Fantasy Football: Superflex League Draft Strategies

This season Andy, Mike, and Jason finally gave in to all the pressure and added Superflex rankings to The Fantasy Footballers website. The rejoicing was palpable across the fantasy community. If you are just starting to spread your wings in the Superflex space or are experienced in the area, draft strategies differ for this type of league from your traditional redraft.

Before discussing Superflex draft strategies, we must differentiate between traditional redraft fantasy and Superflex leagues. In a traditional redraft league, the roster typically consists of a set number of starting positions for each position group, such as QBs, RBs, WRs, TEs, a flex spot that can house an RB, WR, or TE, a kicker, and a DEF.

In a Superflex league, the most significant difference is adding a “SFLEX” spot and thus allowing managers to start a second QB alongside the regular positions in their lineup. It is not required to start a second QB – you can still start a WR, RB, or TE in that spot just as you would do in a traditional redraft league, but traditionally QBs are the highest-scoring position, so it makes sense to start one in the Superflex spot. Other differences might exist – I have seen Superflex leagues with TE premium (TE scoring is worth more) and different numbers of designated WR and RB spots, so before your draft, always familiarize yourself with the league rules and scoring.

Managing a team with the possibility of starting two QBs in any given week introduces a new level of strategy for managers, and the greater value of QBs leads to more diverse draft approaches than those used in one-QB leagues. Let’s break some of these approaches down.

Since QBs are valued so highly, the two main draft strategies center around them. Look, no one is going to tell you to wait completely on a QB in Superflex, and this isn’t your momma’s redraft league where you can grab a Kirk Cousins in the later rounds and stream the rest of the season. There simply are not enough players at the position. No one wants a Zach Wilson debacle. I cannot stress that enough.

Option 1

Leave your draft with two QBs drafted within the first three rounds. Your goal here is to get two QBs in the top 14. Whether or not you draft these two QBs in the first two rounds will be dictated by your league mates and your draft position. Remember to stay liquid, my friend. As a manager, you will have to decide where your QB line falls and where your tier break is.

At last count, there were 32 NFL teams, and therefore any given week, 32 starting QBs at the most. With the most common 12-team league being what fantasy managers play in, it isn’t challenging to do the math. If every manager wants to start two QBs, that’s 24 off the board immediately. I don’t know about you, but if I miss out on the top 24 QBs, I do NOT want to start the QBs that are left. The bottom drops out pretty quickly at this position.

To illustrate just how early this personal tier break might fall, let’s look at QB ADP data between one-QB leagues and two-QB leagues, taken from Fantasy Football Calculator. Remember, two-QB leagues require you two start two QBs, whereas a Superflex league gives you the option to do so. The data below is from 2022, and it shows just how much more valuable QBs become in Superflex.

In a one-QB league, only four QBs were taken before the fifth round, and in two-QB leagues, fifteen were taken by that point. The landscape gets sparse very quickly.

2-QB League ADP – 2022

1-QB League ADP – 2022

Back to the Captain Kirk reference – in a one-QB league, you were able to draft him at the end of the ninth round in 2022. In a Superflex league, he was gone at the beginning of the fourth.

Option 2

Draft your main QB in the first round, then take advantage of other managers picking up QBs to load up on other position players. You then circle back to grab a second QB. My friends, this is a dangerous dance – your second QB might be outside the top 15, but it can prove fruitful if you have a little luck. You can capitalize on other positions if you wait on QB for a few rounds. This is where your research will set you apart from your league mates. Identifying possible upside in later-round QBs during your draft prep allows you to somewhat confidently wait to draft your second QB while earning dividends in the way of a more elite pass catcher or RB.

Want to know what your options might be if you wait on that second QB? The chart below shows the ADP for RBs and WRs in two-QB leagues in 2022. If you do, in fact, choose to wait to draft that second QB, you would have had the ability to grab the likes of Saquon Barkley, Ja’Marr Chase, or CeeDee Lamb, depending on your draft position.

Other Things to Remember

After you have your two starting QBs in your Superflex league, do not forget to go after a backup – someone there to start during a bye week or if one of your starting QBs goes down. This pick will feel gross, and that’s ok. Hopefully, you will never have to start the likes of Mac Jones or Baker Mayfield, but you feel a lot more comfortable in your team with them sitting on your bench. Also, do not ignore rookie QBs in Superflex leagues. In a one-QB league, there is no need to draft a rookie QB who looks to be a bench warmer for at least a few games while the veteran shows them the way. But, if there is any chance that that rookie could grab that starting job and not relinquish it – that QB should be rostered in Superflex. Playing in a Superflex league is a great way to mix up your fantasy football portfolio – good luck!