NFL

What it is and how it works

Published

2 years ago

June 23, 2022

darragh

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The fantasy football IR spot has become a bit of a talking point recently. Most notably is the way too public dispute between Tommy Pham and Joc Pederson over commissioner Mike Trout’s implementation of the IR spot in their ESPN fantasy football league. Professional baseball players — just like us when it comes to fantasy football! Let’s help these guys out, though, and explain the fantasy football IR spot.

It’s not surprising that baseball players would feel a bit confused over the fantasy football IR spot. For those that have played fantasy baseball for a long time, you know how the IL spot works. If an MLB team places a player on the injured list, you can put him on the IL in your fantasy league.

The NFL treats injured players differently than MLB

Unfortunately, it’s not that simple in the NFL. The NFL does not have a weekly injured list. Teams have to submit weekly practice reports, a Friday injury report (Saturday for Monday night football), and then declare inactive players an hour and a half prior to kickoff.

The MLB injured list enables teams to replace players on the active roster. In the NFL, if a player is out, the team isn’t suddenly short one player — they just activate someone else to the 53-man roster.

Where does injured reserve come in?

Historically, injured reserve was, well, “reserved” for players that were out for the season. In 2012, the NFL modified their injured reserve rules to allow one player to be designated for return, allowing that player to return to play in the same season after a minimum of eight games missed. That number increased to two players in 2017 and three in 2020.

The NFL and NFLPA set new rules for injured reserve again in 2022. Players on IR have to miss a minimum of four games and upped the number of players that can be designated to return to eight.

The biggest problem I’ve encountered in fantasy football when it comes to IR spots is the reluctance of commissioners to want the IR spot to be utilized for anything other than players on injured reserve. When it comes to what the fantasy platforms actually allow, it’s a bit different.

On any fantasy football platform, you can place a player in your IR spot if that player is on their NFL team’s injured reserve. That’s the easy part to solve. Where things get a bit trickier is when a player is not playing but is not on injured reserve.

In Yahoo and ESPN leagues, commissioners have no discretion on the matter. If a player is listed as out, fantasy managers can place him in their IR spot. On Sleeper, commissioners have a wide array of options regarding how to utilize the IR spot. In addition to the above, commissioners can choose whether to allow suspended players, N/A players, holding out players, and doubtful players on IR.

ESPN’s lack of customization when it comes to its IR spot contributed to the tiff between Pederson and Pham. Since ESPN allows players listed as out to be placed on IR, managers have the freedom to do so once a player is officially ruled out. However, some commissioners prefer to limit the IR spot to just players on injured reserve. In leagues with this limitation, there’s no way to police it automatically. Commissioners have to manually check each team to ensure compliance. For what it’s worth, I’m firmly on the side of allowing all players listed as “out” to be eligible for the IR spot.

What does it mean when a player is in your fantasy team’s IR spot?

I think it’s fair to say the most frustrating aspect of fantasy football is injuries. We know injuries are inevitable. They will happen every season to just about everyone in your league. Every fantasy manager has to navigate through injuries.

The IR spot is designed to soften the blow of injuries just a little bit. When your team loses a starter, you have to replace that starter by picking up another player. If you can put your injured player in an IR spot, that player no longer counts toward your total number of rostered players. It frees up a roster spot to add a replacement without having to drop another player.

I find IR spots to be extremely beneficial. They can help make what can be a frustrating game a little less aggravating. It’s bad enough when you lose a starter on your fantasy team. Without the benefit of an IR spot, fantasy managers not only lose the injured player, but they frequently lose another bench player because they need to drop him to replace the injured player. It’s a true double whammy.

If your commissioner has liberal IR rules, at least you’ll only lose the injured player when he gets hurt.

To this, I unequivocally say, YES! Fantasy football is a game that, at its core, is meant to be fun. There is nothing fun about injuries and even less fun having to drop other, healthy players to replace them.

Commissioners should do what they can to make their leagues as far and as fun as possible. IR spots promote fairness and provide a little bit of help to managers dealing with the inevitable injuries that come with the game of football.

Jason Katz is a Fantasy Analyst at Pro Football Network. You can follow him on Twitter: @jasonkatz13 and find more of his work here.

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NFL

Taylor Swift Is Shown Chugging a Beer on the Jumbotron at Super Bowl 58

Published

2 months ago

February 12, 2024

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Global superstar Taylor Swift made it to the big game to support her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce. In the second quarter, it was evident that she was having a good time at the Super Bowl after taking a 12-hour flight from Tokyo the night prior.

Taylor Swift Seen Chugging Beer at Super Bowl

Swift’s attendance has been highly anticipated, as many fans questioned whether she would be able to make it to the big game since she had been in Japan until Saturday for her Eras Tour.

Sure enough, she made it to the Super Bowl and was seen making a grand entrance alongside Blake Lively and Ice Spice.

Swift made it back to the States with plenty of time to make it to Allegiant Stadium to support Kelce. After a leg of her Eras Tour, where she performed several nights in Japan, the singer appeared to let loose.

In a box full of friends, Swift was shown chugging a beer with Ashley Avignone. She was shown on the jumbotron and slammed her cup down after she finished her beer.

Legend 😂 pic.twitter.com/hk27JTAXZ9

— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) February 12, 2024

There was a mix of cheers and boos as Swift was shown on the big screen, and a long pass to Mecole Hardman was the only highlight of the first half for Swift and her friends. The 49ers led the Chiefs, 10-0, late in the second quarter.

On social media, Swift garnered plenty of support from NFL fans.

“If you’re hating on her you can kick rocks man she’s the best,” one user posted on X.

“The one thing I learned this season is that she is actually fun,” another said.

“Booing Taylor Swift chugging a beer is so soft. She’s just one of us now and I respect it ,” another posted.

At the time of the beer chugging, Kelce, Taylor Swift’s boyfriend, has had one catch for a single yard. It came on the first possession, which ended up being a three-and-out. The Kansas City Chiefs hadn’t done much otherwise.

They did have a deep pass play to Hardman, which put them in the red zone, but Isiah Pacheco fumbled on the very next play — one that Kelce was surprisingly on the sideline for.

Swift and Kelce have garnered much media attention as their romance has taken off throughout this NFL season.

Swift was able to support her boyfriend at many of his games throughout the final stretch of the season, as her Eras Tour was on a break. But starting on Feb. 7, she went back on the road.

MORE: NFL World Reacts to Unbelievable Super Bowl Trick Play

Despite performing in Tokyo the night before the Super Bowl, she was able to make it in time to support her boyfriend due to the time difference and is having a good time doing so.

As the 2023 NFL season comes to a close, the 2024 NFL Draft is on the horizon. Pro Football Network has you covered with everything from team draft needs to the Top 100 prospects available. Plus, fire up PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator to put yourself in the general manager’s seat and make all the calls!

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Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast! Click the embedded player below to listen, or you can find the PFN Fantasy Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms. Be sure to subscribe and leave us a five-star review! Rather watch instead? Check out the PFN Fantasy Podcast on our Fantasy YouTube channel.

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What Happened to the 49ers Linebacker?

Published

2 months ago

February 12, 2024

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The San Francisco 49ers sustained a massive blow during the second quarter of Super Bowl 58, as linebacker Dre Greenlaw left the game on a medical cart.

CBS Sports confirmed that the veteran Greenlaw suffered an Achilles tear, ruling him out for the rest of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

What Happened to Dre Greenlaw?

The outside linebacker, who had already been battling past injuries to his hamstrings and calves, left with what appeared to be a leg injury.

And somehow, his left leg looked like it buckled as he tried to trot onto the field with the Niners’ defense.

#49ers LB Dre Greenlaw appeared to suffer an injury while running on the field.

pic.twitter.com/zx0l1NjTew

— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) February 12, 2024

Greenlaw clutched his left leg in agony before being helped off the field.

CBS Sports sideline reporter Evan Washburn reported that the outside linebacker left with what was ruled as a lower leg injury. He was later determined to sustain an Achilles injury.

Greenlaw was declared out for the rest of the game.

#49ers LB Dre Greenlaw (Achilles) is now officially out for the game.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 12, 2024

Greenlaw Carted Off in Passenger Seat

Even more noticeable was where Greenlaw sat on the cart.

He ended up leaving not in the back of the medical vehicle but ended up riding shotgun with his leg injury.

He can’t sit in the back? pic.twitter.com/9jpz0rdoF1

— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) February 12, 2024

One would think that with an injury like an Achilles ailment, medical officials would try to make the player as comfortable as possible before they leave. It wasn’t the case here.

MORE: San Francisco 49ers Depth Chart

Regardless, Greenlaw was replaced by Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles for the rest of the first half. Greenlaw became the most significant injury of the game.

As the 2023 NFL season comes to a close, the 2024 NFL Draft is on the horizon. Pro Football Network has you covered with everything from team draft needs to the Top 100 prospects available. Plus, fire up PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator to put yourself in the general manager’s seat and make all the calls!

Listen to the PFN Fantasy Podcast

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NFL World Reacts to Epic Super Bowl Intro From CBS

Published

2 months ago

February 12, 2024

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Super Bowl 58 is here and it’s going to be exciting. The San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs are facing off in the final game of 2023.

CBS is broadcasting the game and the opening was nothing short of amazing. How is the NFL world reacting to the electric Super Bowl-opening video?

Epic CBS Super Bowl Intro Garners Reaction From NFL World

The video, which spanned four minutes and 19 seconds, featured players from both teams talking about the big game and what it means to them. It also featured their families talking about their journeys to this point.

“Amazing intro! Reminds me of my dad! Bravo on the intro!,” one NFL fan said on X (formerly known as Twitter)

And now, the end is near.

And so, the @49ers and @Chiefs face that final curtain. pic.twitter.com/YgIEGOAMb1

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) February 11, 2024

Additionally, Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” played in the background, giving it a near-movie feel. “This was incredible.,” another person said on X. “And so, the @49ers and @Chiefs face that final curtain,” CBS Sports said.

The 49ers finished the regular season as the top seed in the NFC with a 12-5 record. After their first-round bye, they defeated both the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions to earn their trip to Las Vegas for the Super Bowl. Both of their victories came in comeback fashion, including an NFC Championship-record 17-point comeback.

The Chiefs, on the other hand, had a more uphill battle. Entering the playoffs as the AFC’s third seed, they finished the regular season with an 11-6 record. In the playoffs, they defeated the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, and Baltimore Ravens to punch their ticket.

Super Bowl 58 is a re-match of Super Bowl 54 when the Chiefs defeated the 49ers 31-24. The win was the first in Patrick Mahomes career, as he also won Super Bowl MVP. Four years later, the Chiefs have made three more and won another. For the 49ers, this is their first trip back to the big game since.

The game kicked off at 6:30 p.m. ET with the 49ers receiving the opening kick. In addition to being broadcast on CBS, the game is also being streamed on Paramount+.