Fantasy football constantly evolves, and fantasy managers always look ahead toward the game’s next evolution. It wasn’t all that long ago when standard scoring formats reigned supreme before PPR formats started to become the norm, and single quarterback formats far outnumbered superflex leagues.

Similarly, we all likely started out playing this game from a redraft perspective, where we drafted a new team year in and year out. Eventually, keeper and dynasty leagues began to rise in popularity, and now many dynasty fantasy managers may wonder: what’s next?

Now might be the perfect time to try out a devy league!

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What is a Devy League?

I’m glad you asked! A devy league functions similarly to your standard dynasty league with one major caveat – fantasy managers draft developmental, or devy, players that are rostered in addition to their roster of NFL players. Your devy players are players currently in college that have not yet entered the NFL Draft.

Typically your devy players won’t generate any points on a week-to-week basis. Still, you will retain those college players’ rights until they eventually find their way onto an NFL roster and join your main roster of fantasy players, where they’ll contribute as usual.

If you get the most excited during rookie drafts in your dynasty leagues, trying out a devy league might be perfect for you!

So, When are Devy Players Acquired?

As with all new leagues, a startup draft will be held. More often than not, that startup draft will consist of all current NFL players and occasionally that year’s class of incoming rookies – depending on when during the year the startup is occurring.

There will be an inaugural devy draft, where the full slate of current college players is available to be selected by managers in the league. As with any format, league settings vary, and each league will have its own set of rules, but it’s relatively common to see devy drafts that range from three to four rounds long.

Devy players are acquired during the inaugural devy draft and devy drafts that occur in the following offseasons. Some leagues will hold separate rookie and devy drafts. In these instances, you’ll hear rookie drafts referred to as “devy depleted,” meaning all incoming rookies can be drafted except those already rostered by managers in your league.

Other leagues will hold one combined rookie and devy draft, where all incoming rookies not currently rostered are available to be selected, along with any current college players not rostered and all incoming freshman college players.

Which Players Should I be Drafting?

There are always exceptions to the rule, but the safest course of action often lies in focusing on wide receivers and running backs. Of course, you’ll also want to supplement your roster with young, incoming quarterbacks, but it’s essential not to get swept up in too much quarterback hype.

Ahead of the 2021 college season, DJ Uiagalelei was the heir apparent to Trevor Lawrence at Clemson and was thought of almost as a can’t-miss prospect. Since then, he’s failed to live up to that hype and has since transferred to Oregon State.

When determining who to draft, you need to remember one thing – these players must make it to an NFL roster and succeed on an NFL roster to become valuable contributors to your fantasy team. In the same way, a manager can get swept up in rookie hype in your standard dynasty leagues, it’s easy to be swept up by freshman fever in devy leagues.

You’ll want to draft exciting incoming freshman players at specific points but balance that with players closer to becoming NFL players. In your inaugural devy draft, focusing on players set to be drafted the following season to the NFL is an intelligent play, assuming you believe in the talent.

What Else Do I Need to Know?

Some other tips for first-timers trying the format are:

Don’t invest heavily on devy tight ends. We know how fickle the tight end landscape is for fantasy purposes, and it’s magnified even more when you’re betting on early-career college players.

Don’t treat your devy picks as throwaways. It’s ok to go all in on a championship run, but be mindful of not throwing away all of your future picks, as they will be vital to sustaining long-term success for your team.

Don’t be afraid to sell college players when they’ve hit peak value. As we discussed earlier, DJ Uiagalelei looked like a can’t-miss prospect, and people who sold at the height of that value reaped the rewards.

More important than anything else – have fun with it! Trying a devy league is a logical progression for dynasty managers looking for the next way to expand their fantasy horizons.

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