You've joined your league and it's almost draft day. Here's exactly what to do to make sure you're ready — and what moves to make in the first 48 hours after the draft ends.
Before the draft
- Know your draft time: Missing your draft slot means auto-pick fills your roster — usually not well. Set a calendar reminder.
- Read your league settings: Scoring format (PPR or standard), roster slots, and trade/waiver rules. These change your strategy significantly.
- Make a cheat sheet: Even a simple top-50 list by position helps you avoid reaching or blanking on a name when you're on the clock.
Roster slots explained
Your active roster (the players who can score) and your bench (players who hold their spots but don't score until you start them) both matter. Bench spots are where you stash handcuffs, injured players returning from injury, and high-upside players you're developing.
After the draft: the first 48 hours
- Check the waiver wire immediately. Good players go undrafted in every league — claim the best available free agents before anyone else does.
- Set your Week 1 lineup. Make sure you're not accidentally starting a player who is injured or on a bye in Week 1 (it happens).
- Join the league chat or message board if there is one. Trades and information flow through the community.
Your team name and branding
This is non-essential but worth five minutes — a memorable team name builds your identity in the league and makes the social experience more fun. SNS lets you customize your team name and pick your school affiliation from your account settings.