the way but ride a fantasy MVP to a title, then your first-round pick could also be a literal league winner.

See? There’s always more than one way to look at it. Regardless, we’re going to remain positive heading into 2024.

Dec 31, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (85) reacts after running back James Conner (6) runs for a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles during the fourth quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

If the 3-12 Arizona Cardinals could beat the 11-4 Philadelphia Eagles in Week 17, then your fantasy team can overcome a poor start to the season, too.

Remember that heading into the 2024 fantasy football season. Never give up.

Thank your commissioners

If you’ve ever commissioned a league, I’m preaching to the choir. But if you haven’t, trust me when I say that your fearless leader was dealing with chaotic side chats, logistical dilemmas, and suspicious drama behind the scenes.

Someone “forgot” to move a player into their starting lineup. Someone else “forgot” that waivers don’t run on Saturdays. Yet another someone messaged your commissioner privately because he or she felt suspicious about potential collusion.

No league is perfect, but a good commissioner is constantly putting out fires and trying his or her best to make the year as fair and fun as possible.

Plus, just yesterday, your commissioner might've still been chasing down that one guy who never paid his dues on time. That pain-in-the-ass experience alone was worthy of an act of public appreciation.

So for all that you do in front of and behind the scenes: Thanks, commish <3

Fantasy miracles are real

After a fantasy championship week that saw Jerome Ford and Julio Jones each score two TDs to make or break title runs, it’s hard to ignore the mysterious ways of the universe.

It depends on whom you ask, but the Packers' decision to give the ball to Patrick Taylor instead of Aaron Jones for the last 10 minutes of the game on Sunday night might've been just the stroke of luck someone needed to hold the lead in their championship matchup, right? (Congrats, Haley!)

Dec 25, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs place kicker Harrison Butker (7) kicks the point after touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Or maybe it was Isiah Pacheco or Harrison Butker’s 25-plus point games that clinched it for you on Sunday. Or maybe you just needed Austin Ekeler to fumble once.

Whatever it was that sent you over the edge in points, it surely felt divine. What a beautiful thing to witness. Just remember that the fantasy gods can both giveth and taketh away in one stroke.

Sell

“Never again!”

You’ve been burnt this year, haven’t you? Whether your first-round pick didn’t quite live up to his ADP or injuries decimated your team into a sinkhole of despair that you just couldn’t quite escape from…it hurt. It hurt a lot.

It was only four and a half months ago when you were drafting and rosterbating over your championship-level team. This was supposed to be your year! Remember?!

But now that it’s over, and the dust has settled on 2023, don’t let this season’s results scare you or leave you scarred. Don’t yell threats of “never again!” into the void.

Don’t be the guy who blames waivers or his hyper-active leaguemate’s free-agent acquisitions. After all, don't blame another team making moves as the reason your team couldn't score 100 fantasy points in any given week.

So don’t threaten to leave the league. Don’t blame the scoring system. And don’t say that you’ll never draft Austin Ekeler ever again (though we probably won't be drafting him in the first round ever again). Everything can change come August. We have an entire offseason to fill us back up with hope before the 2024 draft season rolls around!

Hold

Let's take a vote

While many in your league probably already congratulated the recently crowned champion, there are probably a few broken hearts still floating around the group chat.

Is someone calling for “no kickers in 2024” because Harrison Butker's 25.2 points tanked his or her title run? Does someone want to abolish FAAB and move back to rolling waivers because he or she only bid 5% of their budget on Puka Nacua way back in September and is still salty about having missed out on him?

I always support a good league vote for future changes, but emotions are running high this week. Give everyone some time to accept their 2023 champion, accept their losses, and reflect on the season in hindsight.

Hold off on making big decisions for at least a week or two. Once everyone is calm, cool, collected, then by all means, change it up for 2024 as long as the majority of the league agrees. Just hold off for now and let cooler heads prevail.