As we approach the end of August, ‘fantasy athletes’ are beginning to gear up for their respective drafts. While the CFL has been incredible in the fantasy world thus far, the NHL, NFL, and NBA seasons are just around the corner.
There are numerous formats that participants choose to go with. Some leagues, such as CFL Fantasy allows a player to choose a lineup with a certain amount of fantasy dollars, while others prefer an auction style. Many, however, choose to go with the classic snake draft.
Every year, fantasy addicts eagerly anticipate where they will select in their league. Rather than letting the computer randomly decide for you, there could be a better way to determine who picks where. With that said, here are four unique ways to determine the order of your upcoming drafts.
Let the horses decide
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Why not put your fate in something completely out of your control? In ten-man leagues, players will be assigned a horse whose lane matches with the place they finished in last year (for example: sixth place will be matched with the horse in lane six). The final order is then determined by how the animals place. People might complain that some horses odds are much stronger than other, but it is what it is. Besides, selecting first isn’t always the most desired spot.
Mini hot dog eating contest
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This format is different in two senses. 1) You control your own fate and 2) Your end result doesn’t necessarily determine where you pick, rather where you can choose to pick. For example: the person who eats the most can choose wherever he/she selects instead of actually having to pick first. It’s a silly, but fun way to prove how badly you really want your draft spot. Contestants will be given a two-minute time span to see how many wienies they can consume.
A good old game of darts
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If you’re not a strong darts player then you’re out of luck. But if you happen to be good at the sport, this one’s for you.
Instead of trying to accumulate the highest score, the numbers representing each draft position will be placed on it. The first player to hit his/her number twice will be awarded the spot. Similar to the horse racing, the order will be determined based on the standings from last year. The person who finished last will throw first, and the champion will throw last. The format requires a bit more skill, but would be a fun way to determine the outcome.
Perform a skills competition with the actual sport
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Why not test each player beyond just the numbers? In hockey, players can compete in an accuracy competition, the football players' throwing accuracy can be tested as well, and basketball fantasy gurus can compete in a three-point skills competition. At least you would be able to get some exercise in rather than just eating chips while waiting for the computer to determine the order, right?
Of course, all of these require time and effort to gather everyone together for something that can be determined in a matter of seconds. But if you’re looking to spice things up a bit, try giving one of these four wacky ideas a try.
