FANTASY FOOTBALL ARTICLES

If there is one thing near and dear to the veteran fantasy footballer it is their scoring system. Before any player question can be adequately answered, the fundamental question must be answered - "what is the scoring system?". We like to believe there is a huge difference between scoring system A and scoring system B. The Huddle even plays into this with the much praised customized scoring for cheatsheets. If you generate numerous different cheatsheets, you'll see there is probably not a dramatic difference between them. They are predicated on projected stats after all which are nothing more than the most likely outcome for a player of many, many possible outcomes. They go out of bounds on the one-yard line a few times and top players may be ranked a dozen spots higher than they should have. This is why we still offer The Huddle Rankings which are more independent from the whims of projection-generated cheatsheets.

However.

There are three fundamental kinds of scoring in use that will always change up how drafts unwind. Ignoring the occasional league that may make one position hugely disportionately valuable than another, there are exactly three kinds of scoring which make a fundamental difference to when a player would be taken. I do not count touchdown-only leagues because they are becoming extremely rare and almost always belong to longtime leagues with no desire to change. Here are the three styles that matter to me:

1. Standard Performance - This is basically where there is yardage points, probably three or four points per passing score and a point for every 20 or 25 passing yards and six points for all other touchdowns. Yardage gets awarded one point for each ten yards. But no point for a reception - that is key. Quarterbacks score well but end up kind of bunched together. The typical planning looks to obtain the best RBs possible, then probably good WRs and finally QBs eventually. This style used to be the most common - by far.

2. Reception Points - This is just the Standard Performance but awards one point per reception. That is a huge change since it makes top wideouts about as valuable as a top RB, props up the value of pass catching RBs and fades the pure runners. It is a definitely difference and a huge one as to where players should be drafted. It also makes for many more high-value players so drafts are deeper in quality. The typical planning looks to get good RBs but ones that preferably receive the ball as well. Wideouts are much more valuable here and are seeded in much earlier - sometimes in preference to a RB. Even TE's have significance in this scoring and could start showing up in the third or fourth rounds. This style is becoming the most common.

3. Quarterback Heavy - Regardless of the presence of reception points, this is a scoring system that prefers QBs over all other position either because they get six point touchdowns and score far in excess of all other positions or the league allows you to start two of them. When you start only one QB, then you can often wait because there will only be ten or 12 starting QBs in the league anyway and teams always hold off on the position while stocking up on the multiples of RB and WR that they need to field a starting lineup. But six point passing scores means the top of the QB rankings not only dwarf other positions in scoring but have enough difference between the tiers that getting an early one really yields an advantage. If you can start two QBs, then getting two high scorers is a big boost for your team as opposed to just one decent starter and a below average QB2. And this doesn't result in a different ranking for the position, but makes a big difference in how quickly they are drafted. This style is not that common but is growing.

I would contend that either you or I could draft good fantasy teams knowing nothing more than if there are reception points or if QBs get six points per passing score or if we start two QBs. Nothing else really changes the way you draft as much as those three scoring characteristics.

Below shows how I would draft if I had all 12 positions in a league using the three formats to show how I would change my tactics according to what I valued most. I also considered it to start 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE, 1 PK and 1 DF.

No matter what the scoring system, it is almost always preferable to have 2 RBs before you make your fifth pick. This year you may be able to get away with it more, but it is just a sense of comfort to have your two starting RBs within the first four picks no matter what the scoring. The biggest difference between systems isn't just about the change in the amount of players in different positions but how quickly positions are addressed.

Standard Performance Scoring - This is the most common and it should look pretty familiar. Most drafts start out pretty heavy on RBs because they are high scoring and consistent. Wide outs are seeded in slowly for most teams at least until the fourth round because in this scoring most teams will prefer to have two RBs in the first three rounds. Quarterbacks are also more valuable in leagues without reception points and get a better value than when reception points are mixed in.

Performance Scoring with Reception Points - Quarterbacks fall back in value in this scoring because the receivers and even running backs move up with a point per reception. Wideouts tend to make it to the rosters faster but it's not like there are all that many more taken. They just may switch places from the previous scoring system by moving up a round while running backs drop back. Tight ends show up in this scoring and in past seasons have gone higher than what I did here.

Quarterback Heavy with Reception Points - Of course you can have a quarterback heavy scoring without reception points but in my experience the two seem to go hand in hand as a way to most break up the early rounds of drafts. Only 12 RBs go in the first two rounds compared to 16 and 14 in the previous two scorings. The two mega-studs of Brees and Brady almost always go in the first round while the rest may hang back until the league drains the initial tiers of running backs and wide receivers. In some leagues that favor quarterbacks, it can go even heavier on the position in early rounds.

This is a companion to Planning Your First Two Picks that only considers standard scoring. What is your experience or strategy? Have you ever played in a 2 QB league or one with six point passing scores?

The three types of scoring will dictate both how many and where of each position is drafted and you need to be aware at least generally of what to expect in your scoring system. Check out the mock drafts and especially any previous drafts for your league because mostly the names change from year to year - not when the positions are drafted.

COMMENTS (page 2 of 2)

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Paul

Posted Sep 6, 2009 11:23am EDT

I would like to see a Big Play category added. Our leagues gives an additional point for every 10 yards of a touchdown.

Roger

Posted Sep 2, 2009 7:06pm EDT

I guess we are part of the old fashion but our league has 18 teams an is a TD only scoring league with 6 pts per TD. My complain is that none of the information coming out ever applies to our league. I can't get the members to consider changing so I wing it every year. Ever think about adding such a thing as an 18 team league?

all black buggy

Posted Aug 27, 2009 6:45am EDT

After a quick look at other scoring systems (offered for changing cheat sheets), it seems QB Heavy is, in fact, a misnomer. Drafting in two days! This is a great breakdown, hope you can extend the info. Cheers

all black buggy

Posted Aug 27, 2009 6:30am EDT

You've hit a nerve. All this time, all this draft analysis didn't consider 6 pts td for QB? Call me stupid, but I thought that was the norm. Thank you for the separation, but now we also need QB "heavy" ... as opposed to the other being QB "lite" ... for standard as well as ppr. Great work.

Marc

Posted Aug 26, 2009 6:08pm EDT

Hi David,

Thank you for the draft position strategy article. I look forward to it every year; however, I am in a QB heavy league and pt per rec, but not for running backs. I need your help. I am drafting 5 out of 10. QBs, WR & RB get 6pts. WR & TE get 1 pt per rec. What should I do with my first 3 picks? QB, WR, RB??? Please help. My draft is Friday. Thoughts.

ww

Posted Aug 25, 2009 11:22pm EDT

we get 6,7 or 8 pts per td based on length of score from all positions. i have the #3 pick. help me with who i should take at 3,22, and 26 thanks

MB

Posted Aug 25, 2009 10:54pm EDT

DW- I am in the same situation as you. I would say the first 8 picks will have 6 QB's taken and possibly two rb's. I also believe the final picks in your type of league would go after the elite WR's back to back. I hope that helps.

drm

Posted Aug 25, 2009 10:36pm EDT

Thank you, thank you, thank you for this article. I go to many a website and read lots of advice but it is rare that anyone addresses this scoring system to the detail you did in this article except for your LAG analysis article in 2007. I am in the CBS league and if you "wait" to the rounds 5-7 to grab a qb then you better get lucky and get one that comes out of nowhere. Last year I waited till round five and had to live with Garrard, yuck. Naturally those teams got creamed in a couple of more I got lucky with Cutler and got into the playoffs. This year I am grabbing 1 in round 1 or round 2 because by the end of round 2 they fly off the board. I do wish you would address nonppr. I have noticed that if you go 2 rbs and qb then the receiver corp is down to about the number 15-30 level. But according to your LAG article they are basically the same after about 8.

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