Fantasy football has become an instrumental part of how we watch the NFL. However, the process of fantasy football actually starts months in advance of the NFL season. So when does the 2022 fantasy football season start?
When does fantasy football start in 2022?
In terms of statistical accumulation and Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS), the fantasy football season starts when the NFL season begins on September 8. However, the actual process of fantasy drafts and the season itself can start much earlier.
The traditional start of the fantasy football “redraft” season is often the end of August or the beginning of September. Labor Day weekend is usually one that is circled on many league’s calendars as “draft weekend.” In 2022, Labor Day is Monday, September 5.
The reason for that is two-fold. Labor Day weekend is the final weekend before the season begins. The reason that is important is that there are no more preseason games after Labor Day weekend. Therefore, the risk of having teams “ruined” by injuries is far less by having a draft that weekend. Additionally, it is also a three-day or “long” weekend. Therefore, it’s a perfect opportunity for friends and/or family to meet and commence their draft in person.
Of course, you do not need to wait for Labor Day to draft. You can realistically draft at any time between the end of the Super Bowl and the first game of the season. But the later you have it, the more information you have at your disposal.
Dynasty and best ball fantasy football is already underway
To some extent, dynasty fantasy football does not start because it never ends. Start-up dynasty drafts sometimes begin as early as the day after the end of the regular season. The situation is often the same for rookie drafts. People hoping to use their college football knowledge to beat the competition will push for drafts to take place as early as possible.
However, the traditional “start” of dynasty season is most commonly at the end of free agency or the draft. At that point, rosters are well established for 2022, and we know which players are likely to be playing where.
Best ball fantasy football is in a similar situation regarding a 2022 start date. Best ball leagues can be drafted all year. This includes during the season itself. In-season best ball formats can be either one-off weekly games or longer formats spanning the rest of the season.
When it comes to best ball leagues for the following season, some even start immediately following the conclusion of the regular season. Others see the Super Bowl as the time to look ahead to the next season. However, after the conclusion of the first wave of free agency, or the end of the draft weekend, is when a number of eyes turn back to best ball fantasy football for the upcoming season.