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I have been thinking a lot about how an 18 game schedule would impact fanstasy football and I have a few thoughts.

1. I'm not a big fan of all play combined with a regular schedule so I would really like to find an option that doesn't include a combination of the two. My thought is this. We could use kds to help decide which teams play each other more than once. For instance, those teams which get their early choice of kds would be playing other teams that go their early preference on kds more than once. This way if there is some kind of advantage to getting your first choice you might in theory have some kind of small disadvantage in playing other teams that got their early choice.

2. Assuming the schedule lasts for 20 weeks with double byes, I would hope that we could keep the 3 week race but have it end on week 18. (This is assuming that there are not any bye weeks in weeks 16-18.) With 2 more games in the schedule, it will be easier for teams to clinch divisions early and there will be many more players sitting the last 2 weeks than what we see now. Plus the wear and tear will be much worst therefore players will need more rest going into the playoffs.

3. Other fantasy football operators use a league playoff system to determine the league champions and I really hope that we don't go to that here. I really like the fact that you are rewarded for being a dominant team all season - not just for one single week. Please don't be tempted to change this.

It looks like the 18 game schedule is definitely happening and it makes sense to talk about it now while everyone is reading the boards daily verses in the off season when many people check out of here. So in a nutshell I could see a 15 week regular season in which you play 4 teams twice in the primetime and 2 teams twice in the classic followed by a 3 week race weeks 16-18. I believe this is my favorite option.

Other ideas that might be brought up include: keeping the schedule as is and being done with fantasy football after 16 weeks, incorporating a playoff system for each league after the regular season, or using a combination of H2H and all play.

Any thoughts on this?


Wayne

A few more ideas:

1. Make it a 16 team league, go to 1 RB 3 WR and 2 flex spots to accomodate giving everyone choices. This gives you 15 league matchups, crown your champ and then move on. You can either end it in week 16 like Wayne proposes or simply make the 'finals' 4 weeks long instead of 3. Either way I like the feel of this option - plus it puts more money in the league and overall kitty. The hard part would be managing QB's - would be a hell of a fight to get a backup QB in some cases and handcuffing qb's would become important strategy.

2. Move to mini leagues and do a bracket format. 9 team leagues play each team twice - champ wins $4k, runner up 2k. Then those 2 teams advance to a bracket in week 17 where they play another league's #1 and #2 team (#1 vs. #1 for another $3k and #2 for #2 for another $1k). You'd draw from 9 teams for league pool and 18 teams for the bonus pool - cash obviously might need to be adjusted slightly. Might lead to some fun matchups with teams who have same players - but it's bonus round not league round so who cares? Layer of fun imo. Of course concurrently these top 2 teams in each league are running for the $100k and have already won league money so it's just a little different way to pay out of an 18 team super league (essentially with divisions) and double player pool. Still, I could see fun in that kind of format - essence of roto and essence of H2H for part of the cash in that week 17 clash too.

3. You could also simply issue teams bye weeks - either at random or let them bid FAAB for the bye week of their choice. Heavy strat involved in lining up bye week players for 1 week then bidding $900 FAAB on that bye week vs. just spreading out and using FAAB during the season, right? You'd have to do the bye week bidding rights AFTER the draft - maybe even literally immediately following the live drafts owners write their weeks and bid order on a piece of paper and it's sorted and awarded instantly?

Just ideas - all have pros and cons, I like the concept of discussing it, though, Wayne - good topic sir.

[ November 24, 2010, 04:02 PM: Message edited by: Dyv ]

Good ideas Dave! I didn't even think about the last 2.

It's funny you mentioned the 16 team league. I was actually going to bring that up in a different thread. I think it would make for a great satellite this next year but I"m not sure how well it would work for a main event. People like to win and when you narrow your chances down even further then I think you would have a hard time filling up the event. Personally I would really like it because this would reward depth even moreso but the chances of pulling it off might be slim.

Wayne

Very important to have the high stakes games end week 18 if it is 20 in my opinion.

Originally posted by Cocktails and Dreams:
Very important to have the high stakes games end week 18 if it is 20 in my opinion. Does everyone really think that divisions will be wrapped up with two games to go and all top players will sit the last two weeks? With parity as it is now in the NFL, not every team is even guaranteed to rest their starters in Week 17 this year. I'd like to pursue the length of the season first with all members and then tackle the schedule next. I definitely think we have to avoid 20 weeks, but would you really cut it off after Week 18 and not Week 19? Someone convince me why.

We could also just do the simplest thing and keep the regular season 13 weeks and make the championship round 5 weeks.

Personally I would like this option because I believe a 3-week championship run rewards a breakout week or punishes one off week way too much. A 5-week championship run would provide enough of a sample size to reward a true champion and limit the "luck" of the 3-week sprint I often hear complained about in High Stakes circles.

Glenn

Greg, last year the Colts considered bagging the last 3 weeks and ended up bagging a week and a half. I think with a 20-week schedule, you'll see runaway division champs more often and consider this option more often as well.

Glenn

Glenn, I'm not at all opposed to your 5 week champ schedule that's a pretty good solution in it's own right.

Greg, as far as 'why' we'd want to sit the last 2 weeks all I can say is would you like to have Peyton Manning for 18 weeks and then in week 19 with money on the line your QB sits? If there's a real chance of it happening I'd fully support we eliminate it from deciding $100k.

YES we do need to factor that in our draft strategy but hell there's only so much depth and so much you can do with limited roster spots to protect against injuries let alone plotting out who's going to be in a dogfight 18 games later and who's already clinched.

What would be worse - wasting a week or having $100k being decided by scheduling/resting of players?

I'd go 19 weeks. Yes, there's a little more chance teams could have it wrapped up early, but I think it kind of sucks as it is having 1 week of the year being completely meaningless...so having 2 meaningless weeks would be even worse.

There's always a risk you'll have a good player or two sitting out week 19, but there's an even greater risk you'll have a guy hurt.

Having 100K decided by a player sitting out wouldn't be good, but 100K gets decided all the time because someone had a player or two sitting out due to injury.

Glenn,

I'm not sure about the 5 week race. With only having 19 roster spots in the classic you would be looking at 5 weeks of no waivers. It would be very easy to lose both QB's, both TE's, or you could even lose all of your RB's in that time frame. Just a concern.

Greg,

It's funny but I'm always glad that the fantasy season is over when its over. Adding another 3 weeks to the fantasy season might take away some of the fun. I'm even worries about the 18 week season. Also, the sitting of players is going to be a huge deal the last 2 weeks. You could have Peyton Manning and Josh Freeman going into the playoffs. The Colts win weeks 16 & 17 while the others in the division lose and couple that with a Josh Freeman injury and you are without a QB. Stuff like that WILL happen much more often in an 18 game schedule then it does today. Besides, what does the 19th week add? Is there something special about the 19th week that would make the fantasy season better?


Wayne