OFFICIAL Deep League Thread

[jpgretzky15]

Hey guys - I wanted to start a deep league thread that addressed the needs of leagues with 16-20 teams. I am the commissioner of my second annual 20-team league, and after a very successful first season, with the league generating a lot of interest and competition from the members, I am looking forward to another year. I lost in the championship, but if I had put LaMont Jordan in my lineup, I would have won (tells you something about the nature of deep leagues). Anyway, after playing in this league, I had at least ten or twelve other guys tell me that it was the best fantasy league they had ever participated in, and preferred participating in the deep 20-team league much more than the ordinary 10 or 12 teamer. So there's a plug for the deep leagues - if you haven't tried it yet, it's an experience.

Anyway, I wanted to throw some guys who are available at different positions, and see who you felt was the best option for pickups.

QB - There are NO starting QBs available. This puts me in a bind, as Matt Cassel is my QB, and he could be out Week 1. My only backup is Tyler Thigpen, who I just picked up. Leftwich, Stafford, even Culpepper all have homes in my league. Should I try to trade or just trot Thigpen out there and hope Cassel is back Week 2?

WR - Keenan Burton, Matt Jones (Will he sign with someone?), Mike Furrey, Juaquin Iglesias, Jordy Nelson, Chansi Stuckey, Bobby Engram, Mohammed Massaquoi

RB - Chris Brown, TJ Duckett, Maurice Morris

As you can see, it's rather thin out there. Anyone have any suggestions on these guys? Anyone else have deep league experience? I'd like to have some more deep league banter going on in the forum, as I think it's a great way to play and is becoming more popular.

[Dan Lambskin]

deep leagues can be fun...i play in a 32 team league with IDP (we limit each team to 1 starting QB)
we start
QB
RB
WR
WR
TE
WR/TE
TMPK
DL
DL
LB
LB
LB
DB
DB
DB/DL

[Kensat30]

Hey guys - I wanted to start a deep league thread that addressed the needs of leagues with 16-20 teams. I am the commissioner of my second annual 20-team league, and after a very successful first season, with the league generating a lot of interest and competition from the members, I am looking forward to another year. I lost in the championship, but if I had put LaMont Jordan in my lineup, I would have won (tells you something about the nature of deep leagues). Anyway, after playing in this league, I had at least ten or twelve other guys tell me that it was the best fantasy league they had ever participated in, and preferred participating in the deep 20-team league much more than the ordinary 10 or 12 teamer. So there's a plug for the deep leagues - if you haven't tried it yet, it's an experience.

Anyway, I wanted to throw some guys who are available at different positions, and see who you felt was the best option for pickups.

QB - There are NO starting QBs available. This puts me in a bind, as Matt Cassel is my QB, and he could be out Week 1. My only backup is Tyler Thigpen, who I just picked up. Leftwich, Stafford, even Culpepper all have homes in my league. Should I try to trade or just trot Thigpen out there and hope Cassel is back Week 2?

WR - Keenan Burton, Matt Jones (Will he sign with someone?), Mike Furrey, Juaquin Iglesias, Jordy Nelson, Chansi Stuckey, Bobby Engram, Mohammed Massaquoi

RB - Chris Brown, TJ Duckett, Maurice Morris

As you can see, it's rather thin out there. Anyone have any suggestions on these guys? Anyone else have deep league experience? I'd like to have some more deep league banter going on in the forum, as I think it's a great way to play and is becoming more popular.

QB- Matt Leinart could be a championship winner this year in bigger leagues, probably rostered in most though. Other backup QBs worth a roster spot that might be on waivers include Orvolosky (highly underrated QB that will be solid in the absence of Schaub IMO), Vince Young, Chris Simms, Jeff Garcia, and Brodie Croyle. Seeing as you have the KC QB situation, I would pickup Broyle prior to week 1 in case he gets played. Thigpen is not in the best situation right now, I'm not so sure that they even give him the week 1 start the way things are looking.

WR- Go get Stuckey! Cotchery sucks and Stuckey should be in line to start in Jet land, could be the WR1 there. Other than that, anybody who is getting regular playing time is going to be worth something in a 20 man league. Look at highly rated WR3 or unknown type WR2s. Is Josh Cribbs available, Louis Murphy, Bryant Johnson, etc. WR2s on bad teams? Or you might take a look at guys like Brandon Stokely in Denver, Jeremy Urban in Arizona, etc.

RB- In larger leagues the key thing here is being a week early in picking up the guy rather than fighting the waiver process. Look for someone who might be injured (read the tea leaves in the news) and grab his backups backup. Right now, that might mean picking up a guy like Peyton Hillis in Denver. Mewelde Moore potentially. Javon Ringer is a guy that might be available that carries an extremely high upside for a RB3. And also look for guys in specialized/limited/situational roles that are not considered fantasy worthy in traditional leagues. Prime example of that type of guy is Kevin Faulk. Other Kevin Faulk types this year might include Aaron Brown in Detroit, Danny Ware in New York, Tashard Choice(likely rostered), Tyrell Sutton, Mike Goodson, even a guy like Mike Bell.

Ultimately, I think your draft dictates your finish moreso than in-season moves the larger the league is. Hopefully you loaded yourself up with a talented all around roster and grabbed best player available throughout. Like you mentioned in your initial post, you may not need a strong RB2 to win this thing or even a WR2/3 depending on who you have lining up at other positions. Sorry to say this, but I think you made a major major mistake taking Cassel as your lone QB and that that single move might set you back the entire year. Hopefully you get lucky on a backup option. I would load up my bench with as many QBs as possible trying to hit a jackpot. Best bet would be to trade for a low value backup QB off someone, who you think has a chance to surprise, and before the season starts.

[jpgretzky15]

QB- Matt Leinart could be a championship winner this year in bigger leagues, probably rostered in most though. Other backup QBs worth a roster spot that might be on waivers include Orvolosky (highly underrated QB that will be solid in the absence of Schaub IMO), Vince Young, Chris Simms, Jeff Garcia, and Brodie Croyle. Seeing as you have the KC QB situation, I would pickup Broyle prior to week 1 in case he gets played. Thigpen is not in the best situation right now, I'm not so sure that they even give him the week 1 start the way things are looking.

WR- Go get Stuckey! Cotchery sucks and Stuckey should be in line to start in Jet land, could be the WR1 there. Other than that, anybody who is getting regular playing time is going to be worth something in a 20 man league. Look at highly rated WR3 or unknown type WR2s. Is Josh Cribbs available, Louis Murphy, Bryant Johnson, etc. WR2s on bad teams? Or you might take a look at guys like Brandon Stokely in Denver, Jeremy Urban in Arizona, etc.

RB- In larger leagues the key thing here is being a week early in picking up the guy rather than fighting the waiver process. Look for someone who might be injured (read the tea leaves in the news) and grab his backups backup. Right now, that might mean picking up a guy like Peyton Hillis in Denver. Mewelde Moore potentially. Javon Ringer is a guy that might be available that carries an extremely high upside for a RB3. And also look for guys in specialized/limited/situational roles that are not considered fantasy worthy in traditional leagues. Prime example of that type of guy is Kevin Faulk. Other Kevin Faulk types this year might include Aaron Brown in Detroit, Danny Ware in New York, Tashard Choice(likely rostered), Tyrell Sutton, Mike Goodson, even a guy like Mike Bell.

Ultimately, I think your draft dictates your finish moreso than in-season moves the larger the league is. Hopefully you loaded yourself up with a talented all around roster and grabbed best player available throughout. Like you mentioned in your initial post, you may not need a strong RB2 to win this thing or even a WR2/3 depending on who you have lining up at other positions. Sorry to say this, but I think you made a major major mistake taking Cassel as your lone QB and that that single move might set you back the entire year. Hopefully you get lucky on a backup option. I would load up my bench with as many QBs as possible trying to hit a jackpot. Best bet would be to trade for a low value backup QB off someone, who you think has a chance to surprise, and before the season starts.

Thanks. I appreciate the advice - Cassel was the best QB available when I picked a QB, but maybe I should have targeted someone else earlier or been more focused on getting a backup. Out of the WRs, only stuckey, Urban, and Murphy are available, but I may have to take your advice and get Stuckey. I do need a roster spot for Croyle, though. Should I drop Thigpen for Croyle?

Javon Ringer is the only RB of those available, but I think I am good at RB, with Tomlinson, Pierre Thomas, Jerious Norwood, Correll Buckhalter, and James Davis.

[teninchlaw]

How do u logistically deal with bye week qbs in a 20 team league? I'm in a hardcore 16 team league and this offseason we discussed the idea of increasing to 20 teams. The idea was ultimately voted down because it would mean a few teams wouldn't be able to have two starting qbs on their bench. How do ya'll get around this?

[teninchlaw]

Bump. Not trying to beleaguer this point, but I'd really like some ideas on how to increase league size (QB issue being the only problem I see).