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Are the majority of the teams within your league exactly the same? Not anymore. Differing from the main game, in draft mode, only one manager can own either the Egyptian king or the robot Erling Haaland. The Fantasy Premier League Draft edition is a fresh and unique approach to the classic version of the game but still as competitive and exciting. Now I have piqued your attention, here’s a guide on how to play and select your draft squad.
The draft is played alongside your friends, work colleagues or even strangers in leagues up to a maximum of 16 managers. The key difference is players are selected, with no budget limit during a crucial draft process. Each gameweek you can trade players and ‘waiver’ players to improve your squad throughout the season.
You can also follow our Fantasy Premier League Football Tips for gameweekly insights and opinions throughout the season.
The start of the new season is rapidly approaching, so make sure to check out our Premier League predictions to get ahead of the curve in 2024/25.
As ever on Andy’s Bet Club, we will feature weekly Premier League accumulator tips and cover football from around the world in our football betting predictions, with new content available daily.
If you enjoy this FPL article, make sure to check out our FPL best players by price point tips and best FPL players to select and avoid advice.
📋 Join or Create a league
Select a league in which to join, input the league code, and you are in. League sizes can be from 2 to 16 managers, though 8-12 is the most optimal. If you are the master of a league then choose the participants you would like to compete against.
As with the main game, the league can be set to head-to-head mode or all versus all. Drafts must be completed 90 minutes before the opening match of that gameweek, the same deadline as the main game.
✏️ Draft Sequence
The draft operates by players being selected in a number of rounds where managers turn-by-turn select who they would like first. This sequence is random and reversed once each manager has completed their first pick. Basically, if you were last to pick in round one, you will be selecting first in round two to ensure it remains a balanced and competitive game. So don’t worry, you won’t miss out on all the best players, just ensure you have a balanced team of 2 goalkeepers, 5 defenders, 5 midfielders and 3 forwards.
If you cant make the Draft, you can create a ‘watchlist’ in your absence. This will automatically select the players you want if they are available. If you forget altogether, players are issued to each team based on ranks from last season’s total points.
💯 Scoring
It’s easy, points are amassed in exactly the same way as the main game with one major difference, you are not required to select either a vice or full captain.
Therefore, none of your players will receive double points as your captain normally would, which in some ways makes it even more exciting.
💷 Transfers
After the draft is complete, managers can submit a ‘waiver request’ for a new player or request a direct transfer from the free agent’s pool. Depending on the league setup, managers may also be allowed to trade between each other, up to a maximum of four players.
❓ What is a Free Agent?
These are any players not selected in the initial draft and can be swapped into teams(24 hours) before the game-week deadline, within the ‘Free Agency Mode’ carried out after the waiver round is complete. Be aware, that brand new players added to the game do not automatically become free agents, they can only be signed through the waiver request.
ℹ️ What is a Waiver?
Essentially, it’s just another draft round conducted once a week, 24 hours before the deadline. It’s a chance to sign new players dropped by other managers or sign a much-needed new addition to your squad. You can select as many waiver requests (players to swap) as you like with the current lowest-ranked manager securing their pick first.
📋 To Help – Mock Drafts
If you’re currently feeling a little bamboozled, then use the mock draft to help you get to grips with the process and shape your draft plans. It carries out a dry run of the complete process so there are no hidden aspects come draft day. If you are new to the process, jump on this fantastic feature to see how easy it is, after all, practice makes perfect.
Top Tip – You only have between 30-120 seconds to decide on your player, so ensure you have a substantial list. When selecting players for your team, ensure you have a strong bench – you are going to need it!
💡 My Current Draft Strategy
Preparation is key. This is the biggest piece of advice I have for you in this game mode. Look at the first ten game-weeks and ensure you build a balanced team ensuring the defence has just as much potential as the forward lines. Often this is overlooked and a key way to gain an advantage over other managers while drafting.
I think this feature is fantastic and dare I say maybe even more fun than the main game, boring is not a word synonymous with ‘Draft mode’.
Conclusion
For my plenty more Fantasy Football content, ahead of the game week one deadline. Follow me on X @FplVeteran_.
Written by an Andy verified content writer
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