Guillotine Leagues - You should play (1 Viewer)

[Joe Bryant]

I get pitched a "new way to play fantasy football" often. Without question, the most fun new way I've seen in years is Guillotine leagues from my friend Paul Charchian. I know we've talked a little about them here but they deserve way more buzz.

It's an absolute blast and you should be playing. Here's how. https://www.footballguys.com/article/2023-a-guide-to-guillotine-leagues

(FWIW - This is a 100% unpaid endorsement. It's that good)

 

[Ghost Rider]

Not sure when these started, but we did one in both 2020 and 2021, and I am doing one again this year (I did not play FF at all last year). They are a lot of fun. I highly recommend them.

 

[Hurl Bruce]

I don't think any of my leaguemates are in here, so I can state this: Charch does a great podcast each week going over the bidding strategies for the week. Highly recommend.

CHOP: The Guillotine League Podcast

Listen to CHOP: The Guillotine League Podcast on Spotify. CHOP is the original guillotine league 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...

open.spotify.com

 

[PIK95]

I would play I one of these if anyone needs someone, just hit me up. Seems like fun.

 

[FairWarning]

A good pool idea similar to this is you pick one qb, 1 rb, 1wr, 1te,and one defense, low score is eliminated. You can only use the player once also, so there is skill involved. Basically Survivor meets Guillotine. It works best if you have 18 players, winner take all.

 

[Golden Gopher]

Been doing these for about 3-4 years now, and started my own a couple of years ago. They're a lot of fun until you get knocked out after the first week.

Of course, the cool thing about them is that it's really easy to start another "round" about mid-year. After about Week 8 or 9, start a new league with the teams who have already been eliminated (those who want to "buy back in" essentially). If somebody isn't interested, it's usually pretty easy to get another player from the original league (those who are still alive).

Side note... Another format that I found to be sort of interesting last year was the "terminator" leagues. You start with a 26-man roster and have to drop a player after each week of the 14-week regular season. Total points, and top four teams make the playoffs. So, after 14 weeks, you're roster is down to a dozen. Then, Weeks 15-17, rosters freeze and your weekly points get added to your weekly average from Weeks 1-14. It really is a battle of attrition, and there is a lot of strategy involved in terms of which positions to draft depth, and which positions to maybe "punt" at some point. Ideally, you end up being able to still field a full lineup for the last three weeks, but that can be easier said than done, for sure.

 

[FairWarning]

I would play I one of these if anyone needs someone, just hit me up. Seems like fun.

Paul Charchian on Twitter is forming leagues every day on his site.

 

[nirad3]

Been doing these for about 3-4 years now, and started my own a couple of years ago. They're a lot of fun until you get knocked out after the first week.

Of course, the cool thing about them is that it's really easy to start another "round" about mid-year. After about Week 8 or 9, start a new league with the teams who have already been eliminated (those who want to "buy back in" essentially). If somebody isn't interested, it's usually pretty easy to get another player from the original league (those who are still alive).

Side note... Another format that I found to be sort of interesting last year was the "terminator" leagues. You start with a 26-man roster and have to drop a player after each week of the 14-week regular season. Total points, and top four teams make the playoffs. So, after 14 weeks, you're roster is down to a dozen. Then, Weeks 15-17, rosters freeze and your weekly points get added to your weekly average from Weeks 1-14. It really is a battle of attrition, and there is a lot of strategy involved in terms of which positions to draft depth, and which positions to maybe "punt" at some point. Ideally, you end up being able to still field a full lineup for the last three weeks, but that can be easier said than done, for sure.

Thanks for runnin' things. Always a fun league.

 

[tangfoot]

Been doing these for about 3-4 years now, and started my own a couple of years ago. They're a lot of fun until you get knocked out after the first week.

Fantasy football already feels like it's too fleeting. Turning a league into the equivalent of a survivor pool only exacerbates that problem.

 

[Golden Gopher]

Been doing these for about 3-4 years now, and started my own a couple of years ago. They're a lot of fun until you get knocked out after the first week.

Fantasy football already feels like it's too fleeting. Turning a league into the equivalent of a survivor pool only exacerbates that problem.

I agree. The problem is that the creators of the guillotine leagues are really on to something in the sense that it's almost like the FF equivalent of a cash poker game where you can "buy back in" if you lose/are eliminated. They have new leagues starting every week until about Week 10 or so.

 

[Proteus]

I get pitched a "new way to play fantasy football" often. Without question, the most fun new way I've seen in years is Guillotine leagues from my friend Paul Charchian. I know we've talked a little about them here but they deserve way more buzz.

Allow me to contribute to that buzz. It's my first year trying it and it's week one with only two games gone and I am already completely riveted on another level.

I recommend trying it as a shadow league, parallel to your already existing leagues.

The button to "Create League" is still open and you can begin it any week really.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

I’m in 2 guillotine leagues this year and I love them. 17 teams - super challenging.

 

[Proteus]

I’m in 2 guillotine leagues this year and I love them. 17 teams - super challenging.

I'm in an 18 teamer and wow was that draft tough. I followed the advice I studied about targeting floor for a 3-4 week window, which at the 2 spot landed me Bijan, Lamar, and Kelce. But then I had no choice but to go higher variance at WR1 . . . and I am now DEEElighted that that's where I took Xavier Worthy.

 

[Hot Sauce Guy]

I’m in 2 guillotine leagues this year and I love them. 17 teams - super challenging.

I'm in an 18 teamer and wow was that draft tough. I followed the advice I studied about targeting floor for a 3-4 week window, which at the 2 spot landed me Bijan, Lamar, and Kelce. But then I had no choice but to go higher variance at WR1 . . . and I am now DEEElighted that that's where I took Xavier Worthy.

Yeah, it’s not about building a winning roster. It’s about building a roster that survives for a few weeks so you can claim players off of the rosters that drop off every week.

I specifically targeted later BYE guys - short bench too with just 16 roster spots.

 

[Proteus]

I specifically targeted later BYE guys

I didn't ignore this advice per se, but the way things fell, I got a few Lions, a few Chiefs, a Charger, and big problems coming weeks 5 & 6.

But . . . I'm just gonna spend a little early maybe.

I mean . . . part of me is considering putting in a strong bid for Likely because Mr. Swift didn't look too Swift.

Edit: What am I thinking? Likely was taken in the draft w 18 teams. Best I could do at 2nd TE was Chig, and Rob Gronkowski is ranked 9th out of the TEs remaining. Get it together Mr. Swift!

 

[zed2283]

Guillotine League Strategy

As noted in my other post, I'm joining my first guillotine league this year (new league among friends, a first for all participants). I haven't seen any discussion of this format in the Pool, and as it seems to be gaining some steam the last couple of years I thought it might be a good thread...

forums.footballguys.com

 

[Johnny Rock]

Last year I asked Joe about adding GL to Sync. Would be awesome. Alas, didn’t happen.

 

[Proteus]

Don't know if it warrants a new thread, but as a Guillotine noob, I feel like I could use some feedback.

What % of FAAB are you unloading on:

Nabers?

Breece?

Nico?

 

[jm192]

Don't know if it warrants a new thread, but as a Guillotine noob, I feel like I could use some feedback.

What % of FAAB are you unloading on:

Nabers?

Breece?

Nico?

It's always a matter of how bad do you need someone.

If you NEED the guy, an elite player like Breece (and Nabers is probably in that territory too after last night), 250+.

The key to the game is to avoid spending when you don't need to. Guys that go for 250+ today go for 25 late in the season when everyone is short on money.

 

[Proteus]

Don't know if it warrants a new thread, but as a Guillotine noob, I feel like I could use some feedback.

What % of FAAB are you unloading on:

Nabers?

Breece?

Nico?

It's always a matter of how bad do you need someone.

If you NEED the guy, an elite player like Breece (and Nabers is probably in that territory too after last night), 250+.

The key to the game is to avoid spending when you don't need to. Guys that go for 250+ today go for 25 late in the season when everyone is short on money.

Jeezum Crow.

It's a hard knock life. I spent over 50% for Malik(the 5 foot freak. Let's say we get together by the end of the week. She simply said "no," labelled me a "ho," I said "how'd you figure?" "My friends tell me so.")

And so . . . I got my guy and wound up projected at the top of the heap. The dog's bollocks.

Next thing you know, that mental midget Brian Dabbol dials up my dude for 176 targets because he doesn't want to get fired and gets my dude injured. Will probably survive another week thanks to my dude. But had I not bid over 50 for him, I wouldn't have had him, and would have been close to the edge(down by the river) (seasons will pass you by) (I get up)(( get down)

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Don't know if it warrants a new thread, but as a Guillotine noob, I feel like I could use some feedback.

What % of FAAB are you unloading on:

Nabers?

Breece?

Nico?

It's always a matter of how bad do you need someone.

If you NEED the guy, an elite player like Breece (and Nabers is probably in that territory too after last night), 250+.

The key to the game is to avoid spending when you don't need to. Guys that go for 250+ today go for 25 late in the season when everyone is short on money.

Jeezum Crow.

It's a hard knock life. I spent over 50% for Malik(the 5 foot freak. Let's say we get together by the end of the week. She simply said "no," labelled me a "ho," I said "how'd you figure?" "My friends tell me so.")

And so . . . I got my guy and wound up projected at the top of the heap. The dog's bollocks.

Next thing you know, that mental midget Brian Dabbol dials up my dude for 176 targets because he doesn't want to get fired and gets my dude injured. Will probably survive another week thanks to my dude. But had I not bid over 50 for him, I wouldn't have had him, and would have been close to the edge(down by the river) (seasons will pass you by) (I get up)(( get down)

Bonus points for the bolded.