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Best Ball

Best ball is a fantasy football format where you draft a team and the best lineup is automatically started each week, with no waivers, trades, or lineup decisions.

In a best ball league, you draft a full roster and then your work is done. Each week, the scoring system automatically counts the points from your highest-scoring players at each position, as if you had started the perfect lineup. There are no start or sit choices, no waiver wire moves, and no trades during the season. The format rewards drafting skill above all else.

Most best ball leagues run for the full regular season, and the team with the most total points at the end wins. Some formats use playoff rounds, where the top teams after the regular season advance and compete head-to-head using the same automatic lineup rules. Rosters tend to be larger than in standard leagues so you can stock up on backups and late-season sleepers.

Because there are no in-season moves, best ball drafting strategy focuses on upside. Late-round picks often target rookies, players in unsettled depth charts, or backups who could take over an injured starter's job. Popular formats include Underdog, DraftKings, and Sleeper, many of which offer large tournaments with big prizes for the best drafters.

Common questions

Do you set lineups in best ball leagues?

No. The platform automatically counts your highest scorers at each position every week, so you never make a start or sit decision.

Can you trade players or make waiver pickups in best ball?

No. Best ball is draft-only. Once your draft is finished, your roster stays the same for the rest of the season.

How is best ball different from a standard redraft league?

Standard leagues use head-to-head matchups, weekly lineup choices, waivers, and trades. Best ball removes all in-season management and relies entirely on how well you drafted.

Related terms

Fanademy ranks every player by value over replacement under your league's scoring. The free top five at each position is public; the full board is $5 a month or $40 a year.

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