Planning is important. Major life events like weddings, college decisions, or fantasy football drafts require careful thought and preparation. No fantasy football format flips the predraft process like keeper leagues. Redraft formats offer a clean slate. Dynasty is the marriage of fantasy, together until death or trade to the Browns do us part. But keeper formats require a careful choice to extract maximum value.
Formats
The most often played format is a standard snake with the cost of the original round. The other most played format is a salary cap, with prior values representing keeper amounts.
Two key factors are used to keep leagues active and engaged: time limits and inflation.
A time limit will limit the number of times a player can be kept. Inflation will raise the price of keepers annually. A 20% - 40% - 80% step up per year works well for salary cap formats. Low-priced players hold value, while mid-tier values can get priced out quickly. For snake drafts, losing additional value rounds each year can accomplish the same thing.
A key for engagement in snake formats can be limiting the first round or two regarding keeper-eligible players.
Setting The Table
The most fun aspect of keeper leagues is increased trade potential. Redraft trades can be complex, often resulting from a difference of opinion on values or primary roster needs. Dynasty leagues rely on trades, but often, that comes down to a competitive life cycle. Rebuilding teams trading with contending teams.
Keepers bring an entirely different aspect. Because of the nature of keeper leagues, trade offers can easily help both sides. For example, you plan on keeping Dameon Pierce in the seventh round. Last year was rough; you have the first pick in round seven. Trade that 7.01 pick for the 7.12 pick and a later pick swap. You use the same round on your keeper but pick up value later in the draft. Meanwhile, your league mate can jump the line and go from 7.12 to 7.01.
Trades are also valuable ways to form keeper decisions. You may be looking at Nick Chubb in round three or Drake London in round seven. In a vacuum, you take Chubb heads up over London any time. But in this scenario, the deal becomes Chubb + a player like Odell Beckham Jr or London + someone like Jahmyr Gibbs—a more difficult decision.
Trades also work for consolidation. Have more players than the limit you think have keeper value? Look around your league and find your league mate without a clear, good option for their final keeper. These are the rare instances many are not predisposed to decline a two-for-one trade offer. This opportunity can allow you to capture significant value and set yourself up in the best position.
Play Your Board
Map your opponents. The top two or three keeper selections are easy to strike off. Occasionally, you will get something that surprises you, but for the most part, you can determine the level of value available.
Here is where Footballguys’ Draft Dominator is valuable. The software allows you to set up keepers for opponents for a mock draft in settings.
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