First Time Guillotine/Chopped League - FAAB Questions (5 Viewers)

[Trow]

This is my Rookie year in a Guillotine/Chopped style league. We have $1000 for the FAAB Waiver Wire bids.

I have no idea what it will take to land the best players from that eliminated team after week 1. Right now, the lowest team would put Bijan onto the WW.

I know every league is different, but does anyone have experience on % of FAAB to expend for the top talents?

Also need to work out how much to blow early on and how much to save for later on.

Any suggestions/insights are welcomed!!!

 

[Gally]

Kind of depends on the strength of your team and how impactful or need your team has and the player matches it. Generally I like to go for the 2nd or 3rd obvious players for cheap in positions of need unless I have a glaring hole that can be met with an elite guy.

Elite players will be available all year long. Getting one later when it has more impact in two ways (getting a player and keeping away from one of the few teams remaining) helps you more.

There are a lot of game theory ways to handle this. Really it mostly depends on your exposure to be eliminated. If you are mid to uppier tier in scoring each week it's not as important to make sure you get a guy. But if you are at the bottom end and at risk to be eliminated then saving funds doesn't help you if you can't make it long enough to use them. That is the biggest factor into whether or not I spend early or not.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Never played in a Guillotine League, sounds exciting if you can stay alive

-I agree with Gally, this would seem like you want to keep your dollars if you can for some other big name players later on in the season
That said, it would be hard to not try and get Bijan on your team, I would imagine someone would spend almost all of their FAAB on him, 50-75% at least but I'm not familiar with these leagues

 

[Trow]

Good stuff! This is new territory for me, so it's kinda fun (and rather tough) figuring it out.

You are right ... elite players will be available each week. Can't land them all.

 

[Tree44]

Interested in this thread as well as a new Guillotine player. Seems like most advice says to spend conservatively in September (unless you have a glaring need and the right player comes along), then ramp us thereafter. What are examples this week of what some people are doing?

 

[Tackle Bag]

In one league that I'm in, the team with Chase was knocked out. I have a need for a WR so I'm going all in with 1000 bucks for him. I'm wanting to make sure I get him

 

[Trow]

My league processed those chopped waivers today:

Ja'Marr Chase ----- $311
Buckey Irving ------ $300
Kyren Williams ---- $226
David Njoku ------ $101
Zay Flowers ------- $100

Minimum bids start at $100.

 

[Tackle Bag]

I ended up with Chase, but I definitely over paid. All said and done, I got the best player in the league, so it doesn't hurt as bad.

 

[Trow]

Did you blow the entire $1000 budget?

 

[Church of Iggy Pop]

Bids Wed 09/11/25 for Ja'Marr Chase
24-team ( now 22 at time of auction ) Sleeper Chopped league:
$1000 FAAB budget for season

$999
$500
$351
$306 << me
$300
$250
$247
$201
$200
$180

Wow, talk about shooting your shot. There's such a long way to go... Figure we'll see Chase back on the waiver wire another time or two.

 

[Tackle Bag]

Did you blow the entire $1000 budget?

I did and I don't feel bad about it

 

[Tackle Bag]

I was able to score Ridley for $0 waivers when I got Chase for 1000

 

[Tackle Bag]

Chase - 14-165-1

Worth every penny

 

[BassNBrew]

Chase - 14-165-1

Worth every penny

Not really. You have virtually no chance to win. The last last few weeks you'll be watching guys scoop up Henry, Barkley, ASB, etc for $2 and rolling out all Pro lineups against you.

 

[Tackle Bag]

Chase - 14-165-1

Worth every penny

Not really. You have virtually no chance to win. The last last few weeks you'll be watching guys scoop up Henry, Barkley, ASB, etc for $2 and rolling out all Pro lineups against you.

And Henry amassed a whole 3 points this week? So what

 

[BassNBrew]

Chase - 14-165-1

Worth every penny

Not really. You have virtually no chance to win. The last last few weeks you'll be watching guys scoop up Henry, Barkley, ASB, etc for $2 and rolling out all Pro lineups against you.

And Henry amassed a whole 3 points this week? So what

And Chase scored 4.6 in week one. Was your championship this week?

 

[Tackle Bag]

Chase - 14-165-1

Worth every penny

Not really. You have virtually no chance to win. The last last few weeks you'll be watching guys scoop up Henry, Barkley, ASB, etc for $2 and rolling out all Pro lineups against you.

And Henry amassed a whole 3 points this week? So what

And Chase scored 4.6 in week one. Was your championship this week?

My team has a chance to win as I drafted a good team to begin with

 

[Gally]

Chase - 14-165-1

Worth every penny

Not really. You have virtually no chance to win. The last last few weeks you'll be watching guys scoop up Henry, Barkley, ASB, etc for $2 and rolling out all Pro lineups against you.

And Henry amassed a whole 3 points this week? So what

And Chase scored 4.6 in week one. Was your championship this week?

My team has a chance to win as I drafted a good team to begin with

Better hope so because with zero FAAB left every team will continue to get better while yours will not in comparison.

 

[Tackle Bag]

Chase - 14-165-1

Worth every penny

Not really. You have virtually no chance to win. The last last few weeks you'll be watching guys scoop up Henry, Barkley, ASB, etc for $2 and rolling out all Pro lineups against you.

And Henry amassed a whole 3 points this week? So what

And Chase scored 4.6 in week one. Was your championship this week?

My team has a chance to win as I drafted a good team to begin with

Better hope so because with zero FAAB left every team will continue to get better while yours will not in comparison.

Oh I totally get it. Who knows, I may regret it. It'll give me a lesson learned for next year. This is all new to me.

 

[BassNBrew]

Chase - 14-165-1

Worth every penny

Not really. You have virtually no chance to win. The last last few weeks you'll be watching guys scoop up Henry, Barkley, ASB, etc for $2 and rolling out all Pro lineups against you.

And Henry amassed a whole 3 points this week? So what

And Chase scored 4.6 in week one. Was your championship this week?

My team has a chance to win as I drafted a good team to begin with

Good luck and bump this weekly with updates.

 

[brainee]

Nice to see this thread! I'm playing in a guillotine league for the first time. Modestly sized ... 12 teams, and everyone is a guillotine newbie. I'm pretty sure at least one person in the league reads this forum, so I don't want to give too much away . Although we've been openly posting about thoughts and strategies, so there isn't anything I'd say here that I wouldn't say there.

I think everyone read the same expert advice about not spending early, and as a result week 1 was extremely conservative. $1000 budgets. Most expensive player was J Taylor at $251. Next most expensive was $86 for Nico Collins. Which was me ... I didn't feel like I needed a WR, but thought a sub $100 bid on a 1st/2nd round talent was a low-ball (and didn't think I'd get him). Next highest was Hampton at $52, and everyone else was cheap.

This week the top players available are Justin Jefferson and Bucky Irving. I don't feel like I have holes at WR or RB (have Nabers, Puka, Nico, and Pickens for WR and Kamara, Chuba, Etienne, and Javonte at RB). But I feel like I should be putting in bids to keep the rest of the league honest, right? I know you don't want to run out of money early, but if you already loaded up with a bunch of top guys your team should be strong to the end.

I think we'll see higher bidding this time though. The last losing team lamented that they didn't spend. And another needed WR help last week but just low-balled for Nico.

It should cost at least $200 for guys like Jefferson and Bucky, right?

 

[Tackle Bag]

Nice to see this thread! I'm playing in a guillotine league for the first time. Modestly sized ... 12 teams, and everyone is a guillotine newbie. I'm pretty sure at least one person in the league reads this forum, so I don't want to give too much away . Although we've been openly posting about thoughts and strategies, so there isn't anything I'd say here that I wouldn't say there.

I think everyone read the same expert advice about not spending early, and as a result week 1 was extremely conservative. $1000 budgets. Most expensive player was J Taylor at $251. Next most expensive was $86 for Nico Collins. Which was me ... I didn't feel like I needed a WR, but thought a sub $100 bid on a 1st/2nd round talent was a low-ball (and didn't think I'd get him). Next highest was Hampton at $52, and everyone else was cheap.

This week the top players available are Justin Jefferson and Bucky Irving. I don't feel like I have holes at WR or RB (have Nabers, Puka, Nico, and Pickens for WR and Kamara, Chuba, Etienne, and Javonte at RB). But I feel like I should be putting in bids to keep the rest of the league honest, right? I know you don't want to run out of money early, but if you already loaded up with a bunch of top guys your team should be strong to the end.

I think we'll see higher bidding this time though. The last losing team lamented that they didn't spend. And another needed WR help last week but just low-balled for Nico.

It should cost at least $200 for guys like Jefferson and Bucky, right?

Jefferson and Bucky should be 300 plus. 300 didn't even get me Jacobs or Jeanty just now in one league

 

[Tackle Bag]

Bijan just went for 450 in one league

 

[brainee]

Nice to see this thread! I'm playing in a guillotine league for the first time. Modestly sized ... 12 teams, and everyone is a guillotine newbie. I'm pretty sure at least one person in the league reads this forum, so I don't want to give too much away . Although we've been openly posting about thoughts and strategies, so there isn't anything I'd say here that I wouldn't say there.

I think everyone read the same expert advice about not spending early, and as a result week 1 was extremely conservative. $1000 budgets. Most expensive player was J Taylor at $251. Next most expensive was $86 for Nico Collins. Which was me ... I didn't feel like I needed a WR, but thought a sub $100 bid on a 1st/2nd round talent was a low-ball (and didn't think I'd get him). Next highest was Hampton at $52, and everyone else was cheap.

This week the top players available are Justin Jefferson and Bucky Irving. I don't feel like I have holes at WR or RB (have Nabers, Puka, Nico, and Pickens for WR and Kamara, Chuba, Etienne, and Javonte at RB). But I feel like I should be putting in bids to keep the rest of the league honest, right? I know you don't want to run out of money early, but if you already loaded up with a bunch of top guys your team should be strong to the end.

I think we'll see higher bidding this time though. The last losing team lamented that they didn't spend. And another needed WR help last week but just low-balled for Nico.

It should cost at least $200 for guys like Jefferson and Bucky, right?

Jefferson and Bucky should be 300 plus. 300 didn't even get me Jacobs or Jeanty just now in one league

Jefferson ended up going for $367, Bucky for $188. I bid in the low $100's for Bucky on the off chance I could low ball people again ... but I couldn't . That's fine. I think my team should be fine for at least a couple of weeks without doing anything. I'd to save my money. That's the thing with guillotine ... there will be top players available every week. Just as long as its not mine!

 

[Trow]

Week 3 Update for my league:

Josh Allen $357
Bucky Irving $306
Derrick Henry $250
Zay Flowers $200
Tyler Warren $100

Minimum bids are $100. Two weeks in a row that Bucky cost $300+.

 

[Gally]

Minimum bids are $100

Why have minimum bid values? I have never understood why this is used.

 

[Trow]

I don't know if the commissioner set that value or if it was a default setting. Out of my control, either way.

 

[Church of Iggy Pop]

Max Bids in Week 3 from my now 20-team league

WR	CeeDee Lamb	DAL	$ 555
WR	Terry McLaurin	WAS	$ 199
RB	Breece Hall	NYJ	$ 100
TE	Kyle Pitts	ATL	$ 55
RB	Travis Etienne	JAX	$ 50
QB	Cam Ward	TEN	$ 38
RB	Quinshon Judkins	CLE	$ 37
QB	Caleb Williams	CHI	$ 26
WR	Cedric Tillman	CLE	$ 8
QB	Jake Browning	CIN	$ 18

 

[Tackle Bag]

Judkins was a great deal

 

[Gally]

Max Bids in Week 3 from my now 20-team league

WR

CeeDee Lamb

DAL

$ 555

oops

 

[Trow]

Ouch ! That Lamb bid hurts!

 

[Tackle Bag]

Ouch ! That Lamb bid hurts!

Not that bad. He thinks he will play week 4

 

[Gally]

Ouch ! That Lamb bid hurts!

Not that bad. He thinks he will play week 4

It hurts more that he played him for zero points. That may cause him to be eliminated.

 

[Hurl Bruce]

This is a good listen for bidding advice. They do this weekly.

CHOP: The Guillotine Leagues™ Podcast

Podcast · Paul Charchian · CHOP is the original Guillotine Leagues™ podcast, hosted by Paul Charchian, the fantasy football HOFer who popularized Guillotine Leagues™. It provides advice for drafting, waiver wire, roster composition, and analyzes the big NFL stories from a Guillotine perspective.

open.spotify.com

 

[Hurl Bruce]

I've had my best seasons when I've held onto my money and then pounced on great players at a discount later on. You have to hit on enough draft picks to do this, of course.

I also have a friend that pays up early and then sits back and rides towards the final four and hopes that the supply is so vast at the end that he can insert good but not great players to finalize his squad.

 

[Church of Iggy Pop]

Judkins was a great deal

IKR? I'm desperate for a RB, but was totally sleeping on Judkins' potential to ramp up so quickly.

 

[Tackle Bag]

Judkins was a great deal

IKR? I'm desperate for a RB, but was totally sleeping on Judkins' potential to ramp up so quickly.

I drafted him in the late rounds of my draft, wherever I could. I knew Ford wouldn't last as the feature back

 

[Trow]

Week 4 update:

Mahomes $200
Bucky $178
Hubbard $152
Kittle $152
Olave $105
Goff $100
Shakir $100
Dart $100

I was surprised with the bottom three bids.

 

[Trow]

This is a good listen for bidding advice. They do this weekly.

CHOP: The Guillotine Leagues™ Podcast

Podcast · Paul Charchian · CHOP is the original Guillotine Leagues™ podcast, hosted by Paul Charchian, the fantasy football HOFer who popularized Guillotine Leagues™. It provides advice for drafting, waiver wire, roster composition, and analyzes the big NFL stories from a Guillotine perspective.

open.spotify.com

Thanks! I will give it a listen!

 

[brainee]

With 9 teams left, my league is remaining conservative. Everyone seems to be listening to "expert" advice and we haven't had a bid over $400. There was more activity this week. Winning bids were:

J Warren $30
D Maye $57
Lamb $101
Benson $154
Adams $178
Higgins $200
Achane $333

I picked up Maye, which I can see was an overbid. But who knows what people will do ... Goff went for $51 last week. My QBs were feeling really shaky with Nix and Penix.

I think I'm in good shape. 85% of my FAAB left and I've been the second highest scoring team (and projected for third highest this week). But as I've seen, one injury and your season is over, and the margin for error just gets smaller and smaller.

 

[Tackle Bag]

With 9 teams left, my league is remaining conservative. Everyone seems to be listening to "expert" advice and we haven't had a bid over $400. There was more activity this week. Winning bids were:

J Warren $30
D Maye $57
Lamb $101
Benson $154
Adams $178
Higgins $200
Achane $333

I picked up Maye, which I can see was an overbid. But who knows what people will do ... Goff went for $51 last week. My QBs were feeling really shaky with Nix and Penix.

I think I'm in good shape. 85% of my FAAB left and I've been the second highest scoring team (and projected for third highest this week. But as I've seen, one injury and your season is over, and the margin for error just gets smaller and smaller.

That $101 bid for CeeDee is a great stash

 

[brainee]

Saquon Barkley is getting cut this week in my league. I'll bid on him for sure ... just not sure how much. The league has only had 2 bids over $300 (Achane and Jefferson) and none over $400.

We're down to 8 though. Things are getting tight and most teams have at least 50% of their FAAB left (I have 85%). My team took a huge hit this week losing Nabers, although I have Pickens to move from the bench to replace Nabers (he seems like he'll be huge at least until Lamb comes back, and even then he should be decent). But RB could be improved. I have a lot of RB2s (Kamara, Etienne, Chuba, Javonte) but no "end game" quality RB1.

 

[Tackle Bag]

Saquon Barkley is getting this week in my league. I'll bid on him for sure ... just not sure how much. The league has only had 2 bids over $300 (Achane and Jefferson) and none over $400.

We're down to 8 though. Things are getting tight and most teams have at least 50% of their FAAB left (I have 85%). My team took a huge hit this week losing Nabers, although I have Pickens to move from the bench to replace Nabers (he seems like he'll be huge at least until Lamb comes back, and even then he should be decent). But RB could be improved. I have a lot of RB2s (Kamara, Etienne, Chuba, Javonte) but no "end game" quality RB1.

I'd stick a 400 bid on Barkley and see what happens. You totally need a RB1

 

[Gally]

Saquon Barkley is getting this week in my league. I'll bid on him for sure ... just not sure how much. The league has only had 2 bids over $300 (Achane and Jefferson) and none over $400.

We're down to 8 though. Things are getting tight and most teams have at least 50% of their FAAB left (I have 85%). My team took a huge hit this week losing Nabers, although I have Pickens to move from the bench to replace Nabers (he seems like he'll be huge at least until Lamb comes back, and even then he should be decent). But RB could be improved. I have a lot of RB2s (Kamara, Etienne, Chuba, Javonte) but no "end game" quality RB1.

I'd stick a 400 bid on Barkley and see what happens. You totally need a RB1

make it $404. Always have to go off the nominal round type number bid.

 

[Church of Iggy Pop]

Late to post this, but I find it fascinating, especially with another week's games to add hindsight.
18 team superflex

Week 4				teams bidding
WR	P. Nacua	LAR	$ 555	13
RB	B. Irving	TB	$ 333	13
TE	B. Bowers	LV	$ 300	9
QB	J. Herbert	LAC	$ 185	6
RB	N. Chubb	HOU	$ 101	6
WR	Z. Flowers	BAL	$ 55	8
TE	T. Kelce	KC	$ 50	4
TE	D. Njoku	CLE	$ 38	4
WR	T. Horton	SEA	$ 29	3
WR	DJ Moore	CHI	$ 28	4
WR	C. Kupp	SEA	$ 28	5
RB	B. Tuten	JAX	$ 20	3
QB	J. Fields	NYJ	$ 18	1
WR	A. Pierce	IND	$ 15	1
WR	J. Tolbert	DAL	$ 9	3
WR	J. Downs	IND	$ 8	2
RB	C. Rodriguez	WAS	$ 7	2
WR	P. Washington	JAX	$ 7	2
WR	J. Palmer	BUF	$ -	1

My team is quite mid, and I consider Nacua and Irving as endgame players. I bid $350 and $190 on them, respectively.

In fact, I thoughtfully bid on thirteen of the players listed above, yet only landed Parker Washington with a $0 bid, thanks to the $7 bidder having run out of roster spots with his previous wins. I'll be sweating tonight's MNF doubleheader for sure.

I read that it's critical to save your FAAB for later, when it will buy more talent, but surviving that long is going to be tough. I have 93% of my FAAB left, but there are eight others with more.

What a fun format. Can't believe it took me this long to try it out.

 

[brainee]

Saquon Barkley is getting this week in my league. I'll bid on him for sure ... just not sure how much. The league has only had 2 bids over $300 (Achane and Jefferson) and none over $400.

We're down to 8 though. Things are getting tight and most teams have at least 50% of their FAAB left (I have 85%). My team took a huge hit this week losing Nabers, although I have Pickens to move from the bench to replace Nabers (he seems like he'll be huge at least until Lamb comes back, and even then he should be decent). But RB could be improved. I have a lot of RB2s (Kamara, Etienne, Chuba, Javonte) but no "end game" quality RB1.

I'd stick a 400 bid on Barkley and see what happens. You totally need a RB1

make it $404. Always have to go off the nominal round type number bid.

Saquon went for $550 . It just wasn't meant to be for me.

It might've been a waste of money, but I picked up AJB for $51 to replace Nabers on my roster. I don't need to start him now, but I'm hoping it's worth the gamble that he could regain his form.

 

[Tackle Bag]

51 to replace Nabers is a great deal. Hoping AJ does better moving forward

 

[Gally]

Saquon Barkley is getting this week in my league. I'll bid on him for sure ... just not sure how much. The league has only had 2 bids over $300 (Achane and Jefferson) and none over $400.

We're down to 8 though. Things are getting tight and most teams have at least 50% of their FAAB left (I have 85%). My team took a huge hit this week losing Nabers, although I have Pickens to move from the bench to replace Nabers (he seems like he'll be huge at least until Lamb comes back, and even then he should be decent). But RB could be improved. I have a lot of RB2s (Kamara, Etienne, Chuba, Javonte) but no "end game" quality RB1.

I'd stick a 400 bid on Barkley and see what happens. You totally need a RB1

make it $404. Always have to go off the nominal round type number bid.

Saquon went for $550 . It just wasn't meant to be for me.

It might've been a waste of money, but I picked up AJB for $51 to replace Nabers on my roster. I don't need to start him now, but I'm hoping it's worth the gamble that he could regain his form.

Good price on Brown. Definitely worth that.

(and as i said, if you had the number correct and went $554 you would have got him. Don't do the $550 type bids).

 

[Church of Iggy Pop]

Hey, I'm back with Week 5 FAAB results.

Week 5				teams bidding
RB	S. Barkley	PHI	$ 404	9
RB	K. Williams	LAR	$ 260	6
RB	D. Henry	BAL	$ 255	9
QB	J. Daniels	WAS	$ 229	6
QB	D. Maye	NE	$ 225	3
WR	X. Worthy	KC	$ 205	6
WR	T. McMillan	CAR	$ 202	4
WR	C. Lamb	DAL	$ 151	3
RB	R.White	TB	$ 51	3
WR	AJ Brown	PHI	$ 51	3
RB	T. Benson	AZ	$ 38	1
WR	M. Washington	MIA	$ 18	3
TE	M. Andrews	BAL	$ 11	2
WR	J. Tolbert	DAL	$ 8	1
QB	T. Lawrence	JAX	$ 6	1
WR	R. Shaheed	NOLA	$ 6	3
WR	C. Austin	PIT	$ 1	1
RB	M. Carter	AZ	$ 1	2
WR	L. McCaffrey	WAS	$ -	1
K	S. Shrader	IND	$ -	1

The new wrinkle this time is that I chose this week to go big. Those are my winning bids for Barkley, McMillan, Lamb, and Lawrence.

My $404 bid for Barkley was directly inspired by @Gally 's post from last week. Turns out the next highest bid was "just" $350, but, oh well. Could have gone a lot lower and still gotten McMillan and Lamb, but that's the way blind auctions go.

It was the right week to go for it. I had been sweating the chop for the past two weeks while starting disappointing players like Chase Brown and Calvin Ridley. My best players are Drake London, Tucker Kraft, and Caleb Williams, all unavailable due to week 5 byes. I couldn't keep making safe price enforcement bids only to get the blade.

Going forward, I'll have to be a value shopper, and lean on $0 and $1 bids. Only $169 FAAB left to get me through.

 

[Church of Iggy Pop]

Oh yeah, the guy who bid $38 on Benson must be