Fantasy Football Glossary: Every Term You Need to Know
Fantasy football has its own language. This glossary covers every term you’re likely to encounter — organized by category so you can find what you need quickly. If you are brand new, start with the beginner guide, then use this page as the reference layer while you learn scoring, lineups, waivers, and trades.
Draft Terms
ADP (Average Draft Position) The average pick number at which a player is selected across many drafts. A player with ADP 25 is typically taken in the 2nd round of a 12-team league. If you believe a player is better than his ADP suggests, you’re looking for “value below ADP.”
Snake Draft The standard draft format. Teams select in order 1–12 in Round 1, then reverse (12–1) in Round 2, then forward again. The team picking last in Round 1 gets the first pick in Round 2 — the “snake turn.”
Auction Draft All managers receive a fixed budget (typically $200) and bid on players via open bidding. You can spend $90 on one elite player or spread the budget across many. Every manager has equal access to every player.
Superflex A roster position allowing any skill position — including QB — to be slotted as a flex player. In Superflex leagues, QBs become enormously more valuable because every team wants two.
Best Ball A draft format where you never set your lineup. The platform automatically starts your highest-scoring combination at each position each week. Requires a deeper roster and rewards ceiling over floor.
Startup Draft (Dynasty) The initial draft when a new dynasty league forms. Unlike annual redraft, all NFL players are available. The startup sets your dynasty roster foundation.
Rookie Draft (Dynasty) An annual draft of only NFL rookies, held each spring after the NFL Draft. The primary mechanism for acquiring young players in dynasty leagues.
Tier Sheet A list of players grouped by roughly equal value at each position. The key insight: take the best available player within the current tier, not the “next player on your list” across positions.
Zero RB A draft strategy of deliberately skipping RBs in early rounds (typically the first 4), taking WRs instead, then acquiring mid-tier RBs in Rounds 5–8 at discounted prices.
Hero RB A strategy of taking one elite RB in Round 1–2, then building heavily WR in subsequent rounds. One “hero” anchors the RB position while WRs create depth.
Roster and Lineup Terms
PPR (Points Per Reception) Scoring format awarding extra points for catches. Standard PPR = 1 point per reception. Half-PPR = 0.5 points per reception. TE Premium = 1.5 points per reception for TEs only.
Flex A roster slot that can be filled by multiple positions (typically RB, WR, or TE). Some leagues add a QB flex (Superflex) or an OP (offensive player) flex allowing any offensive position.
Bye Week The scheduled week each NFL team doesn’t play. Players on bye score 0 that week. Fantasy teams must manage around bye weeks or they risk starting a lineup full of non-scoring players.
Handcuff The backup RB on the same team as your RB1. If your starter gets injured, the handcuff inherits the full workload. Owning the handcuff protects your RB investment.
Stash A player on your roster who isn’t currently productive but holds future value — typically a young player waiting for a starting role or a backup with potential.
IR (Injured Reserve) An NFL roster designation for injured players. Many fantasy leagues include IR slots where injured players can be parked, freeing up an active roster spot.
Stack Owning a QB and one (or more) of his pass catchers. When the QB has a big game, his stacked receiver typically does too — creating correlated ceiling weeks.
Streaming Adding a player from the waiver wire for one specific week (or a short stretch) based on a favorable matchup, then releasing him after. Common for defenses, QBs, and TEs.
Scoring and Performance Terms
Standard Scoring Touchdowns (6 pts) and yardage bonuses (typically 1 pt per 10 rushing/receiving yards, 1 pt per 25 passing yards). No points for receptions. The most intuitive format for newer players.
FPPG (Fantasy Points Per Game) A player’s average fantasy points per game. More useful than total season points for comparing players with different games played.
Floor A player’s expected minimum production in a normal week. A WR who gets 8 targets per game has a high floor — even without a TD, he contributes. Floor players are valuable in redraft; less so in best ball.
Ceiling A player’s maximum realistic production in a single game. A WR who occasionally has 35-point games has high ceiling. Best ball rewards ceiling players more than floor players.
Target Share The percentage of a team’s total pass attempts directed at a specific WR or TE. A 25%+ target share indicates a primary receiving role. The most predictive receiving stat.
Air Yards The total yards the ball travels through the air before being caught (or not). High air yards per target indicates a player running downfield routes with TD potential. Low air yards signals a short-route role.
Snap Share The percentage of offensive plays a player is on the field. An RB with 75%+ snap share is an every-down workhorse. Under 40% indicates a limited, role-specific player.
Yards Before Contact How many yards an RB gains before the first defender touches him. High yards before contact = offensive line is creating lanes. Low = RB is being hit immediately.
Red Zone Inside the opposing team’s 20-yard line. Players with red zone opportunities (carries, targets) have elevated TD probability. Red zone usage is a strong predictor of TD production.
FPPG / Usage-Adjusted A player’s fantasy production per target, carry, or snap — rather than per game. Useful for evaluating efficiency when volume fluctuates.
Boom Week A single game significantly above a player’s average. A WR who averages 11 points but scores 34 one week had a boom week. In best ball, boom weeks are the primary value driver.
Bust Week A game far below a player’s average. High-bust-rate players are risky in redraft start/sit decisions but acceptable in best ball where their floor doesn’t hurt you.
Trade and Transaction Terms
FAAB (Free Agent Acquisition Budget) A blind auction system for waiver wire adds. Each manager has a seasonal budget (often $100 or $200). The highest bidder wins the player. Better than priority waivers in competitive leagues because budget management is a skill.
Waiver Wire The pool of players not on any team’s roster, available for all managers to claim. The primary tool for in-season roster improvement.
Waiver Priority In non-FAAB leagues, the order in which managers get to claim players. Last-place team typically gets first priority each week.
Sell High Trading a player when his perceived value is at its peak — typically right after a big performance or unexpectedly hot stretch.
Buy Low Acquiring a player when his perceived value is temporarily suppressed — after a bad game, minor injury scare, or early-season slow start — when underlying opportunity is intact.
Trade Deadline The fixed point after which no trades are allowed. Usually Weeks 10–12. After this point, rosters are locked for the rest of the regular season and playoffs.
Veto The process of blocking a trade before it executes. In commissioner-only veto systems, the commissioner alone decides. In democratic vetoes, a majority of uninvolved managers can block.
Trade Block Informal term for players you’re actively offering in trades. “I’m putting Player X on the block” means you’re soliciting offers.
Analytics and Evaluation Terms
Target Share — (see Scoring Terms above)
Dominator Rating A college WR scouting metric measuring the player’s share of his team’s receiving yards and touchdowns. Calculated as (WR targets ÷ team targets + WR receiving yards ÷ team receiving yards) ÷ 2. A 25%+ Dominator Rating is considered a strong indicator of NFL productivity.
RBWR (Run Block Win Rate) Published by ESPN Analytics. Measures how often offensive linemen “win” their individual blocking matchup on run plays. A 60%+ RBWR indicates an elite run-blocking unit.
Age Curve A model of how player production changes with age. RBs peak at 24–26, decline sharply after 28. WRs peak at 24–28. Understanding age curves is essential for dynasty buy/sell timing.
Correlation / Correlated Upside When two players’ production moves together. A QB and his WR1 are correlated — when the QB has a big game, the WR typically does too. Stacking correlated players in best ball maximizes ceiling.
Leverage In best ball tournaments, owning a player who is less popular than expected gives you leverage — when he has a big game, you benefit while competitors who avoided him don’t.
Expected Value (EV) The probability-weighted average outcome of a decision. A player with a 30% chance of scoring 30 points and a 70% chance of scoring 5 points has an EV of 12.5 points.
Dynasty-Specific Terms
Dynasty League A multi-year format where you keep your full roster annually. Only NFL rookies are available in the annual draft. Teams are built over years or decades.
Keeper League A lighter version of dynasty — you keep some players (typically 2–5) each year, but most return to the draft pool.
Taxi Squad Dynasty-specific roster spots where developing young players can be “parked” at reduced status. They can’t be started but are protected from other teams claiming them.
Rebuild / Rebuild Mode Deliberately trading veterans for picks and young players to build for future seasons rather than competing in the current one.
Contention Window The years when your dynasty roster is at peak age and competitive ability. Typically when your core players are 24–28 years old.
Draft Capital Your collection of current and future draft picks — the “currency” of dynasty trades. A team with multiple first-round picks has strong draft capital.
Pick Slot (1.01, 1.06, etc.) The specific position within a round. “1.01” = first overall pick in the first round. “2.07” = seventh pick in the second round. Slot specificity matters because the 1.01 and 1.12 have very different values.
Devy (Developmental) In some advanced dynasty leagues, prospects are eligible for the dynasty roster while still in college. Devy leagues draft college players before they enter the NFL.
Platform and Format Terms
Head-to-Head The standard format where each team plays one opponent per week. Most points wins the matchup.
Total Points No weekly matchups — all teams ranked by season-total points. The team with the most points at season’s end wins.
DFS (Daily Fantasy Sports) A format where you draft a fresh team each week using a salary cap. Scored on one week’s games only. Distinct from season-long leagues.
Redraft Standard season-long format where all players return to the draft pool each year. Distinct from dynasty (keep players year-over-year) and keeper leagues.
Orphan Team (Dynasty) A dynasty team whose original owner left the league, available for a new manager to take over. Also called an “orphan roster.”
For deeper coverage of any concept, find the full guide in the relevant cluster on this site.