IDP Solutions

As the CKL continues to probe its way along a soft entry into the world of Individual Defensive Players (IDPs), we have experienced predictable growing pains. 2012 is the third year of IDPs in the CKL, and our ongoing efforts to "fix" the system has led us to this...


I'm ready to get this hammered out and put to bed, once and for all. We've explored the interwebs and read everything we could find. We're tinkering with IDPs in a sandbox league. We've asked other people in other leagues what they do and how they like it. I've tweeted with FF "experts" on the topic. We've polled the CKL and discussed this shit 'til we're blue in the face. Now it's time to wrap it up.

Here are the options as I see them. Please feel free to chime in with your thoughts.


Option #1 
Punt IDPs and team defenses altogether.

Arrive at this point if you decide that factoring defense into fantasy football is juice that simply is not worth the squeeze; that it's all just too random / luck-based to worry about.

Option #2 
Revert back to team defenses.

There are two reasons I present this option:

1 - In a 14-team league, the issue of scarcity becomes very, very interesting when there are only 32 options total. (We'd have to set a roster limit of two team defenses per CKL team, I'd imagine.)

2 - ESPN now allows for scoring systems that weren't available when we ditched team defense to go to IDPs. This is stuff I really like.

-- Kickoff/punt return yardage
-- Less than 100 total yards allowed
-- 100-199 total yards allowed
-- 200-299 total yards allowed
-- 300-349 total yards allowed
-- 350-399 total yards allowed
-- 400-449 total yards allowed
-- 450-499 total yards allowed
-- 500-549 total yards allowed
-- 550+ total yards allowed

I really like the idea of scoring D/ST based on yardage totals as opposed to points allowed. If we throttle back on the big bonus points for defensive touchdowns, we could find ourselves with a fun, strategy-based commodities market, steeped in scarcity.

Anyway, it's an option. I probably prefer IDPs, but this has me somewhat jazzed.

Option #3 
Stick with exactly what we've got this season.

There is something to be said for accepting where we are and compiling a larger base of experience in the current system.

I think our current system is good, but still flawed. I want to make some more slight [Mark-inspired] tweaks to the scoring for tackles, and I want to go to three DPs (flex), as opposed to LB, DL, and DB.

Option #4 
Tweak the current scoring.

Here's what we currently have:
-- Every 1 sack: 3 points
-- Every 5 total tackles: 2 points (this functions as a tackles bonus)
-- Interception Return TD: 6
-- Fumble Return TD: 6
-- Blocked Punt or FG return for TD: 6
-- Blocked Punt, PAT or FG: 2
-- Each Interception: 3
-- Each Fumble Recovered: 1
-- Each Fumble Forced: 2
-- Each Safety: 2
-- Assisted Tackles: 0.2 points each
-- Solo Tackles: 0.5 points each
-- Stuffs: 1
-- Passes Defensed: 1

I'm thinking we drop the tackle bonus (Mark was right about that, I know it in my heart.) Everything else is pretty good. Maybe a bit busy. Maybe too many points scored on [totally random] touchdowns.

IF we flex all three IDPs, I think we should bump tackles up to a point per, or something like that. That striates the available player universe to the point where commodities exist. (We're almost there now -- take a look at the linebacker availability!)

Option #5 
Flex the three IDP spots.

Kirk said it best (with some edits for clarity).

I like having IDPs. IDPs allow us to celebrate the great performances happening on the other side of the ball. Yeah I only know 10% of the players but damn it I am working on it. And since IDPs have been added to the league I have actually begun to see great defensive plays as just that instead of failed offensive plays by the other team. So Mark I see your argument, I just don't agree with it.

That being said I believe the question still remains "how big should IDPs be in the our league."

I personally try to score at least 100 points a week.

QB - 20
RB/WR/WR/TE - 55
IDPs/Kicker - 25

I am comfortable with IDPs and Kickers getting 25% of my points. I think any less and I don't care about them, any more and you either have to add more IDP slots on the active roster or bonus them so much that the system becomes more of a crap shoot which is what we were trying to avoid by going to IDPs.

In our current system we have there is always a fine selection of IDPs available to sub in and out on your team (as Nathan’s hot potato method has proven.)

Moving to 3 flex Defensive Players will put pressure on this supply because we’ll stop adding crap players to fill a designated position and instead draft only the top players. Instead of 3 pools of players, we’ll have one pool with the top players rising to the top. This will make the names easier to recognize, easier to manage, and harder to get your hands on.

I think that solves your problem Mark. You don’t care about IDPs because looking over 3 lists of 40 players that each score 2 to 5 points per week takes up too much time and energy. I completely agree.

Well imagine instead one list of 120 players that each could score 2 to 15 points. It would be like adding 3 TEs each week and a lot easier to figure out who is worth having.

Option #6
Combine option #4 and option #5 into the PERFECT defensive players system for the CKL, born from two years of trial and error, research, and discussion.

This is obviously going to get my vote, and is ultimately where I want to steer this thing.