The Miami Dolphins are a surprising 4-2. Their win percentage is third-best in the conference, and they're in the hunt for both a playoff spot and a division title. And they've done it by scoring a total of 92 points.

Good thing the NFL isn't a total points league, because they'd be dead last if it was. As in, 32nd out of 32 teams. Their record is all that matters, of course. But what's good for the professionals might not be so great for your fantasy league.

But wait, there's more. Miami isn't an aberration, either. The Buccaneers have failed to meet expectations with a 2-4 record, despite scoring 151 points in six games. That's just one point fewer than Minnesota, who's played seven games. But the Vikings are 5-2 and sitting on top the NFC North, which is suddenly wide open with the injury to Aaron Rodgers.

The 49ers are 0-7, but have more points than division-rival Arizona and are just eight points behind 4-3 Carolina. Those three teams have all played seven games, so we're comparing apples to apples.

But Michael, you might say, who cares? The record is what matters. It doesn't matter how many points they've scored. If you score 40 and your opponent scores 42, that does you no good. but if you score three points and shut out your opponent, you're a winner. So why do total points matter?

The answer is, they don't. Not in the NFL, anyway, except for arcane divisional tie-breakers that never really come into play. And in many fantasy leagues they don't matter, either. You either win your game or you don't. End of story.

But is that fair? After all, the NFL has something we don't have: Defense. If the Dolphins are 4-2, it's because they scored points as a team, and limited the opponent's scoring as a team. They earned their low-scoring victories. Their offense has been just good enough to win.

But in fantasy football, if you win a low-scoring game it was pure luck. You didn't stop your opponent from scoring. You just happened to compare scores with someone else who had a worse total than you did. There wasn't really any competition; just a comparison on Monday evening after the last game was played.

In fantasy football, all you can do is try and score as many points as possible. That's your only job. The schedule is a random event. The best team is the one that scores the most, regardless of each week's random comparison. I'm not saying your league should be a total points league. I like them, but I've come to appreciate the rivalry of head-to-head as well. I just think fantasy leagues should find a way to reward teams that score a lot of points but get unlucky with the schedule.

Some leagues give those teams a portion of the pot, but I think that's a shabby compromise. Money is nice, but it's not really why we play. I think a wildcard berth should be reserved for the team with the most points who doesn't qualify for the post-season. That way if Lady Luck frowns on a good team, the rules can get them smiling again. It's good for successful teams and it's good for the league to have the best competition fighting for the title.

I know, I can hear the dissenters from here: Stop whining about bad luck. It all evens out. This is how the NFL does it! We've done it this way since 19-whatever. Why change now?

Well, I think there's more than enough luck in our game already. That's part of the hobby, it's a great equalizer and it can even make things fun. But we should also reward successful play. Let an unlucky owner who did everything right and picked great players participate in the playoffs. Create a format where owners have incentive to stay active and battle for that lifeline, even if the schedule has been unkind to them. They still have to score the points, after all. Your schedule and head-to-head records still matter. You're just letting great owners compete for the greatest reward. I think that's worth a little playoff adjustment.

If you go strictly by record, you're missing out on the very best teams competing for your title. Luck already plays a big role in fantasy football, so I'd rather not add to it on purpose. Reward owners who do their job, and the league will benefit as a result. Good luck this week.

Does your league reward teams that score a lot of points, or is it all about your record? Do you think teams with a lot of points should get something? Share your thoughts below.