Like a moth to a flame, I am irrestiably attracted to these first whiffs of the approaching fantasy football season. Although it’s early, I’m starting to get excited.
My thoughts on the league:
You should all just give up now. Only the most godawful luck has cost me the inaugural season’s championship, and things will only get better with another chance for me to draft.
More realistic thoughts:
Draft Date - I’m good with almost anything. The only thing I’d ask is that we set the date earlier rather than later so I can get it in my schedule and work around it.
Keeper Declaration/Cut Deadline - I’d like a week to for prep work on available players, but anything is good.
Off-Season Trade Deadline - I think we should allow trading up until keeper declaration.
Divisional Realignment - I understand the desire to keep it competitive, but if playoff spots are awarded (in part) by division, it strikes me as a tad unfair to force the best teams to face each other more often. But, again, I’m flexible.
Return Yards - I was against them before, but I also don’t want to drastically change the rules year to year. I’d like a decrease in the points, but not a complete elimation.
Under Ellis’ proposal, I would be in Division 2 (since Hamlet outpointed me) with Deliverance, Varlos and Exploding Pancakes. Two last-place finishers and one third-place finisher. I like!
With Vernon Davis and Cooley coming back, I’m not sure I need another TE. Besides, I’m afraid he’d just get injured the second after I get him.
I’m starting to get my crap together for this year. A quick look at my roster, and I think I’ll be dumping just two guys. I’ve never done a dynasty league like this before, so I’m still trying to figure out a good strategery.
Ok, I think it goes without saying that offseason trading is now open.
We’ve had 8 people weigh in on the various question, which I suppose constitutes a quorum.
Dates & Deadlines:
Everyone seems fine with an early draft, and that’s my preference, so let’s do it the last weekend of August (28-29th). I’ve never figured out whether it’s better to do these on Saturday (getting in the way of people’s social life) or Sunday (getting in the way of people’s work sleep). So, anyone with a preference chime in, and we’ll start it at 9 or 10 Eastern.
Some folks wanted the cut deadline a week before the draft, others just a day or two. Split the baby? Midnight on the night of Monday the 23rd, giving everyone the preceding weekend to decide?
As for the trade deadline, if the only problem with extending it past the cut deadline is that it’s a pain for me to go back and adjust the keepers on Yahoo, that’s not a big deal for me; I wouldn’t expect many trades, and AFAIK I don’t have to re-enter every keeper if I want to change a couple. So, I’m fine with having the trade deadline run to 1 day before the draft, unless anyone has a different kind of objection.
Most people seem opposed to re-aligning the divisions so that the strongest teams are together, though a relegation system fairs a little better. A few people liked Ellis’s idea of splitting up the strongest teams. Further discussion required, I suppose.
So far only one person has voted for changing return yards to 30 yards/point (from 25), so we’ll probably be keeping it as is.
Looks like last year’s auction waiver wire is back. We’ll probably add $2-$3 dollars per slot from the top team (which gets $100, if memory serves).
Not much support for moving off of full keepers so far.
My live draft is on that Saturday the 28th. I’ll likely be happily incoherent all that day, as well as recovering on the 29th. I shouldn’t have a problem on the night of the 29th though.
If that’s a problem, I completely understand. I anticipate making only 2 or maybe 3 picks in the draft and can easily send a proxy list to you. Just let me know.
Yep, it’s purely a logistical issue for the commish. Fair warning that it’s not unusual for me to get a couple last-minute trades trying to be pushed through the night of the trade deadline in the keeper league, spilling over to the next day. I of course let these go through, secure in the knowledge that I have plenty of time to set and recheck everything in the league before draft time. I personally would be nervous dealing with stuff the night before the draft.
But that’s largely my own control issues at play. If you’re comfortable with a deadline closer to the draft, there’s no reason not to do it. Just be sure to leave a reasonable amount of time for people to declare their keepers. (After the trading period but before draft. 2-3 days, maybe?)
If the draft is after 9pm ET, it won’t be a problem…