Newsletter League
Charles Foster Kane, "There's only one person in the world who's going to decide what I'm going to do and that's me."
It usually doesn't take long for someone to cry 'Sic Semper Tyrannis', but after Week 3 might be a record. Surprisingly it wasn't familial accusations but from a currently undefeated and former champion, Parker Fulton. His discontent is that the DelFL is merely a 'Newsletter League' in which the outcome is predicated on the draft and no subsequent managerial decisions.
To paraphrase the agitated Parker Fulton, "I don't know why the dictator took away the post season poll. We call the DelFL an owners league, yet the only decisions owners make is on draft day. There is never rosters decisions. You start who you can. We essentially pay fantasy dues for Del's weekly newsletter. There is no management. It would be nice to make roster decisions every once in a while." This is a serious indictment on the DelFL because far apart from previous allegations of Commissioner meddling, this is about what the league is, and to some it is more of a Sports Illustrated subscription than a competitive league.
Parker's solution is the Flex, which would supposedly increase the role of decision making. While this may be true, it is dependent on each team's situation. One could make the case that it actually reduces the amount of 'managing', because instead of figuring out via trade or auction how to replace injured and Bye week players, an Owner can just plug in the next guy on the bench. Rosters that are flexible doesn't necessarily result in decisions that are more difficult. Parker would love to just plug in Karlos Williams instead of playing a weak WR3 option, but is that really a tougher managerial decision?
The DelFL has 18 teams. Of course you will not have the luxury of deciding which star wide receiver to start, that isn't what this league is. Go play Draft Kings if you want to do that. A lot of the decisions you have to make in the DelFL involve lower tier players, but I think that is what makes it great. This week Parker had plenty of decisions to make, they just happened to include duds like Stedman Bailey, Greg Jennings and Marquess Wilson. The Free Agent Auction has been a great change and has made acquisitions more strategic for everyone. But I do not think that the Flex would have the same result, it might even reduce managing. But I am willing to change if that is what most want to do.
