Fantasy Draft Value Calculator

The bid is derived from a player's Value Above Replacement (VAR) — the projected points they score above the last startable player at their position in your league. That VAR is expressed as a share of total leaguewide VAR and then multiplied against the pool of spendable auction dollars (after reserving $1 per roster spot for every team). Positional scarcity and scoring format adjustments are applied on top of that baseline.

VAR measures how many more fantasy points a player is projected to score compared to the 'replacement level' player — the last starter available at that position given your league's roster settings. Players with high VAR are genuinely scarce and worth paying a premium for; those near replacement level should cost $1–$3 at auction.

More teams mean more roster spots to fill, which tightens the pool of available talent and raises replacement level scarcity. A 14-team league will drive up prices for top RBs and WRs faster than an 8-team league because fewer good players remain undrafted.

PPR formats elevate pass-catchers — WRs, TEs, and pass-catching RBs — because they score more points per game. Superflex or 2-QB formats dramatically increase QB scarcity, pushing top quarterbacks toward $40–$60+ at auction. This calculator adjusts the positional scarcity multiplier for your chosen format automatically.

The recommended bid represents fair market value based on projections. The Max Safe Bid adds a small buffer — it's the ceiling you can pay while still expecting a net-positive return from the player's projected output relative to cost. Paying above this threshold means you're likely overpaying even if the projections hit.

Generic auction values assume a standard 12-team, $200, half-PPR league. If your league differs in size, budget, roster construction, or scoring, those values are inaccurate for you. Always recalculate based on your actual settings — even small differences in FLEX spots or TE premium scoring can shift values by $5–$15 per player.

In leagues with TE+ scoring (1.5 pts per reception for TEs), elite tight ends score significantly more than they do in standard formats, widening the gap between top TEs and replacement-level options. This makes studs like the top 2–3 TEs much more expensive at auction — often $15–$25 more than in non-premium leagues.

'Medium' is recommended for most leagues — it mirrors how most auction value tools define the baseline starter. Use 'Loose' if your league has a lot of casual bidders who leave value on the table, making more players worth spending on. Use 'Strict' in highly competitive leagues where only the top players at each position consistently outperform waiver wire replacements.