NFFC Announcement: Week 17 Bills-Bengals Game

[Greg Ambrosius]

Thanks to everyone in the NFFC for being so patient this week as we await the NFL's decision on the suspension of the Monday Night Game between Buffalo and Cincinnati. We are NOT making any decisions before we know what the NFL is going to do next with this game.

First and foremost is the health of Damar Hamlin, who was seriously hurt in that game. I don't think any of us have ever seen anything like that before and I'm glad the NFL stopped the game at that point. Bills' players were watching their teammate being resuscitated on the field right in front of them and there was no way anyone could play again at that point. All anyone hoped for at that point was this young man to live again. The hope is that the medics reached him quickly enough so that in time he can make a full and complete recovery.

As for the NFFC, we are waiting for the NFL's decision on what to do with that game before finalizing any stats or standings or prize money. We are NOT doing anything until we know how the NFL will handle this game.

Why are we doing that? Because fantasy sports are a reflection of the games being played on the field. Our stats MUST mirror the official stats of the NFL for each game during our 17-game season. Always has been that way and always will be that way. We are mirroring the games on the field for the time period we've designated and now we await what the final statistics are for that game.

If Elias has a scoring change during the week before Thursday at 6 pm ET, we make the scoring change.
If the NFL moves a game from Week 2 to Week 7, we run those stats in Week 7.
If a game is shortened in the second half because of weather but it's a complete game according to the NFL, then we use those stats for that game.
If the NFL suspends a game and then completes it later, we use those complete stats.
If the NFL completely cancels a game and uses no stats from that game, then that's what we have to do.

We know this is a big decision for the NFL and for fantasy players, but the NFL makes this final call and we follow what they do. Our stats MUST mirror those stats from NFL teams and players for each of the assigned weeks and we still have an unfinished Week 17 game. Let's see what the NFL does with it.

NFBC players know that we follow this same logic to a T. If a 163rd game is needed to decide a playoff spot or divisional winner, we include those stats from that game because it's part of MLB's regular season. If MLB teams play only 161 games because MLB decides not to make up a rainout game at the end of the season, we record all 161 games and no more. If they play a 60-game Sprint season, we run with that. This is no different for the NFL and the NFFC. We are recording what happened to each NFL team and player for the designated time period.

And we'll wait as long as we have to for the NFL to tell us what they are doing. They should wait until there is more clarity about Hamlin's condition and I would suspect that they are in constant contact with all of the NFL teams. If a Week 19 is added to complete this game, then so be it.

Those lineups are locked right now in all NFFC leagues and partial scoring has been applied. Again, we don't know if those are final stats, if those stats will be officially eliminated or if the game will be completed at a later date. We await the NFL's decision.

And no, we can't just give stats from Buffalo and Cincinnati players in Week 18 and call it a day. There's nothing in the rules to do anything like that. We are mirroring the NFL's stats through 17 weeks of the NFL season and now we await to see when Week 17 concludes.

Is this a tough break for all NFFC teams that have Bills and Bengals players? Of course it is. In fact, it's a TERRIBLE break. But this is real life and we know why the game was suspended. It's tough for everyone in Buffalo and Cincinnati and of course for Damar Hamlin and his family. It's sad all around, but again when it comes to our games we follow the final stats that the NFL provides our games.

We await the NFL's decision. And we pray for Hamlin's recovery and give thanks to how lucky we are each day that we have good health. Fantasy football is important to all of us, but good health is EVERYTHING. Let's hope the NFL provides a resolution soon and that Hamlin survives and thrives through this injury. Thanks everyone for being patient and the NFFC will be patient through this as well.

[Don Draper]

Thanks for posting Greg!

Couple follow-up questions:

1. If NFL 'suspends' a game in Week 14 (1 week prior to fantasy playoffs), how would NFFC determine playoff teams?

2. If NFL runs CIN/BUF game next week; however, they do not 'resume' the game, but start the game over, I assume NFFC would not count those stats, correct?

[Coltsfan]

This seems really well thought out Greg.

[BigBlueNation]

Thanks for the update Greg I believe this is the best way to handle the situation we're in now. Prayers to Damar Hamlin, his family and the Buffalo Bills organization.

The rule the NFFC has in place for this type of situation is "spot on", IMO. That being said, as bad as it is, the fantasy timing of this POSSIBLY coudn't be worse. It looks like Week 18 will be played before a continuance of the Buff/Cin game. Is there a scenerio after the Week 18 games, and I think it would be Cin, where a team could rest players in the Buff/Cin game because of playoff seeding?

There's not a catch-all solution to all of this, all we want is for this young man to survive this ordeal. Football doesn't matter here, LIFE does.

[Greg Ambrosius]

Thanks for posting Greg!

Couple follow-up questions:

1. If NFL 'suspends' a game in Week 14 (1 week prior to fantasy playoffs), how would NFFC determine playoff teams?

2. If NFL runs CIN/BUF game next week; however, they do not 'resume' the game, but start the game over, I assume NFFC would not count those stats, correct?

1. This would have to be handled like the Cutline. Stats have to be final on that Thursday for Week 14 to allow the right teams to advance. It's a unique situation for sure, but we'd handle it like the Cutline and end scoring on Thursday.

2. We are counting what the NFL counts.

[Greg Ambrosius]

Thanks for the update Greg I believe this is the best way to handle the situation we're in now. Prayers to Damar Hamlin, his family and the Buffalo Bills organization.

The rule the NFFC has in place for this type of situation is "spot on", IMO. That being said, as bad as it is, the fantasy timing of this POSSIBLY coudn't be worse. It looks like Week 18 will be played before a continuance of the Buff/Cin game. Is there a scenerio after the Week 18 games, and I think it would be Cin, where a team could rest players in the Buff/Cin game because of playoff seeding?

There's not a catch-all solution to all of this, all we want is for this young man to survive this ordeal. Football doesn't matter here, LIFE does.

Yes, it's possible the NFL reschedules this game for Week 19 and both teams rest their players. Again, we are just counting whatever stats the NFL counts and that's it.

[kjduke]

I thought you'd end the season this week, but rationale makes sense and it's consistent with baseball's extra game (even though no one likes that extra game ).

[Greg Ambrosius]

I thought you'd end the season this week, but rationale makes sense and it's consistent with baseball's extra game (even though no one likes that extra game ).

Define "no one" when we surveyed the masses and over 55% said they wanted Game 163. Consistency in rules is key.

[Greg Ambrosius]

I just posted this in another thread, but let's post it here as well for history's sake:

The NFL made its decision last night to fully cancel the Buffalo-Cincinnati Monday Night Game and to remove all stats from that game. They have decided not to resume this game and both teams will finish the year with 16 games, not 17.

Here's their official statement:

https://www.nfl.com/news/week-17-buffal ... onship-gam

As we stated on Wednesday, we HAVE to mirror the NFL's stats for the first 17 weeks of the NFL season. As a result, all stats from the Monday Night Game have been removed and all NFFC leagues are NOW FINAL.

We feel terrible for everyone who had Bengals and Bills players going on Monday Night, but we all have to understand what happened to Damar Hamlin and how the NFL came to their decision. None of us can like it. Certainly fantasy players don't like it. Certainly the Bengals don't like it. And if the Bills lose the first round bye, they won't like it.

But the NFL made this decision and we all have to move forward with it. At the end of the day, all four industry national championships are scoring this game the same way, even though two of them came to this conclusion in different ways. Nobody is giving stats to Bengals and Bills players in any of these contests and it's a bad beat for everyone who still had those players going that night.

The good news: The prognosis for Damar Hamlin is improving with each passing minute. That's the good news. This was a freak and unfortunate injury that almost cost him his life and thanks to the doctors and first responders there's a good chance that he will recover fully. Let's keep sight of that when complaining about what we lost. He almost lost his LIFE.

We will process all payments today and you'll find them on your Player Accounts today. NFFC leagues are NOW FINAL. Congrats to all of the winners and our apologies to those owners who lost out by the NFL's decision.