Fantasy fail: Fantasy football last-place punishments

If you’re reading this, you’ve probably lived enough life to know that playing fantasy football is not for the faint of heart. No, joining a fantasy league comes with grave risk.

Will you secure premium draft position, scoop up the Christian McCaffrey of the season and never look back? Or will you roll the dice of life, use your first pick to grab an incredibly talented yet unpredictable wide receiver who won’t be on a roster come Week 3, and quickly sink to the bottom of the standings never to return? Or, I don’t know, maybe your team will be rolling until QB1 unexpectedly goes down with mono.

These scenarios are all theoretical, of course, but you know the potential pitfalls we speak of.

Whether it is the threat of injury leaving your roster depleted or trying to compete with that one person in the league who is so active on the waiver wire you begin to wonder if they quit their day job, fantasy football demands constant attention — and it won’t hesitate to expose you if you fall asleep at the wheel.

But sometimes even your best effort isn’t enough to keep your pride intact, because somebody has to finish last. That’s where these folks come in.

Ah, yes, the dreaded last-place fantasy punishment. From the pretty standard “I’m a fantasy football loser” sign sentence to the more taxing 24-hour Waffle House challenge, here are some of our favorite league punishments of the season:

The Waffle House challenge …

For my fantasy football punishment, I will be attempting the Waffle House challenge.

I must stay in a Waffle House for 24 hours. For every waffle I eat, an hour is subtracted from my sentence. Please join me on this journey.

Going to see “Cats” while dressed like a cat …

Consuming a bowl of butter …

@MatthewBerryTMR @Stephania_ESPN #ButteR‘ League Punishment for last place. Loser must eat a stick of Butter… #FantasyPunishment pic.twitter.com/Rw5F7QVhBb

Going full Oompa Loompa at the mall …

Gotta love our league punishment. Last place = a trip to the mall in oompa loompa gear. #FantasyFootball pic.twitter.com/bnkKZq7oT2

The Instagram live hot dog challenge …

This year in my fantasy league, the punishment for last place was to eat as many raw hot dogs as the corresponding NFL week on Instagram live. It’s week 16. He eats 16 raw hot dogs. Merry Christmas pic.twitter.com/R2M2t9HwuM

The tasteful billboard spread …

@DanLeach971 check out my keagues last place punishment. this is on 75 right now pic.twitter.com/DRj4KCdTKU

A visit to Santa …

Last place in my home league has to sit on Santa’s lap with a sign. My buddy totally owned being a loser, while his family keeps winning. pic.twitter.com/rzDz9if4tn

Dressing up like Elsa from “Frozen” and riding aboard a holiday float …

Fantasy football punishment. Nick Simmons came in last place in our league and dressed up as Elsa from Frozen for the Coral Springs Holiday Parade #FantasyFootball #ffnow @Fantasy_Guru @JeffRatcliffe @thereallisaann @MatthewBerryTMR pic.twitter.com/r5rkkZuGyn

http://www.espn.com/espn/rss/news