Now that a definition of “Devy” and a list of sites to play at has been provided, it is time for Part Three of the Series (you can view Part 2 here). Please remember that these segments are for beginning players. In this segment, we will discuss the different types of scoring and roster settings in fantasy football leagues. This information will be vital in choosing the lineup preferences that you are most interested in.
The first decision that should be made is whether one would prefer to play in PPR (point per reception), Half-PPR or Standard.
What is PPR?
In PPR formats, each player (regardless of position), gets one full point for each reception. As an example, if the player has eight catches, the fantasy football manager gets eight points added to their weekly point total. In Half-PPR, the owner would get 1/2 of a point for each of the eight receptions (4 points total). Non-PPR (aka Standard) is simply what one would think it is – no points added to your weekly total for a reception.
Half-PPR and Standard leagues both place an emphasis on accumulating yards and, most importantly, scoring touchdowns. In 2020, Mike Williams had 48 catches for 756 yards and five touchdowns. He wound up finishing as the WR42 in standard leagues and as the WR48 in PPR. Williams has made a living with similar production throughout his career (hauling in 140 passes for 2421 yards and 17 TD’s).
The TE Premium
Another nuance which has occurred over the last several years is “TE premium”. TE premium leagues typically add another half-point for each tight end catch.
So, for example, running back and wide receiver catches earn the fantasy football manager one point. When a tight end catches a pass, they earn 1.5 points.
This format adds even more emphasis on drafting the likes of Travis Kelce, Darren Waller, George Kittle, Kyle Pitts and other similar higher scoring TE’s. These players are drafted well ahead of their overall ADP in all TE Premium formats.
Roster Formats and the SuperFlex
A second aspect that one has to consider when joining a league is roster requirements and flexibility. The typical roster is 1 WR/2 RB/2 WR/1 TE plus a couple of FLEX positions (which can be RB/WR/TE). One unique lineup is called “SuperFlex”.
SuperFlex leagues allow fantasy football managers to place a quarterback in one of the FLEX positions. As one can imagine, the top quarterbacks are shifted to the very top of the first round in these startup drafts. It isn’t unusual to see 5-6 of the top eight picks be QBs. Therefore, the Patrick Mahomes’s, Josh Allen’s, Kyler Murray’s, etc, will always be drafted early.
Other Scoring Settings
A couple of other scoring settings that have to be decided for quarterbacks is whether passing touchdowns are scored as four points or six points, as well as determining if interceptions (including pick sixes) and sacks against are counted as negative points. If interceptions are used, the interception itself is a certain number of negative points, while the pick six (usually) adds even more negative points. The 6 point passing TD gives more value to top-end quarterbacks, while the interceptions drop a player like Jameis Winston down in ADP.
For the other three skill positions, leagues are often set up to add points for long pass (or run) plays. Explosive players like Tyreek Hill or Dalvin Cook have incredible value in this type of league.
The Wrap-Up
As one can tell, there are a ton of options available to fantasy football Devy owners (just like redraft and dynasty). In the beginning, I would look at several different formats to figure out which one brings the most enjoyment. With a variety of skill levels amongst fantasy owners, my preference is to play for free until I find a comfort zone. Although this is obviously not profitable at first, it can likely bring home long-term gain by knowing the settings to a tee.
