Just like the NFL, fantasy football is an evolving sport. With league formats becoming increasingly diverse, one of the most notable shifts (which has been covered extensively by the Ballers staff) has been the growing popularity of SuperFlex leagues.
Well put, Rick. I couldn’t agree more.
The concept of SuperFlex was created as a “market correction,” with the intention of bringing the value of the QB back to its appropriate level. The scarcity of the position in this format adds a whole new dynamic to your league, putting more pressure on roster construction decisions, increasing trade variables, and making your season far more exciting as a whole.
Today, I am here as an advocate for SuperFlex leagues. We will discuss in detail why your traditional league should be outlawed, the impact(s) of making this switch, and how this will step your game up to a whole new level.
Make sure to check out our other Fantasy 101 articles to get a full, well-rounded introduction to other important elements of fantasy football!
What is a SuperFlex League?
The concept of SuperFlex is simple.
One extra FLEX position is added to your starting roster, which can be filled by a QB, RB, WR or TE. Because QB is often the highest scoring position, this spot is more often than not filled with a “thrower of the football.”
How Does SuperFlex Differ From 2QB Leagues?
SuperFlex leagues are very similar to 2QB leagues, but provide more flexibility regarding roster construction.
Since the QB position is typically among the highest scoring players, there will likely be 18-24 QBs in starting lineups any given week. Unlike 2QB leagues, however, when those heavy bye weeks or injuries hit, you still have the option to plug-and-play an RB, WR, or TE, instead of leaving the spot empty. This helps bring value back to the QB position by removing the option to “stream” countless options off the waiver wire.
For example, Bryce Young finished as the QB24 last season, yet still finished as the 49th overall scorer in standard leagues. In a traditional league, Young would have been nothing more than a streaming option due to injuries or bye weeks, but in a SuperFlex league, he would have been a highly coveted asset heading into the playoffs.
If Bryce had a full season playing like this then his stats will be
4,100 Total Yards
30 Total TDs
12 INTsSeason long stats like this while the Panthers start 3 rookie pass catchers is pretty impressive. https://t.co/mnl5ltsD86
— JonPow (@JonScheyerMuse) December 30, 2024
How Does SuperFlex Impact Drafts?
By switching to a SuperFlex league, you will bring an exciting, new level of variance that your draft and league have been missing.
In standard leagues, the “general” advice is to build around RBs and WRs, leaving QBs (and TEs) to be scrounged up later. With an influx of emerging young stars at the position, the “late round QB” mentality has been adopted by analysts and casual players alike, leaving the most important position in sports as a sacrificial “punt” on draft day. Many teams won’t even carry a second QB, knowing that replacing the position with a “streamer” is a pretty easy task if they ever need to do so.
Taking just 2024 as an example, rookie Jayden Daniels was the 13th QB off the board (according to Fantasy Football Calculator’s ADP), while Bo Nix, Baker Mayfield, and Sam Darnold all went essentially undrafted. All four of those players finished in the top-10, and if you were savvy enough to snag any of them with a late-round pick (or more likely from your waiver wire), you had a potential league winner for the cost of nothing.
On the flip side, only seven of the top-12 QBs in ADP finished the 2024 season as a QB1, with only two (Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow) being able to match – or better – their ADP. This means that as a drafter in 2024, your QB had a measly 58.3% chance of finishing the season as a QB1, and just a 17% chance of returning the value you paid for him.
1QB ADP (2024):
These odds do not portray confidence, which is why the industry mindset has shifted as such. Those of you who spent high draft capital on CJ Stroud or Anthony Richardson should be nodding along.
To supplement that note, there have been over 40 different QB1s in eight of the past nine seasons. With so much depth and weekly upside at the position, there is very little reason to reach in your draft when there are 6-8 other players behind them that hold the exact same upside.
In a SuperFlex draft, however, positional scarcity will skyrocket the value of QBs, making each and every one of them a highly coveted asset. Most of the top QBs will be off the board within the first three or four rounds, as your league-mates panic over the idea of entering the season with Russell Wilson or Tyler Shough as their QB2 – as they should.
2QB ADP (2024):
In a quick comparison of these two tables, you’ll notice that the first QB (Josh Allen) did not go off the board until the beginning of Round 3 in traditional leagues, while in SuperFlex leagues, there were already 12 QBs off the board by that same pick, with the top-24 being drafted before the end of Round 6.
How Does SuperFlex Impact Starting Rosters?
It doesn’t, really.
The goal of this format is not to replace another position, but to create space and value for the most important one.
With up to 24 QBs starting any given week, players like Aaron Rodgers (QB17) and Kirk Cousins (QB20) are not left for dead, but in fact remain very important, just like in the NFL.
This not only mirrors the importance of the position in real life, but also tends to reward the more knowledgeable and skilled players in your league by decreasing the likelihood of your nonchalant friend(s) sneaking their way into the playoffs with a streaming QB.
I could really go for 15 points from my FLEX spot right about now… pic.twitter.com/hm8CI86dXg
— Sleeper (@SleeperHQ) July 8, 2025
How Does SuperFlex Affect Scoring?
Unlike PPR or TE-Premium leagues, SuperFlex leagues do not have a significant impact on your scoring. Your weekly scores will certainly be higher, but the scoring applies to everyone, making this change fairly inconsequential.
How Does SuperFlex Impact the Trade Market?
We all know how difficult it can be to make a trade.
It’s almost like nobody wants to give up their stud for your 2, 3, or 10-1 offer.
This format allows far more creativity when it comes to trading, with even the artists-formerly-known-as-streaming-level QBs now costing a premium. By bringing back value to the QB position, you can create an entirely new dynamic to supplement trade offers. All of a sudden, your second (or third) QB has significant relevance and may be the final puzzle piece to get a deal done.
It also opens trade windows for the more knowledgeable players, which, if you’re reading this article, is you.
If you’re someone who already studies deeper QBs and/or upcoming defensive schedules, then you likely already have a leg up on the rest of your league. You now have an opportunity to use that knowledge to “tier down” for another player with a better playoff schedule, while simultaneously improving your roster elsewhere.
These are the types of moves that win Championships, but are rarely pulled off in standard leagues.
Conclusion
When the RB was considered King, we created PPR to boost scoring for WRs. When the TE was deemed unpredictable and top-heavy, we invented TE-Premium to provide bonuses for every reception and/or TD. When K and DST were considered random and fortuitous, we removed them altogether.
If we’re willing to implement changes for all of these other positions, then why would we not evolve for the most important position in all of sports?
SuperFlex is here to stay, and for good reason. It may not be the change we asked for, but it’s the change the world needs.
Welcome to the future, my friends! Your league will thank you later.
The UDK is OUT pic.twitter.com/nsOItrwADp
— Fantasy Footballers (@TheFFBallers) June 4, 2025