The guy who runs the FF league I've been in for the last several years wants to have an auction instead of a traditional draft. Our league is through CBS Sportsline and this is a new feature. Rather than isolated, uncontested selections in a pre-determined order, teams nominate players to go on the auction block where everyone can bid on every player (keeping in mind that there is a "salary cap" of 100 virtual dollars).

Has anyone ever done this? I'm not sure if I like it or not.

Yes, fourth year in a league that does this. A nice aspect is that everyone has an equal shot to get whoever they want. There's certainly elements of the winner's curse that come into play. The bad side is that it really lengthens the draft. The one league I am talking about has 30 players per team (drafting IDP) and 10 teams, so 300 picks total. The draft runs about seven and a half hours. It's a fun draft, but it does get old after the fifth hour or so. The part that really makes this auction fun is that it is a keeper league -- you can keep up to 5 players, but you have to give them a 10% increase in salary the next year (you can keep a player twice before he has to go back on the market.) I was able to grab DeSean Jackson at 1 dollar in 2008, and so I am enjoying a competitive advantage going into this draft (also have Jamaal Charles for a buck and Jerome Harrison for a buck.)

If you asked my opinion of which one I like more, I would say the auction style. It requires more effort, but like anything in life, the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. I even joined another one this year!

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"All crowds boycotting football games shouldn't care who sings or takes a knee because they aren't watching." - Nas

We are trying one tonight with a bunch of friends. Im looking forward to it, as I hear nothing but good things about it. I dont do the IDP as that just seems a bit too much.

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Well I thought I had an auction league set up and than all of a sudden I did not.. WTF yahoo.com

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Go to Yahoo or ESPN and do some mock drafts before your draft and you'll get a good feel for how they go. The thing to avoid, is bidding too high to get a guy you want. If someone goes ridiculously high, let him have that guy. Know what your limits are for players and stick by them. Some guys let their pride/stubborness get in the way. I am in just 1 auction league and I hate the drafts for them. they take about twice as long. Guys will bid-up players they don't even want, just to try to make others pay more for them. It's pretty funny when they get stuck with a guy with a high price tag though. I much prefer the standard snake draft.

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