Fantasy Football Best Ball Strategy Guide

With no adds or drops, waivers, trades, or weekly roster updates, the strategy lies within the draft.

Jan 19, 2025 Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) runs the ball during the fourth quarter against the Buffalo Bills in a 2025 AFC divisional round. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Just when you thought you couldn't possible manage one more fantasy football league, you're invited to play in a Best Ball league. Get ready. Most fantasy football managers find this format to be extremely addictive!

What is Best Ball?

The most basic definition of the Best Ball format is draft and you're done. The team you draft is your team for the entire season. There are typically no waivers in Best Ball, no trades, no adds or drops, and you don't need to set a new lineup each week. Best Ball leagues automatically use the most optimal lineup available that week.

Did your QB2 outscore your QB1? Don't worry. You'll get the optimal points. Every week, your roster will shift to ensure you're receiving the most points possible. Sounds easy, right? Let's dive into the strategy of drafting for the Best Ball format.

Best Ball QB Strategies

It's not uncommon to see an elite quarterback come off the board within the first 3 rounds of a Best Ball draft, however, Stephanie Miller, of Legendary Upside, has been seeing a different trend this season. Rather than using a top pick to draft an elite quarterback, the simulations from Legendary Upside are showing a trend in drafting 3 QBs across all rounds in the draft.

This makes sense in the 2025 season, with starting quarterbacks somewhat unstable in their positions. There are fewer "elite" quarterbacks and far more "good enough" ones available. Additionally, QBs traditionally bring in the most fantasy points per game. So having a stable of quarterbacks to glean points from will certainly pay off if your QB1 has a rough week.

Running Backs and Wide Receivers

The days of Best Ball managers using a "zero RB" strategy are in the past. It may have been a fluke, but running backs heavily outperformed wide receivers in fantasy points during the 2024 season. Trends for 2025 drafts are showing that Best Ball managers won't miss out on those points again this season. Teams heavy in running backs will not be unusual in Best Ball drafts this season.

Additionally, simulations are seeing a lot more balanced rosters, with managers drafting evenly across the necessary positions. Best Ball managers who take this approach will want to draft based on a player's upside versus their consistency. Because the roster is optimized each week, players with a high upside could go off and bring in more points than anticipated any given week.

Tight End Best Ball Strategy

Tight ends had a rough season last year, with some of the top players underperforming and not getting as many targets as they did in the past. This isn't deterring Best Ball managers, though. There's a lot of hype around players like Brock Bowers and Trey McBride this year. They were two players who managed to gain targets throughout the 2024 season. Stocking up on 3 tight ends throughout the draft is a trend being seen in simulations.

Closing Thoughts

You can enter your Best Ball draft with all the plans in the world, but you'll still need to be able to adjust your plans on the fly. Pay attention to how the draft is going. Make note of any trends you're seeing within that draft. Adjust your strategy to make sure you make the most of every pick. Most of all, have fun! If you're curious about running back rankings, check out our 2025 NFL Power Rankings: Top 10 Running Backs, written by Shawn Childs of Fantasy Sports On SI.