The fashionable fantasy football recreation comes with way more variations than most of us may even preserve observe of. There isn’t any stopping the innovation of fantasy managers. New codecs and new challenges are continuously popping up, and one such format is Superflex TE premium.
These leagues have seen a strong rise in recognition over the previous few years. For these new to this format or wanting so as to add a brand new wrinkle to their upcoming leagues, how does a Superflex TE premium format differ from a conventional league? And the way ought to this impression the worth on draft day for each kinds?
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What Is a Superflex TE Premium League?
For many of you, even should you haven’t performed on this format, you recognize what these phrases imply. However for individuals who don’t, right here’s a fast primer.
A Superflex league is a league the place along with the standard Flex spot(s) in beginning lineups, there’s a Superflex spot, which permits fantasy managers to begin a quarterback in it. Basically, it’s a 2QB league, however since there are solely 32 QBs obtainable to begin, the Superflex place permits every other place to be began there as properly, stopping fantasy managers from ever having to take a zero as a result of they don’t have a second QB to begin.
As you undoubtedly gathered, TE premium has to do with tight finish scoring. In a typical PPR league, each reception is value one level (or half-point in a half-PPR league). TE premium seeks to extend the worth of tight ends by giving that place particularly a bonus for a reception. In TE premium codecs, a decent finish might obtain an additional half or full level per reception on high of the fundamental scoring system.
The Superflex place drastically will increase the worth of quarterbacks. The TE premium side bumps up the worth of tight ends. Given the prevalence of the late-round QB technique, Superflex rose in recognition as a result of quarterback is crucial place in soccer — if not all of sports activities — however was an afterthought in fantasy due to how replaceable it was.
Essentially the most irreplaceable real-life place was probably the most replaceable in fantasy. It didn’t make sense. So, Superflex was born.
Clearly, the tight finish place is just not as essential because the quarterback place. However, it’s a beginning place in nearly all fantasy soccer leagues, so it ought to matter.
TE premium seeks to fight the prevalence of simply punting the tight finish place, not taking one till the very finish of drafts. It’s designed to present fantasy managers added incentive to take among the middle-round tight ends.
How Does the Superflex Place Enhance QB Fantasy Worth?
There are numerous on the market who will swear by Superflex leagues, calling it the one actual option to play. I don’t take part in lots of Superflex leagues as a result of I imagine it’s an overcorrection. I love the aim, however Superflex really serves to focus on how troublesome it’s to attain true positional stability in fantasy soccer.
The winds of change are upon us in conventional 1QB leagues, with quarterback values at their highest level for the reason that nice QB growth of 2011 produced inflated 2012 ADPs. Nonetheless, the distinction between QB worth throughout league codecs stays stark.
In 1QB leagues, the “large three” of Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Jalen Hurts will nonetheless go throughout the first three rounds. In Rounds 4 and 5, you’ll possible see Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, Justin Herbert, and Justin Fields chosen. Trevor Lawrence is often passed by the tip of Spherical 6. Then, the remainder of the low-end starters are scattered all through the next 5-6 rounds.
In Superflex leagues, a minimum of 15 quarterbacks can be chosen within the first two rounds, with greater than half getting into Spherical 1. The place immediately goes from undervalued to extra essential than anything.
After I draft Superflex groups, I wish to begin QB-QB each single time. In fact, draft slot issues. Typically, it’s simply not potential. However whether it is, I’m doing it. That’s how helpful QBs are in Superflex.
2022, it’s straightforward to see how quarterback worth issues a lot. Russell Wilson was, by all accounts, horrible final 12 months. He was dropped by midseason in most 1QB leagues. On condition that he averaged 15.1 ppg and completed because the QB17, I’d say fantasy managers made the appropriate transfer.
But, when it comes to general fantasy scoring, in comparison with each place, Wilson was a top-40 participant. He outscored high-end starters like Tee Higgins, DeVonta Smith, and Rhamondre Stevenson. A properly below-average starter in 1QB leagues out of the blue turns into a bonus as your QB2 in Superflex leagues.
How Does the TE Premium Facet Enhance TE Fantasy Worth?
Whereas the Superflex place provides a QB to the beginning lineup, it doesn’t change the best way quarterbacks accumulate fantasy factors — TE premium does.
Traditionally, the tight finish place hasn’t actually modified a lot. Whether or not it’s Tony Gonzalez, Antonio Gates, Rob Gronkowski, Jimmy Graham, or Travis Kelce, there are often one or two elite tight ends value early-round picks, and the remainder are simply unhealthy values.
In fact, a middle-round TE breaks by means of right here and there. There’s often a minimum of one yearly. However they’re close to unimaginable to foretell. The one certain issues are the elites and the replaceability of the late-round guys.
Most tight ends don’t even common as many fantasy factors as a WR3. To fight that, TE premium makes an attempt to extend fantasy scoring, making tight ends extra helpful.
Final season, simply eight tight ends averaged over 10 factors per recreation. By means of comparability, the edge for WR3 manufacturing was about 11.5. Simply six tight ends reached that threshold.
Should you have been to extend TE scoring to 1.5 PPR, a whopping 17 tight ends would’ve reached 10 ppg. It makes way more tight ends value rostering and will increase the worth of middle-round gamers on the place.
The first criticism towards TE premium is it really widens the hole between the elites and everybody else. For instance, the most important edge in fantasy soccer final season was Travis Kelce, who averaged 5.2 factors per recreation greater than the TE2. In TE premium, Kelce would’ve averaged 21.8 ppg, rising his edge over the TE2 to six.4 ppg.
It goes to indicate the difficulties in attaining scoring stability in fantasy soccer. There’s no option to make the decrease tight ends extra helpful with out additionally rising the worth of the fellows who’re already elite.
Drafting in a Superflex TE Premium League
As I discussed above, I wish to double-tap QB in each Superflex league. If this isn’t potential, I’m nonetheless attempting to get my second quarterback by the tip of the fifth spherical on the absolute newest. Few issues are absolute in fantasy drafts, however on no account will I ever go away the primary two rounds with out a minimum of one quarterback.
The most important adjustment fantasy managers should make in Superflex is wanting down on the caliber of gamers obtainable in Rounds 3 and 4. You’re going to see gamers that your mind associates with the primary two rounds. It is going to be very tempting to draft them.
I’ve all the time discovered it troublesome to move on elite RBs and WRs in favor of seemingly mediocre quarterbacks. The notion of drafting Daniel Jones forward of Derrick Henry in all probability feels soiled, however in Superflex, it’s mandatory and probably appropriate on account of positional values.
Should you’re new to Superflex, I implore you to mock. Throughout mock drafts, deliberately keep away from taking your second QB early a number of occasions. See the way it performs out. Maybe you don’t thoughts having a weak QB2 should you can get hold of a sufficiently big edge at WR and RB. It actually can work out.
The problem you can see is that there’ll solely be a few viable QB2s, which you will have to grab up on the proper spot. Figuring out when that’s will all the time be troublesome. In some drafts, you’ll simply have the ability to seize one within the fifth or sixth spherical. In others, you could move within the fifth and see all of them fly off the board earlier than your subsequent decide.
My guess is you can see that the QB drawback is an excessive amount of to beat. It’s a great way to show your self the worth of going QB early in Superflex.
At all times Draft at Least 3 Quarterbacks
In 12-team codecs, it’s not potential for each workforce to stroll away with three beginning quarterbacks. Even when we assume no workforce drafts greater than three quarterbacks (which you shouldn’t), that leaves a minimum of 4 groups that may solely have two.
In fact, you’ll be able to and must be prepared to draft backups which can be prone to make begins through the season. However even when these guys turn out to be starters, meaning different guys are shedding their jobs for no matter motive. Somebody goes to solely have two beginning quarterbacks. Don’t let that be you.
Tight Ends Enhance in Worth, However To not the Extent of QBs
In contrast to the QB place, the place you’re actually beginning an additional one, even in TE premium, you’re nonetheless solely beginning one tight finish. On condition that the rise in TE worth is throughout the board, the worth proposition doesn’t change a lot.
TE premium will prop up the elite tight ends to go greater due to the worth they supply. Nonetheless, should you wait on tight finish, the most important change can be it is likely to be extra value it to take a TE over a WR4 as a result of the premium side will make tight ends extra helpful than some replacement-level vast receivers.
On common, you’re in all probability taking a look at a 1-2 spherical improve among the many middle-to-later-round tight ends. For the fellows that go after Kelce and Mark Andrews, they find yourself being extra value it than the medley of WR2s and WR3s that usually go forward of them. However in any other case, should you wait on tight finish, you’re nonetheless ready.
Given the restricted nature of startable positions, there’s solely a lot you are able to do to try to equalize worth. Finally, some positions will all the time be extra helpful than others, and that’s okay.
The secret’s to know your league’s settings and the way they impression the best way it’s best to draft. When you grasp that, you’re on the trail to being a really profitable fantasy supervisor.
