|
 |
It's More Than Just Who Should Start
6/11/01
Email
Dan
|
» Game Design Dictionary |
Do you play the stars week after week? Follow the mantra, Start
Your Stars, Start Your Stars. Usually in larger leagues (14 plus)
your selection starts to thin out pretty quickly anyway, but especially
in an 8 team local league, you definitely should consider starting
8 or more of the mix QB/RB/WR/TE. There are also benefits for medium
and large leagues to increase their rosters. The decision in either
case should be weighed against the entire design.
What good is there in starting 12 of 16 total players? It allows
GMs to easily play their "hunches", therefore rewarding
the ones who manage their teams well. It also balances out the stud
factor into a team concept full of regular performers. Larger rosters
make it a game of developing depth. It mimics the NFL teams that
do carry 8 or 10 receivers while playing 5 or more.
Basic league formations rarely stray from the 1 QB, 5 or 6 RB/WR/TE
types, 1 PK, and usually a D/ST. Will your starting lineup be Static
(every position predetermined) or Open (some positions that can
be filled by more than one type of starter)? Occasionally we see
the potential of a fully open roster (5+ RB/WR/TE any combo). Gaining
favor is a composition along these lines: 5 starters that can be
either 1 or 3 running backs and 2 or 4 receivers with the TE either
static or lumped into the mix.
The TE position is a valuable slot, especially in retention leagues.
Having one of the top four TEs will make the difference in a couple
of victories each season. I highly recommend keeping this slot static
(example: 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE).
Roster Pressure
I have just defined a threshold on top talent in the TE position.
What are your estimates on the number of top RBs available? Even
green Newbies half way through their first draft realize there is
a finite limit to the talent pool in each position. As game designers,
we need to examine the demands of the starting roster and the scoring
system. In the design you create something I call roster pressure.
Twelve teams with a requirement of one starter at a position (kicker)
that has the perceived depth of 15 generate much less roster pressure.
A more serious situation is where you require 24 weekly starters
(2 RBs per team) that must come from a perceived talent level of
only a dozen or so. The pressure to fill that slot first before
all the top selections are taken is why we continue to see the rush
on running backs. If you only required one running back starter
per week, the pressure we see exhibited would melt away.
I am a big proponent of the Open Starting Roster. It greatly reduces
the design error of forcing every league and every franchise to
start 2 running backs. This "default setting" mixed with rules that
favor running back production results in the rush we all complain
about. In your next league, do something about it. Here are a few
variations of what starting rosters can look like:
| S T A R T I N G R
O S T E R V A R I A T I O N S |
| Position |
8-team |
8v1 |
8v2 |
8v3 |
| QB |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
| RB |
2 |
1-3 |
1-3 |
1-3 |
| WR |
3 |
2-4 |
3-6 |
3-6 |
| TE |
1 |
x |
x |
1 |
| Cstarter |
0 |
5 |
7 |
7 |
| Tstarter |
7 |
6 |
8 |
10 |
X = Tight End position
is not separate. WR slots are considered for all receiver
positions. You can certainly add the TE slot in a design.
Do you want to subtract one from the number of receivers
slotted? Consider how this impacts total roster and
the FAV.
Cstarter = Total number of starters in the combo runner/receiver
positions.
Tstarter = Total starters from the listed positions
on each fantasy team. |
|
8-Team: Default Stew
This flavor comes in either 2 or 3 receiver versions. It demands
the default 2 running back setup.
8v1: Moderate Open Leagues
By mixing the RB/WR/TE into 5 variable slots with only light requirements
we reduce the pressure to have two solid RB starters.
8v2: Wide-Open Leagues
More starting slots to be filled up, not with running backs, but
number two and three receivers on hot passing teams becomes the
emphasis. The QB position could be the design breaker, if you give
have a generous points system. With a block of 7 runners and receivers
creating a greater scoring average to dilute the need for a heavy
run on these positions, the QB becomes more critical.
8v3: The Big Little Man Leagues
Yes, two starting quarterbacks. This is a very interesting twist
on small leagues. As the Cstarter value goes up, the QB position
becomes the most critical pick. Notice I did not say the first pick.
Here is an offering that can be coupled into large total roster
designs. Start 2 QBs and a whole crew of RB/WR/TE each week. Give
your managers the roster room to gamble on that guy he "just
has a feeling" about. How many players are kept in reserve
on the roster? The richer the free agent pool, the hotter the league
interaction. This lineup style would go great in a Rolling Craps
Game design.
I am not a fan of individual defensive players. I also have some
disparaging words about team defenses and especially special teams
which robs touchdowns from a section of very deserving players.
A category I will champion in exotics.
» Zoom,
Zoom, Zoom
:: comments to dan
sez
|
|
|
 |
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
|
|
