NFL Fantasy Football: ESPN, Yahoo issue updates on week 17 scores after Buffalo Bills postponement

The NFL world was shocked following the cardiac arrest of Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin.

The 24-year-old safety collapsed on the field during a game with the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday (2 January) night. Hamlin was given CPR on the pitch before being taken to hospital.

Bills players and staff were seen praying together on the field. After initial suggestions that the game would be restarted, the NFC clash was postponed. A final decision on the result of the game has yet to be decided.

In a statement, the NFL said: “Hamlin received immediate medical attention on the field by team and independent medical staff and local paramedics. He was then transported to a local hospital where he is in a critical condition.”

A statement from the NFL Players Association added: “The NFLPA and everyone in our community is praying for Damar Hamlin. We have been in touch with Bills and Bengals players, and with the NFL. The only thing that matters at this moment is Damar’s health and well-being.”

For NFL fans who play fantasy football, the game was due to be the final fixture in the week 17 - making up the second to last round of the season. But how does the postponement affect your fantasy football?

How will ESPN handle week 17 match ups?

In an update to fans who play with their fantasy service, ESPN explained: Due to the circumstances of Monday’s Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals game, ESPN Fantasy Football will officially score fantasy matchups for Week 17 and Week 18 (if applicable) only after the Bills-Bengals game is ruled final (either after being played or canceled).

“For scoring, we will use the official NFL player statistics for the game. Points for Bills and Bengals players will remain as they appear until the game is played or canceled and will be updated following that time. This may impact matchup results, league champions and final standings for your league.

“Should the game be played, an update to Week 17 statistics will be processed shortly after the game and the winner of the matchup will be determined accordingly, if applicable, regardless of when the Bills-Bengals game is played. Should the National Football League officially cancel the game, we will finalize Week 17 matchups using the official NFL statistics for Week 17.”

What have Yahoo said about week 17-18?

In an updated to fans who play fantasy football with Yahoo Sports, it was explained how the points for week 17 and 18 would work:

• Week 17 standings will update for now, but scoring updates will be applied once a decision regarding the Bills-Bengals game status is made by the NFL. Waivers will be processed as normal for leagues playing in Week 18.
• Yahoo will be honoring the official NFL Gamebook for Week 17 by updating the stats and fantasy scores in our game to match the official record.
• If official NFL scoring changes impact the result of your Week 17 matchup, we will retroactively adjust Week 18 matchups to reflect the change.
• Payouts for Private and Public Prize Leagues will not be processed until a final decision is made by the NFL on the Bills-Bengals game status.
• League commissioners in private free leagues have the choice to make manual changes through their commissioner tools but we encourage commissioners to wait until the NFL makes a final decision on the game’s status.
• If your league has any active Week 18 playoff matchups, you should set your lineup as usual.

How is Damar Hamlin?

The Buffalo Bills safety has shown “remarkable improvement” and appears to be “neurologically intact” after suffering a cardiac arrest during Monday’s NFL game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bills released the update on the 24-year-old’s condition in a brief statement on Thursday (5 January), a day after Hamlin’s uncle Dorrian Glenn said his nephew had to be resuscitated twice after colliding with Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins.

“Per the physicians caring for Damar Hamlin at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Damar has shown remarkable improvement over the past 24 hours,” the statement read. “While still critically ill, he has demonstrated that he appears to be neurologically intact. His lungs continue to heal and he is making steady progress. We are grateful for the love and support we have received.”