A fantasy football alternative to season-long leagues
Season-long fantasy football is a great tradition, and plenty of people love it. It also asks a lot: a draft night, 17 weeks of lineup decisions, waiver claims and trades, and a commissioner who keeps everyone engaged. If that's started to feel like a chore, Draft Duel is a different way to play. It's free, it's weekly, and it's head-to-head, with every week starting from scratch.
Beat your rivals. Every week. In 5 minutes.
Common season-long frustrations, and how weekly duels differ
"I'm scoring a ton of points but my record is terrible." In a season-long league, a few close losses to opponents who had big weeks can bury your record for the rest of the year. Draft Duel is still head-to-head, so a single week can still go against you. But there's no record carrying forward and no standings to climb out of. Each week is decided on its own.
"Injuries wrecked my season." When your early-round picks get hurt in a season-long league, you're stuck patching holes for weeks. In Draft Duel you draft a new team every week, so last month's injuries aren't on your roster.
"Bye weeks left me with nobody to start." A season-long roster has to cover bye weeks you didn't plan for in August. A Draft Duel lineup is built for one week of games at a time, with nine starters and no bench to manage.
"My season was over by Week 6." Once you fall out of the playoff race, the rest of a season-long year can feel pointless. In a weekly game, every week is a fresh shot.
"Half the league stopped setting lineups." Inactive managers and a missing commissioner can drain the fun out of a league. Draft Duel has no league to keep alive. Each duel is just you and one opponent who showed up to draft.
What you get instead
- A fresh draft every week. A random NFL team is drawn each round and both players pick from it.
- Fast drafts. Each pick has a 90-second clock, and a draft takes 5 minutes.
- Simple rosters. Nine starters (QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, TE, FLEX, K, DEF), no bench, no waivers, no trades.
- PPR scoring from that week's real games.
- Your choice of opponent: a friend, a random opponent, or pass-and-play on one device.
- Free, in your browser.
You don't have to quit your league
Draft Duel isn't a replacement for your home league if you love it. Lots of fans will want both: the season-long league with friends, plus a weekly duel when their league team is out of contention or when they want to play someone outside the league.
Try a week
Sign up now and play one week to see if it fits.
Sign up now for a weekly duel →
Draft. Duel. Done.
Your lineup
9 starters, no bench. FLEX takes any RB, WR or TE.
Frequently asked questions
What is an alternative to season-long fantasy football?
Weekly fantasy formats let you draft a new team for a single week instead of managing one roster all season. Draft Duel is a free weekly head-to-head version: one draft, one opponent, one week.
Is there fantasy football without a season-long commitment?
Yes. In Draft Duel each team lasts one week. You can play every week or only the weeks you want.
What can I do if my fantasy team is out of the playoffs?
You can keep playing week to week in a weekly game like Draft Duel. Every week is a fresh draft, so being eliminated in your league doesn't matter there.
Is there fantasy football with no waivers or trades?
Yes. Draft Duel has no waivers, trades or bench. You draft nine starters for the week and that's your lineup.
Does weekly fantasy football get rid of luck?
No. Any head-to-head matchup can be swung by one big game. The difference is that a bad-luck week only costs you that week, because nothing carries over to the next.
Can I play Draft Duel and still be in my season-long league?
Yes. Draft Duel is separate from any league you're in, so you can do both.
Do I need a commissioner or a full league to play?
No. Every duel is just two players. There's no league to organize or keep active.