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How to play best ball fantasy football: Roster tips and more

Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars have high potential in roster stacks. Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire

Do you love drafting fantasy football teams but can't commit to more waivers, lineup-setting, and in-season management than you've already signed up for? Then perhaps adding some Best Ball teams to your fantasy football experience is for you.

Best ball is a version of fantasy football where all you need to do is draft a team and then watch the season play out. Your top-scoring lineup will be selected automatically each week. Can't decide between starting Brock Purdy or Trevor Lawrence? No problem. Whoever scores more will be your starting quarterback that week.

Best Ball is one of the fastest-growing forms of fantasy football, with its own strategy and nuances. Here's how to approach a Best Ball draft with a focus on a strategy that embraces risk and reward in large entry, high prizepool contests.

How to play

Most big contests offer a 14-week regular season followed by the playoffs, just like in season-long fantasy football. The regular season is based off cumulative points, rather than head-to-head. If you advance from the regular season, you will be placed in a new one-week league for Week 15 (and Week 16 if you advance again). If you advance in Weeks 15 and 16, you will reach the finals in Week 17, where every remaining team will compete for the top prizes.

With no in-season management, your roster will need to withstand bye weeks and injuries, so depth is vital. Don't take a zero by drafting only one quarterback or by taking two quarterbacks with the same bye.

In general for an 18-player draft, you will want