Hello, I'm @SteveIDP

[steveidp]

Hi folks!

I just wanted to say hi and introduce myself and start a conversation. My name is Steve Schulz. I'm on Twitter at @SteveIDP. I joined DLF midseason this past year as a writer and ranker.

Here's my history: I've played fantasy football since 1996 and became one of the ultra-nerds who experimented with IDP a couple of years later. I was kicking around Twitter, hitting up some of the early IDP guys like Gary Davenport and Steve Gallo from early on, picking their brains as much as they'd let me.

I started writing for FakePigskin.com a few years back and after about two months, I was editing the IDP department. Before long, I was the Editor in Chief somehow. But I always was an IDP guy. We had some huge names move through that IDP department, like Mike Woellert, Bee Salamat, and (briefly) Eric Breeze and so many more. So I was always more of an editor than a writer, since we had great dudes carrying the load.

Eventually I burned out and had to focus on my day job, but I always had a thumb drive with my own dynasty rankings for IDP on it. I obsessed over that spreadsheet, even though it was only for my own benefit. I was still in about 20 IDP leagues, mostly with other IDP writers/radio guys/etc.

Last fall, Doug Green contacted me and asked me to join the DLF team. I've been a subscriber to DLF (and two other sites) for years, FakePigskin always had a great relationship with the DLF guys, and I really adored the whole team. So here I am.

Here's the deal, guys. I've had a ton of success in IDP leagues, even against the best competition out there. I want to help you. I think a lot of you guys can teach me too. I'm not arrogant, and I'd love to learn from you too. I'm laser-focused on giving advice on long-term player value. The minute I feel like I'm not adding value, I'll walk away.

OK, with the introduction over, I'd like to hear your feedback. What would you like from the IDP team at DLF in 2019? What do we do too much of, not enough of, etc? I will say I want to stay close to our mission, and focus on value -- not the dude of the week. Other than that, I'd love to hear from everybody. Long live IDP!

[ArrylT]

Welcome aboard! I cannot speak for anyone else but I think it is nice just to have writer(s) who focus solely on IDP. Since I believe there is already at least one, it is nice to see more potential IDP Writers, especially one kind enough to introduce themselves publicly. Apart from that I wouldnt mind knowing ways to make IDP more accessible to the general dynasty owner (but do not involve dumbing it down or making IDP scoring too complex or weak) . I will leave it to the rest with more detailed requests / comments.

[lukkynumber13]

Welcome aboard! I cannot speak for anyone else but I think it is nice just to have writer(s) who focus solely on IDP. Since I believe there is already at least one, it is nice to see more potential IDP Writers, especially one kind enough to introduce themselves publicly. Apart from that I wouldnt mind knowing ways to make IDP more accessible to the general dynasty owner (but do not involve dumbing it down or making IDP scoring too complex or weak) . I will leave it to the rest with more detailed requests / comments.

Amen!

[Dunville]

Wooooh looking forward to what you bring to the table.

[berserkers]

Thanks Steve. Can't wait to read your takes.

[mhors32]

The rankings on the site need a lot more attention and maintenance. But they are never going to be perfect, I know that. So more words weekly on who is trending up and who we should be paying attention to would be very helpful.

[TB3falcons]

The rankings on the site need a lot more attention and maintenance. But they are never going to be perfect, I know that. So more words weekly on who is trending up and who we should be paying attention to would be very helpful.

This right here. The rankings just sit stagnant.

Also, a weekly snap count article would be awesome and who's taking advantage of those snaps. But I also understand that it's a lot of work. Then again, I'd almost rather keep doing it myself using PFR... then again I don't want lazier league mates to figure out how I find my in-season IDP gems.

[Forza_Azzurri]

I’m new to IDP (entering my second season) ... I feel comfortable comparing & ranking IDP players. Where I struggle is comparing & evaluating trades involving IDP and offensive players (particularly non-elite players). Any content you can generate around that would be very helpful and make IDP more accessible IMO.

[saw061600]

I’m new to IDP (entering my second season) ... I feel comfortable comparing & ranking IDP players. Where I struggle is comparing & evaluating trades involving IDP and offensive players (particularly non-elite players). Any content you can generate around that would be very helpful and make IDP more accessible IMO.

Some articles exploring this would be great however, it's hard with no true standard format for IDP leagues. Maybe articles based off blanced IDP scoring?

[DynastyDog]

Welcome and I know everyone on here appreciate all of the hard work this site puts in for us. It defiantly give us a leg up in our league.

[GridironGuerilla]

Welcome aboard! I cannot speak for anyone else but I think it is nice just to have writer(s) who focus solely on IDP. Since I believe there is already at least one, it is nice to see more potential IDP Writers, especially one kind enough to introduce themselves publicly. Apart from that I wouldnt mind knowing ways to make IDP more accessible to the general dynasty owner (but do not involve dumbing it down or making IDP scoring too complex or weak) . I will leave it to the rest with more detailed requests / comments.

This! And welcome!

[Team Tacos]

Welcome! Yes rankings that are updated more often would be better, and rankings that split DL into DT and DE, and DB into S and CB would be awesome. Also snap counts, like someone said above. Can’t wait to read your stuff!

[steveidp]

OK, I can already tell you're my kind of people. We're going to get along well!

Someone asked about snap counts. Have you followed Tom Kislingbury (@TomDegenerate) on Twitter? Tom is doing some great work on snaps. I can't do better than him. He's the gold standard.

I appreciate some of the other comments on the differences between leagues and scoring systems. I've actually annoyed people by asking many questions about their league scoring system before I give them IDP advice. And that's the game. I need to know your league and the settings before I can really give you legit advice. That said, my DMs and my attention here in the DLF forums are all for your guys' benefit. I'm happy to help you with anything.

I'm really getting the message from you guys that you'd like the dynasty rankings updated more often than we currently do it. I think that's some great feedback. And as a ranker, I may resist overreacting to a single week's performance in moving players up or down, but I'm totally hearing you guys about wanting rankings that reflect every new piece of data.

To be honest, I have a thumb drive where I update my rankings almost daily for 365 days a year. I haven't updated my DLF rankings in the last year that often because I feel like that's overreacting. But hearing your feedback, I think it may be better to update my rankings almost daily and let the chips fall where they may. I'm going to strive for that in 2019.

Any other feedback, folks?

[steveidp]

Welcome! Yes rankings that are updated more often would be better, and rankings that split DL into DT and DE, and DB into S and CB would be awesome. Also snap counts, like someone said above. Can’t wait to read your stuff!

Snap counts: I don't know anyone in fantasy football better than Tom Kislingbury. His work on snaps is better than anyone out there.

We've had these same discussions behind the scenes about the upcoming 2019 rookies. We're doing our best to break it into DL/LB/DB because that's what most IDP leagues still use. But we're all sensitive to the idea that we could also be ranking these guys by IDL/EDGE/S/CB.

In reality, I've been having this argument with IDP experts for 10 years. Behind the scenes, we're having this argument with Yahoo/MFL/ESPN, etc. It's been raging for years. I'm not optimistic we're close to a solution.

Since I don't want to be fatalistic with this issue, I'd just recommend you reach out to the DLF team here in the forums. Give us all of the scoring quirks in your league. We'll give you the best advice we have.

[FiremanEd]

Appreciate your introduction, honesty, and discussion Steve. Happy to have you as part of the team, if for no other reason than another invested IDP enthusiast.