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What is Superflex in Fantasy Football?

By Jared Smola | Updated on Thu, 16 May 2024 . 2:23 PM EDT

The super way to pump up QB values in your fantasy football league

Superflex doesn’t represent a different kind of fantasy football.

But it can certainly offer a different spin on what you’re accustomed to playing, especially if you want to emphasize the QB position.

The difference is slight vs. what you’re probably used to. But it can dramatically alter your strategy >

What’s Super About Superflex Fantasy Football?

Your flex spot decision just got a lot more interesting

Superflex refers to a specific position in your fantasy football lineup.

Commonly, a “flex” spot allows you to start any running back (RB), wide receiver (WR), or tight end (TE). And sometimes, that flex spot includes just two of those positions.

When you turn a “flex” position into “superflex,” you make a quarterback (QB) eligible to fill that slot in a fantasy football lineup!!  Yes, the highest scoring position in most fantasy football formats – youjust got an additional spot in your lineup. 

Superflex Roster Settings

Why Play Superflex Fantasy Football?

Consider it if you have a fistful of sleeper QBs

The purpose is to add value to QBs in your fantasy football league without requiring every team to play two QBs every week.

There’s no more valuable position in real football than QB. NFL salaries tell us that (as do team winning percentages). Even the (high) prices teams pay to get uncertain QB prospects in the NFL Draft tell us how greatly they’re valued.

But that QB-centric love is not reflected in traditional, 1-QB fantasy football leagues.

Do You Need To Draft 2 QBs Early In Superflex?

Injecting Positional Scarcity at QB

You’re trying to get two QBs who can crack your starting lineup

Fantasy football leagues most commonly include 10 or 12 teams. With 32 NFL franchises, there are plenty of QBs to go around your league if you only start one.

Usually, there are even enough left over as free agents to make streaming QBs an option in standard leagues.

But QBs will nearly always score the most points in your league. 

Adding a superflex position means that every team should try to play two QBs every week: one in the starting QB slot, and another at superflex.

TIP

Are you almost ready to draft? Click here for more insight into superflex fantasy football draft strategies.

Weak QBs Outscore Quality WRs and RBs

Did we mention QBs carry a lot of value in superflex fantasy football leagues?

Let’s assume you must start two RBs and two WRs weekly in your superflex lineup, with point-per-reception (PPR) scoring.

That’d be 24 starting RBs and 24 starting WRs in your league weekly.

Last year, the No. 25 RB in PPR points per game averaged 11.7 points per week. The No. 25 WR averaged 13.5.

But the No. 25 QB averaged 17.4 points per week!

No. 25 Running Back No. 25 Wide Receiver No. 25 Quarterback
Weekly point average:
11.7 points (PPR)


Weekly point average:
13.5 points (PPR
)

Weekly point average:
17.4 points (PPR)


And that’s not even a fair comparison. 

Superflex Fantasy Football Boosts Lineup Flexibility

Don’t despair if you can’t always start two QBs

Why is that comparison unfair? Because superflex doesn’t require every team to start two QBs. It just allows you to do so.

You’ll want to have two QB starters every week because that alignment will almost always score more points than you’d get with another position in that flex role.

But if injuries or bye weeks eliminate your QB options, you can still pull from any other position rather than taking a 0 at that spot in your lineup.

Less League Disruption Than 2-QB Leagues

More QBs, more problems?

You can boost QB value even further by adding a second QB-only starting slot to your fantasy football league.

But this format will also alter the dynamic of your league.

When every team needs two QBs every week, the position will dominate your draft. You’re also likely to get at least a team or two that tries to hoard QBs throughout the year, forcing needy managers to make a trade to fill a weekly lineup.

That doesn't make the 2-QB format wrong. But superflex is the happy medium:

  • Boost QB value
  • Add a challenge to your league
  • Stop short of season-altering QB thirst

Final Thought

With more QB value, of course, comes a shift in strategy. Because far fewer leagues and fantasy players use the superflex format, you can gain advantages with a good approach. It's much easier to get there with a powerful drafting tool that understands your format and connects with your specific league.

Jared Smola Author Image
Jared Smola, Lead Analyst
Jared has been with Draft Sharks since 2007. He’s now Lead Analyst, heading up the preseason and weekly projections that fuel your Draft War Room and My Team tools. He currently ranks 1st among 133 analysts in draft rankings accuracy.
Other rankings are stale  before the 2nd round.

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