How to Prevent Tanking in Dynasty Fantasy Football Leagues

What is Tanking in Fantasy Football?

Tanking occurs when fantasy football team owners intentionally lose games or field weak lineups to secure a better draft position. In traditional reverse-order drafts, the worst team is guaranteed the #1 pick, creating a strong incentive to lose games late in the season.

This behavior damages league integrity, creates unfair matchups, and ruins the competitive experience for other owners. A draft lottery system solves this problem by making draft positions uncertain.

Why Traditional Draft Orders Encourage Tanking

In a standard reverse-order draft:

• The worst team is guaranteed the #1 pick
• The second-worst team gets the #2 pick, and so on
• There's no uncertainty or risk in losing games
• Owners can calculate exactly what they'll get by losing

This creates a perverse incentive where losing becomes a strategic advantage, especially in dynasty leagues where draft picks are highly valuable.

How a Draft Lottery Prevents Tanking

A weighted draft lottery eliminates tanking by:

• Removing Guarantees: No team is guaranteed any specific pick, even the worst team
• Adding Uncertainty: Draft positions are determined by random draw, not standings
• Maintaining Fairness: Worse teams still get better odds, but nothing is certain
• Preserving Competition: Every game matters because draft position is uncertain

Setting Up Your Anti-Tanking Lottery

To implement a lottery system that prevents tanking:

1. Use our free draft lottery generator for Sleeper leagues
2. Assign lottery balls based on record (worse teams get more balls)
3. Run the lottery after the season ends, before the draft
4. Share results transparently with all league members

Additional Anti-Tanking Measures

While a lottery system is the most effective solution, you can also:

• Implement maximum points for non-playoff teams (MPF)
• Set minimum lineup requirements
• Use a lottery for only the top 3-5 picks
• Combine lottery with other anti-tanking rules