Another SDMB fantasy football league

[RetroVertigo]

Since the other league was already full I decided to start another one at Yahoo

League ID# 330938

Password: ceciladams (one word)

Draft: Sunday Sept. 3, 9p.m.

I already set the rules and scoring, but if anybody has any thoughts or sugestions on changes we can vote on them.

[brianjedi]

I'm in. Long-time fantasy baseball player, first-time fantasy football player.

Hopefully we can get enough people to fill the league up.

[OneCentStamp]

I'm in! How many teams are you going to want, minimum, for this league to be a go? I'm thinking at least six.

[D_Odds]

Count me in.

[MsRobyn]

I'm in, too.

Robin

[brianjedi]

5 teams is a good start, I'd say. Excellent work on the draft slot, since it means we can avoid worrying about the potential for preseason injuries.

I don't know much about scoring systems, so I'll refrain from comment on the current setup.

[Least Original User Name Ever]

I'm in, baby. I'm in.

[RetroVertigo]

Yahoo allows up to twenty teams, but either ten or twelve would be good. If too many teams play we're picking up Ricky Williams off the waiver wire; if too few play every matchup is like the Pro Bowl.

I didn't see the option, but I'm sure its there for a random draft order. I'll see if I can change it later.

[brianjedi]

RetroVertigo, if it's anything like Yahoo Fantasy Baseball, it'll automatically randomize the draft order right before the draft starts.

[D_Odds]

Aargh...while I'll still compete, the draft takes place when I'll be away from any PC. You picked the Sunday before Labor Day!

[brianjedi]

Originally Posted by D_Odds

Aargh...while I'll still compete, the draft takes place when I'll be away from any PC. You picked the Sunday before Labor Day!

As long as you prerank your players, you'll be ok. Yahoo will automatically take the highest-ranked player still on the board, so I'd make sure you don't have guys you absolutely don't want ranked high.

[Tazmanian Devil]

Just signed up to whoop some ass. I will try to salvage some pride, as my baseball team sucks sewer water. Good luck to you all this season.

[Kiros]

I'm in, yet again. I'm a fan of 12 teams for football, though 10 is good too. We're looking good with nine so far. On to the important part now: how are we going to do the scoring in this one? As the brilliant SDMB members we are, we can surely do better than the default Yahoo! system

P.S. Will try my best to make the live draft - I haven't missed a SDMB fantasy league live draft yet, but the Sunday before Labor Day is going to push the envelope on that one. Hopefully 10pm is late enough that I'm home from whatever revelries and reasonably sober. I'll pre-rank either way, though.

[brianjedi]

Originally Posted by Tazmanian Devil

Just signed up to whoop some ass. I will try to salvage some pride, as my baseball team sucks sewer water. Good luck to you all this season.

Hey, everyone sucks compared to Petelin this year. If a couple of the roster chances you took had worked (Bonds, Sheets) you'd be a lot better off.

Wonder if anyone else in the baseball league wants in?

[Kid_A]

Well, I'm in. After finishing second last, last year, there's nowhere to go but up. Hopefully...

I'll never forgive you Daunte Culpepper.

[Jimmy Chitwood]

I'm always good to go.

[brianjedi]

So, with 11 teams, I'd say one more would be the perfect amount, right?

Kiros, I'd jump right in to a scoring category debate, but I don't think OPS and WHIP are scoring categories in fantasy football.

I just noticed the draft starts at 10 p.m., which means there may be some coffee involved in this little endeavor, assuming I don't become an insomniac trying to create a spreadsheet to rank players.

[RetroVertigo]

Lets try not too bring up the fantasy baseball; though I will say I'm no longer in the cellar.

If the draft date/ time is a problem with too many people we can always reschedule. I didn't even think about it being labor day weekend, considering that I'm not even off work.

[SenorBeef]

Do you guys still need a twelth? I want in.

[SenorBeef]

Well I signed up. Figured if there was a spot open, it was up for grabs.

[Kiros]

Originally Posted by brianjedi

Kiros, I'd jump right in to a scoring category debate, but I don't think OPS and WHIP are scoring categories in fantasy football.

Hah, there was a league last year that you may or may not have been in that was based on a bunch of the stats and averages Football Outsiders uses to do a more 'sabermetric' type approach. Influence to yards/play and how you performed relative to the mean, efficiency, lots of mathy stuff like that. It was a little bit complicated but a ton of fun

Really, though, I was more talking about the standard stuff - how many passing/rushing/receiving yards to a point, and all that. We've generally modified these things at least a bit in the past.

[Least Original User Name Ever]

Crap. Damn you, procrastination. There still room for moi?

[Jimmy Chitwood]

Originally Posted by Kiros

Really, though, I was more talking about the standard stuff - how many passing/rushing/receiving yards to a point, and all that. We've generally modified these things at least a bit in the past.

Remember that one league where that guy flipped out and quit because we were arguing too much about stat categories? That was awesome.

[SenorBeef]

My preference is to have yardage be more important than TDs.

TD-heavy leagues are too random. A balance is okay, though.

[RetroVertigo]

Originally Posted by SenorBeef

My preference is to have yardage be more important than TDs.

TD-heavy leagues are too random. A balance is okay, though.

What do you guys/gals think about adding a yardage bonus?

If you're in favor of one, what should the yardage/points be set at?

[Omniscient]

Damn it, day late and a dollar short.

[Least Original User Name Ever]

Originally Posted by Omniscient

Damn it, day late and a dollar short.

I know. I'm SO slacking off right now. I'm only in one league.

[Kid_A]

I liked the settings from last year and wouldn't mind using them again.

[SenorBeef]

It's kind of screwy to me that a guy that threw for 90 yards, 2 TDs gets 13 points (if I'm reading it correctly) while a guy that throws for 250 and 1 td gets 11 points.

Similarly, if they bring in a short yardage running back for a handful of carries and he gets 8 yards and 1 TD, he gets 6 points, whereas if the starting running back got 125 yards, 0 TDs, he only gets 5.

In each of those cases, the latter case made a vastly more important contribution, but scores less in fantasy points. And fantasy scores become volatile - some weeks your star qb throws 1 TD, sometimes 4, less predictably than yardage- that it takes some of the strategy out of it, I think.

But I'm cool with going with whatever the consensus is. Just wanted to make those points.

[Jimmy Chitwood]

Last year, in one of the not-terrifyingly-avant-garde SDMB leagues, we had a great deal of discussion about just that subject (yards vs. TDs). I mean, a great deal. What we ended up with as league settings:

Roster Positions: QB, WR, WR, RB, TE, W/R, K, DEF, DB, DL, BN, BN, BN, BN, BN, BN
Stat Categories: Passing Yards (25 yards per point)
Passing Touchdowns (6)
Interceptions (-2)
Rushing Yards (10 yards per point)
Rushing Touchdowns (6)
Receptions (1)
Reception Yards (10 yards per point)
Reception Touchdowns (6)
Return Yards (25 yards per point)
Return Touchdowns (6)
2-Point Conversions (2)
Fumbles Lost (0)
Offensive Fumble Return TD (6)
Field Goals 0-19 Yards (3)
Field Goals 20-29 Yards (3)
Field Goals 30-39 Yards (3)
Field Goals 40-49 Yards (4)
Field Goals 50+ Yards (5)
Point After Attempt Made (1)
Sack (1)
Interception (2)
Fumble Recovery (2)
Touchdown (6)
Safety (2)
Block Kick (2)
Kickoff and Punt Return Touchdowns (6)
Points Allowed 0 points (10)
Points Allowed 1-6 points (7)
Points Allowed 7-13 points (4)
Points Allowed 14-20 points (1)
Points Allowed 21-27 points (0)
Points Allowed 28-34 points (-1)
Points Allowed 35+ points (-4)
Tackle Solo (0.5)
Sack (3)
Interception (2)
Fumble Force (2)
Fumble Recovery (2)
Touchdown (6)
Safety (2)
Pass Defended (1)
Block Kick (2)
Fractional Points: Yes
Negative Points: Yes

Individual defensive players were a waste of time, I thought, but I don't recall any complaints with regard to the point allocations for yardage. It's a viable point from which to start haggling, at the very least. Because those who do not learn from the past are doomed to start the friggin' season gangbusters again, then lose 7 in a row when TO gets suspended. Or something.

[SenorBeef]

How did your settings change the balance of power between RBs, QBs, and WRs?

[Jimmy Chitwood]

I'd say the balance was very slightly shifted away from running backs and quarterbacks toward receivers, so that the Steve Smiths of the world almost put up as many points as the top running backs. Running backs were the highest scorers on most teams, but teams with dominant receivers and mediocre running backs were very competitive. Quarterbacks overall were slightly devalued.

[brianjedi]

With the exception of the individual defensive players, Jimmy, that scoring system looks acceptable to me. With this being my first real league, I'd prefer we stick to team defense, since that's what all the material I've been studying is focused on.

[SenorBeef]

What sort of drafting order are we using? I prefer the system wherein the last to pick in the first round picks first in the second round, and then all the way back to the first drafter in the first round in reverse order. May be called serpentine? Can't remember.

Seems too unfair to let the same guy get the first pick in every round.

[RetroVertigo]

We're using a serpentine (first on round one is last in round two).

[Ellis Dee]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Chitwood

Last year, in one of the not-terrifyingly-avant-garde SDMB leagues, we had a great deal of discussion about just that subject (yards vs. TDs). I mean, a great deal. What we ended up with as league settings:

I'm not in this league, (because I so rarely open MPSIMS...doh!) but I was one of the main proponents in the debates that set the rules Jimmy posted.

Specifically, I passionately argued for (and finally got) awarding 1 point per reception. I had reams of numbers, stats, and analyses to back up the argument. That league was tremendously fun, and it did boost receivers up to being more active participants in defining a team's success or failure.

However, in hindsight, the more seasoned fantasy players were indeed shown to be correct. A full point per reception is simply too much. I fully intended to join the generic SDMB league that formed this year, (this one,) but also planned to equally passionately advocate a half point (0.5) per reception in the interest of balance.

Take that for what it's worth, and have fun in this league. Don't mind me all sullen and pouting in the corner; I realized that in a generic (non-keeper) league, with random draft order, there's no way in hell I could assemble the team I want anyway.

Not that my opinion matters here, but from reading through this thread, I think your best bet is to use the rules Jimmy posted minus the IDP and scaling back receptions to a half point per. (I'd haggle the turnover numbers, but they don't amount to much compared to the yardage numbers anyway.)

Just an FYI: The IDP stats are listed after the DEF stats, so for example a sack is listed as 1 point for the DEF, whereas it's 3 for an IDP. Just in case anyone was confused.

[RetroVertigo]

::digging, digging::

Just to remind everyone the draft is scheduled for Sunday Sept. 3, 9pm. CDT.

I also adjusted the scoring so yardage/ TD were more balanced.
Passing
Before: 50yd. = 1pt. After: 25yd. = 1pt.

Receiving
Before: 25yd = 1pt After: 10yd = 1pt. 3pt bonus at 200yd

Rushing
Before: 25yd = 1pt After: 10yd = 1pt 3pt bonus at 200yd

[SenorBeef]

Looks better, but the bonus perhaps gives a bit much the quarterbacks. It's very common to pass for 200 yards, and very uncommon to run for 200.

I'd rather see the bonuses at 300 yards for passing, and 125-150 yards for rushing.

[Ellis Dee]

Originally Posted by Least Original User Name Ever

Crap. Damn you, procrastination. There still room for moi?

furt needs more players in his league:

Yahoo # 8674

Password "notreally"

Originally Posted by SenorBeef

Looks better, but the bonus perhaps gives a bit much the quarterbacks. It's very common to pass for 200 yards, and very uncommon to run for 200.

Not sure what the stats are in the actual league, but what he posted to the thread was a bonus for receiving yards, not passing.

[Jimmy Chitwood]

ED, you're needed, cousin.

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/...d.php?t=385484

That goes for the rest of you, too. It's not a live draft, somebody help Rico out.

[RetroVertigo]

If anybody is planning on missing the draft (Sept. 3 9pm. CDT); I would suggest going through and preranking your top 100 players

[SenorBeef]

Reminder, 2 days before draft.

Try to show up. It's much more fun to have an interactive live draft than to have the computer pick everything.

[SenorBeef]

Reminder, draft is at 10PM eastern tomorrow. As in roughly 22 hours, 40 minutes from the time of this post. Try to be 10 minutes early.

[duffer]

I was gonna, but already full. Could this be the first year in many that I miss out on?

[SenorBeef]

3 hours out.

I was looking over the roster spots and I'm thinking 2 RBs for a 10-player league is too few (probably same with QB, but RB is more important). I'd like to see a last minute switch to 2 RBs, but it's up to whoever is running it.

[SenorBeef]

Well, we're under 30 minutes. How do you get to the live draft window thing?

[Jimmy Chitwood]

Give'er a minute.

[SenorBeef]

The pain train is coming. WOO WOO!

[Jimmy Chitwood]

I'd like to file a preliminary complaint against the Yahoo weekly projections. They're undermining my confidence in choosing which of my 14 tailbacks to start.

[SenorBeef]

Like tailbacks matter. What matters is which of your 4 defenses or 6 kickers should start.