Draft Guide
Live draft mechanics, queue system, auto-draft settings, commissioner tools, and draft day chat.
How It Works
The live draft is the most exciting day of the fantasy season. On Atlas Fantasy, the draft room is a real-time, interactive environment where you and your leaguemates build your teams. The draft follows a set order (e.g., Snake, Linear, or Auction) and each manager has a specific amount of time to make their pick. When it's your turn, you can select any available player to add to your roster, provided you have an open position for them.
To help you stay organized, you can build a player queue before and during the draft. This is your personal list of desired players, ranked in the order you want to draft them. If you are unable to make a pick before your time expires, the system will automatically draft the highest-ranked player from your queue. If your queue is empty, the system will select the highest-ranked available player based on Atlas's default rankings.
The draft room also features a live chat where you can communicate with your leaguemates, discuss picks, and engage in friendly banter. Commissioners have access to a special set of tools to manage the draft, such as pausing the draft, undoing picks, and adjusting team rosters if necessary. These tools ensure the draft runs smoothly and fairly for everyone involved.
Key Concepts
Time limit for each pick
Ranges from 30 seconds to 5 minutes, set by the commissioner.
Your ranked list of desired players
Used for auto-drafting if you run out of time or are away.
System makes a pick for you
Picks from your queue first, then default rankings.
Real-time messaging
Communicate with your league during the draft.
Strategy Tips
- 1Queue, Queue, Queue. Always have at least 20-30 players in your queue. This prevents panic picks and ensures you get a player you want if you get disconnected or time runs out.
- 2Mock Drafts are Your Friend. Participate in mock drafts to understand player values at different draft positions. This helps you identify potential sleepers and busts.
- 3Pay Attention to Bye Weeks. Avoid drafting too many key players who share the same bye week, especially your quarterback and top wide receiver.
Commissioner Settings
Commissioners can customize the following options for the draft:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Draft Type | Choose between Snake, Linear, Auction, and other draft formats. |
| Draft Order | Set the draft order manually, or have it randomized. |
| Time Per Pick | Set the time limit for each pick, from 30 seconds to 5 minutes. |
| Pause Draft | Commissioners can pause the draft at any time. |
| Undo Pick | Allows the commissioner to reverse the most recent pick. |
| Allow Draft Pick Trading | Enable or disable the ability for managers to trade draft picks before and during the draft. |
Available Sports
Live drafts are the standard for most season-long fantasy sports on Atlas: