Draftstreet functions like a typical short-term fantasy gaming site. <\/p>\n
How-to<\/h3>\n
Players can compete in daily or weekly fantasy leagues, with drafts happening 24 hours a day. Leagues can range from two to 20 players and follow a variety of different drafting styles, like snake, salary cap and auction (coming soon). If you play for money, your prizes vary depending on the buy-in ($5 to $215) and league size. Payouts happen at the end of the \u201cscoring period,\u201d which changes based on the sport and duration of the league.<\/p>\n Draftstreet has some excellent variety. There\u2019s just so much you can do on this site. It goes beyond a standard rotisserie format. You can play roto, which determines standings based on teams\u2019 average rankings in various stat categories; you can play points-style, in which your players accumulate total points based on various weighted accomplishments (very popular for NFL). <\/p>\n You can also try something totally different \u2013 like the Home Run Derby format in MLB pools, in which you win and lose based on homer totals alone.<\/p>\n The variety of drafting style should also satisfy poolies. Options include the snake draft (rotating player picks), salary cap and auction, which cover pretty much every possible drafting style in fantasy sports.<\/p>\n The only place Draftstreet leaves a bit to be desired in the fantasy department is the lack of a head-to-head format. Many fantasy leagues enjoy the rivalries created between teams who go head-to-head each week (or night).<\/p>\n Grade: A<\/strong><\/p>\n There\u2019s a big difference between confusing and complex. Draftstreet.com isn\u2019t confusing, as it\u2019s very well laid out, but it is complex. In other words, there\u2019s a lot to learn and read about. It takes some time to familiarize yourself with the site. But the oodles of information is a given because Draftstreet has so many game varieties. Since it\u2019s geared more to a diehard fantasy player (in my opinion), I doubt players will be turned off by the amount of homework necessary to understand the site. In fact, they\u2019ll probably like it.<\/p>\n If you do find the site tough to navigate, never fear. Draftstreet has plenty of thorough rule explanations and even instructional videos (featuring cute girls). If you put the time into it, you\u2019ll get a great feel for the site. Grade: A-<\/strong><\/p>\n Draftstreet.com is great for a fantasy sports junkie because the gratification can be endless. You can set up private leagues and have a great time with your buddies \u2013 especially because of the live chat feature \u2013 but you don\u2019t have to have an organized group of friends to enjoy it.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re bored in the middle of the night, you can enter a live public draft for any sport and start picking your team. You can do research via the player news feed directly on the site. You can immerse yourself in fantasy gaming, for money or for free, for as long and as often as you want. It\u2019s also a nice plus that the payouts are organized and predictable based on the \u201cscoring period\u201d rules.<\/p>\n The only thing that holds Draftstreet back from an A-plus rating in the fun department is its complexity. I wouldn\u2019t say this is a site that allows you and your buddies to have a big league up and running in five minutes. But, again, that\u2019s not a criticism. It\u2019s a calculated decision by Draftstreet to sacrifice some simplicity to satisfy the diehards.<\/p>\n Grade: A-<\/strong><\/p>\n Drafstreet.com is a detailed, big, stimulating fantasy site. Hardcore players can do all their gaming in this one place and never have to leave thanks to its variety of options and ability to play whenever they want.<\/p>\n Because it\u2019s a somewhat dense site and lacks a true fantasy staple \u2013 head-to-head gaming \u2013 Draftstreet.com isn\u2019t absolute perfection. But it\u2019s pretty close.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/DraftStreet-Fantasy-Sports-e1311225084243.jpg\" "\\"DraftStreet")
Variety<\/h3>\n
Ease of Use<\/h3>\n
![\"Draftstreet](\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/draftstreet-250x250.gif\")
<\/a><\/p>\nFun factor\/Intangibles <\/h3>\n
Overall<\/h3>\n