With a regular season of 82 games, playing fantasy basketball can sound like a lot of work. We kept that in mind when building fantasy basketball on Sleeper.
The Lock-in Mode format is unique to Sleeper, where our team aimed to create more strategic gameplay and re-shape how fantasy basketball is played moving forward.
Lock-In Fantasy Basketball
How Lock-In mode works
One game per week per player will count toward your matchup score.
After your player finishes a game, you can choose to lock it in.
You must lock it in before that player’s next game starts.
Once locked, you cannot use that player again for the same week or move them to another position.
Weekly matchups run from Monday through Sunday.
Game Pick Mode
Our Game Pick Mode is only accessible for leagues that have been renewed to the 2024-25 season. It's no longer possible to create a Game Pick league from scratch.
Breaking the Tradition
In traditional fantasy basketball formats, weekly matchups can feel unfair. Some players have more games in a week than others. For example, your opponent might have a player with 4 games, while yours only plays 2. That makes it easier for them to score more points.
Managers can also add free agents late in the week, to try to get more points for their line ups on Saturday and Sunday.
With Lock-In Mode, we can replicate the weekly strategy that is evident in fantasy football. Your decisions on who to start and when to lock in will be a big factor in your matchup, and will still give you that feeling of being a General Manager.
Sleeper provides all the research information right at your fingertips. All you have to do is decide who, and when to lock-in.
Will you offer other game formats in the future?
While we understand that Lock-In moded may not be what fantasy basketball players are used to, we believe they are far more engaging, and that our users will highly enjoy the experience.
Formats such as Rotisserie, Head-to-Head, 9-Cat, or others may be considered down the road, but we don't have any plans to offer them at this time. Lock-In is the default option for now and we hope you look forward to trying it out.
Types of Leagues
Choosing the right format for your group may depend on the level of complexity everyone is looking for, as well as their long-term commitment to the league. We support up to 32 teams for fantasy basketball leagues.
If you want to start simple and work your way up, you can always update your league format anytime during the season, before the start of the next season.
Redraft
Simplest format
Fun and easy to grasp
Shortest-term commitment
All owners start with a completely empty roster and a full set of draft picks. Those draft picks can be traded heading into and during the current season's draft, but no future season's picks can be traded until the league is renewed.
Keeper
Added Complexity
Keep Players
Draft for Value
Trade Future Picks
Managers can select a pre-determined number of players from their current rosters whom they'd like to keep for the next season.
A keeper cost is typically added onto this, but this cost can vary depending on your league's rules. Generally, if you drafted James Harden in the 1st round and decide to keep him, your league can have that be in place of your 1st round pick. The keeper cost is league-specific.
Dynasty
Highest Level of Complexity
Closest "General Manager Experience"
Long-term Commitment from Managers
Rookie Drafts
Taxi Squads
Teams carry their entire roster over to the next season. Much of the experience's value is derived from the long-term nature of the format and connection built with your team and its composition of players.
Lucky choices and costly mistakes are magnified and tend to compound over time as the results of these decisions may create super teams or even dynasties.