The first 3-5 days of every season are absolutely brutal. Most players without a great collection/a lot for rentals just stay out of it for those first few days. I end in Diamond 1 every season, and can barely even compete in Gold for those first few days.

At the beginning of a new season, I usually rent my cards out, or send them to a 0 rating alt to grind up, rather than racking up tons of losses on my account.