For true beginners, fantasy football involves creating a virtual team of NFL players whose real-world performances and statistics earn points based on a preset or customized scoring system.

Success hinges heavily on strategic fantasy football drafting, roster management, and staying informed about player news and injuries.

You draft a team of players based on set positional requirements and then enter a starting lineup every week. Your active players must compile a higher cumulative total than that of a direct head-to-head opponent for the current NFL week to earn a win.

The wins and losses are totaled throughout a regular season before playoff games. The fantasy football playoffs take place during the final weeks of the NFL regular season.

Experienced fantasy leaguers are always finding new ways to play as the most popular fantasy sport actually continues to grow in size and reach. According to the Fantasy Sports & Gaming Association’s latest findings, over 60 million people play fantasy football, and 79 percent of all fantasy sports participants play fantasy football.

As the game has become bigger, different ways to play have become more popular, and new ways of competing have been introduced. Active fantasy leaguers can now play in a variety of ways and on different platforms.

How fantasy football works

New players should know that they draft NFL players to form a roster, which typically features positions like quarterback (QB), running back (RB), wide receiver (WR), tight end (TE), kicker (K), and defense/special teams (DST) and a “flex” player (any RB, WR or TE).

Points are awarded based on players’ actual on-field stats, such as touchdowns, yards gained, receptions or defensive plays.

Fantasy Football leagues vary in format—standard, PPR (points per reception), superflex (you can start a second QB at a second flex position) or IDP (individual defensive players are used instead of defensive units)—so understanding your league’s rules is crucial.

Established players are seeing new types of fantasy football leagues emerge, such as survivor, or “vampire” leagues, where the lowest-scoring team every week is eliminated, and all of its current players become available on waivers.

Choosing the right league format

Be sure to explore different kinds of fantasy football leagues and select a league format that comfortably aligns with your playing style or depth of NFL knowledge. PPR leagues reward receptions, favoring pass-catching running backs and wide receivers.

Standard leagues do not include points for receptions and emphasize touchdowns. IDP leagues add defensive players, requiring deeper knowledge of lesser-known guys.

Research your league’s scoring settings to tailor your fantasy football draft strategy. Point values can vary at positions across different leagues and platforms.

For example, some fantasy football leagues award six points for a TD pass rather than the more common four. “Tight end premium” fantasy football formats award more PPR points to the TE position.

Crafting a winning fantasy football draft strategy

Drafting is the foundation of a successful fantasy football season. A well-executed draft balances star players, depth, and addresses positional scarcity while adapting to league dynamics and settings.

Fantasy football draft prep information is widely available online, and still in magazines for those who may still choose to use them. You should also participate in fantasy football mock drafts to prepare for the actual draft itself.

But do keep in mind that every single fantasy football draft has its own unique flow and order of picks, and no mock draft will firmly replicate any other draft. It’s good to mock to get a general feel for the overall pace and general tiering of player selections.

Fantasy football draft tips: Volume RBs and top WRs go early

Most fantasy football players heavily focus on their first pick. The first round will mostly consist of high-volume RBs and the top WRs in most leagues, with one starting QB and no TE premium scoring.

Go with the flow

Don’t try to predict ahead of time how the draft might flow until your first pick. For example, if you are picking seventh, don’t try to forecast the six picks ahead of you. Simply list your top seven overall players and pick the top one remaining in the draft queue when it’s time to make the first pick.

In ensuing rounds, queue up players between fantasy football draft rounds so you have a few options to choose from at the next turn. Target groups of players rather than specific players.

Dual-threat QB value

A longtime fantasy football strategic approach is to wait on QBs, but in 2025, there is a clear drop-off after the first four to five picks at the position. Top dual-threat QBs Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Jayden Daniels and Jalen Hurts will be drafted well before other players at the position.

According to the FantasyPros Average Draft Position report, the top 4 QBs are taken between the end of the third round and the middle of the fourth round. But in some drafts they might be taken earlier.

If you miss out on one of the prime quartet or consensus No. 5 Joe Burrow, then it is acceptable to wait until the middle or later rounds for a good starter.

Use Average Draft Position (ADP) reports wisely

Fantasy Football ADP data shows where players are typically drafted. Use ADP to identify value picks—players drafted later than their projected output. For instance, a RB such as Bucky Irving may offer first-round value in the second round.

The ADP reports are a general guide to where players are being drafted, yet as we already noted, every draft is different, and you will see your own draft flow not quite jibe with the ADPs at times. If you really like a player higher than his ADP might indicate, don’t hesitate to take him ahead of where the reports have him.

Leverage fantasy football mock drafts for preparation

You can test strategies with mock drafting and practice drafting from different slots or try various approaches by mock drafting. You can readily jump into a mock draft on sites such as Sleeper, which has become a very popular fantasy platform for all types of leagues and games. You both play fantasy football and enjoy sports betting on Sleeper.

 Some sites, including RotoBaller, offer a mock draft simulator, where you can draft by yourself from any draft position within minutes. Expert mock drafts can also be consulted on informational sites to see where professional fantasy football analysts value players.

Fantasy football defenses: Draft them late, and consider early-season matchups

The performances of fantasy football defenses vary significantly from year to year, and fantasy leaguers often stream the position on a weekly basis. Don’t draft defenses before the final rounds, and don’t draft the units simply based on overall rankings.

Because you will use different defenses very often throughout the season, look at each unit’s early-season matchups and draft quality units that will have favorable draws in the first week or two.

Fantasy football schedules: Don’t overemphasize bye weeks or late-season matchups

Many fantasy players will try to plan rigidly for fantasy football bye week absences when drafting. But the roster you draft may look much different by the time the bye weeks roll around. Trades, waivers and injuries will all significantly alter your team even very early in the season.

While it makes sense not to draft several players all with the same bye, don’t get too caught up in making sure all drafted starters have bye week backups even before the season starts.

Also, don’t spend much time thinking about late-season matchups for the fantasy football playoffs. By Week 14, your roster might look much different, and the outlooks for many players and teams will certainly look different by then.

Positions to prioritize

For the most part, you should fill out the core starting lineup of offensive players first. Leave defenses and kickers for the final rounds. Getting the immediate backups to your running backs is always a good move in case of injuries, but just pivot to good depth picks at the position if you miss out on an RB handcuff or the exact handcuff to a starter is unclear.

Drafting a backup QB will hinge on whether second QBs are widely drafted in your league. In some leagues, many good QBs will not get drafted.

You will be able to anticipate whether a second QB is needed or not by the flow of the fantasy football draft in later rounds. In superflex leagues, where a second QB can be started, drafting a third QB in the second half of the draft is essential.

Maximizing bonuses with promo codes

Promo codes and bonuses can enhance your fantasy football experience by providing extra funds, free entries, or exclusive features.

Finding the best promo codes

Top platforms like DraftKings, FanDuel, and Underdog Fantasy offer promo codes for new and existing users.

How to apply promo codes

To use a promo code:

• Sign up or log in to your chosen platform.
• Navigate to the promotions or deposit section.
• Enter the code during deposit or registration.
• Confirm the bonus is applied before finalizing.
• Always read terms, as some bonuses require minimum deposits or specific contest entries.

Maximizing bonus value

Bonuses often come as site credits or free contest entries. Some of the platforms that feature seasonal leagues will also feature DFS, betting and other types of games such as pick’em and props.

Some of the seasonal sites will include “Best Ball” leagues as another seasonal fantasy football option. In these leagues, you draft a larger roster and make no other moves after drafting the team. There are no waivers or trades.

The players who score the highest at each position every week get credit for scores for that week. The fantasy football league champion has the most total points at the end of the season.

Deposit strategically: The site you play on will match or offer bonuses to grow your budget. For example, depositing on DraftKings can get you a 20 percent bonus up to $1000. Also, check for ongoing deposit matches, where you can deposit $100, for example, and receive $100 in matching bonuses.

Enter high-value contests: Use bonus funds for guaranteed prize pool (GPP) tournaments or leagues, which offer large payouts for top finishes. Underdog’s flagship contest, Best Ball Mania VI, features $15 million in prizes and a $2 million first prize.

Track wagering requirements: Some bonuses require you to play through the bonus amount before withdrawing. Prioritize low-risk contests to meet these terms and then expand your playing options. Experienced fantasy football players will often diversify multiple amounts of leagues for maximum potential exposure.

Ideal promotional games

Certain game types pair well with promotional offers due to their structure and payout potential:

• Daily fantasy sports (DFS): Platforms like DraftKings and FanDuel offer DFS contests where promo codes unlock free entries. These are ideal for beginners, as you can experiment without risking your own funds and also begin to grow your bankroll.
• Best ball leagues: Underdog Fantasy’s best ball format, where the platform auto-selects your optimal lineup weekly, is perfect for using bonus credits. Codes often provide free entries to high-stakes best ball tournaments.
• Pick’em contests: These involve predicting player performances (e.g., Over/Under yards). Promo codes on platforms such as PrizePicks can grant free picks, lowering risk while learning the format. When playing seasonal fantasy football, you will discover more gaming options on some platforms.

Managing your roster post-draft

Drafting a fantasy football team is just the beginning of the journey to a potential championship. You will constantly be retooling your roster due to injuries, waiver wire opportunities and trades, if the league allows it.

Utilize the waiver wire

Right away, even in the preseason, you will start hitting the fantasy football waiver wire to deal with injuries, compensate for underperforming players, and grab emerging performers. There are two ways to acquire players on waivers: A Free Agent Acquisition Budget (FAAB) or through “rolling waivers.”

When using a FAAB bidding process, each team is assigned a set budget to bid on free agents every week, such as $100. The highest bidders on players every week will acquire the player bid on. On rolling waivers, teams get free agents in reverse order of standings and/or order of last team to acquire a player.

Make smart trades

Trading is one of the most fun and compelling parts of the fantasy football experience. But you will get a lot of offers that are not fit to improve your roster, and you should always carefully evaluate offers received and sent out.

The best fantasy football trades will either fill a need for your team or upgrade a position. When another league member offers you multiple players for one player, those are “quantity for quality” deals that usually only favor the team making the offer.

If you can win a lopsided deal, go ahead and do it, but the best offers to have a chance of being accepted are ones where you consider what the other team might need, too.

Stay informed with expert resources

There are many content sites that will feature everything you need for expert advice, from the preseason through the regular season.

Some sites, such as Sleeper, integrate expert content into the platform. The staple content includes player news, rankings, and articles that contain advice on drafting, waivers, and trades. You can set up fantasy football player news alerts on mobile.

FAQs about playing fantasy football

What are the best strategies for drafting in fantasy football?

The first round of a fantasy football draft with one QB starter will be filled with selections of the top RBs and WRs, so take the best one first, regardless of position, as your first pick. If you want to draft one of the top dual-threat QBs, they will often be picked in the second and third rounds, and those who miss on them can wait until later rounds for a quality starter.

Fill out the starting core lineup first, and then draft top reserves, including RB handcuffs. Leave defenses and kickers until the final rounds, and focus on early-season matchups with defenses.

How do I use promo codes in fantasy football?

Be sure to check for promo codes on the sites you want to play on. Platforms that combine fantasy football, DFS, and sports betting will offer promos for new and ongoing users. See if the platform will allow you to use codes for seasonal leagues, such as best ball formats. Promo codes can also be found for standard seasonal fantasy football leagues.

Where can I join a fantasy football league?

If you have an existing league, Sleeper is an ideal destination to have your draft and manage the league on the site. Underdog and DraftKings offer seasonal options such as Best Ball.

For anyone who wants to join an online league, consider platforms such as CBSSports.com, ESPN.com, Yahoo Sports, NFL.com and FanTrax. MyFantasyLeague and Fleaflicker are longtime hosts of private fantasy football league management, as are all of the aforementioned online sites.

Experienced players can compete in high-stakes contests on sites such as the National Fantasy Football Championships (NFFC), Fantasy Football Players Championship (FFPC) and RealTime Fantasy Sports. Check for promo codes and offers for these seasonal platforms, too.