Commissioner Preseason Checklist: How To Cover the Basics Before Draft Day
The preseason checklist is the one window where a commissioner can prevent problems instead of arbitrating them. Once the draft board opens, every ambiguity becomes a dispute, so the checklist front-loads the boring confirmations — scoring, roster locks, money, and access — while they still cost nothing to fix.
TL;DR: Lock scoring, dues, and draft logistics in writing at least two weeks before draft day, because nothing you decide after picks start feels fair.
Work through this in order. The items near the top are the ones that poison a season if they are wrong.
Preseason Task Checklist
| Task | Deadline before draft | Done when |
|---|---|---|
| Publish full scoring settings (esp. TE premium, decimals, defense) | 3 weeks | Posted where every manager can see it |
| Collect all dues into escrow or a neutral holder | 2 weeks | 100% paid, no exceptions |
| Confirm roster size, IR/taxi slots, and starting requirements | 2 weeks | Settings match the posted rules |
| Set draft date, time zone, and clock-per-pick | 2 weeks | Poll closed, calendar invite sent |
| Verify every manager has platform access and correct team | 1 week | All teams claimed, none orphaned |
| Post trade, waiver, and tie-breaker rules | 1 week | Written, not “we’ll figure it out” |
| Send draft-day reminder with autodraft warning | 48 hours | Confirmation replies received |
Worked Example: The Unpaid Manager on Draft Night
Two hours before the draft, one manager still hasn’t paid. You let it slide “just this once.” He drafts, goes 2-6, stops setting lineups by Week 9, and never pays. Now his abandoned roster hands free wins to half the league and warps the playoff race.
The checklist would have caught this at the two-week dues gate: no payment, no draft slot, replacement found while there was still time.
Common mistake: Letting anyone into the draft on a promise to pay later. The unpaid manager is the single most common source of a broken season, and the leverage to collect vanishes the moment they draft.
The takeaway: money before picks is not strictness, it’s the only point where you still hold leverage.
For the comprehensive preseason guide with more detail, see: Commissioner Preseason Checklist: How to Prepare Your Fantasy Football League Before the Season. For the planning layer above the checklist, see Commissioner Planning. For the in-season cadence, see Commissioner Weekly Plan. Start at the commissioner hub for all resources.