Fantasy football leagues consider new postseason seeding rules as NFL explores changes

The National Football League is always striving to evolve its guidelines and rules. This season, we witnessed attempts like the "dynamic" kickoff, which didn’t quite hit the mark. Now, a new report suggests that a significant change could be on the horizon regarding how playoff teams are seeded.

According to CBS NFL insider Jonathan Jones, the NFL plans to take a closer look at this topic. "The NFL will take another look this offseason at potentially changing the playoff format," Jones stated. "Maybe, top four teams in win percentage get a home game, instead of division winners." This potential shift could shake things up in the postseason landscape.

Imagine if this rule change had been implemented this season. Three teams are currently playing on the road, despite boasting better records than their opponents. The seeding would have looked like this:

1. Kansas City Chiefs
2. Buffalo Bills
3. Baltimore Ravens
4. Los Angeles Chargers
5. Houston Texans
6. Pittsburgh Steelers
7. Denver Broncos

In this scenario, the only change in the conference would be that the Chargers would have hosted a playoff game against the Texans, which might have boosted their chances of advancing (they lost in Houston). However, it’s worth noting that the Rams’ home game was relocated due to wildfires in California, which would have similarly affected the Chargers’ game.

Now, let’s switch gears to the NFC. The seeding would have been as follows:

1. Detroit Lions
2. Minnesota Vikings
3. Philadelphia Eagles
4. Washington Commanders
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
6. Los Angeles Rams
7. Green Bay Packers

This change would have had a profound impact on the NFC. The Vikings would have jumped from the five-seed to the two-seed, allowing them to host the Packers in the Wild Card Round. The Eagles, moving to the three-seed, would have faced the Rams, while the Commanders would have had a home game against the Buccaneers. Interestingly, the Commanders won that matchup in Tampa Bay anyway.

Personally, I’m all for this sort of change. Winning games is the whole focus of sports, and teams shouldn’t be punished for playing in a strong division or benefit from a weaker one. Furthermore, I believe similar rules should be implemented in fantasy football leagues.

If there’s one complaint about our beloved fantasy football, it’s that luck often plays a far too prominent role. The regular fantasy season doesn’t always reflect how good or bad a team was during the first 14 weeks. While winning is crucial in fantasy football, we’re also striving to score as many points as possible. After all, our fantasy teams can’t play defense in the weekly matchups.

This is why, much like in the NFL, fantasy commissioners must evolve their leagues. Simply using the final regular-season standings to determine postseason teams and seeds isn’t fair. It doesn’t always reflect which teams were truly the best. We can’t play defense in fantasy football, and teams that score a ton of points but have poor records due to bad luck should still be rewarded.

For instance, in the Dirt Podcast Show League, one team scored the most points but ended up with a 6-8 record, finishing seventh in the standings. In my opinion, that team is one of the best (if not the best) in the league, regardless of its record, and it should have earned a postseason berth.

If you’re a commissioner or a frustrated fantasy manager who scored a lot of points but had a less-than-stellar record due to bad luck, I have some solutions for you to consider in 2025. Here are some alternatives to traditional postseason seeding rules:

1. Points-Based Playoffs: In leagues like the Scott Fish Bowl, half the league makes the playoffs based on a mix of record and points. Each team gets the average of what it scored in the regular season plus what it scores in each week of the playoffs. The teams that score the fewest points are eliminated each week until a champion is crowned. This rewards those who had point-scoring success during the regular season.

2. Hybrid Seeding: For those who argue that head-to-head wins are more important than points, consider a rule where the top five teams based on standings make the postseason. The last seed would be the team that scored the most points but didn’t finish in the top five. This way, teams that score a lot of points but have bad luck still get a shot at the playoffs.

3. Top Teams and High Scorers: Commissioners can take this a step further by allowing the top four teams in the standings to make the playoffs, while the two highest-scoring teams not in the top four secure the final two postseason berths. This approach strikes a balance between rewarding wins and recognizing scoring prowess.

4. Flexible Advancement: In high-stakes leagues, the top seed is the team with the best record, while the second seed is the highest-scoring remaining team. The third seed has the next best record, and so on. This method ensures that the best six teams make it to the postseason while minimizing the impact of luck.

There will always be debates about moving away from traditional rules in fantasy football. Some may argue that even in real sports, the better team doesn’t always win. But let’s remember, teams play defense in real sports. This isn’t real sports; it’s fantasy. And because it’s fantasy, we need to do everything we can to limit luck and reward success.

As the NFL appears to be considering a change based on recent reports, fantasy fans and commissioners should also think about making the regular season matter more. Let’s give the best teams a fair chance to earn a postseason berth and compete for a championship. It’s time to embrace change and enhance our fantasy football experience!