# First Annual SDMB Fantasy Football Guillotine League - Cecil’s Chopping Block **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** football-nfl\ **Created:** [August 6, 2025, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-annual-sdmb-fantasy-football-guillotine-league-cecil-s-chopping-block/1021749 "2025-08-06T00:51:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2025, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-annual-sdmb-fantasy-football-guillotine-league-cecil-s-chopping-block/1021749/241 "2025-10-14T02:51:39Z")
And Ja’Marr Chase is again back in play. Even with Joe Flacco as his QB, he got 20 points yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2025, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-annual-sdmb-fantasy-football-guillotine-league-cecil-s-chopping-block/1021749/242 "2025-10-14T13:51:02Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > The Josh Allen sweepstakes is certainly going to be wild. I believe that Allen is not on the waiver list this week, because the Bills have a bye. Is that correct? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2025, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-annual-sdmb-fantasy-football-guillotine-league-cecil-s-chopping-block/1021749/243 "2025-10-14T14:26:41Z")
No - everyone from Beef’s team (and everyone in the player pool who had a week 6 game) is on waivers that run tonight. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2025, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-annual-sdmb-fantasy-football-guillotine-league-cecil-s-chopping-block/1021749/244 "2025-10-14T14:31:08Z")
Ah, you are correct. I did not see him on the available list until I searched for him. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2025, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-annual-sdmb-fantasy-football-guillotine-league-cecil-s-chopping-block/1021749/245 "2025-10-14T20:06:53Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > I don’t like at all how often someone is going to be eliminated due to a player being injured early on I was going back through this thread looking for something, and came across this prescient phrase. Sunday, Beef lost Egbuka early in the game, and he ended up with only 3 points after scoring in double-digits each of the previous weeks. That was a key factor in Beef being eliminated (and me staying alive). ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2025, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-annual-sdmb-fantasy-football-guillotine-league-cecil-s-chopping-block/1021749/246 "2025-10-14T20:10:43Z")
This format would likely be better if it was Best Ball (where you get the best possible score depending on your bench). It would make the draft even more important, for sure - and eliminate a lot of injury team killers. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2025, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-annual-sdmb-fantasy-football-guillotine-league-cecil-s-chopping-block/1021749/247 "2025-10-14T20:31:01Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Best Ball Isn’t Best Ball the format where you draft your team and then make no other moves (drops, adds, waivers, etc.) the rest of the season? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2025, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-annual-sdmb-fantasy-football-guillotine-league-cecil-s-chopping-block/1021749/248 "2025-10-14T20:35:55Z")
It can be - but everything is tinkerable. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2025, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-annual-sdmb-fantasy-football-guillotine-league-cecil-s-chopping-block/1021749/249 "2025-10-14T20:43:26Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > everything is tinkerable. So, if I understand this, then each week everybody would have 2 QBs, 2 TEs, 4 RBs, and 4 WRs? And the top scorers in each position would be your ‘team’ that week? ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2025, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-annual-sdmb-fantasy-football-guillotine-league-cecil-s-chopping-block/1021749/250 "2025-10-14T21:16:07Z")
Yeah, I didn’t whine about it because most of the eliminated teams faced some sort of injury, but losing Egbuka might’ve been the difference. > [@Railer13](#): > > Isn’t Best Ball the format where you draft your team and then make no other moves (drops, adds, waivers, etc.) the rest of the season? I’ve never played it but I don’t think that’s part of the deal. The primary difference is that your roster is determined after the games are played, filling in the starting positions with your best scorers that week. It does reduce the damage of in-game injuries and in general shifts the strategy towards having boom or bust players. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-annual-sdmb-fantasy-football-guillotine-league-cecil-s-chopping-block/1021749/251 "2025-10-15T06:27:01Z")
I went back and skimmed the first 100 posts but didn’t see a roster breakdown. Are there any flex spots like R/W or W/T? If it does turn out that Best Ball is the way to go, and if it’s not automatic – meaning the commissioner has to manually slot in everyone’s starters for the week after the games – then it may make sense to not use any flex spots at all. I know when I’ve processed best ball stats in the past for the dynasty league – which has both a R/W and W/T slot – it can actually take thinking to figure out what the best ball stats actually are. Multiply that by 12+ each week, that could add up to a non-trivial amount of headache for the commissioner(s). (In this hypothetical, I assume having multiple commissioners to share the load would make sense.) ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-annual-sdmb-fantasy-football-guillotine-league-cecil-s-chopping-block/1021749/252 "2025-10-15T10:41:14Z")
Well that was another very interesting waiver process. Lots of action on the big names, still very little attention downstream. I’m now really comfortable with my roster. Mayfield is a solid QB, but as the weeks go by he’s getting closer and closer to replacement level. So gettin Josh Allen for $27 is fine by me. Same goes for Kelce getting replaced by McBride for $28. Hopefully there are slight upgrades to some of my bench spots, but as long as everyone’s healthy I should be fine. I think Hamlet is the team to beat. He doesn’t have any weak spots at all, and continues to add talent where he can. I still can’t believe he grabbed Lamb off of free agency. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-annual-sdmb-fantasy-football-guillotine-league-cecil-s-chopping-block/1021749/253 "2025-10-15T11:48:45Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > Isn’t Best Ball the format where you draft your team and then make no other moves (drops, adds, waivers, etc.) the rest of the season? > [@SenorBeef](#): > > I’ve never played it but I don’t think that’s part of the deal. Well, according to [Yahoo](https://bestball.fantasysports.yahoo.com/howToPlay): > What is Best Ball? > A season long fantasy league in which players draft a team and make no other moves all season – no adds, drops, trades, sits or starts. > Each week the top scoring players at each position on your roster will automatically count. The team with the most points at the end of the year wins. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-annual-sdmb-fantasy-football-guillotine-league-cecil-s-chopping-block/1021749/254 "2025-10-15T12:08:47Z")
Odd. I would think the dynamic roster format would be enough of a gimmick that it wouldn’t also need the gimmick of no roster moves. I don’t really like the latter and I’m not sure I understand the purpose of it. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-annual-sdmb-fantasy-football-guillotine-league-cecil-s-chopping-block/1021749/255 "2025-10-15T13:17:08Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > I don’t really like the latter and I’m not sure I understand the purpose of it. Maybe this explanation will help. Although it didn’t really help me. > **[The Ultimate Guide to Best Ball Fantasy Football](https://www.fantasylife.com/articles/best-ball/the-ultimate-guide-to-best-ball-fantasy-football)** > > Geoff Ulrich dives into one of Fantasy Football's fastest-growing formats, best ball, and provides the ins and outs of everything you need to know about it. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-annual-sdmb-fantasy-football-guillotine-league-cecil-s-chopping-block/1021749/256 "2025-10-15T13:22:18Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > I don’t really like the latter and I’m not sure I understand the purpose of it. It’s a way for Yahoo to cash in on mock drafts. Instead of mocks where you’re lucky if people stick around for 3 rounds, you now have an outlet to do a bunch of pre-season drafts where participants stick around because there’s skin in the game (especially the pay leagues), and there’s zero obligation once the draft ends. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-annual-sdmb-fantasy-football-guillotine-league-cecil-s-chopping-block/1021749/257 "2025-10-15T14:48:23Z")
My takeaway from that (and a quick Google of “yahoo best ball”) is that if you actually set the league for best ball you won’t be allowed to do in season roster moves. But you probably can’t set a league to be both guillotine and best ball at the same time anyway. Meaning a best ball guillotine league with in-season roster moves would need to be handled manually by the commissioner(s). The reality of that in practice is you would lose the fun of seeing your live scores versus the last place team. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-annual-sdmb-fantasy-football-guillotine-league-cecil-s-chopping-block/1021749/258 "2025-10-16T16:32:20Z")
Thanks. Losing Omarion Hampton and now Puca is hurting, but at least I survived the weeks they got injured. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-annual-sdmb-fantasy-football-guillotine-league-cecil-s-chopping-block/1021749/259 "2025-10-16T16:37:39Z")
One thing I find interesting is starting roster construction. Do I start coming-back-from-injury CeeDee Lamb or solid but unspectacular Chris Olave in a nice matchup? Normally, Lamb’s upside would win, but Guillotine seems to be more focused on having a high floor than accumulating points. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-annual-sdmb-fantasy-football-guillotine-league-cecil-s-chopping-block/1021749/260 "2025-10-16T16:43:52Z")
I suppose it’s the same across all leagues in FF, but I find it intriguing to try to figure out how to deal with both injuries and bye weeks. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-annual-sdmb-fantasy-football-guillotine-league-cecil-s-chopping-block/1021749.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/first-annual-sdmb-fantasy-football-guillotine-league-cecil-s-chopping-block/1021749.md?page=14)