DLF’s Reality Sports Online League: Brian Malone’s Review

Brian Malone Posted On August 6, 2015

rso

I came into the DLF Reality Sports Online league late in the process, taking over for a team after the rookie draft and first two-thirds of the auction was completed. I’m an auction veteran (though an RSO novice) and I have my own approach to auction leagues, but I had to adapt to the team that was presented to me.

Fortunately for you all, this means I can offer a bit of a different perspective on the league – namely, the perspective of a “rebuilding” owner. Not that my team was in bad shape, mind you.

League Settings

As with any contract league, league settings are key. This league is fairly deep: 16 teams, 25-man rosters with no kickers or defense. Lineups are a little on the deep side, too (especially for a 16-team league): one quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, one tight end, and two flex spots.

Scoring rules are basic: five points per passing touchdown; six points per other touchdown; 0.25/pass yard; 0.1 per rushing/receiving yard; and one point per reception.

The cap is tied to the NFL salary cap, so for 2015 the cap is $143.28 million, and that number is likely to increase in future years. When you release a player on a single-year deal, 50% of his salary counts against your cap. If the player has more than one year left, 50% of his current salary counts against the current cap, while 50% of his future salary counts against next season’s cap.

Each team has two four-year contracts, two three-year contracts, and three two-year contracts to use on veterans. Rookies are each assigned a four-year contract based on their draft position. Like in the NFL, rookie contracts are a bargain. Going forward, the teams who get immediate production from their rookie picks will have a major advantage.

The Auction

RSO’s software is much more sophisticated than the two other kinds of auction software I’ve used. The ability to instantly offer 1-, 2-, 3-, or 4-year deals makes the auction more fun (and more treacherous). At the end of a typical auction-contract league, one has time to assess one’s team, realize that paying Maxx Williams $50,000,000 might not be a great idea, and assign contract lengths accordingly. Here, that split-second bid decision can affect your team for a very long time.

As I’ve mentioned, I was late to join the league, but my squad still had one multi-year contract to dole out. Unfortunately, most of the talent had dried up by the time I was able to jump in, so I had to spend my multi-year deals on a less-than-ideal player. In the end, I signed Reggie Bush to a two-year, $15 million deal. In retrospect, I might have been better off just wasting my two-year deal or using it on Sam Bradford, whom I signed for $11 million. But I expect Bush to age much like fellow pass-catching running back Darren Sproles, which means I don’t mind locking him up for two seasons at a reasonable price.

[inlinead]My predecessor did a great job with his multi-year deals. He locked up John Brown for four years and $33,500,000, which I think will look like a bargain by October. And, like the Panthers, he made Cam Newton the face of the franchise with a 4-year, $75,500,000 deal. I’m a late-round quarterback guy, but in a league like this, there’s no safer place to use a four-year deal than on a signal caller. Plus, Cam’s salary makes him the 35th highest paid player in 2015 and the seventh highest paid quarterback. I can live with that, especially in a 16-team league.

My only real gripe is Julian Edelman’s 3-year, $36 million deal. Edelman’s 2015 salary of $11.3 million is reasonable, but I don’t want to be holding the contract on a system-dependent player when he moves on from the system (or Tom Brady moves on from them both). I’d rather use my short-term deals on players like Edelman and long-term deals on more conspicuously talented players like Austin Seferian-Jenkins (whom I have on a two-year deal).

Trades

I haven’t been able to consummate a trade yet, though there have been a couple since I joined the league. Contracts and salaries don’t appear to be the issue. Instead, it seems most owners like how they built their teams and they’re not looking to make any drastic changes. This is common coming out of a startup auction or draft and I expect things to loosen up once the season begins.

Waivers and Free Agency

Players added by free agency must be signed to a one-year contract. During the off-season, all players who have been added were paid the minimum salary ($500,000). If a player is released, the other 15 teams have one day to place a waiver bid and assume the remainder of the released player’s contract. If he clears waivers, the original owner takes the full cap hit, and owners may sign the player for $500,000.

I had to miss the last hour or so of the auction, so I’ve been the most active team on the waiver wire, fishing for upside plays like Malcom Brown, Leonard Hankerson and Jeremy Ross. Because free agents are signed to a one-year deal, there’s no incentive to target long-term upside.

My Squad

Overall, my team has solid depth but lacks superstar potential. A 16-team league with nine offensive starters can often be a battle of attrition and I like my chances to survive injuries better than most.

rsoqbs

Solid crew here. Newton is a solid-enough starter for the next three years. Bradford could be a matchup start if he stays healthy and McCown should be a luxury third starting quarterback.

rsorbs

Some quality, but mostly quantity here. All platoon backs, but this is actually a better running back corps than I’m used to. Because of the short-term nature of this league, running backs gain a little value compared to wide receivers.

rsowrs

Three mid-low WR2s, which I can live with in a 16-team league. Depth is scary, though, as I’ll almost certainly have to start Hankerson multiple weeks, and after that I might be taking some 0s in my WR3 slot. If I can string together a few wins early in the season, I likely will try to acquire some wide receiver depth from a team throwing in the towel.

rsotes

Depth is fine here, as I expect Walker, Witten, and Seferian-Jenkins to put up mid-low TE1 numbers in a league this size. Maybe I’ll be able to peddle one of them to a TE-needy contender during the season, but I’ve had little interest so far.

Overall

I’m far from a favorite to make the playoffs, but once the chaos of real football begins, I may find my team will be stronger than it looks in July.

As for the league as a whole, I’ve really enjoyed the format. RSO’s auction software is really a cut above and I look forward to giving it a full go next off-season.

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