Division benefits? 2 divisions vs. 3 divisions

[AndrewRichardson0515]

Ok, so here's the skinny of our league and I'm hoping that someone could help me figure out what the benefits are of having 3 divisions instead of 2 divisions. We have modified "Simmons Rules".

-12 team auction redraft league (no keepers -- yet...) in 2 divisions
-15 players per team - PPR
-Starters: QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, WR, TE, RB/WR/TE, K, DEF (5 Bench Players)
-Standard scoring: six points for rushing/receiving TDs; four points for passing TDs; three for FGs; one for PATs; six for defense/special teams TD; one for sacks/fumble recoveries/INTs; two for safeties; one for every 20 passing yards; one for every 10 rushing/receiving yards
-Additional scoring categories: Five-point bonuses for 175 yards rushing/receiving and 350 yards passing. Shutouts count for 10 points, holding an opponent to seven or less counts for five and holding the other team to under 200 total yards counts as another five. Interceptions, fumbles and missed kicks count as minus-one; any pick returned for a TD counts as minus-six against your QB.
-Additional rules: 17 week regular season, top four teams advance to the playoffs - division winners + next two best records. Playoff teams can protect just six players from their roster. Playoff rosters increase to 11 men: one QB, two RBs, three WRs, one TE, one kicker, one defense and two extra guys (any position). To fill out the last five spots: the playoff teams pick from the teams that fell short. Best record gets the first pick every round, second-best picks second and so on. Scoring is cumulative through the four playoff rounds. Highest total points wins.

So my basic question is could I modify this league to be 3 divisions instead of 2 where the four playoff teams were based off of overall record only instead of division winners + next two best? Why do people use 3 divisions? What's the benefit?

Thanks so much in advance everyone!!

[thriftyrocker]

You probably have 3 weeks of playoffs and 13 weeks of regular season. If you have 3 divisions, then there's 8 teams not in your division and 3 teams in your division. So you play everyone in your division twice (6 games), and everyone outside of your division once except one team (8-1=7 games).

If you have 2 divisions, then you have 6 teams not in your division and 5 teams in your division. If you play each team in your division twice, you only have 3 games leftover for outside of the division. If you don't play each team in your division twice, then what's the point of divisions?

In 10 teams if there's 2 divisions, then you get 4*2 + 5 = 13.

As far as scheduling, 2 makes sense for 10 teams and 3 makes sense for 12 teams.

But my personal opinion is divisions aren't that useful in fantasy unless there is a clear division in people (this guy's friends and this other guy's friends).

[biju]

You probably have 3 weeks of playoffs and 13 weeks of regular season. If you have 3 divisions, then there's 8 teams not in your division and 3 teams in your division. So you play everyone in your division twice (6 games), and everyone outside of your division once except one team (8-1=7 games).

If you have 2 divisions, then you have 6 teams not in your division and 5 teams in your division. If you play each team in your division twice, you only have 3 games leftover for outside of the division. If you don't play each team in your division twice, then what's the point of divisions?

In 10 teams if there's 2 divisions, then you get 4*2 + 5 = 13.

As far as scheduling, 2 makes sense for 10 teams and 3 makes sense for 12 teams.

But my personal opinion is divisions aren't that useful in fantasy unless there is a clear division in people (this guy's friends and this other guy's friends).

This is essentially my logic for how I have two divisions in my 14 team league and have double headers on each odd week starting with week 3 (6 x 2 + 7 = 19; 1+1+2+1+2+1+2+1+2+1+2+1+2 = 19). BTW, the double headers might be my favorite rule addition for FF and make for an extremely interesting part of some people's draft strategy (for example, some might shy away from an early round player who has a bye during an odd week if they feel the potential for a double loss is too great).

Thrifty is right: if you don't play each team in your division at least twice there isn't logic to divisions.

[spodog]

I personally like the 3 Division set up for a 12 team league. Take 3 Div winners plus one wildcard to the playoffs.

If for no other reason, it gives you the option of scheduling 2 H2H games against every division opponent.

Advantages:

1) helps ensure whomever gets crowned division champ has likely dominated their division opponents
2) models your scheduling after some of the NFL scheduling principles

[WaCougMBS]

I personally like the 3 Division set up for a 12 team league. Take 3 Div winners plus one wildcard to the playoffs.

If for no other reason, it gives you the option of scheduling 2 H2H games against every division opponent.

Advantages:

1) helps ensure whomever gets crowned division champ has likely dominated their division opponents
2) models your scheduling after some of the NFL scheduling principles

Agreed. I hadn't played with 3 divisions until joining a Cafe dynasty a few years ago which uses that format, and since then I've been in love and tried to institute the approach in my other leagues as well.

[Dan Lambskin]

yeah i like the 3 divisions for 12 teams, although one league has 5 playoff teams (div winners get bye, wild cards play week 1), the other has 6