I know some people really don't care which format we use, but I want to get some more insight into the pros and cons on the main options leagues can use for setting up our fantasy football league schedule. We have 16 teams in 2011. I know some options include bye weeks for best finishing teams. I also am aware that some people might seed 1-8 overall regardless of conference or division, while others seed the best teams per division or conference, which might not always be the same teams as the best overall.
Anyways, can some people please give me a brief breakdown of the most widely accepted fantasy football playoff schedule formats, along with some highlights of the pros and cons for each option? I am eager to hear what people have to say based on their experiences. Lastly, which of these options is usually the default option on Fleaflicker?
After discussing the options with some people, here are some pros and cons that were discussed. I still hope more people can add to this conversation though.
OPTION 1 (STRAIGHT BRACKET SEEDING 1-8, WITH 1-4 BEING DIVISION WINNERS AND 5-8 NEXT BEST REGARDLESS OF WHICH DIVISION OR CONFERENCE).
This appears to be the most widely used and accepted format as week 15 will be game 1: winner of 1 v 8 vs winner of 4 v 5 and game 2: winner of 3 v 6 vs winner of 2 v 7.
A strong reason to go with this option is because of the brackets and ways to seed, this is the most fair way as the highest seeds will play the worst teams. in a 1 v 8, the 1 should win 9 times out of 10. However, if we changed this to 1-4 in each conference, the 4 may be much stronger than an 8, depending on the conference. This format strongly favors the best regular season teams. Furthermore, it promotes taking the best 8 teams into playoffs, with less of a chance of not going to playoffs based on the division or conference you are in.
OPTION 2 (1-8, WITH TOP 4 BEING DIVISION WINNERS AND THE 5-8 ARE BEST REMAINING OVERALL REGARDLESS OF DIVISION, BUT RESEED EACH ROUND)
It is evident that some people like this method, but after discussing this option, it favors the higher seeds way too much. After getting a favorable matchup in week 14, that should be enough. In my humble opinion, reseed gives way too much favoritism to the top seeds as the #1 will play the lowest ranked team every week. The pro is if you are a high seed, you will love this method. Another thought is professional sports does not use reseeding so why should we in fantasy sports?
OPTION 3 (TWO 1-4 BRACKETS, ONE FOR EACH CONFERENCE)
With two divisions in each conference, the two division winners and then next best two records will make playoffs from each conference. The higher of the two division winners will play the lower of the two wild cards from that conference, while the lower of the two division winners will play the higher of the two wild cards from that conference.
At first I preferred this option as I like how the conferences are represented and how the conferences do not face off until the big game. However, if the focus should truly be on the most fair schedule, then 1-8 is the better option. What if we use this option and the #1 seed in conference A (and would have been #1 overall in the league) faces off with the lowest wild card seed but they were in a tough conference and that #4 seed is better than most teams in conference B? They should be playing the #4 seed in the other conference as they would have been a #8. Some people like the sequential manner of this format, but again if fairness is what you are looking for, 1-8 seems best.
OPTION 4 (DIVISION, THEN CONFERENCE, THEN LEAGUE)
Another sequential format here. In week 14, the top each from each division play each other, then in week 15 the two teams who remain in each conference play each other, and then finally in week 16 the remaining team from each conference faces off in the championship game. This is as far away from 1-8 as you can go because some #1 teams will go against an extremely difficult matchup in week 14, instead of getting a break that first week.
OPTION 5 (BYE WEEKS)
Bye weeks for top seed for each conference sounded fun, but there is a major flaw. I have heard too many times where the best team in the league gets a bye during week 14, and their players totally go off a score an amazing amount of points. These are wasted points. Then in week 15, guess what??? The team falls flat on their face. Perhaps it does not matter, as they would have advanced in week 14 if they were playing anyway, and likely lose in week 15 either way, but it still feels awkward having all of those points wasted on a bye. This is probably my second favorite option, behind option 1.
joenorwood77Thu 8/18/11 11:38 AM
I know some people really don't care which format we use, but I want to get some more insight into the pros and cons on the main options leagues can use for setting up our fantasy football league schedule. We have 16 teams in 2011. I know some options include bye weeks for best finishing teams. I also am aware that some people might seed 1-8 overall regardless of conference or division, while others seed the best teams per division or conference, which might not always be the same teams as the best overall.
Anyways, can some people please give me a brief breakdown of the most widely accepted fantasy football playoff schedule formats, along with some highlights of the pros and cons for each option? I am eager to hear what people have to say based on their experiences. Lastly, which of these options is usually the default option on Fleaflicker?
joenorwood77Sat 8/20/11 8:48 AM
After discussing the options with some people, here are some pros and cons that were discussed. I still hope more people can add to this conversation though.
OPTION 1 (STRAIGHT BRACKET SEEDING 1-8, WITH 1-4 BEING DIVISION WINNERS AND 5-8 NEXT BEST REGARDLESS OF WHICH DIVISION OR CONFERENCE).
This appears to be the most widely used and accepted format as week 15 will be game 1: winner of 1 v 8 vs winner of 4 v 5 and game 2: winner of 3 v 6 vs winner of 2 v 7.
A strong reason to go with this option is because of the brackets and ways to seed, this is the most fair way as the highest seeds will play the worst teams. in a 1 v 8, the 1 should win 9 times out of 10. However, if we changed this to 1-4 in each conference, the 4 may be much stronger than an 8, depending on the conference. This format strongly favors the best regular season teams. Furthermore, it promotes taking the best 8 teams into playoffs, with less of a chance of not going to playoffs based on the division or conference you are in.
OPTION 2 (1-8, WITH TOP 4 BEING DIVISION WINNERS AND THE 5-8 ARE BEST REMAINING OVERALL REGARDLESS OF DIVISION, BUT RESEED EACH ROUND)
It is evident that some people like this method, but after discussing this option, it favors the higher seeds way too much. After getting a favorable matchup in week 14, that should be enough. In my humble opinion, reseed gives way too much favoritism to the top seeds as the #1 will play the lowest ranked team every week. The pro is if you are a high seed, you will love this method. Another thought is professional sports does not use reseeding so why should we in fantasy sports?
OPTION 3 (TWO 1-4 BRACKETS, ONE FOR EACH CONFERENCE)
With two divisions in each conference, the two division winners and then next best two records will make playoffs from each conference. The higher of the two division winners will play the lower of the two wild cards from that conference, while the lower of the two division winners will play the higher of the two wild cards from that conference.
At first I preferred this option as I like how the conferences are represented and how the conferences do not face off until the big game. However, if the focus should truly be on the most fair schedule, then 1-8 is the better option. What if we use this option and the #1 seed in conference A (and would have been #1 overall in the league) faces off with the lowest wild card seed but they were in a tough conference and that #4 seed is better than most teams in conference B? They should be playing the #4 seed in the other conference as they would have been a #8. Some people like the sequential manner of this format, but again if fairness is what you are looking for, 1-8 seems best.
OPTION 4 (DIVISION, THEN CONFERENCE, THEN LEAGUE)
Another sequential format here. In week 14, the top each from each division play each other, then in week 15 the two teams who remain in each conference play each other, and then finally in week 16 the remaining team from each conference faces off in the championship game. This is as far away from 1-8 as you can go because some #1 teams will go against an extremely difficult matchup in week 14, instead of getting a break that first week.
OPTION 5 (BYE WEEKS)
Bye weeks for top seed for each conference sounded fun, but there is a major flaw. I have heard too many times where the best team in the league gets a bye during week 14, and their players totally go off a score an amazing amount of points. These are wasted points. Then in week 15, guess what??? The team falls flat on their face. Perhaps it does not matter, as they would have advanced in week 14 if they were playing anyway, and likely lose in week 15 either way, but it still feels awkward having all of those points wasted on a bye. This is probably my second favorite option, behind option 1.