How does a depth chart affect fantasy football drafts?
It helps you know which players are starters and which are backups. Starters usually get more opportunities to score fantasy points, so depth charts are a key part of pre-draft research.
Depth Chart
A depth chart is a team's official listing of its players at each position, ranked from the starter down to the backups.
In the NFL, every team keeps a depth chart that shows who the starter is at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, and every other spot, followed by the backups in order. For fantasy managers, the depth chart matters because it tells you which players are actually in line to touch the ball. A running back listed first on the depth chart, often called the RB1 for that team, is expected to get the most carries.
Depth charts change all the time due to injuries, trades, benchings, and coaching decisions. When a starter goes down, the backup listed behind him moves up, and that player can suddenly become a valuable fantasy option. Smart managers watch depth charts closely during the week, especially around training camp and the preseason, when roles are still being decided.
One thing to remember: a depth chart is a guide, not a guarantee. Coaches sometimes use committees at running back, so the top name on the chart may split carries with the players behind him. Still, knowing where a player sits on his team's depth chart is one of the most basic and important pieces of fantasy football research.
Common questions
What does it mean when a player moves up the depth chart?
It means he has passed the players ahead of him and is now closer to a starting role, often because of an injury or strong performance. That player's fantasy value usually goes up.
Related terms
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