What Is a Keeper League In Fantasy Football?

What Is a Keeper League In Fantasy Football?

A keeper league in fantasy football is a league in which owners are allowed to retain a set number of players from one season to the next. This gives owners the ability to build a core group of players that they can keep for an extended period, making the league more competitive and exciting over the long term.

How It’s Structured

There are a few different ways keeper leagues can be structured, but the most common is allowing each owner to keep a certain number of players at the end of each season.

For example, if an owner has three players on their team that they want to keep, they would need to give up three draft picks in the following year’s draft in order to do so. This makes sure that each team has to give up something in order to keep their best players, which keeps the league fair and balanced.

Another common way to structure keeper leagues is to have a dedicated draft for keeper players at the end of each season. In this type of league, each owner would submit a list of players they want to keep, and then a draft would be held in which all of the keeper players are drafted in reverse order of their previous year’s finish.

This ensures that the worst teams from the previous season get the first pick in the keeper draft and gives them a chance to improve their team quickly.

Tips For Drafting Players In a Keeper League

If you’re in a keeper fantasy football league, then you know that drafting players is a little different than in a regular fantasy football league. In a keeper league, you have to consider not only a player’s current value but also his future value. Here are some tips for drafting players in a keeper fantasy football league:

1. Look For Young Players With High Upside

One of the most important things to look for in a keeper league draft is young players with high upside. These are the players who may not be household names yet but have the potential to develop into top-tier fantasy football stars. When choosing between two similar players, go with the younger one – he’s more likely to have a breakout season in the future.

2. Avoid Veterans With Declining Production

Just as targeting young players with high upside is important, it’s also important to avoid veterans who are past their prime. These players may still be putting up decent numbers, but they’re likely to see a decline in production in the near future. It’s better to draft a younger player with more upside than an older player who is on the decline.

3. Don’t Reach For Quarterbacks

It’s tempting to want to draft a stud quarterback in the early rounds of your keeper league draft but resist the urge. Quarterbacks tend to be much more consistent from year to year than other positions, so you can usually find good value at the position later in the draft. Wait until the middle or late rounds to pick your QB, and use your early picks on more volatile positions like running back and wide receiver.

4. Pay Attention To Bye Weeks

When drafting players in a keeper league, it’s important to pay attention to bye weeks. You don’t want to end up with a team full of players who are all off in the same week, as that can leave you at a big disadvantage. Try to spread out your picks so that you have a good mix of players with different bye weeks.

5. Be Willing To Make Trades

In a keeper league, you’re not just drafting players – you’re also building a team that you’ll be able to keep for multiple seasons. That means you need to be willing to make trades to improve your team. If you see a trade that would benefit your team, don’t be afraid to pull the trigger.

Pros & Cons Of Keeper Leagues

Like anything else, keeper fantasy football leagues have their pros and cons. Here are some things to consider before joining or starting a keeper league:

PROS

• Keepers add another level of strategy to the game. Deciding who to keep and let go of can be tough decisions that can make or break your team’s chances of success.
• It adds continuity from year to year. In redraft leagues, everyone starts from scratch each season. In keeper leagues, you can keep your core group of players and build on that foundation.
• It increases the value of late-round picks. In redraft leagues, late-round picks are often considered throwaways. In keeper leagues, they could be the key to your team’s success down the road.
• It makes the game more exciting. Knowing that you have a chance to keep your players from one year to the next creates more interest and excitement than a redraft league.

CONS

• It can create an uneven playing field. If some teams are allowed to keep more players than others, it gives those teams a distinct advantage heading into the new season.
• It can be difficult to find replacement owners. Finding a replacement owner willing to take over their team can be tough if someone decides they don’t want to participate in the keeper league anymore.
• It can be hard to trade keeper players. Since they have extra value, finding a trade partner willing to give you fair value in return can be tough.
• It can make the game less exciting. If you’re not a fan of continuity, a keeper league might not be for you. Redraft leagues offer a fresh start each season, which can be more appealing to some fantasy football fans.

Conclusion

Keeper leagues can be a great way to add more excitement and competition to your fantasy football league. If you are looking for a way to make your league more interesting and challenging, consider implementing a keeper league structure.