Over Sized Rosters

[mrmagloo]

We have a 30 player limit on our rosters, 10 team league, standard scoring, no IDP. Anyway, I have noticed that some owners are holding 31 or 32 players, our league rules are that you have to have a legal roster by the first game of season. Is it normal for owners to take on extra players to kind of hedge on injuries and cuts happening before first game? Is it considered cut-throat or bad etiquette? Or is it considered okay in most leagues? Just looking for thoughts on this, because if it is considered normal, I may go sharking...

[Ruggenater]

It's possible things are different from league to league, but this is very common in my league. I currently have 26 players on my 24-man roster (two IR spots that were filled with JCharles and JGordon back when they weren't yet practicing). Another way to hedge is to wait on picking up a kicker until week 1, giving you one more skill position roster spot.

[dblj1199]

I guess I'd simply hold as many people as possible. So if you take a player like Dak on a flyer and then Romo gets hurt suddenly his value goes way up and your dropping another flyer. So grab what you can and make cuts / trades at the last minute.

[VikingWarrior]

It's normal in all of my leagues and we only have to make roster cuts after the last preseason game. If your league rules state that you "have to have a legal roster by the first game of season", I see no reason how this could even be slightly considered to be bad etiquette.

[Eight7Seven]

There is an IR in nearly all of my leagues and I intentionally try and keep it full. If I don't have currently injured players I pick up injured players who were dropped to add to my reserve. I want to give my self as many lottery tickets as possible. The one thing I won't personally do is leave a hole in my starting roster for an extra bench player during the off season.

The very first dynasty league I joined had a rule against dropping your kicker/defense and it's gotten stuck in my head as a low class move. Actually thinking about it now my stance seems comical, like I'm trying to be ready in case I'm challenged to a scrimmage. Constant Vigilance!

[IBall2]

In my league we have an expanded roster of 34 players during the offseason and 1 guy was up to 38 after the rookie draft! lol We don't mind because that was his strategy but he was not allowed to add waiver players or submit trade offers until he dropped back down to the 34 player limit.

[bonscott]

Ummm, ask your commish what the rules are?

In one of my leagues in the off-season we expand rosters to unlimited basically (he changes the roster limit in MFL to as high as it goes which I think is 90). Then the 3rd pre-season Sunday we have cut down day where everyone has to get back to the limit of 22 (and he changes the roster limit to 22 after the deadline).

Other leagues I'm in don't do this and there is no way you could go over the roster limit since that is enforced by the web site.

So again, it all matters how your commish has configured the league.

[mrmagloo]

Thanks for the responses. I asked and he said you cannot go over 30 by picking off the waiver wire unless you drop a player. All the guys over 30 players got there in the draft and they just have to cut before 1st game.

[Coogan Football]

If its not defined in the rules/bylaws then I say go for it. What are your league's rules on this anyways? Lol

[Bisquiteen Trisket]

I think if everyone is allowed to do it, it's fair. In my league we have 29 roster spots but 1 is reserved for a kicker and 1 for a defense. So essentially you have up to 27 spots you can fill. We have a rule that you have to have a kicker/defense rostered, or at least have 2 empty bench spots. Doesn't really matter to me as long as everyone has the same roster limit.

Also, it kind of makes sense to me becuase in a 10 team league with 29 roster spots, the waiver wire is pretty barren. So it allows a bit of strategy with who you decide to keep or drop, especially after the rookie draft and before off season waivers are closed.

[EmmanuelG]

For us if the player was on IR prior to the annual draft, you can keep them there until the draft. Then you have to thin your team if they are not on IR anymore. I also agree with the kicker and defense. you can drop them and hedge other players until preseason is over.

[sloth8u]

Thanks for the responses. I asked and he said you cannot go over 30 by picking off the waiver wire unless you drop a player. All the guys over 30 players got there in the draft and they just have to cut before 1st game.

this isnt right imo. all i ever ask for from any commish is for a level playing field. allowing some to roster more than others skews the playing field considerably.

i'll give you the simplest example i can right now. my roster max is 20, my leguemates are rostering 20, i am rostering 25 because of "said picks"... i lose teddy, lad green, dion lewis, bruce ellington, and brandon oliver to ir.....im forced to make no cuts and continue to roster 25 guys.

if their is a roster max. it must be followed. no ifs, ands, or buts. my favorite in leagues with no offseason max is watching 1 owner trade another guy 3 players for their 2nd and then watching the guy cut all 3 players right before the season.

[Coogan Football]

I agree with sloth, it should be the same for everyone regardless of how they got to 30 or 31.