With NFL training camps starting and the first full week of the preseason starting this Thursday, many fantasy leagues are having their annual drafts for the 2023 season. Lately, a newer fantasy league has garnered the interest of fantasy and DFS managers.
Best Ball is different from most leagues where trades and waiver wires are the norm. Best-ball managers draft teams for the entire season without any waivers, trades, or starting lineups. The highest-scoring players from an individual week will count for your team’s score.
For the top best-ball players, there are life-changing prizes to win. Underdog’s Best Ball Mania 4’s jackpot is $15 million with a $3 million top prize. DraftKings’ big best-ball tournament is $10 million with $1 million to first place.
Best-ball drafts usually consist of 12 teams with varying amounts of rounds. DK’s drafts are 20 rounds while Underdog’s drafts are 18 rounds. The first round lasts from Week 1-14, where the top two teams advance to Week 15. For Weeks 15 and 16, the top-scoring team out of each group will have a chance at the big money in Week 17.
Why are best-ball drafts so much fun? Drafting is the only thing a manager needs. There are no waiver moves or trades to acquire players during the NFL season. The roster is your team in that league for the whole season.
Stacking is a common occurrence in best ball, but stacking is not needed for fantasy football. This year, there are several exciting Week 17 games that will attract all best-ball drafters.
An AFC showdown between Joe Burrow’s Cincinnati Bengals and Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs will be a popular stack. The Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Ravens can replicate last year’s 42-38 shootout. An AFC West clash between Justin Herbert’s Los Angeles Chargers and Russell Wilson’s Denver Broncos can rock up fantasy scores.
Dome games are often a favorite target for teams with no weather effects in December and January. A critical NFC North showdown between the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings offers Justin Jefferson a chance to ring in the year inside Minnesota’s U.S. Bank Stadium. A Saturday Detroit Lions-Dallas Cowboys meeting should light up Arlington, Texas with plenty of fantasy points.
Time is a major consideration in how fast to make picks. Many fantasy websites offer fast or slow drafts. A fast draft gives 30 seconds per pick, which increases the action. A slow draft can have up to eight hours between picks.
While drafting best-ball teams offers an unknown excitement over which stack to take, each draft offers a chance to learn. Whether right or wrong, every best-ball draft offers a blend of everything managers have learned about drafting.
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