Optional Keepers (1 Viewer)

I'm in a 12 team 1/2 point PPR league with pretty standard scoring after that.  We start 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE, 1RB/WR/TE, 1 D, 1K with 18 roster spots.  We must keep at least 2 players and can keep up to 5 players - no time limit, we can keep them forever.  It's a snake draft so the best way to look at the keepers is by draft round of a redraft league.  The first 2 keepers are equivalent to the first two rounds, an optional keeper in the 4th round, another optional keeper in the 6th round, and then an optional rookie keeper in the 9th round.

Rounds 1 & 2 = mandatory keepers (24 players taken at this point)

Round 4 (37 to 48 players )

Round 6 (61 - 72 players)

Round 9 (97 - 108) players

So right off the top it's beneficial to have 2 guys who would normally be selected in the first two rounds of a redraft league.  Then I start looking at the ADP of the other potential keepers to determine if I want to keep them for the 4th, 6th, or 9th round picks.  I like this format a lot because it's basically a redraft league but has a bit of a dynasty feel to it because we can keep players for ever (I've never played dynasty, so I might be way off  ). So anyway, that's my basic strategy - check the ADP of the player and if it beats the round I need to keep him I'll do it.

My first 4 keepers are pretty straight forward:  E. Elliott, ODB, A. Thielen (fourth round), Z. Ertz (6th round)  

Zeke and ODB are no-brainers.  Thielen and Ertz provide a nice PPR floor each week I think.  Only other real considerations are A. Collins or D. Lewis but I don't think either of them has a close enough ADP to bump Ertz from my keeper list.  Maybe I'm overplaying the "it feels like dynasty" card, but I like that Zeke is currently the 2nd RB, ODB is the #1 WR, Ertz is # 4,  and Thielen is WR 17 based on FBG trade value chart).

Now, the tougher question is for the optional rookie keeper in the 9th round - choices are D. Foreman, K. Golladay, A. Ekeler, or C. Clement.  I will most likely either keep D. Foreman or nobody.  None of the other 3 has an ADP high enough to warrant the 9th round at this time.

That was longer than I anticipated  

TLDR version: keep Ertz over Collins and Lewis?  Keep D. Foreman for a 9th round pick?  Should I consider Golladay or one of the other RBs?

I would keep Ertz, but would give Golladay the edge for this season. Assuming Foreman comes back from his injury, he may not win the starting role until later in the season, or next season. 

snoochieboochies said:

I would keep Ertz, but would give Golladay the edge for this season. Assuming Foreman comes back from his injury, he may not win the starting role until later in the season, or next season. 

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Thanks.  The only problem I have with Golladay is that his current ADP is 116 (ESPN) so keeping him in the 9th round is actually higher than where I could just draft him.  The 9th round is an optional keeper round so I don't have to keep anyone in that spot and instead can just use that pick on anyone during the draft.

I would keep Golladay also.  ADP - Average Draft Position.  At the 9th round, it's kind of a crap shoot.  The kid is in year 2, 6'4" and still learning.  If he was available in 9th round, I am all over it.

Is the format that you lose your 4th round pick if you keep a 3rd player, a 6th round pick if you keep 4 players and a 9th round pick if you keep 5 players?  I am not sure why you included the players taken aspect for the round designation if you automatically lose a particular round by keeping a 3rd-5th player.  If that is the case why not keep Ertz and Collins and lose your 6th and 9th round picks.  Why are you even thinking about Foreman or Golladay? 

Gally said:

Is the format that you lose your 4th round pick if you keep a 3rd player, a 6th round pick if you keep 4 players and a 9th round pick if you keep 5 players?  I am not sure why you included the players taken aspect for the round designation if you automatically lose a particular round by keeping a 3rd-5th player.  If that is the case why not keep Ertz and Collins and lose your 6th and 9th round picks.  Why are you even thinking about Foreman or Golladay? 

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You have it right except that the 9th round MUST be a rookie - so Collins can't be kept in that round.

Maybe it was overkill to list the number of players taken in each round, but I included it to more easily compare ADP of the players VS the round.

Steeler said:

You have it right except that the 9th round MUST be a rookie - so Collins can't be kept in that round.

Maybe it was overkill to list the number of players taken in each round, but I included it to more easily compare ADP of the players VS the round.

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So if that 9th round pick must be a 2nd year player (rookie last year) can you keep 2 players plus a 2nd year player as your 9th round pick?  That would be nice and give you an advantage of taking someone like Barkley early this year because you can keep him as a 9th round pick next year. 

Gally said:

So if that 9th round pick must be a 2nd year player (rookie last year) can you keep 2 players plus a 2nd year player as your 9th round pick?  That would be nice and give you an advantage of taking someone like Barkley early this year because you can keep him as a 9th round pick next year. 

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Pretty close. We have  2 mandatory keepers (round 1 and 2), 2 optional keepers (non rookie), and 1 optional keeper (rookie).

We must keep 2 (1st and 2nd round)

If I keep 3 I lose the 1, 2 and 4th round pick

if I keep 4 I lost the 1, 2, 4, and 6

Keeping a rookie in the 9th round can be done regardless of how many other keepers I designate (between 2 and 4)

So yes - keeping a stud rookie RB in the 9th round is a big plus (I took over this team 2 years ago and drafted Zeke with the first pick in the 3rd round).  I missed the playoffs last year by less that one point (tied for first in division but lost on total points tie breaker  ) so I will be drafting somewhere between 5 and 8 and hope to land one of the rookie RBs (praying it's Guice because I'm sure Barkley will be the first pick).