Fantasy Football Platform Settings: What Every Commissioner Needs to Configure Before the Draft
Most new commissioners configure the most obvious settings — number of teams, scoring format, roster size — and leave everything else at defaults. This is how you end up with waiver rules your managers hate, trade review processes that create disputes, and lineup locks that catch people off guard.
Go through every category before the draft.
Platform Settings Quick Reference
| Settings category | Key setting | Default risk | What to verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scoring | PPR / half-PPR / standard; TD values; passing yards rate | Default is often standard, not PPR — make sure it matches what your league agreed | Every scoring element; confirm with managers before draft |
| Waiver system | FAAB vs priority vs FCFS; processing day/time | Default varies by platform; often not FAAB | Set to what your league agreed; confirm processing time (Tuesday default is best) |
| FAAB budget | Dollar amount (typically $100–$200) | Default may be $0 or undefined | Set explicitly before draft |
| Trade deadline | Date or week number | Often no deadline set by default | Set 2–3 weeks before playoff start |
| Trade review | Period length; veto mechanism (league vote vs commissioner) | Default varies; commissioner veto is common but creates bias risk | Match to your league constitution |
| Lineup lock | Traditional (first kickoff) vs individual game lock | Default often traditional; individual is fairer | Set to individual game lock if your platform supports it |
| IR eligibility | Which injury designations qualify | Default designations may not match your rules | Verify that IR-eligible players can actually go on IR |
| League privacy | Public vs private | Default often public | Set private for any league with money involved |
Scoring Settings
Points per reception (PPR vs half-PPR vs standard). This is the most impactful setting in the league. Confirm the format your league has agreed on before setting. PPR benefits WRs and pass-catching RBs significantly. Standard benefits traditional running backs.
Touchdown values. Most leagues use standard TD values (6 points passing, 6 points rushing/receiving). Confirm this is what you want. Some leagues add bonuses for long TDs (25+ yards, 40+ yards) or change QB touchdown values (4 points instead of 6).
Passing yards. Standard is typically 1 point per 25 yards passing. Some leagues use 1 per 20 yards to make QBs score more.
Bonus scoring. Many platforms allow bonus points for hitting yardage thresholds (100+ rushing yards = 3 bonus points, 300+ passing yards = 3 bonus points). Confirm whether you are using bonus scoring and what the thresholds are.
Waiver Settings
Waiver system type. Your platform will offer at minimum: standard waiver priority, FAAB, and possibly first-come-first-served. Set the system your league agreed to use.
Waiver processing time. When do waivers process? Tuesday morning is standard for most leagues. Confirm the timing is set correctly.
FAAB budget. If using FAAB, set the budget before the draft. Standard is $100 or $200. The league cannot change the starting budget mid-season without manual intervention.
Trade Settings
Trade deadline. Set a trade deadline in the platform. Most leagues cut off trades 2–3 weeks before the playoffs start. Without a deadline set, trades can continue through the playoffs.
Trade review period. How long does a proposed trade sit in review before it processes? 24–48 hours is standard. Longer review periods create more time for veto petitions but also slow down legitimate deals.
Trade veto mechanism. Set whether trades require league votes to veto or whether the commissioner alone can veto. Confirm this matches your league’s constitution.
Lineup and Lock Settings
Lineup lock timing. Does your league use a traditional weekly lineup lock (all players lock at the first game kickoff of the week) or individual game locks (each player locks when their game starts)? Individual game locks are fairer — they prevent managers from knowing early game results before making late game substitutions.
IR and taxi squad eligibility. If your league has IR spots, set which injury designations make a player eligible (IR, PUP, suspended). Players who do not have the right designation cannot go on IR, which creates roster crunch if the settings are wrong.
Before the Draft Checklist
- Scoring format confirmed and set
- Roster size and position slots confirmed
- Waiver type and processing time set
- FAAB budget set (if applicable)
- Trade deadline set
- Trade review period and veto mechanism set
- Lineup lock type confirmed
- IR eligibility rules set
- League privacy confirmed
Send the full settings summary to your managers before the draft so they can confirm nothing surprises them on draft day.
For how the waiver system setting specifically affects league strategy, see: Fantasy Football Waiver System: How Commissioners Should Set Up Free Agency Rules. For how the trade settings integrate with your league constitution, see: Fantasy Football League Constitution: What Every Commissioner Needs in Writing Before the Season.