Interesting analysis.

If you think you only need 42-49, then do you put more money in those guys or are your last roster spots speculative developmental guys?

Me, personally? I don't think the value is there to hold developmental guys as it stands. The burden of one whiff hurts because of the contract implications, why would I risk it repeatedly?
My money will be spent on my best players. The fewer of them I have to field, the more they all get. That's why if the 34 requires one fewer named player, I'll move to it.

Why would the 3-4 require one fewer named player?

Not stupid, but you are forgetting something.

CD has advised on on a couple of occasions that D-lineman and RBs can and will wear out with overuse.

I think you're understating the value of having several decent D-lineman you can rotate in and out. Additionally, you're welcome to try to get by with only one swing tackle if you'd like, but as someone that watched 3/5 of his line miss 1/2 the season or better last year, I'd advise against it.

I think you can get away with 48-50, but if you can get 53 quality players on your roster, you'd be well served to do so.

And if you're moving to the 3-4, I've got a nice 3-4 ILB I'd gladly send your way in Brook Reed for a MLB as I'm switching over to the 4-3 (purely personal preference).

The 43 makes use of backups at both T and E for 8 linemen and 3 LBs for a total of 11
It would appear there are only 6 linemen and 4 LBs in the 34,making 10
DBs being equal, you have to plug one less name into your Sandbox lineup if you run a 34.

That's the point I'm getting at. The Dline and RB attrition is accounted for by our naming backups at those positions. Get good T2 and E2 and good HB 2 and 3, but you can't play more than that any given week.
I hear you about Oline, two would be my bare minimum.

Rain Man or CD. As the owner of the Chula Vista squad, I am based out of Shreveport, LA.North Louisiana has been begging for a team sine the Shreveport Pirates of the CFL left, an alternative to the non Saints fan. Is relocation to Shreveport an options, and if so, can we be called the Shreveport Mudbugs or Shreve City Crawdads?

We can take care of that. Name changes are a lower priority right now, but we'll put it on the list.

Just a heads up for now, but the Pembroke Pines Patteeus are thinking about changing both the name and the official color of our fanchise to the Pembroke Pines Periwinkle Patteeus. I'll let you know if anything official is decided. Until then, no action is required.

I think the 53 man is a little much in this because you don't have the special teams only players on your roster also. I am good with it and all but I agree you wont need to use all 53 even though I will.

I've got several special teams specialists on my team. I'm going to win it all with kicks and coverage. Well, as soon as I find a kicker, that is.

I figured out what you were saying there when you broke it down to patteau.

You're essentially saying that, since D-line has a fatigue element to it but LBs don't, you're better served with only having backups at the 3 D-line positions (where they're needed) w/ no backups at the 4 LB (where they aren't) than vice versa. Essentially, the 4-3 requires 8+3 in the box (4 starters, 4 backups and 3 linebackers) whereas the 3-4 requires 6+4 (3 starters, 3 backups, 4 linebackers).

It makes some sense, though ultimately I think you can have 1 extra DE to give your 2 DEs a breather and 1 extra DT to give your 2 DTs a breather. So really, you're talking about 4+2+3 = 9 (4 starters, 1 backup DE, 1 backup DT, 3 LBers) vs. 3+2+4 = 9 (3 starters, 1 backup DE, 1 backup NT and 4 LBers).

Where I really think there's an advantage right now anyway, is that the NFL has migrated to a 3-4 league, as such, there are simply more 3-4 players available in the pool.

It's actually very much in contrast to how the real NFL works. In the real NFL, I think a team would be wise to switch to a 4-3 right now because there would be a little bit of a surplus of good 4-3 pass rushers and quicker DT that would be playing DE in a 3-4. Whereas in this league, you're punished for not playing a guy how the NFL actually played him, so the relative dearth of 4-3 teams means a shortage of 4-3 personnel and thus inflation of their value and an increase in the position 'penalties' that come by playing them out of position.

It's a little frustrating to me, but I figure this will eventually work itself out. I figure eventually attributes and skill-sets will be more important to the performance of the players than their listed position in the prior season. But that's going to take a lot of work.

Periwinkle is an underused color in professional football uniforms. That'll be a good niche for you.

I don't plan on having a 53-man roster. It's not needed.

I can get by with 47.