Commissioner Tanking - Whether this is and how to handle it?

[harmana 0]

In our dynasty league we can start 1RB/4WR our 2RB/3WR and TDs earn 5 points; 10 yards rushing/receiving earns 1 point and 10 carries or 2 completions earn 1 point.

 

Since week 11 one of our two commissioners has been out of the playoffs.

 

Week 11 He chose to start L. Maroney versus Buffalo over Steven Jackson versus SF.

Week 12 He chose to start A. Gonzales and C. Henry in a 1RB/4WR over Steven Jackson versus SEA in a 2RB/3WR.

Week 13 He had originally chosen to start A. Gonzales over Steven Jackson versus Atlanta until I told the other commissioner and his lineup was changed.

 

He stood to move up from the #6 pick to the #3 pick by losing.

 

1. What are people's opinion? Is this clearly tanking or could someone in a playoff hunt credibly make these decisions?

2. How would you handle this if you were in this dynasty league? This is our 7th year together. I asked for official league rules last year about tanking and quit when we didn't put any together. People asked me to rejoin the league and I did. We do not have any official league rules.

3. When I confronted him his argument was as follows. Is this argument credible? Thank you very much for your help on a sensitive matter.

 

I don't have a crystal ball. I liked Gonzo last week over SJ. He had a long td called back on holding or he would of easily out pointed SJ. My thinking on SJ is simply that with his injury and that team as bad as they are, seems silly to risk their stud when they have nothing too gain and they can find out about Leonard. Guru had him ranked down last week and had it as a neutral matchup. They had Indy as a good matchup in the passing game. If you look back I inserted Gonzo into my lineup at the last minute Thur when I heard Marvin was out again.

I'm not tanking. Far from it. It does not matter to me where I end up. ... there is little difference in one pick to the next for me when they are this high. They are all a crap shoot past the the first 2 and even then, you can make an argument!

I have so many picks that everyone knows I have to deal them out. I am notorious for dealing picks and not holding them. I dealt my way out of the playoffs this season with bad trades. Me getting the 4-6th pick is not going to make a huge difference since I own the #1 overall.

[Pimptaddy 0]

Tanking losers should have their teams locked. The commish should set the best possible lineup each week and let it play out. If the cheater is the commish, then you are being led by idiots, and should join a new league.

[harmana 0]

But Pimp, do you consider this a clearcut enough differential to qualify as tanking? I am trying to get objective opinions as to whether this constitutes tanking or can be justified.

 

Thanks.

[drd0g 0]

But Pimp, do you consider this a clearcut enough differential to qualify as tanking? I am trying to get objective opinions as to whether this constitutes tanking or can be justified.

 

Thanks.

 

 

Doesn't matter. You have no rule to enforce.

[dogbert 0]

The good Dr. is right. How can you violate a rule if it doesn't exist to be violated?

[harmana 0]

The point is whether this would qualify as tanking if there were a rule. Rules usually come about to address existing problems.

 

What do tanking rules look like from other dynasty leagues? Sorry to bring business terminology into fantasy football but are there best practices on how to handle tanking in dynasty leagues (where there is an incentive to finish badly so the person can get a higher pick next year)?

 

If this is obvious tanking by other league's rules than that would be momentum (for lack of a better word) to bring rules here. But if this is not considered tanking by other league's rules then I would like to know that as well and maybe examples of what would be tanking.

[reapers69 0]

Week 11 C. Henry was coming off an 8 catch, 80+ yard, 1 TD performance in week 10

 

This week Gonzalez was coming off 6 catches and 105 yards.

 

Is there a possibiltiy that he's just frustrated with what he's gotten from Jackson this year.

 

I'm not so sure this is clear cut tanking and that is the real problem with enforcing such a rule.

 

 

As far as tanking rules you have to be careful. A team has a right to do what it can to help itself out whether it's for this season or next. You would hope that an owner who is planning on staying with the league would consider what's best for the league. Consider an NFL team that has an aging QB and they decide to put in the young rookie QB they drafted last year. We've all heard it before, " They're gonna take their lumps while the kid learns under fire" That team really doesn't expect to win it's a matter of getting better for next year. I've never played in a dynasty league but the league I've been in for 14 years protects 3 players per team each year and alot of times a team will give up way to much to get a good player they can protect the next season once they are out of the playoffs.

 

Remember rules are fine but before you make a rule you need to consider how to prove a violation and how to enforce it. Good luck and I hope I've helped a little.

[RaiderHaters Revenge 3,592]

someone in my league bitched that I started Fred Jackson over Addai this week. Same person bitched that I started APeterson(Chi) over Mcgahee.

 

I just had a feeling, guess what I was right. Take away that phantom pushoff on Gonzalez and he puts up some good pts this week.

 

I was already locked into a playoff spot, and I was playing one of the teams battling for the last spot. The guy that was bitching is now calling me thanking me.

 

Let the guy manage his team however he wants.

[Dr. Octopus 0]

These are borderline calls/decisions and don't really meet such a gross standard that you could call it "tanking." While its hard to justify keeping SJ out of a line-up, its not impossible to do so. I'd have to give him the benfit of the doubt and his explanations are plausible.

 

A "tanking rule" could really only go so far as to say the "best lineup" must be started, however a commish will need to give some leeway as to what is the "best lineup". Obviously its easy to seeing tanking when bye week or injured players are left in a line-up, but its a little fuzzy when its Chris Henry over Steven Jackson.

[harmana 0]

I really appreciate everybody's reply as your feedback has influenced how I will handle it.

 

Let me then ask the broader question to help us address other situations, "Has anybody ever drafted tanking rules into dynasty league by-laws and if so, what are these rules and how effective have they been?"

 

Thank you again for all of your input.

[jgcrawfish 232]

I'm in a d league and am battling for the top draft spot overall. But I can honestly say I've tried to win every game since it became clear I was heading for a top 3 spot. I've stayed active on WW and tried to put the best players out there that I can. When you're trying to chose between Eli and Vince at the QB spot, it's dicey at best. Our commish did send out an email reminding us that tanking was prohibited an that anyone found guilty of it would lose draft picks.

[bno70_1 0]

It's not obvious enough for tanking. Frustrated Sjax owner is an easy out. You can't prove that he didn't think he was submitting the best lineup possible. In cases like this, you just gotta roll with it. That's why you have to choose your Dynasty owners very carfully.

[Stewburtx8 67]

I really appreciate everybody's reply as your feedback has influenced how I will handle it.

 

Let me then ask the broader question to help us address other situations, "Has anybody ever drafted tanking rules into dynasty league by-laws and if so, what are these rules and how effective have they been?"

 

Thank you again for all of your input.

 

 

I really don't know how you could draft "tanking" rules into your by laws. What defines tanking? Sometimes owners take some shots in the dark with lineup decisions...sometimes they turn out to be right. As seen above, would many people think sitting Addai for an unproven Fred Jackson was a good decision...No...but it worked out. The only thing I think you can put into the by laws is that all owners must field a "valid" lineup. That includes not starting players when they are on a bye or obviously injured. For example, if an owner started Donovan McNabb and Brandon Jacobs this week, I could say they were tanking or simply didn't care. But starting a WR that is STARTING and has shown the ability to have big games over a more proven RB, well that could just be a judgment call on the owners part, one he has the right to make. Only the owner knows if he was truly TRYING to lose, but in this instance there is no way to prove it.

 

Just like in the NBA, were the Celts and Bucks tanking last year to try to give themselves a better shot at Oden and Durant?....well most people would say so, but it's impossible to prove whether they really were or not. AND there are NO rules against it.

[BoltAddiction 0]

The point is whether this would qualify as tanking if there were a rule. Rules usually come about to address existing problems.

 

What do tanking rules look like from other dynasty leagues? Sorry to bring business terminology into fantasy football but are there best practices on how to handle tanking in dynasty leagues (where there is an incentive to finish badly so the person can get a higher pick next year)?

 

If this is obvious tanking by other league's rules than that would be momentum (for lack of a better word) to bring rules here. But if this is not considered tanking by other league's rules then I would like to know that as well and maybe examples of what would be tanking.

Anti-Tanking rule which has worked for us - teams not in the play-offs have their own play-offs for draft position. Obviously pays to be the best record of the worst records as you get to play the stiff the first week. Unfortunately, the team that really sucks not only has the worst record, but often ends up 4th to draft (10 team league).