Introduction

The most common support questions received about the Cheatsheet Compiler deal with how to apply certain fantasy scoring systems to the inputs on the Compiler scoring tab. At this time, some fantasy scoring systems cannot be replicated exactly as they are structured in the Compiler. The reason for this is often due to the scoring system needing a more detailed breakdown of statistics than our projections provide. Examples of this include needing to know how many yards a player will record each week of the season, or how long each TD will be, when we can only be expected to project total yards and TD for the whole season with any degree of accuracy.

This doesn't render the Compiler completely useless though. As we are dealing with estimates for 2003 player performance anyway, it is reasonable to expect some margin of error in the rankings. Along these lines, we can take steps to approximate the scoring system as close as possible to the Compiler, and in turn produce a solid set of rankings for your league. Rankings that will certainly be more accurate than a static rankings list, because there is some degree of customization in the Compiler rankings.

Included below are examples of different scoring systems, and the analysis and recommendations to approximate them to the Compiler. Read these for guidance on how to apply your particular system to the Compiler.

Also keep in mind to try different variables in the Compiler, check the results, and make adjustments if you think the rankings are not reasonable based on your league history. One advantage of the Compiler is it crunches all the numbers for you in a matter of seconds, so you might as well take advantage of it.

Example 1: TD Distance Scoring

My leagues scores TD on a scale depending how long they are. The scoring system is shown below. How can this be applied to the Compiler? Scoring system:

Touchdown 1-9 yards 3 points
Touchdown 10-19 yards 4 points
Touchdown 20-29 yards 5 points
Touchdown 30-39 yards 6 points
Touchdown 40-49 yards 7 points
Touchdown 50-74 yards 8 points
Touchdown 75+ yards 10 points

Response

About your scoring system, this is one of the things I get the most email on as we can't apply all scoring systems 100% to the Compiler. Distance TD is one of those items that cause problems. So, what I tend to suggest is using an approximation of the scoring to get rankings that reasonably reflect the scoring.

In your case this is not too bad. Here is what I would suggest:

- 5 to 6 points per pass TD for QB. QB will score a wide range of distances as they distribute passes to WR, TE and RB. Should be longer than RB rush TD.

- 4 to 5 points per rush TD for RB. RB tend to score the shortest TD due to the goal line carries, so it is better to use a lower number here representing the 1-29 yard range.

- 6 points per receive TD for WR. This being the position most likely to score from long distance, we should expect the most points from them per TD.

- 3 to 4 points per QB rush TD. 5 to 6 points per RB receive TD using similar reasoning as above.

- 5 to 6 points per receive TD for TE.

Overall, I think you can see what I am doing here. The best thing to do is to try some different scenarios, run the results and see what happens. Ask yourself if they seem reasonable.

Even after you've finalized the scoring system you want to use, you might want to bump up and down some guys because they tend to score longer or shorter TD than average at their position.

For example, Randy Moss will catch longer TD than the average WR (although he is already ranked very high), while Keyshawn Johnson will catch shorter than average. Mike Vick will run longer than the average QB.

Example 2: Tiered Scoring System

My league uses a different scoring system than most and was wondering if there was a better way make it fit into the compiler.

QB scoring: 150-199 yards = 3 points, 200-249 = 6, 250-299 = 9, etc.
RB and WR scoring: 50-74 yards = 2 points, 75-99 = 4, 100 to 124 = 6, etc.

Response

Here is how I would look at it (for QB):

150 - 199 yds = 3 pts; midpoint = 175; pts/yd = 0.017
200 - 249 yds = 6 pts; midpoint = 225; pts/yd = 0.027
250 - 299 yds = 9 pts; midpoint = 275; pts/yd = 0.033
300 - 349 yds = 12 pts; midpoint = 325; pts/yd = 0.037
350 - 399 yds = 15 pts; midpoint = 375; pts/yd = 0.040

The goal here is to use a pts/yd number that reasonably approximates your scoring system. Obviously it varies, which is what is creating this analysis in the first place, but the above numbers are our starting point.

First, I would dump the first level of scoring 150-199 combined yds. I'm not saying some QB is not going to pass for fewer than 150 yards in a game this year at some point, but it will be rare, and they probably shouldn't be in your starting lineup anyway.

Next, dump the top range. Over 350 yards is certainly attainable, but not something to count on very often. Consider it a bonus when is happens.

Focusing on the middle ranges, we have 0.027, 0.033, 0.037 pts/yd. I would lean more towards the 0.033 to 0.037 numbers as they are ranges we should be hitting more often.

Maybe start with 0.035 pts per yard for QB. Run the numbers and see what happens. If it appears off by a great deal, then adjust and try again.

Perform the same analysis for RB, WR and other positions.

Example 3: Bonus Points for Yardage Milestones

How do I go about calculating my league's bonus point system? We use a simple bonus system, giving 5 points for QB passing over 300 yards with 3 additional points for every 100 yards there after. For RB/WR we give 5 points for 100 yard games with 3 additional points for every 100 yards there after. We give the standard 3 points for field goals, but give an extra point if the field goal is 50 yards or more.

Response

As we don't have projections that identify yardage milestones, you could add these to the Compiler in one of the stat columns already in there that you don't use.

Let's say you are not using the PaAtt column for QB so we want to now make it our column for games over 300 yards. All you have to do is go down the list of players on the QB tab and overwrite the PaAtt data for projected stats and input how many games you think each player will hit 300 yards passing. This is your call of course, but you can use the total yards as a guide.

Then, all you have to do is go over to the scoring tab, and in your case enter for the PaAtt scoring 5 FF Pts per 1 PaAtt (this now being number of games over 300 yards).

That is all there is to it. The Compiler doesn't know what the labels mean, so if you want it to represent 300 yard passing games, then you can do that.

As for the rest of your scoring system, to be quite honest I would not even bother doing anything about the additional 100 yard bonus points (at 400 yard passing, 200 yard rushing, receiving). I'm not saying someone isn't going to hit those sometime, but to predict who it will be and how much is more a shot in the dark than anything. These instances would be so rare, I wouldn't count on it or work it into my projections. Just consider it a bonus when it happens during the season.

Same analysis as above for the FG. Could use the Missed FG or XP columns if your league doesn't score for those.

Note on each of the position tabs you can't use the Pa Comp%, RuYd/Att, FG%, etc. columns, because there is no corresponding spot in the scoring table for these. They are more for info purposes.

Example 4: No Points Until Hitting A Yardage Milestone

I've finally had a chance to play around with the compiler and I'm loving it the more I fool around with it, but I was wondering, since my league does not award any points for passing yards until the QB reaches 300 yards can I just use the PaYd field entering 5 FF pts per 300 units? Doing the same under the rushing/receiving fields 5 FF pts per 100 units for my RB's and WR's/TE's.

Response

I think that is a decent way to do it.

It won't be perfect, because say a RB is projected for 600 yards in the season, and they don't have a single game hitting over 100 yards. They should get 0 points, but the Compiler at 5 per 100 will give them 30 fantasy points.

What we need to keep in mind though is we are dealing with estimates. It is more likely the guy projected for 600 will hit 100 and accumulate some points than a guy projected for 200 will. Therefore we want to see the 600 guy ranked a little higher.

Plus, each player will be overstated in yardage points to some degree. Even the top guys aren't going to hit 100 yards every game. So, the fact they are all overstated probably by a very similar small amount minimizes the impact of this scoring discrepancy.

Something to try maybe is dropping it to 3.5 to 4 points per 100/300 yards to take out some of the overstatment of points.

Overall though, 5 per 100/300 probably isn't too far off the mark.

Example 5: Combined Yardage

Instead of scoring passing, rushing and receiving yardage separately, my league scores based on combined yardage. How can I do that in the Compiler?

Response

Here is what I would do for combined yards:

1. Copy the projections for all players at each position to a new, blank worksheet. (Well, this really only applies to QB and RB - WR rushing is so minimal it is not typically projected.)

2. In a new column, insert a formula that adds the passing and rushing yardage (QB), or rushing and receiving yardage (RB), together. This will be a simple =C1+E1 or similar for whatever columns/rows the data is in.

3. Copy this formula all the way down for all players at each position.

4. Highlight this new combined yardage column, copy it, and then go back to the Compiler file. In one of the data columns, say PassYd, highlight the top player and choose Edit > Paste Special.. Paste As Values.

Make sure you line up the data with the right players. As long as you didn't alter the ordering through these steps, it shouldn't be a problem.

Another way to tackle this is if there is a data column you don't currently use (PaAtt, FumLost, RuAtt, etc.), then you could just make that your combined yardage column. Put in a formula to add the yardage, and copy all the way down. Save making a new worksheet and the copying and pasting.

Example 6: Distance TD, Yardage Milestones and Tiered Scoring

I'm writing you because I am having difficulty how to set my scoring inputs for one particular league I am. I would really appreciate your opinion on how I should set the scoring inputs. Here are the league rules for QB, RB, and WR:

Passing, Rushing, Receiving
TD 0-9 yds 6 pts
TD 10-39 yds 9 pts
TD 40+ 12 pts

Quarterbacks
10 pts for every 250 yards Passing
1 pt for every 10 yards after 250
8 pts for every 80 yards Rushing
1 pt for every 10 yards after 80

Running Backs
8 pts for every 80 yards Rushing
1 pt for every 10 yards after 80
8 pts for every 80 yards Receiving
1 pt for every ten yards after 80

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends are combined
8 pts for every 80 yards Rushing
1 pt for every 10 yards after 80

So I don't know how to input this into the compiler so your advice would be greatly appreciated.

Response

Your scoring system in tricky which is why it is hard to program in the Compiler. What we need to do is enter a system that should as closely as possible approximate your system. Here is what I would use in your case:

QB pass TD = 9 points as most will be in the 10-39 yard range.
QB rush TD = 6 or 7 points
RB rush TD = 7 or 8 points (will tend to rush from a little longer out than QB, but still get the goal line TD too which bring down the average)
RB receive TD = 9 points
WR receive TD = 9 points, maybe 9.5 to give them a little extra as they will score from further out than RB
TE receive TD = 9 points (that is a pretty big and common range 10-39 yards so most TD will fall in there)

On the rushing and receiving yards, I would use 1 for 10, which is the same as you have there unless a player does not hit the 80 yard milestone. However, the more rushing yards a player is projected for the more likely they are to hit the 80 yard milestone and score you some points. Just know that when you run the rankings, RB will be inflated a little bit and there should be some more separation between the top and bottom guys. The top guys will hit 80 yards often, the lower guys will do it less so. Doesn't really change the order of the rankings though.

One exception to the rushing yards, I would give 0 points for QB. Since they have to hit 80 yards to score any points, that will rarely happen so just consider it a bonus if it does. Michael Vick only hit 80 yards in a game 3 times last year.

On the passing yards, it is a bit different because it is scored at a different rate for the first 250 yards compared to the every 10 yards above 250. 250 is a pretty good milestone. Most should hit it, but it is not guaranteed either. I think we want something between 1 per 25 yards and 1 per 10. Perhaps, 1 per 20 to 22, leaning more towards the lower, first tier of scoring.

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