Starting a Keeper League

[greggorymac 0]

I've been in a standard 12 team re-draft league with the same guys for over 8 years. We have been using how you finish in the previous year, to determine your daft slot for the upcoming season (reverse order). Meaning if you finished last (12th) in 2008, you would get the first choice of where you wanted to draft in 2009 (1 through 12).

 

This year we were thinking of making this a keeper league, being able to keep 1 or 2 players off our 2009 roster at the end of the season. Some people are arguing that since we are starting a keeper league this year, the draft order going into the season should be randomized. Those who did poorly in 2008 (and were slated to get picks 1-4 this season) argue that they should keep their draft spots because that was the rule prior to everybody deciding to switch to a keeper league. The others in the league, whom will obviously miss out on players like ADP, Turner, and MJD are lobbying for randomizing the draft order.

 

The only fair way to do this in my opinion is to come up with a hybrid of both. To somehow factor in last season's performance with a semi-randomized selection process... very similar to the NBA draft lottery (where the lottery is still random, but last season's worst performing team has a higher probability of getting the first pick).

 

What are your guy's thoughts on this? Has anybody heard of any weighted draft simulation software out there? Thanks in advance.

[Ray_T 591]

I've been in a standard 12 team re-draft league with the same guys for over 8 years. We have been using how you finish in the previous year, to determine your daft slot for the upcoming season (reverse order). Meaning if you finished last (12th) in 2008, you would get the first choice of where you wanted to draft in 2009 (1 through 12).

 

This year we were thinking of making this a keeper league, being able to keep 1 or 2 players off our 2009 roster at the end of the season. Some people are arguing that since we are starting a keeper league this year, the draft order going into the season should be randomized. Those who did poorly in 2008 (and were slated to get picks 1-4 this season) argue that they should keep their draft spots because that was the rule prior to everybody deciding to switch to a keeper league. The others in the league, whom will obviously miss out on players like ADP, Turner, and MJD are lobbying for randomizing the draft order.

 

The only fair way to do this in my opinion is to come up with a hybrid of both. To somehow factor in last season's performance with a semi-randomized selection process... very similar to the NBA draft lottery (where the lottery is still random, but last season's worst performing team has a higher probability of getting the first pick).

 

What are your guy's thoughts on this? Has anybody heard of any weighted draft simulation software out there? Thanks in advance.

 

If this is an ongoing league, the same rules should apply regardless of whether you are now allowing keepers.

 

also, I would argue that with only one or two keepers you are essentially doing a redraft anyways.

[akareckas 0]

Personally I think you keep the draft order as is. The worst teams will probably have the worst keepers anyway. If you insist on doing a lottery (which I do for the rookie draft in my dynasty football, hockey, baseball and basketball pools) you need to assign random numbers. For 12 teams it looks like this:

 

1st Place Team: 1

2nd Place Team: 2-3

3rd Place Team: 4-6

4th 7-10

5th 11-15

6th 16-22

7th 23-29

8th 30-37

9th 38-46

10th 46-55

11th 56-66

12th 67-78

 

Then go to a website that will generate a random number. Get the site to generate a number from 1-78 inclusive about 25 times.

 

The first number determines the first pick, 2nd determines 2nd pick etc. Drop the repeats.

 

Having said all that, you can just put names in a hat. As long as the last guy has his name down 12 times and the first guy has his name down once, you've got a weigthed lottery.

[nordwave 2]

What are your keeper rules? Do owners get to pick a keeper next year from any round in the draft? If so, a weighted lottery to determine draft order is a pretty good idea.

 

If your keeper rules exclude the first 3 rounds of the draft (this seems to be a common rule), I say keep the draft order as it stands, based on last year.

I think making the first 3 rounds off limits is a good idea. ADP, Forte, Slaton, all those guys get thrown back into the pool for next year's draft. It makes draft day more strategic when Round 4 starts. Also, to calm complaints about the draft order, it ensures that the people drafting at the end of Round 1 will be at the top of Round 4, thereby getting first shot at potential keeper players for next year.

[greggorymac 0]

Thanks for the advice you guys.

 

I'll run both options by the league:

 

Option A: Weighted lottery to select a new draft order (weighted to favor last years finishing order, ala the NBA lottery)

 

Option B: Keep the 2008 finishing order and stipulate that the 2009 keeper must be chosen from Rd 4 or later (to put people on equal ground for choosing their keeper)

 

Thanks again