Fantasy Football 2009

[Paul Vebber]

I'm setting up the leagues for this year at:

http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/

Matrix Basic will be back for those who want an easy game using the yahoo defaults:

Yahoo League Matrix Basic (ID# 265032) Password Matrix There is room for 16 teams in 2 8 team divisions. IT will use the Auto Draft feature to assign players from a list the player either customizes, or uss the default.

The Yahoo Pro league will take advantage of the new defensive player postitions. I have taken the stats from last year and rebalanced the scoring so the top five weekly performances (or as close as I could get it given Yahoo does not have position specific scoring) score 100 points. Any one who wants a copy of the spreadsheet, to see how last years players weekly performance stack up, drop me an email - its a >2MB file so I can't attache it here. THe other exciting thing I will be doing in the PRo and Hall of Fame leagues is the use of Free agent acquisition budgets. All unowned players will enter the Free aganet pool 1pm EDT Sunday. Blind bids from the teams acquisition budgets are made and the the high bid in Tuesday midnight gets the player. This also allows for bonus acquisition points to be awarded to help balance the league. I invite a dicussion of how folks would like to see these points used? Commishes can adjust them as they like.

Matrix Pro League (ID# 232777) Password Matrix There is room for 12 teams. the live draft will be at 1230 EDT Sat 8 Aug.


THe Hall of fame league is not up yet, but will be more score heavy than in the past, with lower points than I have used in the past. It will still e only offensive players and team defenses.

The question is what to do about keeper leagues. I'd like to start a keeper league, but want your opinionsof which league to turninto a keeper leagu or to start a new one, and whether that should be on Yahoo, or on Fox or NFL.com where you can customize the point scoring to the individual positions. I don't want to lock up everybody's 4 teams with Matrix - I like to have other ones, ans I know you can create other accounts really easily.

The decision to make a league a keeper one in Yahoo is done after the draft, so we have some time. Let me know!

[USSAmerica]

Paul, I'll let you know my opinion on a keeper league after I see my draft.  [:'(]
 
I always enjoy the Matrix leagues. Thanks to Matrix and to you for keeping this tradition going.  [8D]

[Arctic Blast]

In for the Pro League, and I'll join the HoF league when it's up, too. [:D]

[Paul Vebber]

Any thoughts on the acquisition awards? should they go to teams when they lose or have really bad player performances to help them "get well" or as rewards for wins and superior player perfomances? To some degree both?

INterested in what you guys think.

[Arctic Blast]

Not something I've ever dealt with in a league, so it's a little hard for me to wrap my head around the concept to be honest.

On the one hand, it could be used as a help to struggling teams, but I also like the idea of using them as a reward...maybe some version of both is the way to go.

[Erik Rutins]

I've signed up for the Pro league, thanks for running this again, Paul!

[Prince of Eckmühl]

Are the scoring and settings for the Pro League different from last year?

[Paul Vebber]

In previous years Yahoo had only DL and DB as individual defensive player types, that made LIne backers overvalued as they tended to get large numbers of tackles, as well as sacks, picks and pass defenses. So Defensive players setups tended to be dominated by LBs. Now there are individual Def Ends and Tackles, LBs, Corners and Safeties. SO I rewickerd the individual defensive player makeup of the squads. There are a lot of players and only a few bench spots, because of the restriction to only 25 total players, so bye weeks are going to result in more free agent juggling, and hence the hopefully more interesting waiver budget process.

As for the points, each year I go over my point assignment spreadsheet based on the weekly stats for each position so that, as best I can, the top 5 or so weekly performances earn over 100 points. For example the top QB scores were 114, 106,103,102 103 101; RBs 109,109,102,100,100; WRs 110,96,96,95,90; TEs (which have to be on the same scale as WRs); 84, 81, 77, 76, 67; Kickers, 109, 109,107, 106, 104. Defensive players are harder, becasue of the limited role of Linemen. DEs 104, 99, 97, 83, 79; DTs 88, 74, 64, 62, 60; LBs, 140, 120, 116, 114, 110, 108, 105, 100; CBs, 135, 113, 111, 109, 108, 105, 104, 103; Ss, 114, 97, 97, 94 ,92.

Unfortunately I can't easily make a composite for team defenses.

I should get the Hall of fame league up later tonight. It is balanced to emphasize points so that TDs are worth 7 and stats are balanced to make the total score approximately 2/3 scoring and 1/3 stats, but its hard to make that a hard and fast rule.

[Poolmick]

I joined the Pro.

I think the acquisition awards should go to the team(s)? with the worst performance. Just like in the NFL waiver rules. last place has first crack. So I would think that last place should be able to bid high enough to get guys they want. But with the budgets if one of the top teams wants a player bad enough they can bid on it.So they have a chance.

Never been in a keeper league. I would like to try it though.

Aug 8th draft is early[X(]

[Prince of Eckmühl]

ORIGINAL: Paul Vebber

In previous years Yahoo had only DL and DB as individual defensive player types, that made LIne backers overvalued as they tended to get large numbers of tackles, as well as sacks, picks and pass defenses. So Defensive players setups tended to be dominated by LBs. Now there are individual Def Ends and Tackles, LBs, Corners and Safeties. SO I rewickerd the individual defensive player makeup of the squads.

One of the things that I found sort of vexing about managing defensive players was the tendency of teams to platoon them. It was very common to find myself with an excellent player who performed very well, but he'd only be on the field for two plays per series.

Worse still, in some situations, they might play even less depending on the style, pass or run, of their opponent. For instance, A good linebacker or tackle might play a lot of snaps so long as the game was close. But, if the score got lop-sided, and the opponent started passing on every down. off the field my defender would go. What's certain in these regards is that a guy who isn't on the field can't accumulate any points.[;)]

[Paul Vebber]

I'll check the Aug 8th date - I did not mean to have it THAT early.

What I've decided is to use the Acquisition points to help unfortunate teams (vice 'bad' ones ) In the Pro league, where there is going to be a lot of player acqusition to cover bye weeks. n that leageu everyone will start with 1000 points, a loss will get you 100 pts, and a player scoring less than 25 points will get you 25. The low point scoring team of the week gets a 100 point bonus. In the Hall of fame league, it will be based on wins, but with a premium on beating teams above you in the standings, a win over a team above you in the standings will get you 100 points, a win over a team below you 50, and a player that scores over 20 points (A good score in that point system) will get you 25. The high scoring team of the week gets a 100 point bonus.

We'll see how the 2 systems work!

I am still tweaking the HoF scoring. Will have it up later today. Was too nice out yesterday and did a 12 mile run getting in shape for the Falmouth Marathon in October!

[Paul Vebber]

OK the Hall of Fame League is up. Its balanced pretty well to feature 2/3 scoring 1/3 stats in the points totals, and its scaled so a "perfect" team score for a week is 250.

Matrix Hall of Fame (ID# 294545) password Matrix. Acquisition points in this league will be awarded for wins, with wins over better teams worth more than a win over a poorer team in the standings, and bonuses for high team score of the week, and player scores over 20 for QBs, Kickers and Defenses,15 points for RBs, WRs, and TE.

I'm leaning right now to making this league the Keeper league, but am open on this - we don't have to decide for a while.

BT

NOBODY is interested in the Basic league? Is it too vanilla? TRying to keep one simple, but if there are things folks would like to see to improve interest, let me know!

and if anyone wants the preadsheets I used, let me know!

[Arctic Blast]

I'm in! I've never played in a Keeper League before, but I'd be interested. Would this be keeping a certain number of guys from last year, or doing it from this season forward?

As for the Basic league, personally I'm just not a fan of auto drafts.

[nelmsm1]

Thanks for setting them up Paul. Signed up for all of them. They are always a blast.

[chadandpia]

Hey Paul and Eric, and everyone else!

I've not been around much here lately .. work has been insane but with the current economy I can't really complain about that!

I've joined up .. Bay Area Knightmares .. this is now a tradition for me .. 3rd year's the charm! :p

[Paul Vebber]

The format I'm looking at for the Hall of Fame league is that each team would designate 3 players (no more than 1 at any position) as "franchise players" this year. You would automatically retain them the following year for your team. You have the option to give up a franchise player and based on his performance that year, you get an extra draft choice the following year. (1st round if in the top 10 at his position, 2nd round if in the next 10, etc.).

[Arctic Blast]

That sounds interesting. So, when would the designation take place?

[Mad Cow]

Joined the pro and HoF leagues. 

[Challerain]

Is the hall of fame draft still tomorrow? With only 6 teams it would be better to push it off.

[thegreatwent]

Well I'm on board and looking forward to a great season[:)]