Currently as of 10:00am this morning, on Yahoo! Fantasy Football (and possibly other scoring systems), no one is being credited for Robert Meachem’s crazy touchdown.
In yesterday’s Saints-Redskin’s game, Drew Brees threw an interception. On the interception return, Saints wide receiver Robert Meachem stripped the ball, recovered the fumble, and took the ball 44 yards for a touchdown. In fantasy football land, who gets the touchdown?
According to the football rulebook, once an interception is thrown, the offense (the Saints in this case) is now considered the defense. When Meachem stripped the ball, the defense is then credited with a fumble and the defense is the one who scored the touchdown.
Now, from a fantasy perspective, does Meachem get credit for the touchdown? It depends. If your league credits the defense and special teams with the touchdown and not the individual player, then the New Orleans defense should get credit for the touchdown. If your league credits individual players on defense and special teams with the touchdown, then Meachem should get credit for the touchdown. Right now, no one is getting credit for it, and that is a problem.
Update: Yahoo! has updated its scoring, and the New Orleans defense is now being credited with the touchdown, since with the change in possession, Meachem was considered a defense player. This is probably the most fair scoring and is also what other fantasy sites are adopting (CBSSports.com has already done it as well). Well done by Yahoo! for getting it fixed relatively quickly. However, there will still be some upset fantasy players over this one.
According to its rules, Yahoo! can make scoring corrections through Wednesday, so do not be surprised if this matter is eventually settled out and either the Saints’ defense or Robert Meachem ends up with credit for it. In the mean time, players are wondering where their points for Robert Meachem are.
Either way, this play will impact countless fantasy leagues and playoff implications, particularly since this was the last week of the fantasy football regular season for many teams. It reminds me of the Brian Westbrook kneel down two years ago or when Donovan McNabb scored a touchdown on a Wednesday three years ago.
13 Comments, Comment or Ping
Randall
Following the logic that the teams trade offense/defense immediately following a turnover, there would have been another trade of the offense/defense immediately following the second turnover on the play. When the Washington player fumbled and Meachem scooped up the fumble, then Washington would again become the defense and New Orleans would again be the defense.
Robert Meachem should clearly get the points using this logic.
Dec 7th, 2009
AL
Following that logic Randall, no defense would ever be granted a fumble return TD.
Its a tough call; I guess they need treat it the same way as they would when the Offense fumbles, and the Defense recovers, just to fumble it back to the Offense… I’m not sure how they usually credit that, but its the same situation (the result of the recovery shouldn’t matter)
Dec 8th, 2009
Kristoffer Strayhorn
Yahoo has reversed the decision.. I woke up this morning to a point change and a loss….
Dec 8th, 2009
Seth
They’ve got it wrong – the last time it happened was 2003 when McCardell did it for the Bucs against the Colts. Whatever – I would of been 10-3 now I’m 9-4 so it doesn’t hurt me.
Dec 8th, 2009
Billy
here’s an idea, credit it to both the defense and the player. That’s fair.
Dec 8th, 2009
KK
In my Yahoo League Robert Meachem got credited with the touchdown. because we have IDPs. some kid was in the playoffs, so he thought, last night and this morning he wasnt.
sucks for him
Dec 8th, 2009
Sean
Can’t believe this, I lose “units” over this because I would of win the overall points race by a fraction of a point ! ! Those “units” were going to make for better christmas presents ! !!
Dec 8th, 2009
Raul
Where did you see yahoo change this rule? It hasn’t changed in my league yet. Please clarify.
Dec 8th, 2009
Jim
Lost my fantasy game playoff hopes and possibly some cash because yahoo took it back. They originally gave me 8 points for the play (I had Saints D) and then took it back monday evening/night. I lost by 7.18 points.
Dec 12th, 2009
Derrick Eckardt
Jim, sorry to hear that. That is one of the closest margins I have ever seen. Good luck to you next season!
Dec 17th, 2009
Ford
I missed the playoffs by 3 points. They initially gave me the pointd and took them back. I also had Jones Drew who took the knee at the 1. THis season sucks
Dec 21st, 2009
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