The Losers Bracket: An Alternative to the Toilet Bowl
I love the existence of a “Toilet Bowl” in fantasy football leagues.
It provides some much-needed irreverent mischief for many casual leagues.
That said, we’re here to provide you with an alternative concept that is both engaging and functional: “The Losers Bracket”
What is “The Losers Bracket”?
The “Losers Bracket” takes place during your league’s playoff weeks. The only difference is that it also includes every team that did not make the regular playoffs.
So, what’s the difference between this and a Toilet Bowl Playoff then?
In this format, as opposed to a Toilet Bowl Bracket, you want to keep advancing. The further you advance, the better the reward. And the reward being…
A better draft pick for the following season!
Essentially, how teams fare in the playoffs will determine your next year’s draft order.
The Playoff Bracket Illustrated
Below is a sample bracket for a 12 team league:
The red numbers denote the determined pick a team will have in the next year’s draft.
For example, if you were last place in your division, you’ll see that you would get a first-round BYE in “The Losers Bracket”. If you win out during these playoffs, you’ll get the #1 pick in the draft order. However, if you lost in the first round, then you’d be placed in a tie-breaker game, which would land you either the 3rd or 4th pick.
Yes, the Regular Playoff Teams Are Involved Too
You will also notice that the regular playoff games also get in on the action, as that will decide who gets picks 7-12.
Win the Super Bowl, you get the last pick in the draft.
Lose in the first round of the playoffs, well…you get another game the next week to decide whether you’ll be rewarded with the 7th or 8th pick.
PROS & CONS
Pro #1: More Games = More Engagement
Usually, when owners don’t make the playoffs, they tend to fall off a cliff and go silent. This keeps everyone more involved in your league for a longer span.
Pro #2: A Fair Way of Deciding Draft Order / Prevents “Throwing Games”
In the NFL the teams with the worst record get the highest pick. This doesn’t work for fantasy leagues though, because if you are mathematically out of it by midseason, you would be incentivized to do worse (throw games). In the “Loser Bracket” method, there’s no incentive to lose during the regular season. Ok, maybe just a very little, in hopes of gaining a first-round BYE in the “Losers Bracket”, but in all of my history, it hasn’t been a problem.
Con: No More Toilet Bowl
The only negative to this method: No more Toilet Bowls for your league. This means no more punishments, or gaining a few laughs at another owner’s expense.
But it’s a small price to pay for the benefits you gain from this method.
