“Learn how to dominate fantasy football best ball tournaments with expert strategies for stacking, roster construction, and scoring formats.”
If you’re diving into fantasy football best ball tournaments, building a sharp lineup is the key to long-term success. On the IDP Plus Best Ball Podcast, host Joel Worth breaks down how to create winning teams for mega-entry contests on platforms like Underdog and DraftKings. Whether you’re a beginner or experienced drafter, understanding structure, scoring, and player types will elevate your results.
(This is an AI-generated article from a recently published IDP+ Betting Podcast transcript.)
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Rethinking Roster Construction for Best Ball
In Underdog’s fantasy football best ball format, each roster has 18 players. You can only start one quarterback and one tight end, plus two RBs, three WRs, and a flex. Joel recommends splitting five total roster spots between your quarterback and tight end.
If you draft an elite option like Josh Allen or Brock Bowers early, you likely only need two at that position. But if you wait on QB or TE, aim for three. In 20-player builds, Joel often drafts three QBs, three TEs, and balances the rest with RBs and WRs based on draft value.
Know the Scoring System: Half-PPR vs. Full-PPR
Scoring settings significantly affect strategy. Half-PPR (Underdog) lowers the value of reception-heavy players and raises the importance of touchdowns. In this format, touchdown-dependent players—especially quarterbacks—become more critical.
Full-PPR (DraftKings) increases value for pass-catching backs and slot receivers like Christian Kirk or Wan’Dale Robinson. DraftKings also includes bonuses for 100-yard games and 300-yard passing, so floor players with consistent volume have greater appeal.
Why Spike Weeks Matter More Than Consistency
Best ball rewards scoring spikes, not average points per week. A player who scores 100 points over four monster games is more valuable than a player with 100 points over 17 mediocre weeks.
Best ball’s automatic lineup optimization favors variance. Deshaun Jackson-type receivers, who can explode for 30 points in a given week, shine in this format even if they disappear in other weeks.
Draft Strategy: Dart Throw vs. Portfolio
There are two ways to approach best ball drafts. The “dart throw” method involves drafting a few teams for fun—grab your favorite players and enjoy.
The “portfolio” strategy is for those entering dozens or even hundreds of drafts. Joel emphasizes managing exposure, diversifying builds, and tracking draft position. Draft each team with confidence, but build your overall player pool with humility.
Let Draft Position Shape Your Early Round Exposure
In portfolio builds, avoid locking yourself into one set of players. If you always take your top-ranked player, you’ll never get exposure to others. Let the draft position guide your picks.
For example, if Saquon Barkley is usually drafted top three, and you rank him fifth, you may need to reach if you want shares. The idea is to spread exposure across the board, especially in the first round, where talent is deep.
Site Spotlight: Fast Draft’s Unique Format
Fast Draft offers a fresh take on fantasy football best ball. With 20-second clocks and just six players per roster, drafts fly by. Unique features like rookie-only contests and IDP formats are exclusive to Fast Draft.
You can also set scoring multipliers before the season begins, adding another strategic layer. The IDP Plus team frequently joins these, often sharing live updates on social media.
Stacking and Game Correlation in Tournaments
Stacking—pairing a quarterback with one or more of his pass catchers—is essential in large-field tournaments. If Joe Burrow throws three touchdowns to Ja’Marr Chase, you want exposure to both. It’s a way to hit the ceiling outcomes that win tournaments. Game correlation, such as including a “bring-back” from the opposing team in a projected shootout, is especially useful for Week 17 playoff formats. These strategies prevent being boxed out by other stacked lineups.
Build Types: Zero RB, Hero RB, and Hyper Fragile
Zero RB means fading running backs until mid-to-late rounds. It failed in 2024 due to rare health among top backs. Still, the strategy is viable. Hero RB (one anchor back early) offers balance. Robust RB involves selecting multiple backs early and typically leads to a hyper fragile build, with only four or five total RBs. Let the draft come to you. If RBs offer value early, don’t force another build. Stay flexible and draft with purpose.
Duplication and Using ADP as a Guide
Avoid building identical lineups in season-long formats. You cap your upside by competing against yourself. In mega-entry playoff formats, duplication is less damaging because your entries land in different pods. Still, try to vary player combinations. And remember: ADP is a tool, not a rule. Early rounds matter more, but later in the draft, don’t hesitate to reach for stack partners or high-upside plays that fit your build.
Conclusion: Strategy and Adaptation Are Key
The IDP Plus Best Ball Podcast makes one thing clear: dominating fantasy football best ball takes more than player rankings. It’s about stacking intelligently, understanding scoring nuances, and building diversified lineups that spike. Whether you’re entering one team or a hundred, draft like you’re right—then manage your exposures like you know you’ll be wrong sometimes.
Fantasy football best ball is a wild, rewarding game. Embrace the chaos, have a plan, and let your strategy evolve.
Thank you for reading this article by @IDP_Plus. This article was created using IDP+ AI and edited by an IDP+ Staff Member. Be sure to check out the video above by Joel Worth, which this article is based on, talking about fantasy football best ball. Follow the hosts @theJoelWirth on X!
