2005 NFFC Regular Season Facts

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 7:34 am

Rick, you are right about seeing where all 32 playoff teams drafted. I haven't done that yet as I was hoping someone else would do it. Now that you mention that Gekko (13th) and CC Desperados (14th) picked from the back of the pack and still made the playoffs, I'll do the research myself. I need to find this out.

One thing I said earlier was that over a 13-week season, a lot of the injuries and h2h matchups would play out and even out. I'm convinced now more than ever that the 13-week regular season is essential to the NFFC and I think our format worked pretty well. I'm not against improving it and we'll work to do that.

Tom Kessenich · Post by **Tom Kessenich** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 8:15 am

The bottom line (in my opinion) is that it's not where you draft, but who you draft. Draft position is irrelevent in the grand scheme of things.

In my opinion.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 8:26 am

I don't have the time to match up common players with playoff teams, but I'd love it if someone could do that. It's interesting that Priest Holmes isn't on a single playoff team, but how many playoff teams have Tiki Barber, Reuben Droughns, Brandon Stokeley and some of those sleepers?

Injuries to your first and second round picks will KILL any fantasy team, no matter where you draft from. But this data certainly proves that you can win from any draft position and that you MUST add to your team with in-season pickups to beat the best of the best.

This data also proves to me that random draft selection and random h2h matchups need to stay in the NFFC for 2005. The system isn't broken yet. Yes, we can improve on it and I will be open-minded to doing that, but I feel like we've built something special this year and continuing to grow using a familiar format is the way to go in 2005. I'm going to grow realistically this next year and let the Million Dollar fantasy games come and go once again, while we deliver what we promise.

King of Queens · Post by **King of Queens** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 8:26 am

Originally posted by Tom Kessenich:
The bottom line (in my opinion) is that it's not where you draft, but who you draft. Draft position is irrelevent in the grand scheme of things.

In my opinion. Sound so simple and obvious, doesn't it?

Absolutely agree witcha, Tom.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 8:43 am

Okay, my bad on those draft position numbers. I grabbed the wrong draft data from each league. Let me repost those numbers in a bit and allow everyone to comment after them. Sorry about that.

JerseyPaul · Post by **JerseyPaul** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 8:53 am

Said it before...will say it again:

Of course it's better to have an early draft pick. There are a limited number of "elite" players and it's better to draft one of them than not to draft one of them.

But, injuries and free agent pick-ups change the picture each week.

To win you have to be good and lucky. Your draft choices must stay healthy and perform equal to or better than expectation. You have to identify free agents when they are still affordable and available. You have to start players on weeks they "go off" (luck).

So, what does that give us. Yes, it's better to draft early because you get a real (but small) advantage. By the end of week 13 that advantage is invisible because of the other factors. Surely (don't call me Surely) you don't think drafting Priest Holmes was a mistake, yet none of those guys made the playoffs (exception, I have Priest and am still top point winner in my Auction League). So bad luck killed those guys and the vultures that drafted Blaylock got paid handsomely.

The NFFC system is not broken, I do like h2h but I think total points should get more respect.

I'd like to see a playoff for top money between best record and highest points when they are not held by the same team. No big deal. Not a huge tweak, but it will insure the best team wins the league prize.

The other change I'd like to see is a higher percentage of the prize pool allocated to league awards versus "overall". Currently 2nd place is little better than breakeven and 3rd is, well... better than no prize at all but only by a little.

Bottom line, looks like the season couldn't have worked out better for the NFFC and its participants. Great job by all.

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 9:31 am

Okay, now for the most interesting numbers of all, facts that prove you can win from ANY draft spot. Below are the draft positions for the 32 playoff teams and the number of playoff teams that drafted from each spot:

No. 1: 2
No. 2: 4
No. 3: 3
No. 4: 2
No. 5: 1
No. 6: 2
No. 7: 3
No. 8: 4
No. 9: 0
No. 10: 0
No. 11: 2
No. 12: 3
No. 13: 4
No. 14: 2

34% of the playoff teams came from the final four spots in the draft and 34% of the playoff teams came from the first four spots in the draft. Only spots Nos. 9 and 10 didn't field playoff teams. Interesting numbers overall, don't you think?

Of the 16 league champions, here's where they drafted:
No. 1: 2
No. 2: 2
No. 3: 1
No. 4: 1
No. 5: 1
No. 7: 1
No. 8: 2
No. 11: 1
No. 12: 2
No. 13: 1
No. 14: 2

Any thoughts on all this? Does it prove anything?

Greg Ambrosius · Post by **Greg Ambrosius** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 9:37 am

I agree with you on all points Jersey Paul, although I'm still not sold on a league playoff. Stating that you can win $5,000 for winning your league title without adding "but first you must accomplish points a) and b)" is a great promotional advantage. My goal is to add over $1,000 to the league prizes next year and cover that expense with more teams while holding pretty tight on the overall prizes. We'll see if the group agrees. I plan on asking the current participants via e-mail soon to get feedback on 2005's setup.

Sorry for the mistake on the previous league numbers, but I read some league draft orders wrong. Enjoy the numbers above and let me know if they mean anything. They are correct this time.

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 10:10 am

Originally posted by Greg Ambrosius:
I agree with you on all points Jersey Paul, although I'm still not sold on a league playoff. Stating that you can win $5,000 for winning your league title without adding "but first you must accomplish points a) and b)" is a great promotional advantage. league championship is a MUST next year. 3 week is my choice.

Gordon Gekko · Post by **Gordon Gekko** » Tue Dec 07, 2004 10:11 am

Originally posted by Greg Ambrosius:
is a great promotional advantage. having been through it this year it's a turnoff and disadvantge for me (and others).