A fantasy football dynasty league is a league where you keep your whole roster from one season to the next, so the team you build this year is the team you carry into the next. A keeper league sits between dynasty and a normal redraft league: you keep a small, capped number of players and draft the rest again. The difference is how much carries over, and that single number changes how every other decision in the league works.
What is a redraft league?
In a redraft league, every player goes back into the pool each season and everyone drafts from scratch. It is the simplest format. Nothing carries over, so a new manager can join on day one and compete.
Most office and family leagues start here, and many stay here.
What is a keeper league?
A keeper league lets each manager hold over a limited number of players into the next season. The league sets the number, usually small, and the rest of the roster is drafted again. A manager who keeps a star is giving up something to do it, usually a draft pick, which is what makes keeper decisions interesting.
Typical keeper league rules cover how many players you can keep, what each keeper costs, how long you can keep a player and when you must name your keepers. Your league writes these, and no official standard exists.
What is a dynasty league?
In a dynasty league you keep your whole roster. The annual draft is mostly for incoming rookies, and picks are tradable. You are building a franchise over years, so a young player who is not helping yet can be worth more than a veteran who is.
A fantasy baseball dynasty league usually adds prospects on minor league rosters, which means managers can hold players for years before they reach the major leagues. A football dynasty league leans on rookie drafts and draft pick trades instead. In both, the league’s rules decide how many roster spots are reserved for these players, so write that number down.
How do keeper and dynasty leagues compare?
| Redraft | Keeper | Dynasty | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What carries over | Nothing | A few players, capped | The whole roster |
| The annual draft | Every player | Most of the roster | Mostly rookies and new players |
| Draft picks as trade assets | Rarely | Sometimes | Usually |
| Joining mid-way | Easy, any season | Harder, you inherit a thin roster | Hard, you need a team in the league |
| Commissioner workload | Low | Medium | High |
| Best for | Casual groups | Groups who want long-term decisions without the commitment | Dedicated groups who plan to stay together for years |
What rules must a commissioner settle?
Write these down before the first keeper draft. Each one is a trade dispute waiting to happen.
- How many keepers. Fewer than you think. A small number keeps the draft meaningful and stops one strong team from owning the league.
- What a keeper costs. A common approach is to charge the draft round a player was taken in, or one round earlier. Decide what happens to a player nobody drafted.
- How many years. Some leagues cap a keeper at a set number of seasons so stars return to the pool. Others let them stay indefinitely.
- When keepers are declared. Set a firm deadline before the draft. Otherwise the draft stalls while people think.
- Rookies and draft picks. Can picks be traded, and how far ahead? If so, rookies become a currency, and you need a rule about it.
- Trades. Decide who approves a trade and whether anyone can veto it. In a league where assets last for years, a bad trade stays on the books.
- Leaving the league. What happens to a roster when a manager walks away? In dynasty, a roster is worth years of work, so decide this early.
When should you convert a redraft league?
Convert when your group has stuck together for a few seasons, when people complain that the draft feels like starting over, and when the whole league agrees. Do not convert when the league has turnover, or when it only has a few keen managers and the rest are passengers, because the passengers will fall behind and leave.
Start small. Run keepers for a season with a low cap, see what breaks, then decide whether to go all the way to dynasty. Change the rules between seasons, never during one.
Can you run keeper or dynasty rules on Fanzava?
Not yet. Keeper and dynasty rules are not part of the first fantasy release. Fantasy on Fanzava is on a waitlist, so nothing is open to players yet and there is no date to quote. It is planned first as season-long draft leagues on your hub for the NFL, NHL and MLB, and each season will start with a new draft. There is no fantasy football or baseball page yet. For how a draft works, read snake vs auction drafts and the fantasy page.
What runs today for the same group?
Your group already has the habit of picking players and arguing about it. An NFL pick’em pool runs today on your own branded hub, with each game locking at its own kickoff, a leaderboard that updates itself and reminders before lock. There is no draft and nothing to carry over, so it suits a group that wants a weekly competition without commissioner work. The NFL page covers the whole season. Whatever your group plays for is between you and your members, and the rules where you live apply.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a keeper league and a dynasty league?
In a keeper league each manager holds over a small, capped number of players and the rest of the roster is drafted fresh. In a dynasty league managers keep their whole roster year after year, and the annual draft is for rookies and new players.
What is a fantasy football dynasty league?
A league where you own your roster for as long as you stay in the league. You build with draft picks, trades and young players, and the team you build this year is the team you carry into the next.
What are the usual keeper league rules?
A cap on how many players you can keep, a cost for each keeper (often a draft round), a limit on how many years a player can be kept, and a deadline to declare keepers before the draft. Your league writes the rule, and there is no official standard.
What is a dynasty baseball league in fantasy?
A fantasy baseball league where managers keep their players across seasons, usually including prospects in the minor leagues. Most also trade draft picks. The rules differ league to league, so write yours down.
Can I run a keeper or dynasty league on Fanzava?
Not yet. Keeper and dynasty rules are not part of the first fantasy release, so each season would start with a new draft. Fantasy on Fanzava is on a waitlist, with no opening date.
How do I convert a redraft league to keeper or dynasty?
Ask the group first, settle the rules in writing before the next draft, and start with a small keeper count. Dynasty is a bigger change, so most groups try keepers for a season before going further.