What do you do as commish when draft picking for a team with no GM in an online league?

brotherblues · 08-05-2023, 10:29 AM

Do you:

1. Make their first pick yourself, then auto the rest.
2. Turn on their auto-pick from start to finish.
3. Other.

I feel like doing anything yourself just introduces your own bias where it doesn't belong. On the other hand, leaving it on auto can sometimes lead to a seemingly wonky 1st pick.

Think I'd still lean towards auto all the way. Thoughts?

anthonywvalentine · 08-07-2023, 04:23 PM

I always draft "best player available" for any team not around in the 1st round. Whether they are vacant or the GM is absent. I look at it as "in the best interest of the league."

I also do my 1st round live in Slack / S+ over about 60-90 minute time frame. If a team asks, I'm more than happy to draft the entire thing for them as well but that's only happened once or twice when the GM was out for a full season and I was covering the team for them (while I didn't run a team myself)

md40022 · 08-07-2023, 04:29 PM

I've never done an online league, but to your point about bias - I think you absolutely have to auto-pick with the "draft best available" option.

Your scenario just makes me think back to the days of playing the commissioner role in a fantasy football league that had the same group of teams year after year....... no matter what decision you make, it will get accused of bias or playing favorites or whatever else it might be. Some people complain just to complain, and even the team owners who try to be reasonable and level-headed may not agree with what player is "the right pick" for the team in question. There won't be any winning that battle for you...... I think you absolutely have to go auto.

08-05-2023, 10:29 AM	#1
brotherblues All Star Reserve Join Date: Nov 2020 Posts: 658	What do you do as commish when draft picking for a team with no GM in an online league? Do you: 1. Make their first pick yourself, then auto the rest. 2. Turn on their auto-pick from start to finish. 3. Other. I feel like doing anything yourself just introduces your own bias where it doesn't belong. On the other hand, leaving it on auto can sometimes lead to a seemingly wonky 1st pick. Think I'd still lean towards auto all the way. Thoughts?

08-07-2023, 04:23 PM	#2
anthonywvalentine All Star Reserve Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Connecticut Posts: 676	I always draft "best player available" for any team not around in the 1st round. Whether they are vacant or the GM is absent. I look at it as "in the best interest of the league." I also do my 1st round live in Slack / S+ over about 60-90 minute time frame. If a team asks, I'm more than happy to draft the entire thing for them as well but that's only happened once or twice when the GM was out for a full season and I was covering the team for them (while I didn't run a team myself)

08-07-2023, 04:29 PM	#3
md40022 All Star Reserve Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 740 Infractions: 0/1 (1)	I've never done an online league, but to your point about bias - I think you absolutely have to auto-pick with the "draft best available" option. Your scenario just makes me think back to the days of playing the commissioner role in a fantasy football league that had the same group of teams year after year....... no matter what decision you make, it will get accused of bias or playing favorites or whatever else it might be. Some people complain just to complain, and even the team owners who try to be reasonable and level-headed may not agree with what player is "the right pick" for the team in question. There won't be any winning that battle for you...... I think you absolutely have to go auto.