As the fantasy football season quickly approaches, enthusiastic players are continuously looking for new ways to lose win money. Whether you’re a fan of redraft, dynasty, devy, daily or any of the various formats, there’s always room for one more fantasy draft.
After all, playing fantasy football is incredibly time-consuming. Imagine how cool it would be if you could just draft your team, and not have to be bothered with the nuances of waivers, trades, or remembering to set your lineup. That almost sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it?
Welcome, to Best Ball.
Over the last several years, Best Ball has become all the craze in the fantasy football community. However, what really took it to the next level was FanDuel’s partnership with DRAFT. As you may or may not know, we here at Pro Football Network are official affiliates of FanDuel. In addition, we are now happy to announce that we are the official affiliates of DRAFT.
According to the official DRAFT app, Best Ball can be defined as the following:
With Best Ball you only focus on the best part of season long fantasy football, the draft. Draft an 18 player team and you’re done. Each week, your top scoring players automatically start and will count toward your season total. The team with the most points at the end of the season wins.
No setting your lineup.
No waivers.
No trades.
Just draft! It’s the easiest way to play season long fantasy football. Scoring is .5 PPR just like our weekly NFL drafts.
Players who move teams will accrue points on their new team, but players that retire will receive 0’s. Draft carefully!
Not all Best Ball leagues use this exact format. In fact, some leagues allow for trades, waiver pickups, and some of the other options you might have in a traditional league—including different formats as well. Nevertheless, I have used several sites to get my Best Ball “fix,” and nothing can compare to DRAFT’s seamless interface and user-friendly support.
Now for those of you who have never played in this type of league before, you’re in luck, because I’m a seasoned veteran, who has competed in several fantasy drafts over the last few years. For example, this year alone, I have participated in over 32 Best Ball leagues. My wife is upset, but I guess you could now say I’m an expert on the subject.
And after participating in that many drafts, you start to develop strategies and tendencies to winning your fantasy football league. Best Ball is no different. So without further ado, here is everything you need to know to have success in Best Ball leagues this fantasy football season.
Tight Ends are like Unicorns
No matter what league you’re competing in, there’s a large disparity between the top three tight ends and the rest of the group. So what does this mean? First, when drafting any position, you must make sure to cover BYE weeks, but most importantly, you must stack positions with players that have boom-or-bust potential.
So if a Travis Kelce falls to you in the latter half of the first round, it would not be a terrible idea to make the pick. The same can be said about the other top-tier TEs, Zach Ertz and George Kittle. It is a classic case of supply and demand. Don’t be afraid to double up on top-tier tight ends either. The best players are going to play. And yes, that means some weeks that could be two TEs.
Top-5 Best Ball Tight Ends
Don’t Get Sucked Into the Youth Movement
Time and time again, I find myself enamored by the newest crop of rookies. Although I compete in my fair share of dynasty and rookie leagues, it’s hard for me to differentiate the two anymore. So please keep in mind, DRAFT leagues are NOT dynasty leagues, and your team is not better off long-term if these rookies hit.
So obviously, get excited about David Montgomery and N’Keal Harry. Those players should make an immediate impact on their fantasy teams in 2019. Just don’t think too far into the future. At the end of the day, a proven veteran that is guaranteed a share of the carries is likely to be better off than an unknown rookie battling for touches.
Top-5 Best Ball Rookies
Always Stick to the Basics
Everyone has their own strategy and way to construct the perfect Best Ball roster. Here is what I gathered over the last few years. Just remember, when in doubt, you can always go back to the basics.
Handcuffs
Sometimes, handcuffs are absolutely necessary. For example, Kalen Ballage is my number one drafted player in Best Ball this year. That is because I either drafted Kenyan Drake early, or the value was too good to pass up. Obviously, this took place before his emergence as the number one running back in Miami. Time will tell if that remains the case. Another prime example is Darrell Henderson in Los Angeles. If you draft Todd Gurley early on, he should absolutely be a target.
Late-round QBs are Valuable
The value in the late rounds at quarterback in Best Ball this year is a thing of beauty. Similar to redraft leagues, that should give you all the reason to continue to build the depth of your roster, while others panic to get their second and third QBs. Often times, I try to land a top-10 quarterback in the first ten rounds, and then focus on a tier-2 QB, like a Tom Brady or Sam Darnold, in the mid-rounds. Pairing Tom Brady with a Baker Mayfield, assures you success at the QB position.
Stacks on Stacks on Stacks
One of my favorite things to do, no matter what the format, is to stack players on the same team. For example, Russell Wilson and D.K. Metcalf or Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. This is a strategy that is often used in daily fantasy football but can easily be translated to other formats as well.
Take a Risk
If you’re like me, then you probably do best ball drafts to gain knowledge in mock drafts, while also competing vs. other fantasy football degenerates. Best Ball isn’t like other leagues where you must prepare to devote endless hours of your time. You simply assemble your team and let the fine folks at DRAFT do its thing. And yes, in other leagues, moves made late in the year can sometimes alter your championship odds. However, in Best Ball, you must try to predict some of these tendencies.
For instance, don’t be afraid to use a late-round fantasy draft pick on two of Tom Brady‘s favorite targets, Rob Gronkowski and Josh Gordon. Although unlikely, there’s a chance both players could play again in 2019.
Are they worth a flier over a late-round running back that might not make the active roster? How about a guy suspended or coming back from injury? Each of these players could be an asset to you at some point throughout the season.
Top-5 Players Worth the Risk in Best Ball
Always Draft YOUR Players
In the end, like any fantasy draft, you must always remember to draft your players. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel. If you are a big fan of Curtis Samuel, like I am, draft him over a player that might be rated higher by ADP. It doesn’t matter what ANYONE else says. Unless you co-operate a team with a friend, this is your money. And these decisions are ultimately going to impact you.
When it comes down to it, always go with your gut. Don’t worry about what some draft guide is telling you or what article you read on your favorite website (PFN of course). Like with anything in life, there are players YOU like more than other people. Don’t be afraid to draft those players and watch your team
Top-5 Players drafted in Best Ball this year
QB: Tom Brady 12/32
HB: Kalen Ballage 19/32
WR: Albert Wilson 17/32
TE: T.J. Hockenson 18/32
FLEX: D.K. Metcalf 14/32
Josh Houtz is a co-owner and writer for the Pro Football Network covering Fantasy Football. You can follow him @Houtz on Twitter.