Football is king, and the best NFL DFS apps are built to deliver everything fans expect from the most popular sport in America.
NFL DFS platforms let you build your ideal lineups, compete against other players, and potentially win real cash prizes. We’re here to guide you toward the top sites that offer the best experience, tools, and contests.
In this guide, we break down the role of a DFS coach and outline why football DFS continues to dominate the fantasy sports world. You’ll learn about common contest formats, scoring systems, and the types of promotions you can expect. To wrap up, we highlight this month’s top NFL DFS apps and provide useful tools and strategies to elevate your gameplay.
Pros and cons of football DFS
- Great range of contests
- Dedicated bonus offers
- Available at all DFS sites
- Follow the action in play
- Competitive entrants
Football DFS 101: Become the coach
Alongside specific basketball DFS sites, there is no doubt that football DFS is one of the most popular ways to engage with the season ahead. Unlike traditional sports betting, you’ll be reliant on building a roster of players that you believe will outperform the opposition. Your team of stars will be put up against a single or a number of other players’ squads, and the winning team will leave with the spoils.
Contests can be single-slate (one-day) events, monthly, season-long, and even run through specific periods (post-season). The format can also change; however, the idea is always focused on building a winning lineup.
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Contest Types: Figure out which contests suit your approach best
You will find many similarities between NFL contest types and those at college football DFS sites; however, the ability to track scores, leaderboard movement, and other additional perks make regular NFL contests the chosen choice for many. In this list, we cover a few of the most common.
- Full Draft: The full draft is the most common short-term contest you’ll come across. Here, you’ll follow the snake draft format to ensure that all picks are fair throughout. The idea is to create your roster for the games ahead, or “single-slate” as it is often called. Each player can only be drafted by one team, so tactics play a huge part in this one. You also won’t be able to make any changes after games get started, and contest results will be based on the standard scoring system.
- Best Ball: Alongside daily fantasy sports contests, you’ll find season-long opportunities. Like the full draft contests, you’ll often follow a snake drafting format to keep things fair. However, the biggest difference is that ongoing trades can take place. Depth to your roster is crucial, and stacking QBs and WRs is always recommended. Plus, for the most part, football DFS sites will automatically calculate the best scores from your roster, meaning you don’t need to worry about setting the lineup.
- Head-to-Head: A head-to-head is a simple one-on-one format that puts your knowledge up against a friend or like-minded baller. You will both be capped with a set salary, requiring you to build your roster within specific limits. Although these contests can last the full season, they are often set as single-slate, ensuring that you can test the waters against different players each week.
- Salary Cap: The salary cap extends on the above, opening up the potential to enter contests against a set number of entrants. Here, you will find that specific guaranteed prize pools (GPP) are available, provided you can meet the initial entry fee and land yourself on the leaderboard. Again, you’ll need to stick within limits to build your dream team.
- Pick ‘em: Finally, we have what is known as Pick ‘em contests. This format is incredibly popular and takes some influence from prop betting. The idea is to predict whether a specific player will reach “higher or lower” than a confirmed stat line. As you add picks to your roster, you’ll find that your potential multiplier increases.
Scoring systems: Understanding the X’s and O’s
When it comes to building your lineups, there is much more to understand than simple stats. For instance, we know that the likes of Kamara, Ekeler, and McCaffrey will be putting points up, but should you be focusing your whole team around them?
A lot of this can be answered based on whether your chosen site operates a PPR or half-PPR format. This refers to the number of points per reception. Players like McCaffrey and Kamara, who can operate as an RB or additional receiving option out of the back, will always be top picks in a PPR-style contest. In essence, you can guarantee one point for every reception with this method, without taking in yards per carry and other factors into account.
With a half-PPR, you’ll only receive 0.5 points per reception. So, in this instance, you want to consider whether the eventual turnover (TDs scored and yards carried) makes them a worthwhile pick. Of course, while building your rosters, you may find that any of the following will also be taken into account.
- Passing yards
- Passing touchdowns
- Interceptions
- Rushing yards
- Fumbles lost
- Rushing touchdowns
- Extra point
- Field goal miss
- Defensive TD
- Safety
- Sack
- Fumble recovery
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Promotions: A simple but effective way to familiarize yourself with football DFS
As we mentioned in our review of the latest MMA DFS sites, a bonus isn’t going to guarantee any wins. However, it certainly will help you to get familiar with the process of entering contests, building your rosters, and landing yourself on the leaderboard. In this table, we cover some of the most common.
| Deposit match | The deposit match bonus will see your initial deposit matched up to a certain value. You will then be able to use your bonus entries on contests and find any winnings added to your cash balance. As an example, you may find a 100% match of up to $50. This will see $50 in bonus entries added to your account. |
| Play and Get | The Play and Get promotion requires you to enter contests before releasing your bonus. For instance, you may see a promotion that expects you to enter a $5 contest before you can claim $25 in bonus entries. |
| Boosted selections | Boosted selections can be found throughout your time online, and do not tend to come with strict terms attached. The idea is that a specific player will have a points advantage or disadvantage applied, meaning that they have a “better” or “worse” chance of meeting a certain stat line. |
December’s picks: This month’s very best football DFS sites
That should have given you a pretty well-rounded look at what to expect from a football DFS site. Now, we want to show you how this looks in the real world, with a closer look at some of our top picks from this month.
Betr Picks: Our top choice for football fans
First in line is Betr Picks. This daily fantasy sports site is a fantastic option for football fans, offering a dynamic and user-friendly experience from the outset. We found that you can play online or through the dedicated app, utilizing the simple navigation and roster-building process to streamline the DFS experience. To begin, you can also kick things off with a $30 bonus, which will become available as soon as you have spent $10 in contest entries. When it comes to building your rosters, you’ll find that you can do so across a stream of stat lines. This will vary based on whether you are viewing the NFL, NFLP, and CFB, but could include passing TD, receiving yards, and interceptions. Each pick adds to your multiplier, and you’ll find that you can add a little insurance to your final selections with the Dynamic option.
Dabble: Enjoy a streamlined experience from the off at this top DFS site
Football fans should also be taking the time to check out Dabble. This is another brilliant DFS site that covers just about all you could possibly need to play ‘coach’ for the day. As a new user, you can get things started with $10 in bonus entries before checking out the latest NFL and NCAAF stat lines. After filtering through passing yards, rushing yards, and all manner of additional stat lines, you can start to decide whether individual players will hit more or less than the predicted value. Each pick adds to your rolling multiplier, with a maximum set at 1,000x your initial entry. Once you’re ready to go, you can lock things in by clicking ‘Place Entry’. Then, it is simply a case of sitting back and letting the action unfold.
Underdog Fantasy: A huge welcome offer awaits all new recruits
Next, we have to take a closer look at Underdog Fantasy. This daily fantasy sports app has just about everything a football fan could need. For starters, you can get things up and running with a 100% match of up to $1,000 before working your way around all types of DFS contests. Football is arguably the busiest section of the app, allowing you to create best ball, daily drafts, pick 'em, and higher or lower entries across the NFL and CFB. Whether building your roster, looking for statistical anomalies, or focusing on having fun, there is no doubt that Underdog Fantasy is one to watch. Not to mention that support here is responsive, any payouts will be completed swiftly, and all can be enjoyed through the mobile app.
Sleeper: Find something for all at this DFS football site
In fourth place, it is time to check out Sleeper. Here, we have a great example of a football DFS site that manages to cater to all preferences. For starters, newbies will be met with streams of information on how to physically play DFS contests before being presented with the latest news, stats, and facts from around the NFL. You’ll also be able to enter a range of contests here, such as Auction Drafts, Dynasty Leagues, and Best Ball. Of course, there is also the ever-popular “picks”, where you can build a lineup based on whether you believe players will hit higher or lower than a certain stat line. To get you started, you can also claim a 100% deposit match of up to $100 – not bad, right?
OwnersBox: Choose between three contest types at this top football DFS site
Finally, it is time to focus on OwnersBox. As a new recruit, we found that you can soon get your football DFS experience off to a flying start with a simple Play $15, Get $15 promo. As the name suggests, you’ll need to register, deposit, and spend $15 on contests before receiving bonus entries of equivalent value. When looking at football specifically, you’ll find that three major formats are available. The Player Picks allows you to choose a lineup based on whether players will hit a certain stat, the Salary Cap contest allows you to build your own roster with a limit in mind, and the Lightning Lineups allow you to 6x your entry via a spin wheel. You’ll also find some monstrous prize pools of up to $250,000.
Mistakes you can avoid before getting started
Although there is no guarantee that you will leave today armed with the knowledge of building a winning roster, we can provide you with some tips to ensure you get things underway properly.
- Avoid building rosters blindly: Most top football DFs sites will provide you with updated stats and leaderboards. Ensure you use them to avoid a disappointing performance from the off.
- Read through the bonus terms: You will find that most promotions released at a DFS site will target football. However, it is important to review the terms before getting started – we’d hate for you to claim a bonus that was only eligible on MMA DFS contests without realizing.
- Don’t ignore picks from experienced players: Some sites will allow you to copy the latest picks from top DFS players. We would suggest checking your selections against theirs to ensure you aren’t missing something obvious.
- Utilize the Mock Draft feature: When you are checking out a new contest or format, it pays to trial the process with the Mock Draft feature. This ensures you know exactly how to approach things before using your own cash or bonus entries.
Verdict: You can count on us to find you a top DFS site with football as the focus
As a football fan, you will never be left short of opportunities to put your knowledge to the test. We have found a great range of top DFS sites that provide you with all sorts of ways to enter contests, reap rewards, and otherwise enjoy the DFS experience.
To help you get started, we’ve condensed our findings into convenient reviews. You’ll find some of our top picks above; however, you can also use the comparison tool to figure out those that tick other key areas away from contests and promos, such as support, security, and design.
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Football DFS FAQ
Do all DFS sites allow you to enter football contests?
Although we can’t speak for every DFS site out there, almost all will provide you with some way to enter contests focused on football. It is simply too popular to avoid. The trick is to find a DFS site that caters specifically to football fans, offering a range of contests and top promos.
️ Can you amend lineups at a DFS football site?
Generally, you will find that you can amend your Pick ‘em contest entries up until kick-off. However, any that follow a draft format will have strict terms in place. One-day or single-slate contests tend to be locked, while season-long contests have periods devoted to trades.
What types of bonus offers will you find at a DFS football site?
It all depends on where you decide to join. That said, most DFS football sites will offer bonus entries through deposit match offers and Play and Get promos.
