An Open Letter to Commissioners
[Not a commissioner? Send this to yours!]
In the game of skill, strategy, and statistics that is fantasy football, too many matchups are being decided by the patent uncertainty of the Team D/ST. Fantasy experts far and wide have chronicled the abundance of randomness inherent in the fantasy value of D/STs. As someone who projected and ranked Team D for Fantasy Points for years, I can back up their claims.
Still not sure if D/ST is shady? Allow me to illuminate.
If a team gets a pick-six or a defensive TD of any kind, they immediately shoot to the top-5 in scoring that week. Give up 38 points? No problem! Just recover a fumble in the end zone! The fantasy community added PPR to scoring so it wasn’t so TD-dependent. Not only does Team D/ST still rely heavily on this, but it’s also almost all luck! Justin Jefferson doesn’t accidentally find a football in his lap when he’s running into the end zone. But that 300-pound defensive tackle surely did!
Solution: Replace D/ST with 1-3 IDPs
I know, I know. It seems like a lot more work. More research. Do you need to know who the backup nose tackle is for the Lions? (Brodric Martin, for those of you scoring at home.)
No, you don’t. It’s WAY easier than that.
Option 1: One D Flex spot
Swap one roster spot (D/ST) for another (1 IDP). Instead of drafting the Commanders defense in your final round, draft Bobby Wagner. He’s pretty good. Or Roquan Smith. Also confirmed good.
For a 1-IDP league, I recommend the scoring below:
Solo Tackle = 1.5 points
Assisted Tackle = 0.75 points
Tackle For Loss = 1 point
Sack = 3 points
Pass Defensed = 1 point
INT = 4 points
Davante Adams averaged 15.6 FPG last season in PPR. In America.
Roquan Smith averaged 16.6 FPG under this scoring. LBs are your best friend for 1 IDP leagues. But you can still roll with a stud pass rusher. Maxx Crosby averaged 13.9 FPG under this scoring.
Option 2: DL/LB/DB
This is my favorite setup. You’re only adding two rounds to your draft and roster. You don’t need to carry backups, as there are plenty of strong options on the waiver wire each week for bye weeks and injuries.
It’s also a great way to get a stud LB, an elite edge rusher, and an impact defensive back to help your team. Don’t you want to take advantage of T.J. Watt’s dominance? Fred Warner? Derwin James? These are absolute MONSTERS that should be helping you win. And in this setup, you’re still not trying to study defensive depth charts hunting for any Under-scheme 3-techs who 1-gap. In fact, you don’t have to understand a single word I just typed!
For a DL/LB/DB league, I recommend the scoring below:
Solo Tackle = 1 point
Assisted Tackle = 0.50 points
Tackle For Loss = 1 point
Sack = 3 points
Pass Defensed = 1 point
INT = 4 points
Shaving the tackle scoring back a little means that your three defensive players account for about two offensive players.
And while you’re at it, if you eliminate the kicker, you’re replacing two roster spots riddled with luck and variance with three spots of no-doubt ballers.
More skill > less luck.
Stop losing matchups to a Big Man falling on a football not intended for him. Or one errant pass that ends up in the wrong end zone.
