Weird format, how to draft? (1 Viewer)

[glenn29]

I'm playing in a new league, it's a strange format. Sort of like old Rotisserie baseball. There are 10 categories, you get a point for each one you win each week. Categories include TDs total, receptions, receiving yards, rushing yards, passing yards, etc. Where it gets even odder is that Defense makes up 4 categories, all worth 1 point each. Interceptions, sacks, points allowed and kickoff/punt return yards.

I'ts head to head, each category worth 1 point (except TDs which is 2) and the whoever has the most points wins the week. Interesting concept, I'm looking forward to see how it plays out.

The draft is tomorrow night, with 4 defensive categories, is it worth choosing a defense earlier? I feel like interceptions and return yards are real wild cards, but a strong defense is likely to get more sacks and give up fewer points. Denver seems like the top defense on most boards, but is it worth picking them earlier? like a mid round pick?

What do you all think? my initial thought is there is way too much volatility with defenses to use a high pick, but my mind can be changed.

 

[Dan Lambskin]

Is this like one of those new fangled gorilla leagues the kids are talking about in the shark pool?

#Harambe

 

[Bob Sacamano]

1.01. Gates
2.12. Az-Zahir Hakim (Rams=speed)

 

[Runkle]

So a single defense is responsible for your points in 4 of the 10 scored categories?

What happens if you split categories 5-5 in your head to head matchup?

I'm just thinking out loud... But if my league had 10 starting positions but actually one player was filling 4 of the slots, that would have to be a big focus.

Offset is the streaming option I guess, just going with whoever has the easiest matchup that week.

But honestly it might make sense to draft like 3 or even 4 defenses early and 3 QBs and just try to force winning 3 or 4 defensive categories, then 1 or 2 QB categories like TDs and Yards, and give yourself no worse than a coinflip every week.

Really, though, what you should do is feed all of last years' game stats into Excel and/or ChatGPT and figure out what each player and defense is worth in this system.

 

[glenn29]

Runkle, great insights, thank you.

There are 10 categories but Td's is worth 2 points, which I think is to eliminate 5-5 ties.

Streaming Defenses seems like a good option, but it's a 12 team league, so maybe I grab a good one and always have streaming in the back of my head as an option each week.

It's also a 2 QB league, so with 12 teams the majority of starters will get taken in the first couple of rounds I"m assuming.

It's sort of an experimental league my friend put together. No cost this year, so it's worth it without any stress over losing some $. You are right that one playing possibly winning you 3 or 4 categories is worth a higher pick, my only question is besides point against, are rankings really any good for most of those other categories, return yards is just such a crap shoot overall.

 

[glenn29]

Is this like one of those new fangled gorilla leagues the kids are talking about in the shark pool?

#Harambe

I'm not sure what a gorilla league is, I'll have to look into it.

 

[glenn29]

1.01. Gates
2.12. Az-Zahir Hakim (Rams=speed)

Oddly enough it's only Def/Spec Teams, not IDP.

 

[Gally]

The draft is tomorrow night, with 4 defensive categories, is it worth choosing a defense earlier? I feel like interceptions and return yards are real wild cards, but a strong defense is likely to get more sacks and give up fewer points. Denver seems like the top defense on most boards, but is it worth picking them earlier? like a mid round pick?

Since team Defense is highly unpredictable going into a season I wouldn't necessarily be the first guy to take a defense. I think my approach would be to wait until the first Defense is off the board and then target my highest rated defense. Let the draft kind of dictate when you take the plunge.

ETA: I do wonder if hoarding defenses is a good strategy to hinder 4 categories for other teams. Just not sure how many would be the ideal.

 

[urbanhack]

shuke runs something similar for college football. Interesting to see how he does it.

 

[glenn29]

The draft is tomorrow night, with 4 defensive categories, is it worth choosing a defense earlier? I feel like interceptions and return yards are real wild cards, but a strong defense is likely to get more sacks and give up fewer points. Denver seems like the top defense on most boards, but is it worth picking them earlier? like a mid round pick?

Since team Defense is highly unpredictable going into a season I wouldn't necessarily be the first guy to take a defense. I think my approach would be to wait until the first Defense is off the board and then target my highest rated defense. Let the draft kind of dictate when you take the plunge.

ETA: I do wonder if hoarding defenses is a good strategy to hinder 4 categories for other teams. Just not sure how many would be the ideal.

Funny you mention waiting for someone else to take the plunge, that was going to be my strategy as well. Although, in a 16 round draft I might be comfortable taking one first in like round 12, which is VERY early for me to take a defense in any other draft. I'm guessing I'm not going to end up loving this format because 5 of the 10 categories are as you said "highly unpredictable" as another one is points by the kicker.

 

[Gally]

in a 16 round draft I might be comfortable taking one first in like round 12, which is VERY early for me to take a defense in any other draft.

My guess is that one will be taken before round 12 as someone will try and "game the system" by taking one way early. There is always one in the bunch...hahahah

 

[wlwiles]

What are the starting position requirements? You mentioned 2 QB, is it true 2 QB or superflex? How many WR/RB/TE to start?

 

[Zow]

shuke runs something similar for college football. Interesting to see how he does it.

Perhaps this is an actual reason to PM Shuke?

 

[Zow]

1.01. Gates
2.12. Az-Zahir Hakim (Rams=speed)

Oddly enough it's only Def/Spec Teams, not IDP.

Hakim was way too fast to play defense.

 

[Dr_Zaius]

But honestly it might make sense to draft like 3 or even 4 defenses early and 3 QBs and just try to force winning 3 or 4 defensive categories, then 1 or 2 QB categories like TDs and Yards, and give yourself no worse than a coinflip every week.

That was my first thought. Returns yards is a goofy one though as it's probably going to be negatively correlated with being a good defense. So it might actually be difficult to find a team that allows one to sweep the defensive stats.

 

[Runkle]

But honestly it might make sense to draft like 3 or even 4 defenses early and 3 QBs and just try to force winning 3 or 4 defensive categories, then 1 or 2 QB categories like TDs and Yards, and give yourself no worse than a coinflip every week.

That was my first thought. Returns yards is a goofy one though as it's probably going to be negatively correlated with being a good defense. So it might actually be difficult to find a team that allows one to sweep the defensive stats.

True. OP really needs to hop back in with starting lineup, bench size, roster requirements. But I'd think if you drafted 1-2 "elite" (top 6?) defenses, and a third that had a complimentary schedule with good matchups against bad teams when the other two were in tougher matchups, and maybe kept a floating spot for a weekly waiver wire darling... you could effectively scoop an advantage at DST and have +EV on say 3 of the 4 spots, similar strategy with an elite QB & complimentary schedule combo on passing categories, then it's just plugging in the rest of the holes with position players that have coinflip matchups.

I'm thinking it's like 10 flips where you start with 4 heads and only need 2 more of the 6 remaining.

Tho again, I'd reiterate, we're just guessing. It'd probably be best to feed all of the 2024 game-by-game box scores into Excel and/or ChatGPT and figure out what the "top 6" defenses returned in value vs league average/starter's average in each of the 4 categories week by week, what a top-4 QB did vs league average, etc.

Or, literally just mock draft from a 2024 rankings list and then play out the games by looking at the old box scores and see what strategy would have returned the best results.

 

[glenn29]

But honestly it might make sense to draft like 3 or even 4 defenses early and 3 QBs and just try to force winning 3 or 4 defensive categories, then 1 or 2 QB categories like TDs and Yards, and give yourself no worse than a coinflip every week.

That was my first thought. Returns yards is a goofy one though as it's probably going to be negatively correlated with being a good defense. So it might actually be difficult to find a team that allows one to sweep the defensive stats.

True. OP really needs to hop back in with starting lineup, bench size, roster requirements. But I'd think if you drafted 1-2 "elite" (top 6?) defenses, and a third that had a complimentary schedule with good matchups against bad teams when the other two were in tougher matchups, and maybe kept a floating spot for a weekly waiver wire darling... you could effectively scoop an advantage at DST and have +EV on say 3 of the 4 spots, similar strategy with an elite QB & complimentary schedule combo on passing categories, then it's just plugging in the rest of the holes with position players that have coinflip matchups.

I'm thinking it's like 10 flips where you start with 4 heads and only need 2 more of the 6 remaining.

Tho again, I'd reiterate, we're just guessing. It'd probably be best to feed all of the 2024 game-by-game box scores into Excel and/or ChatGPT and figure out what the "top 6" defenses returned in value vs league average/starter's average in each of the 4 categories week by week, what a top-4 QB did vs league average, etc.

Or, literally just mock draft from a 2024 rankings list and then play out the games by looking at the old box scores and see what strategy would have returned the best results.

Hey, so roster requirements
Starters 2QB, not superflex,
2 RB
2 WR
1 TE
1 Flex (RB, WR, TE)
1 K
1 Def

So 10 starters, total roster size is 16.

So bench of 6. In a 2 QB league I do like to have a 3rd QB for bye weeks and injuries. In this league I'd say I need a second Def for sure.

That leaves only 4 bench spots. I'll prob shoot for 2rb and 2wr and just give up my TE one week.

Again, each of these categories are worth 1 point (except Total TDs is worth 2)
Rushing yards
REceiving yards
Passing yards
Total TDs
Receptions
Def low points against
Return yards (punt and kickoffs)
Kicker points (standard) but could win you a week
Interceptions
Sacks

So, 12 teams, I'm picking 8th. Not ideal. I htink a rushing QB is key since it would really give me the upside of having 3 rushers on the field.

I also think reception hogs out of the backfield is key. Maybe just try for slot receivers a bit later and hope for total receptions and TDs rather than reception yards.

 

[glenn29]

Draft is done, honestly no idea what to think. Not used to 2QB leagues and not used to this scoring system, it's free, so I'm not risking anything, but I usually have a decent feeling of where I stand after a draft, this one, no idea. 12 team league.

QB Lamar Jackson
QB Kyler Murray
QB Justin Fields
RB Jonathan Taylor
RB Kyren Williams
RB Jaylen Warren
RB Austin Eckler
RB Rachaad White
WR Calvin Ridley
WR Jameson Williams
WR Khalil Shakir
WR Rashee Rice I did find out you can place a suspended player on IR before drafting him, so this will turn into some like Darnell Mooney
TE Mark Andrews
DEF Steelers
DEF Bears
K Kai Fairbairn

 

[shuke]

shuke runs something similar for college football. Interesting to see how he does it.

NO HE DOESN'T

 

[Chemical X]

Draft is done, honestly no idea what to think. Not used to 2QB leagues and not used to this scoring system, it's free, so I'm not risking anything, but I usually have a decent feeling of where I stand after a draft, this one, no idea. 12 team league.

QB Lamar Jackson
QB Kyler Murray
QB Justin Fields
RB Jonathan Taylor
RB Kyren Williams
RB Jaylen Warren
RB Austin Eckler
RB Rachaad White
WR Calvin Ridley
WR Jameson Williams
WR Khalil Shakir
WR Rashee Rice I did find out you can place a suspended player on IR before drafting him, so this will turn into some like Darnell Mooney
TE Mark Andrews
DEF Steelers
DEF Bears
K Kai Fairbairn

can you post all the roosters? tia

 

[Gally]

QB Lamar Jackson
QB Kyler Murray
QB Justin Fields

You did outstanding here. This is likely the best QB room in the league by far.

RB Jonathan Taylor
RB Kyren Williams
RB Jaylen Warren
RB Austin Eckler
RB Rachaad White

Nice spectrum of RB's. Solid

WR Calvin Ridley
WR Jameson Williams
WR Khalil Shakir
WR Rashee Rice I

Probably your weak point but should be ok as you only have to start 2. Jamo and Rice will be good down the stretch.

TE Mark Andrews
DEF Steelers
DEF Bears
K Kai Fairbairn

Solid here as well.

I think you did well but I haven't thought to hard on the roto style aspect as to if you covered enough categories sufficiently.