“Best Ball 101” on Underdog Fantasy

Jared Block

August 7, 2024

The 2024 Spring/Summer drafting szn is upon us! As DFS players grind through the “dog days of MLB summer”, right now is the perfect time to get caught up on all things fantasy football. More specifically: Best Ball on Underdog Fantasy.

What Is Best Ball?

Say goodbye to setting your lineup each week! Playing Best Ball contests on Underdog Fantasy only requires one thing: draft the best team possible. No waiver wires, no trade blocks, no setting Sunday morning lineups before you head to your tailgating destination. Your highest scoring players each week will represent your starting lineup. No more benching mistakes, no more time-sensitive game-time decisions. You win your league by accumulating the most fantasy points by the end of the season.

What Contests Should I Start Playing?

There are contests available for every level of player on Underdog. From their flagship “Best Ball Mania IV” large-field tournament to their 3-person drafts, you’ll be able to find something in your wheelhouse within seconds. In large-field tournaments, owners compete all season long to qualify for the playoffs (typically held Weeks 15-17). The highest scoring teams in those weeks will eventually crown the champion. One of the most important strategies to follow for maximum optimization is stacking your offenses (for more on this, please read our most recent article “Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid Making During Best Ball Drafts”).

Most Optimal Position Allocations?

Everyone’s take on this is a tad bit different, but at RR, it all starts with the hand you’re dealt in the first round and how you handle your initial picks. If you select one of Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, or Josh Allen in the first few rounds, those QB scores will most likely account for all of your QB points for the entire season rather than relying on your 18th-pick / bottom 10 fringe selection at the same position. As soon as you secure one of those difference-maker QBs or say a Travis Kelce when discussing the tight end position, you can essentially “book end” your draft selections for those positions. Running Backs (pass catching ability preferred) and Wide Receivers run Best Ball tournaments and you should come in with plans at different draft positions before you start drafting.

In Underdog Fantasy Best Ball Tournaments (18-round drafts), we recommend you follow this rough allocation of players:

Quarterback: 2-3 (3 at most, 2 is preferred)
Running Back: 5-7
Wide Receiver: 7-9
Tight End: 2-3 (again, 3 at most, 2 is preferred)

RR Rankings For Best Ball?

While Underdog Fantasy’s player rankings are extremely solid and tell the tale of “who’s going where and when as of recent”, the entire field is using them as a reference point in their drafts. Our rankings side-by-side Underdog Average Draft Positions (ADP) provide an extra layer of edge that allow us to pull back the reigns on some players getting drafted too early as well as late-round sniping to secure additional value.

View our Top 200 Best Ball Rankings Guide Here and Happy Drafting!