For the general public, a standard fantasy football league suffices. If you’re reading this article, you may have grown weary of normal leagues and would like to try something new. Crash Course, a Fantasy Football Universe series, delves into unique formats. So, let’s start with Boogeyman Battle: Conquering the Frankenstank League. I should also add that this league is deeper and has more intricacies than I’ve ever played in. So, with that in mind if you have additional questions you should check out the official Frankenstank Rule Book for answers.
How Does it Work?
Well, it’s essentially a pirate league to the extreme. For those unfamiliar with a pirate league, it’s one where the winner of the head-to-head matchup each week can steal a player from the team they defeated.
It’s not just a single league though. Frankenstank is the Scott Fish Bowl equivalent of Vampire Leagues. Multiple leagues are slowly dwindling to crown one eventually champion.
How is it different?
As I stated above, this league can be difficult to describe in full. It’s a multiple-division Pirate League but that’s not where it ends. In addition to the usual pirating nature of the league, managers must each draft one monster card that they can play at any point during the season. There are upwards of 20 monster cards and some have pages of descriptions. All I will say about them is that they are all based on iconic horror movie monsters and each has a different power it allows you during the season. Some allow you to remove a player from your opponent’s lineup, while others allow a boost in production to a certain position. If you want specifics on the monsters and their unique powers, scroll up and check out the full description in the Frankenstank Rule Book.
How does the Draft work?
The drafts are done in two ways but with the same rules. There are a handful that are hosted live at the FF Expo in Canton, while the rest are done on MFL as slow drafts. There is no difference between live and online drafts for this league, but the draft rules themself are beyond unique. Let’s take a look at how each round must be drafted.
Rounds 1 & 2– Only rookies and sophomores can be drafted. Rookie quarterbacks are excluded.
Monster cards may also be selected in this round.
Round 3– Only veterans can be drafted. Once again, quarterbacks cannot be selected.
Monster cards may also be selected in this round.
Round 4– Only veteran quarterbacks can be selected in this round.
Monster cards may also be selected in this round.
Round 5– The players who are currently rostered by teams that made the playoffs in 2023 may only be selected.
Monster cards may also be selected in this round.
Round 6– Only players who are currently rostered by teams that missed the playoffs in 2023 may be selected.
Monster cards may also be selected in this round.
Rounds 7 to 16– All players can be selected
That isn’t where the draft rules end though. In addition to strict rules for the first six rounds, each team is assigned a specific round by random draw. This round signifies the round by which they must draft their monster card. If you drew round four, then you must have a monster card selected by round four, etc.
A look at the Rosters
Rosters are pretty common except for the monster card which sits in the extra bench slot you are assigned. Beyond that, it’s your standard 15-round draft with 1 quarterback, 2 running backs, 3 wide receivers, 1 tight end, 2 flexes, and 1 Superflex, with 6 bench spots.
Roster depth is critical as you can very quickly become depleted at a position after a player or two is stolen from you.
How does the Waiver Wire work?
The waiver wire is a bit more plentiful than usual due to the short rosters but in the end, it’s the cost that is the issue. While the minimum bid in Week 1 starts at $1, the bid minimum essentially doubles each week culminating with a $100 minimum from Week 14 on.
This is incredibly important since the playoffs begin early and it can become almost impossible to afford a waiver bid for a late-season injury. This can leave an unprepared manager subject to taking the $0 bid leftovers once the waiver run has been completed.
How the scoring works
Again, for a full breakout of the scoring setting, consult the official Rule Book, but for now, I will give you the shortened version. The league has typical 1/2 PPR scoring with tight end premium, but it’s a monster league so it rewards players who have monster games.
For each catch and touchdown, the score gets multiplied as well as when players hit yardage milestones in a game. So a player who puts up 3 touchdowns, 150 receiving yards, and 11 catches can score upwards of 80 points and almost single-handedly defeat your opponent’s entire lineup.
The Consensus Strategy
- Draft one of the elite Monster Cards: This is very much dependent on the draft position and which round you drew for your monster card designation. The key is to determine where each monster card ranks for you among the rookies and draft accordingly. For me, outside of the generational rookie types, the top two or three monster cards hold more value. Why draft a rookie with an unproven upside when I can draft a monster card that will score the average of the Top-10 players at their position?
- Early Quarterback: As with most superflex leagues, quarterbacks go early, so draft them early. It’s even more important to have quarterback depth early because if you face an early quarterback bye and lose to your opponent you could very quickly lose one of your best players and be a lost cause.
- Bully Tight End: Much like with quarterbacks, tight end premium scoring drives up the value of tight ends.
- Plan Ahead: Look ahead several weeks in the schedule. Not only is it important to know who your future opponents are and what monster card they could play against you, but it’s equally important to determine which opponent is most vulnerable to your monster card. In addition to the monster cards, it can also help you to plan which position to steal from your opponent should you win. If my Week 8 opponent has a good receiver and quarterback to steal but my Week 9 opponent has only a good quarterback to steal, then steal the receiver first and the quarterback later.
My Strategy
- Punt the Monster Card: As I said in the draft a monster card early explanation, is dependent on your draft slot and where you are required to draft a monster card. If you miss on the top-rated monsters and can punt the position, wait as long as you can. Knowing when your opponents are required to draft a monster gives you an excellent strategic advantage.
- Draft Backups at Each Position: This strategy is to protect you in several ways. First, you protect yourself in the event of byes and injuries, but you also protect yourself from a stolen player. Not only does it give you extra depth but it can save you from unnecessarily wasting money on the waiver wire before you have to.
- Research Which Players Can be Drafted Each Round: As was important when drafting the monster cards, knowing what will and won’t be available in each round is key. These little intricacies can create gaps in which certain positions can be deeper or shallower in each round. Research the options and plan.
In Closing
This format is unlike any other. If you are a casual fantasy football player who is just looking to draft a team and sit back, this league isn’t going to be for you, but if you are looking for the Master Chess equivalent of fantasy football, this is the league for you.
There are no wasted moves in Frankenstank. From the draft to the playoffs, I frequently found myself spending hours plotting my next move. Beware though, this is a cut-throat league, if you are looking for mercy then you are not made for this league. It’s a monster league, prepare to act like a monster.
Don’t forget to check out the rest of the Crash Course Series. Take a look at our FFU 2024 Frankenstank Mock Draft and head over to Toilets to Titles for the Complete Frankenstank Rule Book.
