Are you freaking kidding me?

[thebeast]

One of the most fun things about Fantasy are rivalries between teams. How can you actually build rivalries unless you have head to head?

What? Maybe it's just me and my leagues, but in my 10-year dynasty, and 6-year dynasty there are no head to head rivalries between two teams. People talk trash for sure, but there ain't nothing like when the Steeler face the Bengals in my league.

[Patsfan86]

Im only in one league and we have a ton. Its a lot of fun. I see no point at all in not having head to head and it sounds very boring. Football is random, fantasy should reflect that in some way.

[jetsfan5757]

I personally would love to have a weekly doubleheader: head to head matchup for 1 game, and the other game the higher scoring half of the league gets a win and lower scoring half gets a loss (10 teams, 5 high scores get W, 5 low get a loss). I think this would be a good balance.

[M-Dub]

Head to head matchups are the only way I would want a league to be determined. I think the randomness is fun.

I don't play pull tabs, I don't go to casinos, I'm not addicted to, nor do I enjoy wasting money on gambling. The randomness and luck can work just fine for redraft leagues. Head to head matchups are fun but... there is a better statistical way to do this.

Believe it or not there is skill that goes into long term success in dynasty formats. For me, take the luck out of it. Take Kickers out, Take team defenses out, play a double header schedule and use victory points to determine final standings. There is MORE than enough randomness in the game itself, why carry more variables and cherish them? I don't get it.

I’m on board with almost all of this. I do, in fact, go to casinos, but strictly to play poker, which is also a game of skill. And I haven’t used victory points, so I can’t really comment on that part. Otherwise, I agree with all of it.

My league doesn’t use kickers or D/STs and we play double-headers every week. It’s so much more fun than the fluky, archaic redraft format. The double-headers retain the fun trash-talking element of H2H games every week while cutting out around 90% of the flukiness. Plus, in a 12-team league, it allows you to wrap up the regular season by week 11 and have two-week semifinals and finals to cut down on postseason flukiness as well.

What I’ve found, though, is that this is a lot like discussing politics or religion. No matter how much logical evidence you throw at the “any given Sunday” crowd, they will never change their minds about how much they love random chance.

What frustrates me the most is the whole mentality of wanting to mimic real-life football. The NFL didn’t decide on a 16-game regular season and a one-and-done playoff structure because it’s such a marvelous way to crown a champion. They’re forced to rely on a small sample size solely due to the extreme physicality of the game and the resulting recovery time needed afterwards. Fantasy football has no such constraints. There’s a reason the NBA, NHL and MLB play 82- and 162-game seasons and play 5- and 7-game series in the postseason. It’s because a larger sample is more likely to result in the best team(s) coming out on top, which should be the desired outcome in any competition.

[jomaed]

To take some flukiness out we award the final 2 playoff spots to the the team with the highest points scored of the teams that didn't get in otherwise. Kind of like wildcard slots.

[hockeyBjj]

One of the most fun things about Fantasy are rivalries between teams. How can you actually build rivalries unless you have head to head?

What? Maybe it's just me and my leagues, but in my 10-year dynasty, and 6-year dynasty there are no head to head rivalries between two teams. People talk trash for sure, but there ain't nothing like when the Steeler face the Bengals in my league.

We have one who won his division with best record in the league 3 years in a row, only to lose each time to the same guy in his division in semi finals, then the lose outscored either championship team week 16

So that one guy perpetually bitter at the other makes for an entertaining rivalry

[Patsfan86]

One of the most fun things about Fantasy are rivalries between teams. How can you actually build rivalries unless you have head to head?

What? Maybe it's just me and my leagues, but in my 10-year dynasty, and 6-year dynasty there are no head to head rivalries between two teams. People talk trash for sure, but there ain't nothing like when the Steeler face the Bengals in my league.

We have one who won his division with best record in the league 3 years in a row, only to lose each time to the same guy in his division in semi finals, then the lose outscored either championship team week 16

So that one guy perpetually bitter at the other makes for an entertaining rivalry

Yes one guy beats me in big games for me every single time and I "hate" him, its the same in another rivalry. Its great and its why head to head is better than these other systems. My team is atrocious this year but if I can somehow play spoiler and knock someone out of the playoffs than it makes this miserable season worth it in some way. These other leagues it seems like if you suck then you just suck that year and there really is nothing to play for at all. Snoozefest.

[Kcarr]

Currently 249-61 in all play in a 32 team league, 3rd best. 2 games back from the best all play record, 1st in total points. I am currently one spot out of the playoffs. I have closed the gap quite a bit and if I win out I think I will make the playoffs but right now would not.

[ArrylT]

Head to head matchups are the only way I would want a league to be determined. I think the randomness is fun.

I don't play pull tabs, I don't go to casinos, I'm not addicted to, nor do I enjoy wasting money on gambling. The randomness and luck can work just fine for redraft leagues. Head to head matchups are fun but... there is a better statistical way to do this.

Believe it or not there is skill that goes into long term success in dynasty formats. For me, take the luck out of it. Take Kickers out, Take team defenses out, play a double header schedule and use victory points to determine final standings. There is MORE than enough randomness in the game itself, why carry more variables and cherish them? I don't get it.

Sign me up Commish. Guess we need 10 more owners for the JFever Invitational.

[Life of Pablo]

I always love this topic of "head-to-head and how much randomness is TOO much randomness". I'll add my thoughts:

I personally would love to have a weekly doubleheader: head to head matchup for 1 game, and the other game the higher scoring half of the league gets a win and lower scoring half gets a loss (10 teams, 5 high scores get W, 5 low get a loss). I think this would be a good balance.

I've heard this idea before and think it's a very good compromise for leagues that have mixed feelings on the randomness of it all. It helps even out the playing field, but still keeps enough variables/chance around to keep everyone excited and on their toes.

To take some flukiness out we award the final 2 playoff spots to the the team with the highest points scored of the teams that didn't get in otherwise. Kind of like wildcard slots.

This is my personal favorite and I've suggested it to my league before (getting shot down, oh well). This one's great cause everybody keeps checking the points race for those last couple weeks, like every meaningless TD and big gain downfield can be the difference maker. Though I prefer this method for only the final 1 playoff spot, not the final 2.

Victory points are great and/or also like putting up more money to be able to pay out top 3 scores each week. It really discourages tanking too, and it gives teams that are out of the playoffs a chance to win some money back. I do find this is a little better suited for redrafts, but have done it in dynasty also. Fantasy is a poor odds future bet in all reality, but it mixes in more skill than a random "bet". It still is horse crap payout odds, no matter how you shake it. Gotta find the entertainment value in it to be worthwhile, and I think most do.

I've heard about victory points before but forget the concept/system, can someone explain it? Or is it the same thing that jomaed mentioned (top-half scorers get a W/victory point each week)?

What frustrates me the most is the whole mentality of wanting to mimic real-life football. The NFL didn’t decide on a 16-game regular season and a one-and-done playoff structure because it’s such a marvelous way to crown a champion. They’re forced to rely on a small sample size solely due to the extreme physicality of the game and the resulting recovery time needed afterwards. Fantasy football has no such constraints. There’s a reason the NBA, NHL and MLB play 82- and 162-game seasons and play 5- and 7-game series in the postseason. It’s because a larger sample is more likely to result in the best team(s) coming out on top, which should be the desired outcome in any competition.

While I don't entirely disagree with this point... I think for a lot of people (including myself), we love fantasy football BECAUSE of the small sample size, not in spite of it. It keeps the "any given Sunday" mentality that has made a lot of us passionate NFL fans in the first place. To increase the sample size would be lose a lot of the magic and impact of each miracle win or heartbreaking loss that keeps us coming back for more. Having said that, I say this with the bias of someone who loves basketball and baseball and so I've tried fantasy leagues in those sports before, but I am just not a fan lol. So it's definitely a subjective concept and is different for everybody.

[jetsfan5757]

I always love this topic of "head-to-head and how much randomness is TOO much randomness". I'll add my thoughts:

I personally would love to have a weekly doubleheader: head to head matchup for 1 game, and the other game the higher scoring half of the league gets a win and lower scoring half gets a loss (10 teams, 5 high scores get W, 5 low get a loss). I think this would be a good balance.

I've heard this idea before and think it's a very good compromise for leagues that have mixed feelings on the randomness of it all. It helps even out the playing field, but still keeps enough variables/chance around to keep everyone excited and on their toes.

To take some flukiness out we award the final 2 playoff spots to the the team with the highest points scored of the teams that didn't get in otherwise. Kind of like wildcard slots.

This is my personal favorite and I've suggested it to my league before (getting shot down, oh well). This one's great cause everybody keeps checking the points race for those last couple weeks, like every meaningless TD and big gain downfield can be the difference maker. Though I prefer this method for only the final 1 playoff spot, not the final 2.

Victory points are great and/or also like putting up more money to be able to pay out top 3 scores each week. It really discourages tanking too, and it gives teams that are out of the playoffs a chance to win some money back. I do find this is a little better suited for redrafts, but have done it in dynasty also. Fantasy is a poor odds future bet in all reality, but it mixes in more skill than a random "bet". It still is horse crap payout odds, no matter how you shake it. Gotta find the entertainment value in it to be worthwhile, and I think most do.

I've heard about victory points before but forget the concept/system, can someone explain it? Or is it the same thing that jomaed mentioned (top-half scorers get a W/victory point each week)?

What frustrates me the most is the whole mentality of wanting to mimic real-life football. The NFL didn’t decide on a 16-game regular season and a one-and-done playoff structure because it’s such a marvelous way to crown a champion. They’re forced to rely on a small sample size solely due to the extreme physicality of the game and the resulting recovery time needed afterwards. Fantasy football has no such constraints. There’s a reason the NBA, NHL and MLB play 82- and 162-game seasons and play 5- and 7-game series in the postseason. It’s because a larger sample is more likely to result in the best team(s) coming out on top, which should be the desired outcome in any competition.

While I don't entirely disagree with this point... I think for a lot of people (including myself), we love fantasy football BECAUSE of the small sample size, not in spite of it. It keeps the "any given Sunday" mentality that has made a lot of us passionate NFL fans in the first place. To increase the sample size would be lose a lot of the magic and impact of each miracle win or heartbreaking loss that keeps us coming back for more. Having said that, I say this with the bias of someone who loves basketball and baseball and so I've tried fantasy leagues in those sports before, but I am just not a fan lol. So it's definitely a subjective concept and is different for everybody.

Agree with your takes in general. The real reason I made this post tho is just to say your team looks STACKED. Well done sir.

[Life of Pablo]

Agree with your takes in general. The real reason I made this post tho is just to say your team looks STACKED. Well done sir.

Trust me it's better on paper than it's been in reality. I've been winning but it's been much more tooth-and-nail than expected. If not for the Mike McCoy firing and the Carlos Hyde trade I'd be feeling much differently about my RBs right now. But I guess that's what keeps it exciting!

[Ryantacular]

im literally in same situation. 2nd all play record. 2nd for points scored. 1st for points against fml.

double headers each week. 16 team league. im in 12th place. (team 1 in sig.)

[BigBawseRoss]

Victory points are great and/or also like putting up more money to be able to pay out top 3 scores each week. It really discourages tanking too, and it gives teams that are out of the playoffs a chance to win some money back. I do find this is a little better suited for redrafts, but have done it in dynasty also. Fantasy is a poor odds future bet in all reality, but it mixes in more skill than a random "bet". It still is horse crap payout odds, no matter how you shake it. Gotta find the entertainment value in it to be worthwhile, and I think most do.

i LOVE weekly top 3 payouts, only have one league like that but i suggest it to every league and its so foreign it never gets accepted.

[A-train]

In my 20 team league I'm the 3rd highest scoring team in the league. Yet am 6-4 and currently not in the playoffs. Put up 137.6 points this week and will still most likely lose this week.