We are officially announcing the Dynasty Nerds App League! The exclusive fantasy football league created by Nerds for nerds starring the Dynasty Nerds team. This league isn’t just about winning a shiny Championship ring—it’s a featured part of our podcast and website content to bring you the most actionable dynasty advice. It is a platform where your favorite Dynasty Nerds get to show off their fantasy football prowess for the #NerdHerd and offer industry insights that others can apply to their dynasty leagues.
And the best part? The #NerdHerd gets to decide which two managers from the Nerds App League get fired at the end of every season. That’s right, two of our expert fantasy GMs will be kicked out of the league every season based on bottom-three performances. It will be up to the #NerdHerd to choose which one of the three GMs on the dynasty hot seat deserves redemption and which two will be sent searching for new startups.
Nerds App League Overview
Format & Structure
The Nerds App League will be tracked using the Dynasty Nerds App (Apple | Android). We will compare roster values, discuss trades, reveal waiver wire bids, and take you behind the scenes of a dynasty fantasy football league using our League Analyzer and GM Tool.
All league activities, including communications and player transactions in the Nerds App League, will be conducted via the Sleeper app. The 12 members of the league will be your favorite Dynasty Nerds podcasters, analysts, and writers. The names of the members will be unveiled soon, and we will let you know more about everyone and their dynasty methodologies at a later date.
Roster & Lineup Requirements
The roster for each team in the Nerds App League will consist of 30 active players, with a maximum of 39 players when including 3 injured reserve (IR) slots and each team’s 6 member taxi squad. Once rostered via draft, waivers, or trade, rookies may be kept on a team’s taxi squad for up to two years.
There will be 12 starters in each team’s weekly lineup:
- 1 Quarterback
- 2 Running Backs
- 3 Wide Receivers
- 1 Tight End
- 4 Flex (RB/WR/TE)
- 1 SuperFlex (QB/RB/WR/TE)
Managers are required to field a complete starting lineup each week. Players on bye weeks cannot be started, and all lineup selections will lock at the scheduled kickoff time of each player’s respective game.
Season Schedule & Playoffs
The regular season in the Dynasty GM League will span weeks 1 through 14 of the NFL season. Each team will compete against every other team once over 11 weeks, with 3 additional matchups randomly assigned to ensure no team faces another more than twice. Wins are earned in a standard head-to-head matchup each week, but also there will be an additional victory granted for teams that score higher than the league median.
Following Week 14, the 6 teams with the most total wins qualify for the playoffs. The 2 teams with the most wins receive a 1st round bye in Week 15. Playoff matchups are re-seeded each week to ensure the highest-ranked teams face the lowest-ranked opponents. Tiebreakers will adhere to Sleeper’s default settings.
Nerds App League Scoring System
The Nerds App League uses decimal scoring with custom settings. Here’s a quick look at the key custom scoring elements:
- Quarterback Scoring:
- 6 points per passing touchdown
- (-2) points per interception
- (-0.5) points per sack taken
- Receptions (by position):
- Running Backs: 0.25 points per reception
- Wide Receivers: 0.5 points per reception
- Tight Ends: 1 point per reception
- Point Per 1st Down (PP1D):
- Quarterbacks receive an additional 0.25 points per rushing and receiving 1st down (PP1D)
- All other positions receive 0.5 PP1D
Draft Details
The startup draft will follow a snake format, incorporating a third-round reversal (3RR). Draft positions will be chosen by each manager using a derby draft based on results from random number generator. The draft will be conducted as a slow draft, with each team having an 8-hour clock per selection.
A few special rules apply to the startup draft. The 2025 rookie class will be ineligible for selection, but managers will draft kickers or other placeholder players as proxies for 2025 rookie picks to be used in a Nostradamus rookie draft (coined by our own Doc Mitchell) following the startup draft and NFL Draft, respectively. Trading of startup picks and future rookie picks is allowed and encouraged!
Following the startup draft, we will hold a staggered rookie draft with the 2025 rookie picks. The 1st and 2nd rounds will be held prior to the NFL Draft. The 3rd, 4th, and 5th rounds will take place after the NFL Draft. In subsequent seasons, the league will continue to hold Nostradamus rookie drafts, with the draft order determined by Sleeper’s default settings.
Nerds App League Details
There will not be a trade deadline in the league, allowing all managers to make deals at any time during the season. All accepted trades process immediately without the possibility of a veto, unless there is evidence of collusion. If a trade appears suspicious, league members can file an objection. Additionally, any trade in question involving the commissioner will be subject to a league vote to ensure fairness. (Of course, we should not have to worry about any of that!)
Waivers operate through a blind bidding system, with transactions processing every Thursday at 3:00 AM EST. Each team receives a $100 budget for free-agent pickups per season, with bids placed in $1 increments (min $0). Once the initial waiver period concludes each week, free-agent pickups transition to a first-come, first-served system. Any unused waiver budget will not carry over to the following season.
Special Rules and Future Changes
Remember earlier when I said the #NerdHerd would have a part in how the Dynasty GM League unfolds? Each season, the bottom three teams will face elimination. Every member of the #NerdHerd will get a vote to determine which manager is saved and which two will be forced to pack up their virtual general manager’s office. Two new Dynasty Nerds staff will then join the fray to keep things fresh and exciting. Finally and notably, the winner of the Dynasty GM League will not only have some serious bragging rights, but they’ll also be protected from elimination for the next three seasons. It will be the only safe time to “tank,” so subsequent seasons are sure to be entertaining.
Thank You for Reading!
We’re excited to launch the Dynasty Nerds App League and can’t wait to see how our staff members perform on the virtual gridiron. Whether you’re here for competitive play, entertaining content, or just to join in the fantasy football fun, there’s plenty in store for everyone.
Stay tuned for the introduction of managers and a 1st round teaser!
