Keeper Leagues are the latest hottest trend in fantasy sports - They have been around for a while, but each year there popularity grows and expands. For the simple reason that they make the fantasy sports experience more manager / coach intensive, enjoyable, realistic and emulates actual pro teams in a better way by using this format style. Unlike yearly leagues where teams re-draft each season and where the strategies for each slightly differ. Yearly leagues are also competitive and fun to play, but in there own way. For those that have a few fantasy years under there belt or are vert experienced. This keeper option is very enjoyable and appealing.

What is a Keeper League - Keeper Leagues are very easy to define. They are any league were team owners will keep any number of players for next season. The number of players, the years kept and specific rules for each will vary from league to league.

Keeper Leagues compared to Yearly / Redraft Leagues. Keeper leagues are for the more experienced player rather than beginners due to the amount of research and experience required to be a competitive team. Beginners without a clear understanding or the experience required to manage or coach a team will only make it harder to run your league. These new teams will be hard pressed to make a competitive team. And if that is the case they may not return next season. Making it difficult for the commish to find a new owner for a team that is all ready drafted with keeper players (depending on your specific league format) and which is potentially a very bad team. Only the most dedicated and knowledgeable people will be willing to take these teams over.

Keeper leagues do require more time, research and micro managing. In the sense that people will have to consider long term ramifications. Such as future potential, career / age status, off season attitudes ( dedicated career players as compared to players that get in trouble with the law, for example). Yearly leagues have a "go for it all" type of attitude where none of these things will be consider. Especially age and declining or on the rise player performance and stats in years to come. With yearly leagues all these things are predetermined before the draft without consideration of future seasons. Since each year these leagues will redraft a whole roster where people will then re-evaluate each player for that season.

There is a fine line between the definition of Keeper and Dynasty leagues. The basic premise is that Dynasty Leagues will allow team owners to keep their whole roster or over 50% of there roster. Keeper leagues will be under the 50% mark. When starting or looking for these type of leagues. It is best to look at that leagues particular rules on keepers and not go by the titles of the leagues.

There are many keeper leagues out there with all kinds of formats and rules. I will classify them in 4 basic types ( Complete Dynasty, Limited Keeper, Contract Keeper and Salary Cap Keeper ). Again the exact terminology is loosely defined and you will have to look closely at each individual league you may come across, to get an exact meaning of how they define their keeper rules.

These type of leagues will use salary monies to determine which players they will keep. The amount of money each team owner uses for keepers will have to be determined by the commish of the league.

Advantages

1) Auction to obtain players.

2) Fair system where team owners will have to decide for themselves on how much they are willing to spend for players they keep.

3) Some type of auction from season to season.

4) Resembles actual pro teams by using a monetary system.

Disadvantages

1) Commish will have to do extra work using a salary cap system.

2) Team owners will have to do more in an keeper salary cap league compared to regular keeper leagues.

3) Not enough salary cap to keep all the players you would like.

4) Difficult system for beginners

Strategies.
1) Young talent may take years to obtain great player performance. Choose carefully if deciding to keep rookies as keepers for any league.

2) Draft accordingly when in a keeper league. Drafting aged players in the first initial rounds may limit the choices you have on who you keep for next season.

3) Use later rounds to draft rookies. There are some each year that will shine and perform better than expected.

4) If deciding to start a keeper league. Surf the internet to get great examples on formats and how each site runs there particular leagues.

5) Make sure if you start a keeper league that all team owners are dedicated and knowledgeable. This will save you the hassle of finding new owners each year.

6) Do a lot of research. A person can never do enough, but waiting to the last minute may cause teams to choose not so wise players for keepers.

7) When deciding on keepers, look at there career history. Use that to help determine if a player may be on the rise or falling.

8) Just because a player may be aging and at the end of the career. Does not mean they are an unworthy keeper. There are some out there that are worth the chance. Favre and Clemons to mention a few.

9) Make sure you are willing to commit to a league for years. Theres nothing worse than team owners who do not return.

10) Have fun. Playing fantasy sports games will only enhance the overall sports experience when done in the proper way.

Extra Tips
1) Limit the leagues you are in. This will allow you to concentrate more on certain teams. Making you more competitive

2) Know the rules. Nothing is more embarrassing when you don't. For example you max out the number of moves your team can make without realizing there is a limit.

3) Take the time to make sure you can enter and draft your team. Waiting until the last minute can spell disaster for your team.

There are many types and formats of keeper leagues all over the internet and off. Look at what you like in a league and do some research before starting one or joining one. If you are new to fantasy sports. Playing in some yearly leagues to get familiar with the genre will help. As with any league. The league you are in will only be as competitive, fun and challenging as its members are. Choose your keeper league carefully as keeper leagues will require people to commit to teams for years to come. In conclusion, keeper leagues are great fun and give people more opportunities and ways to enjoy fantasy sports.