Monday, August 2, 2010

Double your pleasure

It's football time friends, and you're going to see more of it than baseball from here on out.  Today?  The argument for the two quarterback format.

Why does the so called standard fantasy football league only allow one starting quarterback?

If we are talking a 12 team league we have 24-36 running backs in starting lineups (or approx. 1 per NFL team), 24-48 WR/TE (1.5 per team) and one quarterback (less than .5 per team).  It really doesn't make any sense.  All the starting running backs matter, most of the starting receivers matter, and less than half of the quarterbacks are relevant?

The most important argument against a league that starts one quarterback is that it completely devalues the position.  Half the teams in fantasy leagues are waiting on QBs and taking Phil Rivers in the fifth round and this is okay?  Phil Rivers as the 50th best player in fantasy?  Peyton Manning as the 15th best player in fantasy?  Why does that make any sense?  Yet, if I can get Rivers (or Romo, or Favre, or McNabb) later, I'm absolutely going to hit the scarcer positions first.  It's just not right.

Now, picture a league where 36 quarterbacks are drafted and 24 are started every week.  You think Manning is lasting until 15 then?  No way.  Manning, Brees, Rodgers, Brady et al. SHOULD all be first round picks.  They are the best players in the game.  You should have to fight to get these guys.  No one is going to wait on QBs when the penalty is an Orton-Hasselbeck pu pu platter.

In addition, two quarterback leagues allow for more strategy.  In many leagues, quarterbacks are the highest scoring players (and I think they should be).  Now, you have the option of pairing Romo with Brees and really altering the landscape of the draft/auction.  It's just flat out more fun.  One quarterback leagues are so robotic and there really isn't a lot of flexibility with draft strategies.  Increase the value of the QB by adding two starters (most easily accomplished by adding a flex spot (or a second flex spot, where a QB is allowed), and the draft and the league immediately become more entertaining for all.  The best players in the game should be a valued quanitity, period.

Cheers,
TFAM

2 comments:

The Legend's Fantasy Football Advice said...

Now that is an interesting concept. I have played in different types of leagues before, but not one with two starting QB's in it. That would change the strategy everywhere from week to week starters, the waiver wire, to the draft.

Adam Jorgenson said...

Honestly, it makes everything much more fun and really brings more strategy to the table. I play in three leagues, and two have a flex spot where you can play a QB. Try it!