Most fantasy football managers across the country redraft a brand-new team every season. But, how about running a fantasy team year-round like an NFL franchise? If you like the thought of that, dynasty fantasy football is the best option for you.
Let’s dive into the intricacies of how to set up and play dynasty fantasy football.
WHAT IS DYNASTY FANTASY FOOTBALL?
Dynasty fantasy football is a variation of fantasy football that focuses on long-term team management and player ownership. Unlike traditional leagues that last for a single season, dynasty leagues allow participants to build and maintain teams over multiple seasons, mimicking the role of an NFL team owner or general manager.
The key element of dynasty football is the concept of long-term player ownership, as participants draft real NFL players and retain them on their roster from year to year, engaging in trades, free agency and rookie drafts to shape their team. With deeper rosters, dynasty leagues prioritize developing talent and future potential, requiring owners to balance short-term success with long-term planning. It involves additional elements like rookie drafts, salary caps, and contract management, creating a dynamic and immersive experience that mirrors the complexities of real NFL team management and appeals to enthusiasts seeking a year-round engagement in the sport.
WHERE CAN YOU PLAY DYNASTY FANTASY FOOTBALL?
1. SLEEPER
Sleeper is the best app to use when it comes to dynasty fantasy football. Sleeper has emerged as a favored platform for dynasty fantasy football due to its innovative and user-centric approach. It offers a sleek and modern interface combined with powerful features that enhance the dynasty league experience. Sleeper provides an extensive range of league customization options, including advanced scoring settings, taxi squads, and rookie drafts. The platform also offers unique features like integrated league chat, news alerts, and engaging league history tracking.
2. MYFANTASYLEAGUE (MFL)
MFL has been around for nearly two decades and has been the host to thousands of dynasty leagues over the years. Despite its interface looking like it’s from the Stone Age, MFL is the most customizable and immersible site you can use for dynasty fantasy football. It can be hard to learn as a new commissioner and outside of its browser experience lacks the charm that Sleeper provides from an app experience. If you’re a patient person who plays fantasy more on their PC or laptop, MFL might be the place for you.
3. Fantasy Football People Championship (FFPC)
FFPC is a higher-stakes dynasty league for ultra-competitive players. Prices range from $100 and up for starters while they also offer the chance to take on orphan teams as well. The FFPC has been around for a decade now and is beginning to make a bigger name for itself as some of the top dynasty minds in the business participate in high-stakes leagues on their website.
Overall, FFPC dynasty leagues offer a unique and challenging fantasy football experience for participants who enjoy the strategic intricacies of long-term roster management and player development. These leagues foster year-round engagement and provide a platform for serious fantasy football enthusiasts to showcase their skills and compete at a high level.
4. ESPN, Yahoo!, CBS, Fantrax
The rest of the websites and apps for fantasy football don’t offer a strong dynasty fantasy football experience in comparison to the top three. Spreadsheets will be needed and the overall immersible experience is not as enjoyable as the others unless you’re looking to be extremely hands-on.
Overall, avoid these websites/apps for dynasty fantasy football and stick to them for redraft leagues.
LEAGUE SET UP
SUPERFLEX
In recent years, SuperFlex leagues have become the primary league set up for dynasty leagues. In a SuperFlex league, a second quarterback can also fill the flex position. This means you can start up to two QBs in your lineup, providing more flexibility and strategic options.
Combining the two concepts, a SuperFlex dynasty league allows you to build a dynasty team while having the added flexibility of starting multiple quarterbacks. This format puts a premium on quarterbacks as they are typically the highest-scoring players in fantasy football. It adds another layer of strategy and decision-making to team management, as you need to consider the value and scarcity of quarterbacks in your roster construction. A SuperFlex leagues allow for more scoring, added value of the quarterback, and degrading value of the running back position. Overall it adds more layers to a dynasty league with your friends.
1QB
A 1QB league setup was the standard for dynasty leagues for many years and still is for redraft leagues. A 1QB league has a typical structure of 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE, 1 Flex (this can be either a RB, WR, or TE), and the removal of the kicker and D/ST positions. 1QB puts less importance on the quarterback position and emphasizes the RB much more as you’re in need of more scoring outside of the SuperFlex setup. If you’re looking to try your first dynasty league out this may be the setup for you.
Check out our Beginner’s Guide to Fantasy Football for an in-depth analysis of scoring, waiver wire settings, and last-place punishments which can be used for both redraft and dynasty leagues.
