Fantasy Sports Q&A

Answers to 108 frequently asked questions about fantasy sports
What is a fantasy football devy league?
A fantasy football devy league is a form of a dynasty league where you draft college football underclassmen and hold onto them until they are in...  read more
What is a fantasy football dynasty league?
A fantasy football dynasty league is a format that challenges you to play more like you own a real NFL team...  read more
What is a fantasy football zombie league?
All but one owner or team will participate in the fantasy draft. After the draft has completed the 'zombie' team will be able to build their team...  read more
What's the key to pulling off a successful fantasy football trade?
Pulling off a trade in fantasy football is no easy feat as there is often a struggle for the two parties to agree. The best way to approach a trade...  read more
How does weather affect fantasy football?
Weather can certainly affect players' performances which would inherently effect your fantasy football team. With that being said, you shouldn't...  read more
What is a taxi squad in fantasy football?
Taxi squads allow fantasy owners to place players in a dedicated section separate from the main roster and the IR. Also referred to as practice...  read more
What is the zero running back strategy in fantasy football?
The zero running back strategy, typically known as Zero RB, refers to a strategy where running backs are ignored in favor of other positions...  read more
Can you draft a fantasy football team from your phone?
Yes, you can draft a fantasy team from the convenience of your phone. Most major fantasy league providers, including ESPN and Yahoo offer...  read more
How do fantasy football waivers work?
Waivers are where teams or owners can select players who are not currently on a league roster...  read more
What is the history of fantasy football?
Bill Winkenbach was a part owner of the Oakland Raiders when he created the Greater Oakland Professional Pigskin Prognosticators league...  read more
What does boom or bust player mean in fantasy football?
Boom players are those that perform above their projections or draft positions. On the opposite end, bust players are those that perform under...  read more
Is there such a thing as fantasy football insurance?
Yes. Well, at least there was fantasy football insurance...  read more
Should you handcuff in fantasy football?
There is no right or wrong answer. Ultimately, handcuffing is fantasy football's version of insurance. You "buy" it to protect your investment...  read more
What are handcuffs in fantasy football?
A "fantasy handcuff" refers to a backup player who would be expected to take over for a team's starting skill player in the event that the starter...  read more
What are tiers in fantasy football?
Tiers are groupings of players intended to help with draft strategy. For example, in 2023 Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts are commonly...  read more
What are tiers in fantasy baseball?
Tiers are groupings of players intended to help with draft strategy. For example, you might rank two catchers in Tier 1, four catchers in Tier 2...  read more
What are fantasy baseball auction values?
Auction values are like a cheat sheet for auction leagues. They are projected dollar amounts that you will need to invest to acquire each player...  read more
What is a buy low in fantasy baseball?
"Buying low" is when you acquire a player who is at a low point in their market value due to performing below expectations or because of injury...  read more
What are projections in fantasy football?
Projections in fantasy football represent predictive numbers that estimate a player's production, be it for a game, week, month, within a specified...  read more
What are projections in fantasy baseball?
Projections refer to statistical predictions made by experts. They're rooted in a combination of past production and expected future output...  read more
What is a sell high in fantasy baseball?
"Selling high" means to trade a player while you think their trade value is at a high point. This makes sense if you suspect a player is performing...  read more
What is streaming in fantasy baseball?
Streaming is a roster strategy that involves plugging in different players to your roster each week based on their short-term potential...  read more
What is a cheat sheet in fantasy baseball?
A cheat sheet is a quick set of player rankings that can be used as a guide during a draft or an auction. Most cheat sheets will have a list...  read more
In fantasy baseball, what is ADP?
ADP stands for "Average Draft Position." It refers to the place at which a player is being drafted, on average...  read more
What are prospects in fantasy baseball?
Any player with fewer than 130 MLB at-bats, fewer than 50 MLB innings pitched and fewer than 45 days on the pre-September MLB rosters qualifies as...  read more
What is the can't cut list in fantasy football?
Some host sites like ESPN or Yahoo will have a list of players that can't be released by their fantasy teams...  read more
What is a can't cut list?
Some host sites like ESPN or Yahoo will have a list of players that can't be released by their fantasy teams.  read more
What is a lineup optimizer in fantasy baseball?
A lineup optimizer is a tool for daily fantasy sports (DFS) contests on sites like FanDuel and DraftKings that uses daily projections to provide...  read more
Where can you play fantasy baseball?
One option is RotoWire's "MLB Commish," a highly-customizable service with the most powerful commissioner tools around. Other popular sites include...  read more
What does boom or bust player mean in fantasy baseball?
A "boom or bust player" is one who has a chance to be very valuable (high upside) but is more risky than most players with their talent level...  read more
When is the fantasy baseball trade deadline?
This varies by league. Check with your commissioner or your league's constitution...  read more
What is a fantasy baseball auction draft?
In an auction draft, each team gets a set number of virtual dollars (typically $260). Participants take turns nominating players to bid on...  read more
What is 5x5 fantasy baseball?
5x5 means a roto league with five hitting categories and five pitching categories. You try to finish at the top of the league in as many of those...  read more
What is the standard fantasy baseball auction draft budget?
$260 is the standard budget allotted for drafting 14 hitters and nine pitchers...  read more
What are busts in fantasy baseball?
A bust is a player who under-performs relative to his average draft position or auction price. A high draft pick who does not meet expectations...  read more
What does punting mean in fantasy baseball?
Punting means ignoring one of the rotisserie or head-to-head categories when assembling a roster. For example, you could completely ignore a...  read more
What is stashing in fantasy baseball?
Stashing refers to rostering a player who is not currently active in the major leagues. This can refer to a prospect in the minor leagues that you...  read more
What is a fantasy baseball snake draft?
In a snake draft, each fantasy owner is assigned a draft position in the first round, and then the order is reversed each round throughout the draft.  read more
What is FAAB in fantasy baseball?
"FAAB" stands for Free Agent Auction Budget. It is the virtual money that each team in a fantasy league has available to bid on free agents...  read more
What is a fantasy baseball mock draft?
A mock draft is a practice draft that won't be played out. It is a chance for you to experiment with different draft strategies...  read more
What's a good way to track fantasy baseball injuries?
RotoWire.com does a great job of getting all the latest injury news in real time. Most host sites also get feeds with the latest injury news...  read more
Can bench players score points in fantasy basketball?
Typically, no. Most fantasy leagues require you to set a lineup, and only the players in that lineup accrue points for a given day or a given week....  read more
What is a cheat sheet in fantasy basketball?
A cheat sheet is a tool used during the draft process to aid in team-building. Oftentimes, cheat sheets are structured as a ranking of the top...  read more
When are the fantasy basketball playoffs?
The fantasy basketball playoffs typically begin with roughly one month remaining in the NBA season. However, the playoff start date is arbitrary...  read more
What are some popular advanced stats in fantasy basketball?
Most fantasy basketball leagues use traditional stats as scoring categories, but advanced stats can be useful for research purposes. Some popular...  read more
What is a sleeper in fantasy basketball?
A sleeper is a term used to describe players who are generally undervalued but carry significant upside. In fantasy basketball, for example...  read more
How are fantasy basketball points calculated?
The NBA's standard fantasy points scoring system dictates: Points = 1.0 fantasy point Rebounds = 1.2 fantasy points Assists = 1.5 fantasy points...  read more
What are fantasy basketball auction values?
Auction values are used in fantasy basketball leagues that employ a player auction, rather than a more traditional draft. Prior to the season, a...  read more
When is the trade deadline in fantasy basketball?
The default trade deadline date is typically set late in February or early in March. However, your fantasy league commissioner ultimately...  read more
What are waivers in fantasy basketball?
Waivers is a shorthand term related to the fantasy basketball waiver wire. The waiver wire is where players who have been cut from one team can be...  read more
What is UTIL in fantasy basketball?
UTIL is an abbreviation for "Utility." In fantasy basketball, UTIL refers to a roster spot that can be filled by a player of any position...  read more
What is a buy low in fantasy basketball?
"Buy low" is a term used to describe a player who is acquired when his value is at a low point. For example...  read more
What is a mock draft in fantasy basketball?
A mock draft is a simulated draft typically used to prepare for a real fantasy draft. Mock drafts are intended to allow owners to...  read more
How do you play fantasy basketball?
RotoWire.com provides a comprehensive guide detailing the process of playing fantasy basketball.  read more
Can you run a fantasy basketball draft offline?
Yes. You can do a standard snake or auction draft in person, or even make up your own draft structure. From there, many fantasy websites allow you...  read more
What is head-to-head fantasy basketball?
Head-to-head is a scoring system that counts wins and losses for individual team matchups, usually on a weekly basis. It's often very similar to...  read more
What does usage rate mean in fantasy basketball?
Usage rate is an estimate of the number of team possessions used by a player while he is on the floor. It takes into account...  read more
What is an outlook in fantasy basketball?
An outlook is a summary of what to expect from a given player in the coming season. Outlooks typically offer a brief recap of the previous season,...  read more
What are some good draft strategies for fantasy basketball?
RotoWire.com's Fantasy Basketball Strategy Guide provides information on how to prepare for both standard drafts and auction drafts.  read more
Where can I read fantasy basketball articles?
The best place to find fantasy basketball content, tools, and analysis is RotoWire.com.  read more
What is a bust in fantasy basketball?
"Bust" is a term used to refer to a player who falls well short of expectations. Typically, a bust's production is significantly lower than his...  read more
What are some good tips for fantasy basketball beginners?
Everything you need to know about fantasy basketball can be found in RotoWire.com's Fantasy Basketball Strategy Guide .  read more
What is the waiver wire in fantasy basketball?
The waiver wire refers to the group of players who are not currently signed to a fantasy roster -- essentially, the free agency pool. In most...  read more
How should you evaluate trades in fantasy basketball?
There is no singular way to determine whether a trade is beneficial or detrimental to your team, but a number of factors should be considered....  read more
What is stashing in fantasy basketball?
Stashing refers to the practice of adding a player to your team with the intent of holding them for the future. Injured players, rookies, and...  read more
What does a commissioner do in a fantasy basketball league?
The commissioner of a fantasy basketball league is tasked with organizing the league and ensuring that things run smoothly. Oftentimes, it's the...  read more
What is the IR spot in fantasy basketball?
The IR spot is the Injured Reserve designation employed by some fantasy basketball leagues. In leagues where an IR spot is enabled, owners can...  read more
What is a sell high in fantasy basketball?
"Sell high" is a term used to describe a player who is outperforming expectations and could therefore be traded at the peak of his value. In...  read more
What is lineup lock in fantasy basketball?
Lineup lock typically refers to a set time at which all fantasy lineups in a given league or contest must be submitted. In season-long fantasy...  read more
What does punting mean in fantasy basketball?
Punting is a roster construction strategy that involves intentionally ignoring a certain statistical category or categories...  read more
Where can I track fantasy basketball injuries?
The best place to track fantasy basketball injury news is RotoWire's Injury News page. Sortable by teams, players, or recency, the page displays...  read more
What does GTD mean in fantasy basketball?
In fantasy basketball, GTD is an acronym that means "Game Time Decision". It refers to a player's potential availability for a given game or...  read more
What does GTD mean in fantasy basketball?
In fantasy basketball, GTD is an acronym that means "Game Time Decision". It refers to a player's potential availability for a given game or...  read more
What are auction values in fantasy hockey?
Auction values in fantasy hockey represent the approximate price you may need to be willing to pay to land a specific player during an auction draft.  read more
Can you run a fantasy baseball draft offline?
Yes, you can do a fantasy baseball draft offline, and then the commissioner can input the results into the host website.  read more
What are some popular advanced stats in fantasy baseball?
The stats that are used in fantasy baseball scoring are typically pretty basic (HR, R, RBI, etc..) but the stats that can be used for fantasy...  read more
Which fantasy baseball site is best?
There are many different sites, each with unique features. There is no universal best site for everybody. You should check out some options and...  read more
Can you vote against a trade in fantasy baseball?
It depends on your league's settings. Some leagues allow members to veto trades deemed lopsided or otherwise unfair...  read more
Can you play fantasy basketball for money?
Yes, fantasy basketball can be played for money or just for fun. In leagues where money is involved, each member typically pays a fee at the start...  read more
What are quality starts in fantasy baseball?
A quality start is when a starting pitcher logs six or more innings while giving up three or fewer runs.  read more
What is a lineup optimizer in fantasy basketball?
A lineup optimizer is a tool that uses data and projections to construct a fantasy lineup that has the best chance to succeed. Lineup optimizers...  read more
Can you play fantasy baseball by yourself?
Most fantasy baseball hosting sites have public leagues that you can join for season-long competition against strangers...  read more
What is ADP in fantasy basketball?
ADP is an acronym that means "Average Draft Position". It refers to the place at which a player is being drafted, on average, in drafts that have...  read more
What are lines in fantasy hockey?
The groupings of players an NHL team deploys at forward.  read more
What are projections in fantasy basketball?
Broadly, projections refer to statistical predictions made by experts. In season-long fantasy basketball leagues, projections are often released in...  read more
When does fantasy basketball start?
Fantasy basketball typically follows the NBA schedule, which begins in late October. Most season-long leagues begin on the first day...  read more
Can you vote against a trade in fantasy basketball?
It depends on your league's settings, but oftentimes the commissioner will allow league members to veto trades deemed lopsided or otherwise unfair....  read more
How do you win at fantasy basketball?
Succeeding at fantasy basketball requires a combination of elements. First, it's important to understand your league's rules...  read more
How do you decide who to start in fantasy basketball?
It depends on your league's settings. If you're playing in a league with weekly lineups, be sure to check how many games each player on your roster...  read more
What is a back to back in fantasy basketball?
A back to back refers to a team playing games on consecutive days. For example, if the Golden State Warriors play the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday...  read more
Can you play fantasy basketball for free?
The vast majority of websites that offer season-long fantasy basketball do so without a fee or prizes. However, most websites that offer daily...  read more
What is a fantasy basketball keeper league?
A keeper league is one that enables owners to retain certain players from season to season. How many players can be kept is at the discretion of...  read more
Which fantasy basketball site is best?
There are a myriad of different sites, with each having positives and negatives. There is no universal best site for everybody. You should check...  read more
What is streaming in fantasy football?
Streaming is when you drop and add players on a regular basis to fill a particular lineup spot based on short-term potential...  read more
What is streaming in fantasy basketball?
Streaming is a fantasy basketball roster strategy that involves plugging in different players to your roster each week based on their short-term...  read more
Can you vote against a trade in fantasy football?
Most leagues will allow fantasy team owners to vote on a trade, with a majority needed in order to veto. However, other leagues will bypass the...  read more
What is a sleeper in fantasy football?
A "sleeper" is a player who is not being valued properly in the fantasy football community. Usually it refers to a late draft pick...  read more
What should I do if one of my key players gets injured in fantasy football?
The primary factors to consider are the severity of an injury and the composition of your bench...  read more
Who can I use in the defense slot in fantasy football?
The defense slot is meant to be filled by a "team defense and special teams unit," rather than an individual player. For example...  read more
How do the fantasy football playoffs work?
The parameters of fantasy football playoffs aren't standard from league to league, so always be sure to check your league settings...  read more
When does fantasy football start?
Week 1 of each NFL season takes place on the Thursday-Sunday-Monday stretch immediately after Labor Day weekend in September. However, for owners...  read more
When are the fantasy football playoffs?
Typically, the fantasy football playoffs start Week 15, but how it breaks down from there depends on the league. In many instances, they run from...  read more
What is a lineup optimizer in fantasy hockey?
A lineup optimizer is a tool that uses data and projections to identify undervalued players to construct a fantasy lineup that has the best chance...  read more
How many weeks are the fantasy football playoffs?
The parameters of fantasy football playoffs aren't standard from league to league. In many instances, they run from Weeks 15-17...  read more
What are tiers in fantasy hockey?
Tiers are groupings of players intended to help with draft strategy. For example, you might rank five centers in Tier 1, seven centers in Tier 2,...  read more
Is fantasy football legal?
Yes. Fantasy sports, including fantasy football are legal because they are considered a game of skill. That contrasts betting on sports, which is...  read more
What does ADP mean in fantasy football?
"ADP" stands for Average Draft Position...  read more
What is a guillotine fantasy league?
A guillotine fantasy league is a redraft league with some twists...  read more