What Your Fantasy Football League is Missing: Last Place Punishments

By Michael Dubner

Rewarding the champion of a fantasy football league is already ubiquitous. However, there can be issues with teams giving up and not paying attention to their league once they are eliminated from playoff contention. The worst thing in fantasy football is when these eliminated owners don't check their lineups, which unfairly benefits the teams who play these eliminated owners later in the season.

In order to improve league competitiveness and ensure all owners pay attention to their teams, redraft fantasy football leagues should enact a last place punishment. By rewarding the champion and punishing last place, all owners will be active the entire season - whether it be fighting for a championship or avoiding the dreaded last place punishment.

The severity of the last place punishment may vary depending on the owners of the specific league. Ultimately, all league members should agree to the punishment.

Some last place punishments to consider include:

Less Severe Punishments:

Last choice for the following year's draft slot.
Act as the bartender at the following year's fantasy football draft
Wear an embarrassing shirt or costume at next year's draft (i.e. shirt that says "I suck at fantasy football").
Host next year's draft party.
For larger leagues, create two leagues (A league and B league) and do a relegation system - the bottom two teams in league A play in league B the following season, and the top two teams in league B play in league A the following season.

More Severe Punishments:

Take the SAT.
Car wash in a speedo.
Stand on a busy street corner while holding an embarrassing sign.
Pose in embarrassing outfits that will then be used to create a calendar.
Attempt all drills performed at the NFL Combine.

What is your league's last place punishment? Tweet me @Michael_Dubner