Introduction

Another topic I get a number of questions about is how to input flex positions in the Compiler because there is not an explicit flex option shown on the inputs tab. This was not an oversight. I love flex option leagues. In fact, I think I'm only in 1 league that doesn't use some form of flex for either offense, IDP or both.

While perhaps a drawback to some that the Compiler is created in Microsoft Excel, I feel it offers us a great deal of flexibility and customizability that is not always available in stand-alone programs. In the case of flex lineups, feel free to use decimals in the position inputs to represent the flex position(s) for your league.

The last time I checked, products competing with the Compiler do essentially the same thing, even if they indicate to having a separate flex position option.

They are set up to input the number of flex starters, and then they just adjust the RB, WR, TE comparison points based on how much they want to weight each position to the flex option. There is no separate grouping of players that qualify for the flex position, calculation of value and insertion into the overall list. The reason is it can't be done mathematically.

So, by using decimals to account for your flex you are getting as good a result as anyone. Actually better results in the Compiler's case because you are making the judgment yourself. It forces you to try out a scenario, check the results, and see if they seem reasonable. If not, then adjust and re-run the Compiler.

The other thing is different leagues use all kinds of different flex formations. Some have flex QB, flex K, flex anything. Feel free to use the decimals all across the board if you need to. Just check the total starters and backups add to your league requirements.

Also, don't be set on using 0.5, but anything you want. If you prefer that offensive flex position to be RB (which is usually not a bad idea), then you might want to set RB to 2.6 and WR to 2.4, in a start 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 RB/WR flex, as an example.

The general guidelines I use to set my flex positions are:

1. More heavily weight the position(s) I prefer to use as my flex position (typically because they score more points or are more reliable).

2. Input the positions so they reflect how you expect the league as a whole to use the flex position. For example, if you expect half the teams to use RB flex and half to use WR flex once the season gets underway (2 RB, 2 WR, 1 RB/WR flex), then using a 2.5, 2.5 split is perfect.

Balance these two guidelines, keep checking the results, trying different options, and you'll be fine applying the Compiler to any flex lineup.

Example: Flex RB/WR/TE and Flex IDP

Can you suggest weights for my league flex positions?

Must start 1RB, 1WR, 1TE and 3 flex, which can be any combination of RB, WR, TE.

Also, 3 defensive flex positions can be any combination of DB, DL, LB.

10 team league with scoring:
TD (pass, rush, receive) = 6pts
15yds rushing = 1pt
15yds receiving = 1pt
30yds kick return = 1pt
Fumble lost = -3pts

20 roster spots with 11 starters (1 QB, 1 RB, 1 WR, 1 TE, 3 Off Flex, 1 K, 3 Def Flex) and backups can be at any position.

Response

All right, so there is no difference in scoring between RB, WR and TE, and no points for receptions. And the Off flex cannot be QB.

Here is the strategy: You are really going to want to fill those flex spots with RB so you are starting 3 and maybe even 4 total RB each week (except where byes get in the way). It won't be a walk in the park drafting that many quality RB to fill all those spots, but that should be our goal. You'll need a sleeper to come through for you to get a 4th starting quality RB.

The RB position is just so much more reliable with higher point potential. And the WR position will be much easier both in the draft and as the season carries on to find and fill with a quality starter.

My suggested inputs:

QB - 1 starter, 2 backup
RB - 3, 2
WR - 2, 2
TE - 1, 1
K - 1, 1
DL - 0.5, 0.5
LB - 2, 0.5
DB - 0.5, 0
Total - 11, 9 (total roster = 20)

I've run it and here is what we get for top 70 on the overall list (* projections are for example purposes only and do not necessarily reflect current Compiler projections):

Rank Pos Player               Team  Bye FF Pts  Value
 1   RB  Ricky Williams       MIA   4   228.9   131.3
 2   RB  Clinton Portis       DEN   10  222.3   124.6
 3   RB  LaDainian Tomlinson  SD    6   220.3   122.7
 4   RB  Marshall Faulk       STL   5   211.0   113.3
 5   RB  Deuce McAllister     NO    10  208.7   111.1
 6   RB  Travis Henry         BUF   9   205.5   107.9
 7   RB  Priest Holmes        KC    9   194.9    97.2
 8   RB  Shaun Alexander      SEA   4   192.5    94.9
 9   RB  Ahman Green          GB    8   181.1    83.4
10   RB  Tiki Barber          NYG   4   176.1    78.5
11   RB  Fred Taylor          JAC   7   176.1    78.4
12   RB  Edgerrin James       IND   7   167.0    69.3
13   RB  Jamal Lewis          BAL   5   166.2    68.5
14   WR  Marvin Harrison      IND   7   178.7    65.9
15   RB  Corey Dillon         CIN   6   161.9    64.2
16   RB  Charlie Garner       OAK   8   161.6    63.9
17   WR  Terrell Owens        SF    10  171.7    58.9
18   QB  Daunte Culpepper     MIN   6   318.8    55.6
19   RB  Eddie George         TEN   9   152.9    55.2
20   QB  Donovan McNabb       PHI   3   318.4    55.1
21   QB  Peyton Manning       IND   7   316.0    52.7
22   RB  Stephen Davis        CAR   3   143.8    46.1
23   QB  Jeff Garcia          SF    10  307.6    44.4
24   WR  Randy Moss           MIN   6   156.7    43.9
25   QB  Aaron Brooks         NO    10  306.3    43.1
26   RB  Curtis Martin        NYJ   5   139.7    42.0
27   QB  Rich Gannon          OAK   8   304.7    41.5
28   QB  Michael Vick         ATL   8   303.6    40.4
29   TE  Jeremy Shockey       NYG   4    96.1    38.1
30   RB  Warrick Dunn         ATL   8   134.8    37.1
31   RB  Stacey Mack          HOU   5   134.7    37.0
32   RB  Antowain Smith       NE    10  133.3    35.6
33   QB  Brett Favre          GB    8   294.4    31.2
34   WR  Joe Horn             NO    10  143.0    30.2
35   RB  James Stewart        DET   6   124.9    27.3
36   RB  Amos Zereoue         PIT   7   124.5    26.9
37   RB  William Green        CLE   9   124.3    26.6
38   RB  Kevan Barlow         SF    10  124.2    26.5
39   RB  Troy Hambrick        DAL   3   123.6    25.9
40   TE  Tony Gonzalez        KC    9    83.7    25.7
41   TE  Todd Heap            BAL   5    80.5    22.5
42   RB  Duce Staley          PHI   3   120.1    22.4
43   RB  Michael Bennett      MIN   6   117.6    19.9
44   WR  Eric Moulds          BUF   9   131.3    18.5
45   RB  Trung Canidate       WAS   8   115.8    18.1
46   WR  Chad Johnson         CIN   6   129.3    16.5
47   QB  Kurt Warner          STL   5   278.4    15.2
48   WR  Donald Driver        GB    8   127.4    14.6
49   WR  Torry Holt           STL   5   127.0    14.2
50   QB  Steve McNair         TEN   9   274.1    10.9
51   WR  Plaxico Burress      PIT   7   122.3     9.5
52   QB  Trent Green          KC    9   271.7     8.5
53   WR  Koren Robinson       SEA   4   121.1     8.3
54   WR  Jimmy Smith          JAC   7   119.7     6.9
55   WR  Peerless Price       ATL   8   119.1     6.3
56   WR  Hines Ward           PIT   7   118.5     5.7
57   WR	David Boston         SD    6   118.0     5.2
58   WR	Amani Toomer         NYG   4   117.9     5.1
59   WR	Isaac Bruce          STL   5   116.5     3.7
60   TE	Billy Miller         HOU   5    61.7     3.7
61   WR	Rod Smith            DEN   10  115.3     2.5
62   TE  Randy McMichael      MIA   4    58.3     0.3
63   RB	Anthony Thomas       CHI   3    97.7     0.0
64   WR	Keyshawn Johnson     TB    4   112.8     0.0
65   TE	Bubba Franks         GB    8    58.0     0.0
66   QB	Drew Bledsoe         BUF   9   263.2     0.0
67   TE	Marcus Pollard       IND   7    57.8    -0.2
68   RB	Mike Alstott         TB    4    96.9    -0.8
69   QB  Matt Hasselbeck      SEA   4   262.3    -0.9
70   WR  Rod Gardner          WAS   8   111.1    -1.7

Comments

- Definitely RB heavy. That is what we want. I would go in expecting to take RB with your first 2 picks, and don't be gun shy taking RB your first 3 picks. This will be especially awesome for you if other teams take a WR here, a QB there (which will happen), so better RB fall to you.

- Don't completely ignore the WR if a really good one is sitting there compared to some average RB who you don't think has much upside. You can see though that even Harrison, Owens, Moss are not nearly as valuable in this league where you are only required to start 1 WR. Like I said above, you will find good guys later, especially with only 1, probably 2 spots to fill.

- The QB start at 18 overall with Culpepper and take up quite a few spots (13 actually) in our 70. I would wait on QB even if you have to go against the overall list a little. With only 10 teams, there is lots of depth at QB so it is not necessary to overpay for a QB. Try to be one of the last teams to take a starter, and first few to take a backup. I did this last year in a 10 teamer picking Bledsoe as my starter (10th QB drafted) and Vick as my backup (11th QB drafted). Needless to say, this worked pretty well. In a recent 10 team expert league hosted by the Guru Report, FF Champs was the last or near last to take their starting QB and ended up with Warner and Collins to back him up. Got Bulger as insurance on Warner.

- You didn't give me your IDP scoring, but assuming tackles and sacks are scored in a relatively normal ratio to one another, you want 2 or maybe even 3 of those positions to be LB. The position is much deeper, scores more (usually - depends on tackle scoring) and is more reliable than DL and DB. Really there are only a handful of DL and DB that should be drafted at all in the whole league. That is why I gave them a small starter spot, just to see the top guys and make sure you get a ranking list at those positions to compare the points.

- Overall it doesn't really matter what you input in the Compiler for starters/backups for IDP because I would still go with the default and exclude all IDP positions from the overall rankings. Worry about your offense, and then start thinking IDP when you're ready to abandon your overall list and switch over to position rankings (likely round 7-8). Again, go LB. You will likely miss out on Urlacher, Ray Lewis, etc., but even more so than WR, there will be tons of good quality guys to draft late and/or pickup after the season starts...while those guys who jumped on IDP too early are scrambling to find a good RB.

That is how I would approach your draft preparing with the Compiler.

Questions?
Check out the Compiler Message Board or send an email to Mike MacGregor and he will respond ASAP.