As the NFL season gets closer, so does fantasy football season — and there’s more ways to play than ever. From season-long drafts to daily fantasy to PrizePicks’ NFLSZN format, you’ve got endless options to get your NFL fix.
One of the most popular formats right now? Best Ball. It’s a hands-off fantasy football format that rewards smart drafting — and nothing else. No trades, no waiver wire, no start/sit decisions. Just draft your team and let the points stack up.
While best ball is great for practice drafting teams, it also comes with some trade-offs vs. a traditional fantasy football league or NFLSZN on PrizePicks.
Let’s break down how best ball fantasy football works and why PrizePicks’ NFLSZN format is one way to get even more freedom and flexibility for season-long fantasy football action with the set-it-and-forget-it format.
What is Best Ball Fantasy Football?
Best ball is a type of fantasy football league where you draft once and never touch your lineup again. No waivers, no trades, no start/sit decisions. Each week, your best-performing players will automatically be slotted into your starting lineup — hence the name — to give you your best possible weekly score from the players you drafted.
If you’re someone who loves to draft, but doesn’t want the weekly grind, Best Ball format is for you. It rewards sharp preseason takes, drafting, and long-term roster construction rather than in-season maneuvering.
Best ball has exploded in popularity, which has given way to more set-it-and-forget-it fantasy football formats, like NFLSZN, where you can win real money by picking More or Less on NFL players’ season-long fantasy football performance, with no opponents, only your picks.
How Does Best Ball Fantasy Football Work?
Best ball fantasy football is a unique way to play fantasy football as it allows you to play with no management of your team throughout the NFL season, following a similar draft to traditional fantasy football leagues.
Here's how best ball works, step-by-step:
- Join a league and draft your team — Best ball leagues traditionally use snake drafts. Draft a complete roster, including your backups. This is your only chance to shape your team.
- Draft for upside — Since you can’t change your team midseason, you need to draft for spike-weeks and long-term value, taking shots on breakout players and high-upside late-round fliers.
- No weekly management — Once the draft is over, your lineup will automatically be set every week. The top scorers at every position will makeup the best potential lineup.
- Win via total points or playoffs — Some best ball leagues are total points only — most after 17 or 18 win. Others use a playoff format where top scoring teams from the regular season advance — the Playoffs will still be the best score, no management.
How to Play PrizePicks’ NFLSZN Season-long Fantasy
Best ball sounds easy — just draft your team and let it ride. But what if there was an even easier way to play fantasy football, where you only have to pick 2-6 players, and you don’t have to compete vs. other teams?
PrizePicks NFLSZN is exactly that. It’s perfect for players who want to be in action for the full season, without the weekly stress, but also want to control their own destiny and build a lineup in minutes.
Here’s how to play NFLSZN, which is a spin-off of best ball fantasy football, only available on PrizePicks.
- Pick 2-6 NFL players from the NFLSZN board.
- For each player, choose More or Less on their season-long stat projections, such as total rushing yards or passing touchdowns — or several other categories.
- Submit your Lineup before Week 1 and choose your entry fee.
- If all of your picks are right in your Lineup, you win real money.
There’s no sitting in a draft. Just build a Lineup with your NFL season-long takes on your favorite players and let it ride all season long. Just you vs. the numbers — do you know ball?
Take a look at all of the NFLSZN projections for 2025 fantasy football here.
What’s the Best Fantasy Football League Type?
There are more ways than every to play fantasy football — but not all formats are built the same. These days, there’s something for everyone. Some require constant management, others lock you into a draft, and others, you can pick a new team every week.
Here’s how the best fantasy football league types compare to help you find your best fit.
Why is NFLSZN the Best Fantasy Football Format?
It’s simple. With NFLSZN, you have total control over your team without the weekly stress of managing your team.
- Total control over your team — choose any player on the board.
- Zero weekly stress — set your teams and forget it
- Real money payouts — just hit your picks
- No draft drama — pick your teams on your own time
- Injury protection — if your player doesn’t play at least five games, the pick is DNP’d
Whether you're a fantasy vet looking to simplify or a casual player who just wants in on the action, NFLSZN is the smarter, easier way to play season-long fantasy football for real money.
New to PrizePicks? Claim your $50 bonus when you sign up here.
Final Thoughts: Best Ball vs. NFLSZN
Best Ball is a great format for fantasy football draft loves. But NFLSZN on PrizePicks takes everything people like about the set-it-and-forget-it formats and makes it even easier, more flexible, and more rewarding.
With no matchups and no draft, you can create an NFLSZN Lineup with any combination of players or stat types that you desire, including yards, touchdowns, sacks, and more.
With a Best Ball league, if a player injures themselves early in the season, there is no way to be compensated for the injury. With PrizePicks’ NFLSZN, if a player does not reach the threshold of five games, they are DNP’d and they will not negatively impact your Lineup.
In the end, PrizePicks NFLSZN is the simplest way to play season-long fantasy football for real money, with the control in your hands from start to finish.
Check out the NFLSZN board now and build your Lineup before Week 1.
