Fantasy Football Week 12 Bad Beats: Late T.J. Hockenson TD fuels tough losses

Week 12 is barely in the rearview mirror, but the sting of victory being snatched by the jaws of defeat is still very fresh — maybe even somewhat raw. That’s what this article is for: to deal with that — and it will be each week throughout the fantasy football season.

We put out the call to the fantasy football community for everyone’s Week 12 bad beats. Call it part-group therapy, part-group hug. Even a little bit screaming into the night. We’ve all had those bad beats that are so razor-thin they hurt like a paper cut with salt dumped on it.

This is to let everyone who had a bad beat know that they’re not alone. Time for us to commiserate in our shared misery.

There’s not much like grinding a "Monday Night Football" game filled with turnovers and big defensive plays. Pleading for every pass to go to your player, or your quarterback seeing a perfect pass slip through the fingertips of his receiver. I had that sweat with Cole Kmet — lost by 1.04. There were quite a few more last night. Let’s share the bad-beat pain, leading off with a philosophical turn.

Moral bad beat

After winning, @HSantos can be philosophical after delivering a bad beat to his opponent, who needed 12 points from Justin Fields on Monday night to get the win. On the positive side, his opponent is a Bears fan who’s at least happy they won. Though maybe not when considering the 2024 NFL Draft order.

Bad Beat Bonanza

This one featured Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts. Bijan Robinson and that late Zay Flowers TD. Who doesn’t love a good fantasy shootout? Probably @Hooyoan81 after D.J. Moore outlasted Cole Kmet on Monday night. Oh, the pain!

Sacked

Yes, that last Justin Herbert sack put the Baltimore D over the top and dealt @LesTummons a tough loss. But how about giving a little credit to that monster game from Jalen Hurts? Just imagine if Lamar Jackson had flipped the ball to Zay Flowers instead of handing it to him.

Grinding every yard

When every Alexander Mattison yard on "Monday Night Football" counts, but falls just a bit short. It’s almost like getting hit by the Bears defense, right @87ShepGoat?

Stroud-Lawrence redux

So this was submitted by @D_Frank34 and interestingly, the starting quarterbacks featured the real-life AFC South battle between C.J. Stroud and Trevor Lawrence. They even had stacks with their respective pass-catchers. And fantasy imitated real life, as Lawrence came out ahead even though Stroud had the bigger day. Can we work it out so these fantasy teams lock up the same weeks of Jaguars-Texans next year?

MNF Miracle, not quite

After Justin Herbert and Keenan Allen surged to put the Floppy Ostriches in the lead on "Sunday Night Football," a "Monday Night Football" comeback was happening with T.J. Hockenson. Alas, needing just a few more yards, it was not enough. And the Ostriches can take their head out of the sand after the Detroit defense’s zero points on Thanksgiving. Thanks for the submission @grandmamentos.

Asleep at the wheel

Yes, T.J. Hockenson pulled out the Monday night comeback for @MNosiey with his TE4 performance punctuated by that fourth-quarter touchdown. But look across to the other side. Darren Waller hasn’t played since Week 8. Someone wake up Eddie to set a proper lineup.

Take a knee

Not sure what hurts more @MickDeines1, losing on a Justin Fields kneel-down or sitting Kyren Williams’ RB1 week. Please tell me you didn’t sit De’Von Achane in Week 3, too.

Hock FTW

If there was one reason for @Barr0789 to watch that "Monday Night Football" defensive standoff, it was to see if Justin Fields could outduel T.J. Hockenson. That fourth-quarter TD for Hockenson was the bad-beat dagger. Lo siento mucho.