Let's Have A Fun Discussion About Fantasy Football Scoring

[Chi_Town_FEW]

I started playing fantasy football over 20 years ago long before the internet and when all scores were done by hand. The basic TD only leagues were the main types of fantasy leagues at the time with more and more yardage leagues coming around. My friends did not like the TDs only and came up with a rotisserie style. 10 teams, QB, 2 RBs, 2 WR, TE, K, Def. QBs have 2 categories, completions and yards. QB with the most completion for the week gets 20 points, next gets 18, so on down the list. Same with yards. RBs are rushing and receiving yards. WR and TEs are catches and yards. Kickers total points for field goals and extra points, whoever had the most points for the week gets 10, 9, 8, and so on. Def is total yards and points given up for 2 categories. TDs and all other points scored by any starting player or team def are put into the points category and it is 40, 36, 32, ect. We have talked about changing it over the years, keepers, you name it but we have kept it the same. Very different from the norm of fantasy football. We still have to do the scores by hand in a excel spreadsheet because no web sites can format the scoring.(if anyone knows one that can, please let me know.) Still a lot of fun and 7-8 of us have been around since the beginning or at least 15 years.

[Greg Ambrosius]

I play at lots of different sites and there are a couple things I don't care for at each, and other things that I like about each.

Obviously, this is just my opinion but if I was in charge I would probably start like this.

Roster. 20 players Lineups 1QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE, 2 flex(non qb) 1k(team kicker, not a player name), defense

scoring. 4 points TD pass, 6 for rush and rec TD. 1 point a catch no matter who catches it. A TE doesn't belong getting more points just because he is a TE. That concept is silly to me, much like backs getting less here in the past. Every player should get the same amount of points for doing the same thing as another player. 1 point per 20 passing and 1 for every 10 receiving and rushing. Low scoring defensive system. No penalties for kicker misses.

Straight serpentine and I would not do KDS as it typically needs to be done too early to be effective. However for any live draft over a certain dollar amount I would have KDS where you get your draft spot right before the draft. One guy drawn out of a hat and he picks where to sit first and so on and so forth. That is certainly the best way to go in those in my view.

Summary, would go with 4 per pass, 1 for TE grab, double flex, serpentine, no kds. Seems like I am beating up on the NFFC a bit, but I do like this game fine:) The 6 for QB and 1 for TE are the biggest things I don't like about here and accross the street. The other issues are just minor and enough so that I don't mind some having it one way and the others another. That is just how I would probably do it if I were running a game to start with.

All interesting points Chad. I agree with a lot of it. This is why I wanted to start the discussion. Fun to hear everyone's view of the different scoring formats. Thanks for the feedback.

[Coltsfan]

I have to agree with a lot of what Chad said. I like:

PPR across the board

4 points per passing TD

KDS is nice but too restrictive for general leagues

I do like 3RR

I actually like the NFFC scoring on kickers, defenses, and special teams.


Wayne

[kjduke]

We've had this debate before but I'll play again. I don't like the QB 4 pt TD, it's a random number for a play that is universally interchangeable with the number "6".

I know there's a weird fantasy precedent for 4-pt passing TD's, but it's never made sense to me. Chad doesn't like the inconsistency of having different PPR's for different positions, which I agree with --- but I'm not sure why TD's should be any different. I like 6 whether it's on offense, defense, passing, catching or running ... six ... because it's a TD.

[CoMoHusker]

We've had this debate before but I'll play again. I don't like the QB 4 pt TD, it's a random number for a play that is universally interchangeable with the number "6".

I know there's a weird fantasy precedent for 4-pt passing TD's, but it's never made sense to me. Chad doesn't like the inconsistency of having different PPR's for different positions, which I agree with --- but I'm not sure why TD's should be any different. I like 6 whether it's on offense, defense, passing, catching or running ... six ... because it's a TD.

Well said, KJ. I couldn't agree more. I think consistency in any scoring system is important. For example, if a DST receives two points for a fumble recovery then why wouldn't the player who lost the fumble lose two points?

[hammer]

I like the 6 point TDs.

NFFC scoring emphasizes each position, so the format (especially the 14 teamer) compels owners to sacrifice. Far from allowing owners to hoard value, the format promotes competition and management. I think it's the greatest challenge currently in our high stakes market.

[Greg Ambrosius]

KDS is nice but too restrictive for general leagues

Wayne

Wayne, I assume you mean that this is too restrictive to grow for a mass audience? Or do you mean something else?

Technically, we now have KDS set up so that once the league is formed and credit cards are run that our software runs through KDS in a minute and sets the draft order. There is nothing preventing us now from running leagues at the last minute, getting all KDS preferences set and the draft order announced in a matter of minutes. You'll see that with our Online Championship Leagues this year.

[Glenneration X]

I don't have too much of an opinion on the scoring rules between each of the contests regarding position players. I guess if I had to choose, I'd probably go with the standard 4 points per passing TD and 6 points for all rushing and receiving TD's, it just always felt right to me. Regarding reception scoring, I'd probably go with straight PPR across the board. Still, I really don't have much of an issue with 6 points for a QB TD nor the 1.5 PPR for a TE over at the FFPC. As long as we're all playing under the same scoring systems, we all just need to adjust to the differing values of specific positions between different contests accordingly. However, I never was a fan the .5 PPR for RB's and was glad to see that go. I just couldn't like any rule that devalues the RB position.

I would like defense scoring to somehow be more based on the skill of the defense rather than luck, which so influences defensive scoring today. I play in a local league that awards (and deducts) points not only for points allowed, but yardage allowed as well. I'm not sure how that would play in high stakes, but I do think there should be more disparity between a defense that allows 3 points and one that allows 33. I am also a fan of Action Scoring that awards points to a player that scores a kick or punt return touchdown. It's very disheartening for your player to make such an impact play and be awarded nothing for it. However, the D/ST scoring rules will never be a dealbreaker for me towards any contest.

What I do feel strongly about is some of the league format rules. I am a big fan of both KDS and 3RR as I like any rule that puts more control of my draft position in my hands and evens out the value of all the draft spots across the board. I don't think someone should be awarded an advantage because their name was pulled out of a hat first.

For similar reasons, I am a big proponent of the dual flex. It allows more flexibility, and again that word control, in how I choose to draft and construct my team as the lack of that 2nd flex sometimes forces you towards filling a certain position rather than taking the best player you may feel is available at the time. I also think it helps in-season in absorbing injuries in that you may be deeper in one position than another. I feel that would especially work well in the 14 teamers where the FAAB pool is sometimes extremely bare.

I like the 13 week regular season as it provides a larger sample size to award a league winner and I especially like the 3-week total points playoff in lieu of the H2H semi-finals, then finals format for the same reason of sample size.

All that said, I'm glad that there are differences between the High Stakes contests. I enjoy playing different contests with different rules and different formats. I think it adds to the fun of the fantasy season. One format I miss is the FFOC cutline. Hopefully someday one of the contests I trust brings it back.

[Coltsfan]

KDS is nice but too restrictive for general leagues

Wayne

Wayne, I assume you mean that this is too restrictive to grow for a mass audience? Or do you mean something else?

Technically, we now have KDS set up so that once the league is formed and credit cards are run that our software runs through KDS in a minute and sets the draft order. There is nothing preventing us now from running leagues at the last minute, getting all KDS preferences set and the draft order announced in a matter of minutes. You'll see that with our Online Championship Leagues this year.

Yes that is what I meant Greg. It's find but and I like it but for me timing is a huge issue. I do everything last minute. Not everyone is that way.

I don't have a strong opinion about passing TD's -either is fine.

I know it's not a scoring issue, but I do love dual flex. It just opens up lots of options. It's something I didn't like at first but now I do. Not a huge issue but just an opinion.

Overall, I can definitely say I would be 100% fine if nothing changed!


Wayne

[Greg Ambrosius]

Great post Glenn. You are correct that a good, nationally run cutline championship with that real-time scoring and the cutline "line" would be very, very appealing. That may have been Fanball's best IT work on the live scoring of that national contest. I think a contest like that would have mass appeal with a meaningful but not outrageous grand prize and could be very successful. It would take a lot of programming to do that from scratch, but I do think it would be a good addition to any HSFF portfolio. Now you have me thinking.