In a professional fantasy football league, where playing for a prize is on the line, a good foundation for sportsmanship is crucial. The league must have rules. Most of the rules in a fantasy football league derive from one basic principal; play to win or don't participate.
For example, team managers should not purposely lose to help another team, no team manager should own two separate teams, and no collusion - where one team makes a transaction to improve another team without trying to improve their own. Roster dumping is also an act against good sportsmanship that makes the list of don'ts.
In my league, the BFFL, it has happened a few times where one team manager has dropped many significant players into the free agent pool without picking anyone up. Each time it has been a team manager who did not make the playoffs. And each time this occurred during the first week of the playoffs.
This act can drastically effect the dynamics of a league at its most crucial period. For instance, team managers who have survived to the playoffs have done so by successfully managing a roster that's based on their draft and available players in a competitive environment. Bottom line: it's unfair, and totally unrealistic, for the remaining playoff teams to calibrate their roster by comparing their team with a whole new batch of available starters.
Why do team managers dump players? I'm not totally sure. Maybe it's an attempt to undermine the league in retaliation of not making the playoffs. Maybe its to make their good players available to a friend in the league since they won't be needing them. My concern is not to know, "why" but to uphold professionalism in my league and promote good sportsmanship.
Here are a few other fantasy football sites that cover the "dumping players" topic and confirm my understanding.
ESPN - RULES: FAIR PLAY / CONDUCT
Foxsports - General Rules
Spurstalk - Controlling League Laws
Antsports - Sportsmanship
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