Season DFS Game Modes, Explained

Every Season DFS league uses fresh weekly salary-cap lineups. The game mode decides how those lineup scores become season standings and how a champion is crowned.

Points

The simplest format. Every team's weekly fantasy score is added to its season total, and the team with the most points leads the standings. Choose points when you want consistency across the full season to matter most. Points leagues are available on every tier.

Head-to-head

Each team faces one scheduled opponent per week. The higher lineup score wins, creating the familiar win-loss-tie standings used by traditional fantasy leagues. Head-to-head leagues are available on paid tiers.

All play

Every team is compared with the entire league each week, reducing the impact of drawing one lucky or unlucky opponent. All play is available on the Custom tier with two standings variations:

• Placement points: Earn points for each team you beat. Commissioners can also add bonuses for the top three weekly finishers and limit points to a chosen number of places.
• Win/loss record: Record a win, loss, or tie against every other team based on that week's scores.

Playoff options

Paid leagues can skip playoffs and use the final regular-season standings to name a champion, or choose a playoff format that fits the game mode.

• Cumulative points: Available for points and all play leagues. Two to six qualifiers compete for the highest total across one, two, or three playoff weeks.
• Single elimination: Available for head-to-head and all play leagues. Choose a bracket for 4, 6, or 8 teams, with one matchup deciding who advances each week.

NFL mode

NFL mode is a separate Custom-tier option for exactly 32 teams. It uses two conferences, eight four-team divisions, a generated schedule, and a 12-team, four-week playoff. Read the full guide to running a 32-team fantasy football league.