Auction/Keeper League (1 Viewer)

[BlueDredSo]

My roommate and I are trying to create an Auction/Keeper league, except we're really having some issues with the rules.

How would you regulate how much an owner should pay for a keeper? Raise it by $3, $5? I'm not sure that's fair. You're going to be paying around $90 eventually for LT if you decide to keep him. On the other hand, you could get a future stud for really cheap. The next Tom Brady or Ryan Grant. Also, how would we regulate free agents and the waiver wire? Give owners $200 for blind bidding? Certain players could go for $150 then...and what if the owner wants to keep them, how is their value going to be determined?

Any ideas, suggestions, or wisdom is appreciated. I'm unfamiliar with Salary Cap leagues, but that could be a possibility to make things easier.

 

[Sweat Hog]

My roommate and I are trying to create an Auction/Keeper league, except we're really having some issues with the rules.How would you regulate how much an owner should pay for a keeper? Raise it by $3, $5? I'm not sure that's fair. You're going to be paying around $90 eventually for LT if you decide to keep him. On the other hand, you could get a future stud for really cheap. The next Tom Brady or Ryan Grant. Also, how would we regulate free agents and the waiver wire? Give owners $200 for blind bidding? Certain players could go for $150 then...and what if the owner wants to keep them, how is their value going to be determined?Any ideas, suggestions, or wisdom is appreciated. I'm unfamiliar with Salary Cap leagues, but that could be a possibility to make things easier.

We have a VERY basic and limited keeper system. We can keep 1 player for ONE year for an extra $5 over his prior year's salary. This frees up good players after 2 seasons and prevents any kind of dynasty type play which we just really don't like. Not to knock on those leagues but it just seems they take the excitement out of the draft.

 

[amphibianbri]

We're going to an auction/keeper this year. $200 cap 18 players. Each year yo can keep 3 players at a 10% premium to their bid price the year before. We also bid for free agents with a cap so whatever you pay for a player in free agency would be his salary for the year. We only allow players to be kept for 3 years before having to be placed back in the pool. Example: LT goes for $80. Year 2 would cost $88 ($80 + 10%). Year 3 would cost $97 ($88 + $8.80 rounded to nearest whole dollar). SHould be fun

 

[Lehigh98]

I set this up two years ago, had our initial auction in 06 and the first with keepers last year.Has worked well, some good keeper value but allows some of the top most expensive guys to recirculate.

All teams will start the Initial League Auction with $200 to build their respective roster. In subsequent years all teams with start the Auction with $200 minus the combined salaries for all Contracted Players and plus or minus any $$ traded for or away.The salary of a player acquired in the auction is his final bid amount. The salary of a player added from the free agent pool or waivers is $5. The salary of a player added from the free agent pool or waivers is $5, if kept, it will go to $10 in the following year.From season to season, each team may retain up to 3 players. The names of the players being retained must be submitted to the Commissioner each year by midnight exactly two weeks before the next auction. No trades may take place from the time the protected rosters are due until the auction. If a player is significantly injured between keeper declaration and the start of the auction, it will be up to the Appeals Committee to allow the player to be removed or possibly replaced.If a player is kept, his salary will be raised by $5 each year. Trades do not affect the salary of a player. The trade deadline will also be the last date that you will be able to keep players added to your roster. In other words, players added to your roster after the trade deadline cannot be kept for the next year.

 

[Dudley Dawson]

We run a $200 auction with keepers. We can keep up to 3 but no more than 1 at any position. (1qb, 1rb and 1wr are the norm obviously) To combat the salary inequities that you are tyring to avoid we developed a system for determining how much a player's salary will go up.

We rank the top 25 players at each position. The top 5 guys increase $5 from last years price or their salary goes up to the average price of the top 5 group. example:

LT - $81 (keeper)

Westbrook - $38 (keeper)

Addai - $19 (keeper)

Portis - $22 (keeper)

Peterson - $10

Since the average of these players is $34, their salary goes up $5 or up to $34, whichever is higher. We thought that this would be the equivalent of a player having a breakout year and getting a new contract that represents his peers. We also do this for players that finish in groups 6-10(+$4), 11-15(+$3), 16-20(+$2) and 21-25(+$1).

We give $100 dollars for blind-bidding on free agents for the year. What you pay for the guy is coinsidered his salary for that year.

 

[HookAndSliceSince1991]

Have been auctioning for about 6 years now and wouldn't go back to regular drafting. We're in a $250 cap league. Teams in the playoffs from the prior year can keep up to two players. Non playoff teams can keep 3. Player can only be kept for 3 seasons max, salaries escalate each year, 10% or $3, whichever is greater.

Released players keep their salary for three weeks - claims for those players are granted to the lowest ranked owner, assuming they have (or create) the available cap space. If a player remains on the free agent list for greater than three weeks, both the players contract year and salary values are reset. Blind bids are placed for players that have no established salary in the weekly waiver process.

There is no seperate bucket for waiver - it all needs to feet under the cap. This helps to translate salaries from year to year.

 

[bentley]

I set this up two years ago, had our initial auction in 06 and the first with keepers last year.Has worked well, some good keeper value but allows some of the top most expensive guys to recirculate.

All teams will start the Initial League Auction with $200 to build their respective roster. In subsequent years all teams with start the Auction with $200 minus the combined salaries for all Contracted Players and plus or minus any $$ traded for or away.The salary of a player acquired in the auction is his final bid amount. The salary of a player added from the free agent pool or waivers is $5. The salary of a player added from the free agent pool or waivers is $5, if kept, it will go to $10 in the following year.From season to season, each team may retain up to 3 players. The names of the players being retained must be submitted to the Commissioner each year by midnight exactly two weeks before the next auction. No trades may take place from the time the protected rosters are due until the auction. If a player is significantly injured between keeper declaration and the start of the auction, it will be up to the Appeals Committee to allow the player to be removed or possibly replaced.If a player is kept, his salary will be raised by $5 each year. Trades do not affect the salary of a player. The trade deadline will also be the last date that you will be able to keep players added to your roster. In other words, players added to your roster after the trade deadline cannot be kept for the next year.

We do it largely this way. We escalate keeper salaries $5 every year with a 3 year max keeper. It rewards the guy that drafts Marion Barber for $1 as a rookie for a reasonable period of time without him being able to keep Barber under market value for 8-9 years. The other thing we do is we don't allow people to keep free agent pickups the next year so that everyone's value is established through the auction.

 

[BlueDredSo]

Lots of great ideas here. So far, I really like Dudley's league set up. It makes it fair so no player can be kept for years at a really cheap price. I think we'll also add a rule which states players may only be kept for up to 3 years, to keep things interesting.

Thanks for the feedback guys. This will certainly make things much easier for developing the rules.

 

[JKL]

I've been doing an auction/keeper league for five years. We raise the prices based on points scored over baseline over the previous season's salary. In our 12-team league, salaries go up based on points over QB18, RB36, WR48, and TE18. The net effect of this is that you can stock away talent until it starts to play really well, and then have it for about two seasons after that. But this means that guys move toward their true value, and the specifics of the previous season determine that value.

We don't regulate how many keepers you can keep or limits at the position, the market does that. The best teams will typically have the most players performing well above baseline, and go up the most in price, and not be able to keep all of them. The worst teams will typically have players who underperform their price as is, and not keep them anyway. We average about four keepers per year, and the range this year was a low of 2 keepers to a high of 6.

PM me if you want more details.

 

[onthevirg]

My league has been auction/keeper for 12 years.

$200 cap...20 man roster...3 IR slots...keep as many players as you can afford.

We have a one round rookie draft at the beginning. All players taken are $5. This gives the last place team from the previous year a chance to rebuild.

After that, it's $2 minimum bid. Players salaries increase 50% each season.

Any money you have left over after the draft is used for waiver bids. If an owner has no cash left, he can't bid during the season. Puts a little more strategy into things.

If you'd like a copy of our rules, just PM.

 

[ukshane]

Our rules allow non-playoff teams to keep up to three players while playoff teams are limited to only two. In order to exercise this option they will pay 150% of the player’s previous year auction price. Values are to be rounded up.

For example, last year someone drafted LT for $100. If they wanted to keep LT this year, he would have had to pay $150 of his $200 2008 cap. On the other hand, someone else drafted Ryan Grant for $1. If they wanted to keep him this year, he would only have to pay $1.50 (rounded to $2) of his 2008 cap. No owner will be able to keep the same player longer than 3 years without redrafting him.

Also, the original owner loses all rights to keep a player he trades away or places on the waiver wire.

This rewards someone who can spot talent early and ensures most of the big $$ studs remain available on draft day.

 

[Liquid Tension]

I set this up two years ago, had our initial auction in 06 and the first with keepers last year.Has worked well, some good keeper value but allows some of the top most expensive guys to recirculate.

All teams will start the Initial League Auction with $200 to build their respective roster. In subsequent years all teams with start the Auction with $200 minus the combined salaries for all Contracted Players and plus or minus any $$ traded for or away.The salary of a player acquired in the auction is his final bid amount. The salary of a player added from the free agent pool or waivers is $5. The salary of a player added from the free agent pool or waivers is $5, if kept, it will go to $10 in the following year.From season to season, each team may retain up to 3 players. The names of the players being retained must be submitted to the Commissioner each year by midnight exactly two weeks before the next auction. No trades may take place from the time the protected rosters are due until the auction. If a player is significantly injured between keeper declaration and the start of the auction, it will be up to the Appeals Committee to allow the player to be removed or possibly replaced.If a player is kept, his salary will be raised by $5 each year. Trades do not affect the salary of a player. The trade deadline will also be the last date that you will be able to keep players added to your roster. In other words, players added to your roster after the trade deadline cannot be kept for the next year.

We do it largely this way. We escalate keeper salaries $5 every year with a 3 year max keeper. It rewards the guy that drafts Marion Barber for $1 as a rookie for a reasonable period of time without him being able to keep Barber under market value for 8-9 years. The other thing we do is we don't allow people to keep free agent pickups the next year so that everyone's value is established through the auction.

If the salary cap is in place why limit how many keepers?

 

[Pip's Invitation]

My roommate and I are trying to create an Auction/Keeper league, except we're really having some issues with the rules.How would you regulate how much an owner should pay for a keeper? Raise it by $3, $5? I'm not sure that's fair. You're going to be paying around $90 eventually for LT if you decide to keep him. On the other hand, you could get a future stud for really cheap. The next Tom Brady or Ryan Grant. Also, how would we regulate free agents and the waiver wire? Give owners $200 for blind bidding? Certain players could go for $150 then...and what if the owner wants to keep them, how is their value going to be determined?Any ideas, suggestions, or wisdom is appreciated. I'm unfamiliar with Salary Cap leagues, but that could be a possibility to make things easier.

I am in one. Our cap is $250 and our keeper rule is that for players under $20, you have to add $5 to their salary to keep them for the following year, but for players $20 or more, you have to add 25% of their salary. This means most of the studs are thrown back into the pool each year, but players who strike gold with a cheap pick (e.g. Wes Welker for $2) can keep him for a while. We also limit keepers to 3 veterans and 1 player who was a rookie the previous year -- so that the auction is still the most important part of building your team. We give owners $100 for blind bidding. The amount that it takes to acquire them in blind bidding becomes their salary for keeper purposes. If you spend $95 on one guy, that's your choice, but it means he has no chance of being a keeper for you. Once the auction is over, we raise the cap to $300. That helps facilitate trades and bidding. You can bid $51 on a guy and cut a $1 guy and still be within the cap.

 

[Ack88]

10 teams. 16 players. $160 cap. Start QB/2RB/3WR/TE/K

Can keep 4 of 16 guys each year. Each player kept has salary increase by $4 per year. I really like this system because it rewards guys who do their preperation. I had LT on my roster for 6 years because I supposedly overpaid for him ($28) his rookie season. It allows owners to build their squad any way they want. In addition, the auction remains quite interesting each year because 75% of the players are in the pool.

Of the many leagues I'm in, this one is by far my favorite.

 

[BigRed]

Salaries are way too busy for my tastes - re the keepers, I suggest make it cost say 20% more to keep a guy but also have a minimum, say maybe $10 give or take (that way if someone gets a "stud" for a buck they can't keep him forever).

 

[LaneOfSteel™]

This is the 7th year of the auction/keeper league that I commish. PM me and I can send you our rules if you want, but basically:

14 teams

$300 cap

16 roster spots - must keep at least 8 players each year

contracts are for 3 years, salaries increase 10% (rounded up) the following year. Once the contract is up, you have the option to franchise one player for the avg of the 7 top paid players at each position.

By far the best of the 6 leagues Im in, and the other 13 owners all agree.

 

[bentley]

I set this up two years ago, had our initial auction in 06 and the first with keepers last year.

Has worked well, some good keeper value but allows some of the top most expensive guys to recirculate.

All teams will start the Initial League Auction with $200 to build their respective roster. In subsequent years all teams with start the Auction with $200 minus the combined salaries for all Contracted Players and plus or minus any $$ traded for or away.

The salary of a player acquired in the auction is his final bid amount. The salary of a player added from the free agent pool or waivers is $5. The salary of a player added from the free agent pool or waivers is $5, if kept, it will go to $10 in the following year.

From season to season, each team may retain up to 3 players. The names of the players being retained must be submitted to the Commissioner each year by midnight exactly two weeks before the next auction. No trades may take place from the time the protected rosters are due until the auction. If a player is significantly injured between keeper declaration and the start of the auction, it will be up to the Appeals Committee to allow the player to be removed or possibly replaced.

If a player is kept, his salary will be raised by $5 each year. Trades do not affect the salary of a player. The trade deadline will also be the last date that you will be able to keep players added to your roster. In other words, players added to your roster after the trade deadline cannot be kept for the next year.

We do it largely this way. We escalate keeper salaries $5 every year with a 3 year max keeper. It rewards the guy that drafts Marion Barber for $1 as a rookie for a reasonable period of time without him being able to keep Barber under market value for 8-9 years. The other thing we do is we don't allow people to keep free agent pickups the next year so that everyone's value is established through the auction.

If the salary cap is in place why limit how many keepers?

Two reasons.The first is a unique quality of having a longtime local league. For the first nine years we had a three player keeper draft league. So it just made sense to keep things the same when we went auction.

The second is that it seems like not limiting keepers would allow teams to retain more of an advantage year over year, while limiting it to three seems to even things out.

Here's our rules page if anyone is interested.

 

[Pythagoras]

My roommate and I are trying to create an Auction/Keeper league, except we're really having some issues with the rules.How would you regulate how much an owner should pay for a keeper? Raise it by $3, $5? I'm not sure that's fair. You're going to be paying around $90 eventually for LT if you decide to keep him. On the other hand, you could get a future stud for really cheap. The next Tom Brady or Ryan Grant. Also, how would we regulate free agents and the waiver wire? Give owners $200 for blind bidding? Certain players could go for $150 then...and what if the owner wants to keep them, how is their value going to be determined?Any ideas, suggestions, or wisdom is appreciated. I'm unfamiliar with Salary Cap leagues, but that could be a possibility to make things easier.

Initial draft determines cost basis, each year salaries raised 10% rounded up. $200 salary cap. 3 yr contracts. Free agent waivers determined by blind bid (salary). An owner may retain entire team year to year, assuming he stays under the cap. I find this is the best balance for year to year player turnover.

 

[Pythagoras]

My roommate and I are trying to create an Auction/Keeper league, except we're really having some issues with the rules.

How would you regulate how much an owner should pay for a keeper? Raise it by $3, $5? I'm not sure that's fair. You're going to be paying around $90 eventually for LT if you decide to keep him. On the other hand, you could get a future stud for really cheap. The next Tom Brady or Ryan Grant. Also, how would we regulate free agents and the waiver wire? Give owners $200 for blind bidding? Certain players could go for $150 then...and what if the owner wants to keep them, how is their value going to be determined?

Any ideas, suggestions, or wisdom is appreciated. I'm unfamiliar with Salary Cap leagues, but that could be a possibility to make things easier.

If the salary cap is in place why limit how many keepers?

Two reasons.The first is a unique quality of having a longtime local league. For the first nine years we had a three player keeper draft league. So it just made sense to keep things the same when we went auction.

The second is that it seems like not limiting keepers would allow teams to retain more of an advantage year over year, while limiting it to three seems to even things out.

Here's our rules page if anyone is interested.

I would argue that a 3 player keeper allows teams to retain more advantage year to year. You can expect the top 3 players on any team would be about 40-75% of their cap room depending upon strategy. Teams sacrificing depth to get the top players at RB,WR,QB cannot sustain it for long because the cost to keep those players is too great because salaries adjust each year. Owners that get a breakout stud on the cheap can't hold on to them forever without paying the price because of the 3 yr contracts. If you find the right balance, which I believe we have, all teams are very completive year to year. Better than redraft, keeper leagues or pure dynasty leagues (no salary cap or contract length) any day.

 

[bentley]

My roommate and I are trying to create an Auction/Keeper league, except we're really having some issues with the rules.

How would you regulate how much an owner should pay for a keeper? Raise it by $3, $5? I'm not sure that's fair. You're going to be paying around $90 eventually for LT if you decide to keep him. On the other hand, you could get a future stud for really cheap. The next Tom Brady or Ryan Grant. Also, how would we regulate free agents and the waiver wire? Give owners $200 for blind bidding? Certain players could go for $150 then...and what if the owner wants to keep them, how is their value going to be determined?

Any ideas, suggestions, or wisdom is appreciated. I'm unfamiliar with Salary Cap leagues, but that could be a possibility to make things easier.

If the salary cap is in place why limit how many keepers?

Two reasons.The first is a unique quality of having a longtime local league. For the first nine years we had a three player keeper draft league. So it just made sense to keep things the same when we went auction.

The second is that it seems like not limiting keepers would allow teams to retain more of an advantage year over year, while limiting it to three seems to even things out.

Here's our rules page if anyone is interested.

I would argue that a 3 player keeper allows teams to retain more advantage year to year. You can expect the top 3 players on any team would be about 40-75% of their cap room depending upon strategy. Teams sacrificing depth to get the top players at RB,WR,QB cannot sustain it for long because the cost to keep those players is too great because salaries adjust each year. Owners that get a breakout stud on the cheap can't hold on to them forever without paying the price because of the 3 yr contracts. If you find the right balance, which I believe we have, all teams are very completive year to year. Better than redraft, keeper leagues or pure dynasty leagues (no salary cap or contract length) any day.

We have a salary adjustment every year and three year max contracts. I think those are things that you're also saying are good about your system. So, we agree there.

 

[Lehigh98]

I set this up two years ago, had our initial auction in 06 and the first with keepers last year.Has worked well, some good keeper value but allows some of the top most expensive guys to recirculate.

All teams will start the Initial League Auction with $200 to build their respective roster. In subsequent years all teams with start the Auction with $200 minus the combined salaries for all Contracted Players and plus or minus any $$ traded for or away.The salary of a player acquired in the auction is his final bid amount. The salary of a player added from the free agent pool or waivers is $5. The salary of a player added from the free agent pool or waivers is $5, if kept, it will go to $10 in the following year.From season to season, each team may retain up to 3 players. The names of the players being retained must be submitted to the Commissioner each year by midnight exactly two weeks before the next auction. No trades may take place from the time the protected rosters are due until the auction. If a player is significantly injured between keeper declaration and the start of the auction, it will be up to the Appeals Committee to allow the player to be removed or possibly replaced.If a player is kept, his salary will be raised by $5 each year. Trades do not affect the salary of a player. The trade deadline will also be the last date that you will be able to keep players added to your roster. In other words, players added to your roster after the trade deadline cannot be kept for the next year.

We do it largely this way. We escalate keeper salaries $5 every year with a 3 year max keeper. It rewards the guy that drafts Marion Barber for $1 as a rookie for a reasonable period of time without him being able to keep Barber under market value for 8-9 years. The other thing we do is we don't allow people to keep free agent pickups the next year so that everyone's value is established through the auction.

If the salary cap is in place why limit how many keepers?

The more players you keep at below market the more it effectively increases your starting auction dollars.I have Addai $25, MJD $15, and Grant $10 when they'd probably cost me $137 on the open market (+$87)So I can basically draft a $287 team due to the value of my keepers.I have a few other guys that would extend that even further, maybe to a $320 team if allowed to keep them.That makes it almost impossible for the guys with not much worth keeping and starting at only $200.

 

[Nemesis]

I would recommend re-assigning a minimum salary amount floor for ANY player kept.

Any players that were acquired SO CHEAP in last year's auction or as a cheap FA would get raises to "$X" value if their owner wanted to keep them for the following year. Of course, YOU and your league could determine the amount of "x" relative to your salary structure.

Example:

Someone gets Ryan Grant in last yr's auction for $1.

If they wanted to keep them in year 2, Grant would be assigned a salary of $10 or $20. (whatever you choose)

If they wanted to keep them again in yr 3, then your normal escalation rules would kick in (10% more, etc....)

NOTE: This mirrors the NFL in some ways because the REAL Ryan Grant just got a new contract after last yr's performance.

 

[bentley]

I would recommend re-assigning a minimum salary amount floor for ANY player kept.Any players that were acquired SO CHEAP in last year's auction or as a cheap FA would get raises to "$X" value if their owner wanted to keep them for the following year. Of course, YOU and your league could determine the amount of "x" relative to your salary structure.Example:Someone gets Ryan Grant in last yr's auction for $1.If they wanted to keep them in year 2, Grant would be assigned a salary of $10 or $20. (whatever you choose)If they wanted to keep them again in yr 3, then your normal escalation rules would kick in (10% more, etc....)NOTE: This mirrors the NFL in some ways because the REAL Ryan Grant just got a new contract after last yr's performance.

I've not seen an auction structure like that. Is that the way you do it in your league?

 

[Liquid Tension]

This is the 7th year of the auction/keeper league that I commish. PM me and I can send you our rules if you want, but basically:14 teams$300 cap16 roster spots - must keep at least 8 players each yearcontracts are for 3 years, salaries increase 10% (rounded up) the following year. Once the contract is up, you have the option to franchise one player for the avg of the 7 top paid players at each position.By far the best of the 6 leagues Im in, and the other 13 owners all agree.

Why would you have to keep 8 players? Not sure?

 

[Liquid Tension]

I set this up two years ago, had our initial auction in 06 and the first with keepers last year.

Has worked well, some good keeper value but allows some of the top most expensive guys to recirculate.

All teams will start the Initial League Auction with $200 to build their respective roster. In subsequent years all teams with start the Auction with $200 minus the combined salaries for all Contracted Players and plus or minus any $$ traded for or away.

The salary of a player acquired in the auction is his final bid amount. The salary of a player added from the free agent pool or waivers is $5. The salary of a player added from the free agent pool or waivers is $5, if kept, it will go to $10 in the following year.

From season to season, each team may retain up to 3 players. The names of the players being retained must be submitted to the Commissioner each year by midnight exactly two weeks before the next auction. No trades may take place from the time the protected rosters are due until the auction. If a player is significantly injured between keeper declaration and the start of the auction, it will be up to the Appeals Committee to allow the player to be removed or possibly replaced.

If a player is kept, his salary will be raised by $5 each year. Trades do not affect the salary of a player. The trade deadline will also be the last date that you will be able to keep players added to your roster. In other words, players added to your roster after the trade deadline cannot be kept for the next year.

We do it largely this way. We escalate keeper salaries $5 every year with a 3 year max keeper. It rewards the guy that drafts Marion Barber for $1 as a rookie for a reasonable period of time without him being able to keep Barber under market value for 8-9 years. The other thing we do is we don't allow people to keep free agent pickups the next year so that everyone's value is established through the auction.

If the salary cap is in place why limit how many keepers?

Two reasons.The first is a unique quality of having a longtime local league. For the first nine years we had a three player keeper draft league. So it just made sense to keep things the same when we went auction.

The second is that it seems like not limiting keepers would allow teams to retain more of an advantage year over year, while limiting it to three seems to even things out.

Here's our rules page if anyone is interested.

Thanks. I guess I am not sure how much of an advantage it would be and if it is there due to good managing maybe that is OK?

 

[Liquid Tension]

I set this up two years ago, had our initial auction in 06 and the first with keepers last year.Has worked well, some good keeper value but allows some of the top most expensive guys to recirculate.

All teams will start the Initial League Auction with $200 to build their respective roster. In subsequent years all teams with start the Auction with $200 minus the combined salaries for all Contracted Players and plus or minus any $$ traded for or away.The salary of a player acquired in the auction is his final bid amount. The salary of a player added from the free agent pool or waivers is $5. The salary of a player added from the free agent pool or waivers is $5, if kept, it will go to $10 in the following year.From season to season, each team may retain up to 3 players. The names of the players being retained must be submitted to the Commissioner each year by midnight exactly two weeks before the next auction. No trades may take place from the time the protected rosters are due until the auction. If a player is significantly injured between keeper declaration and the start of the auction, it will be up to the Appeals Committee to allow the player to be removed or possibly replaced.If a player is kept, his salary will be raised by $5 each year. Trades do not affect the salary of a player. The trade deadline will also be the last date that you will be able to keep players added to your roster. In other words, players added to your roster after the trade deadline cannot be kept for the next year.

We do it largely this way. We escalate keeper salaries $5 every year with a 3 year max keeper. It rewards the guy that drafts Marion Barber for $1 as a rookie for a reasonable period of time without him being able to keep Barber under market value for 8-9 years. The other thing we do is we don't allow people to keep free agent pickups the next year so that everyone's value is established through the auction.

If the salary cap is in place why limit how many keepers?

The more players you keep at below market the more it effectively increases your starting auction dollars.I have Addai $25, MJD $15, and Grant $10 when they'd probably cost me $137 on the open market (+$87)So I can basically draft a $287 team due to the value of my keepers.I have a few other guys that would extend that even further, maybe to a $320 team if allowed to keep them.That makes it almost impossible for the guys with not much worth keeping and starting at only $200.

That is a good answer, although it does give you credit for doing a great job in the prior draft

 

[LaneOfSteel™]

This is the 7th year of the auction/keeper league that I commish. PM me and I can send you our rules if you want, but basically:14 teams$300 cap16 roster spots - must keep at least 8 players each yearcontracts are for 3 years, salaries increase 10% (rounded up) the following year. Once the contract is up, you have the option to franchise one player for the avg of the 7 top paid players at each position.By far the best of the 6 leagues Im in, and the other 13 owners all agree.

Why would you have to keep 8 players? Not sure?

Thats just how I choose to set the league up. You have to keep at least half or your team. It makes the overall strategy alot better IMO. You have to think about the future before you start dropping players to pickup a player from the ww.

 

[Steel Dillo]

One way I've seen keepers handled was to base their salary on the highest paid players at their positions.

Example of cost by year for a three year keeper system:

1st year keeper - greater of last year's salary plus 5% or the average of the top 12 salaries at the same position

2nd year keeper - greater of last year's salary plus 10% or the average of the top 8 salaries at the same position

3rd year keeper - greater of last year's salary plus 15% or the average of the top 4 salaries at the same position

This method allows an owner to retain a player he got on the cheap as a FA or a low bid in the auction for a pretty low price in the 1st year. Keeping a player for 2 years becomes more expensive, but not extremely difficult to swallow.If you keep a player for 3 years, he better be a stud, because your going to pay a huge price for him.