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.

Odds are that most of us didn’t make it to the fantasy football championships, right? Numbers can be mean. But whether you're one of the lucky few who made it to the final showdown (yay) or are sitting on the sidelines by now (sorry), this still pertains to you. This is Week 17, baby! Let’s get into some aspects that I can buy into as well as others that I’m totally ready to sell.

Buy

Winners are flexible

No, I’m not talking about whether or not you can touch your little toes. This is purely about mental flexibility.

If you think back through your conversations with your leaguemates this season, whether it was a trade negotiation or debating a player in the group chat, those interactions undoubtedly referenced the values of specific players.

But…how do we really define “player value”? 

Some might reference a player's ADP during the draft: “He was the 1.01, after all.” Others will tout accolades from years prior based on name value alone: “Dude, it’s Ja’Marr Chase!” And some leaguemates will even judge players on hypothetical values that have never been grounded in reality.

While ADP, name value, past stats, and wishful thinking are all worth discussing, the 2023 season has highlighted our fantasy football blind spots, at least for some of us. Because of that, we need to be flexible if we want to succeed in the fantasy championship game and in seasons to come. 

We should've recognized what was happening in the Dolphins' offense and started Raheem Mostert with confidence even though De’Von Achane had such a stellar start earlier in the season. If you had looked at the numbers entering Week 16, Mostert had scored a TD in all but three games this entire season, with and without Achane. Plus, Mostert's consistency came despite Tyreek Hill stealing the show some (most) weeks.

Miami Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert (31) spikes the ball after scoring a touchdown past New York Jets safety Tony Adams (22) during the first half of an NFL game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Dec. 17, 2023. Photo Credit: Jim Rassol / USA TODAY NETWORK

We also could've had a similar discussion about starting Joe Flacco in Week 16, as he's looked elite as a Brown since starting in Week 13, even elevating fantasy players around him like David Njoku and Amari Cooper. Or perhaps we needed to give more credit to Ezekiel Elliott, who has made the most of his opportunities while Rhamondre Stevenson has been out with an injury.

Flexibility is the key to taking home the trophy.

So, lesson learned, right? Take all aspects of player value into account, but don’t overvalue ADP and prior year stats while ignoring information that’s happening right now. If you do, you might just miss what’s in your fantasy football blind spot.

Bench players can be ballers, too

Well, well, well. We learned a lesson this week, didn’t we? 

Maybe you were afraid to start them because of tough matchups or because they were elevated to a starting position at the last minute. Or perhaps you just never trusted them to play this well to begin with… Let’s highlight a few players who blew up on a lot of benches during the fantasy semifinals:

• George Pickens: 4-195-2
• Zamir White: 22-145
• Tee Higgins: 5-140-1
• Demarcus Robinson: 6-82-1
• Gabe Davis: 4-130-1

To be absolutely clear, this isn’t a “you should’ve known” kind of message. It’s a “don’t count anyone out” message to take with you into the fantasy championship game and heading into next season.

Believe in yourself. And when your back is up against the wall with a depleted roster full of all-stars who are out and injured…believe in your bench. They just might pull it off!

Sell

This is bullsh*t!

Mannnnn there were some hearts broken after these semifinal matchups concluded, huh?

I’m not telling you to be happy about it, but tilt, breathe, and then move on. Plenty of championship hopes were crushed in a variety of heartbreaking ways in Week 16, not just yours.

Did you run into a buzz saw against Amari Cooper’s 265 yards and two TDs or get crushed by Younghoe Koo's 19.1 points from the kicker spot??

Were you relying on big performances from fantasy studs like A.J. Brown (80 yards) or Brock Purdy (four INTs) only to find a lump of coal when you opened up your fantasy app?

Did you lose your matchup by less than one point?

Fantasy can be brutal, but give yourself a few minutes to tilt and then move on. By the time you read this, no one should be complaining about their loss(es) anymore.

I know that you thought you had the better team, but so did the Cowboys (and plenty of other fantasy managers). Don't make your loss the main topic in the group chat.

It’s time that we move on to talking about the championship (and then 2024). It’s not bullsh*t. It's just fantasy football.

MVP is easy as 1, 2, 3

It seems that NFL fans are divided on MVP discussions, especially after Purdy, the MVP favorite entering Week 16, cratered against the Ravens' defense on Monday night (oof).

All of a sudden, it's not so easy to decide on a clear-cut MVP for the 2023 season. Most of the MVP frontrunners have been exposed on national television during a primetime game at one point or another this year, Purdy being just the latest, and recency bias is king.

While the MVP betting odds have already shifted, it’s important to keep in mind that they could move again. We’ve still got plenty of football left to play with some big matchups coming up these next couple of weeks.

If I had to plant my own metaphorical MVP flag for a moment, I’ve been saying for weeks that Christian McCaffrey is the fantasy MVP purely based off of his reliable production all season long.

He’s only had three games with less than 100 total yards, and he still managed to score a TD in those “dud” games. That's pretty crazy. Just to emphasize this point: McCaffrey has either hit 100 total yards or scored a TD in every single game this year. On top of that, he's managed to hit over 100 total yards and a TD in 10 of his 15 games thus far. HOT DAMN.

And now, with McCaffrey continuing to produce during the fantasy playoffs when it truly matters most, there’s no question in my mind that McCaffrey is the clear-cut fantasy MVP. No question.

As for the NFL MVP…I’ll leave that debate to everyone on X, or Twitter. I’m just rooting for fun football to watch from here on out.