Had Brady and the Patriots converted fourth down, there likely would have been few additional fantasy points gained in that game, and Peyton Manning likely would have hit the showers with a respectable 20-point fantasy day (in ESPN standard scoring). Instead, look what happened. Manning trotted back on the field and added 16 more passing yards (getting him past the 325 mark to 327) and a touchdown. Net gain: five standard fantasy points. Reggie Wayne added six points to his fantasy day. Joseph Addai did more damage. Matt Stover kicked another extra point. And then here's something I doubt anyone realizes, but Brady got to come back on the field again and add 9 more passing yards, going from 366 yards to 375, which for most of us meant one more point. The implications on what Bill Belichick decided are unbelievable not just from a game standpoint; it changed fantasy games, too.
Of course, even though I owned numerous players in the Indianapolis Colts 35-34 win over the Patriots, I can honestly say I didn't think about the fantasy repercussions of what was happening one bit. I was too entrenched in the game, which was such a joy to watch. This was one of the best football games of the season, and as a sidebar, fantasy football was affected down to the very last second. This is the way it ought to be. Not that I ever needed reminding, but I saw yet another reason we love fantasy football: The game of football is so great in the first place.
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Eric Karabell | email
ESPN.com Senior Writer- ESPN contributor on TV, radio, podcasts, blogs, Magazine
- Charter member of FSWA Hall of Fame
- Author of "The Best Philadelphia Sports Arguments"
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Eric Karabell
Eric Karabell is an ESPN.com senior writer. He has worked at ESPN since 1997 and covered fantasy sports for ESPN since 2001, specializing in baseball and football. Eric appears several times per week on SportsCenter, NFL Live and other ESPN shows, contributes to ESPN Radio and ESPN The Magazine and is the host of the Baseball Today Podcast. He has been honored twice as fantasy sports writer of the year by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association, his blog was named best fantasy baseball series for 2007 and he was inducted into the inaugural FSWA Hall of Fame class in 2010.
Eric grew up in the Philadelphia suburbs, and accordingly, favors Philly teams first, his fantasy teams second. He previously served as ESPN.com's lead NBA editor, and is a former Washington Post and Philadelphia Inquirer sports writer. Eric is also the author of "The Best Philadelphia Sports Arguments," published by Source Books and available in bookstores and online.
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