Whilst I wouldn't let it get in the way of player selection, a tilt to less byes in Rd 12 would be the preference. After round 12, and lesser extent round 13, you'll be trading premiums in from those weeks after their bye - which ultimately evens up the ledger.
I’ve heard this a lot but don’t follow the logic. If you pick up premiums from the later byes early in the year instead you’ll have less of those players when their bye comes around. Something like 6-6-6 for each bye would be optimal wouldn’t it when the byes come around?
I’ll show you what I mean let’s look at three examples and how many premiums you get for the byes.
Pretending we have 18 premiums heading into round 12, here are three structures.
1. 5 with Round 12 bye, 6 with round 13 bye, 7 with round 14 bye.
Round 12= 13 players
Round 13= trade in two who had Round 12 bye (you now have 7) and you have 14 players
Round 14= trade in 1 player who had Round 13 bye (you now have 7) and you have 14 players
Total = 41 premiums during the byes
2. 6 with Round 12 bye, 6 with round 13 bye, 6 with round 14 bye.
Round 12= 12 players
Round 13= trade in two who had Round 12 bye (you now have 8) and you have 14 players
Round 14= trade in 1 player who had Round 13 bye (you now have 7) and you have 15 players
Total = 41 premiums during the byes
3. 5 with Round 12 bye, 7 with round 13 bye, 6 with round 14 bye.
Round 12= 13 players
Round 13= trade in two who had Round 12 bye (you now have 7) and you have 13 players
Round 14= trade in 1 player who had Round 13 bye (you now have 8) and you have 15 players
Total = 41 premiums during the byes