Fantasy football leagues with 6 teams are certainly possible and can be a lot of fun. With fewer teams, each roster is stacked with more talent, leading to higher scoring and more competition. The fantasy experience is different, but 6 team leagues have their own unique benefits.
Quick Overview
The basics of a 6 team fantasy football league are the same as any other league. You draft players to fill out a roster, set your optimal starting lineup each week, add/drop players as needed, and compete to score the most fantasy points. With fewer teams, the draft and waivers are easier with more high quality options. The smaller league size leads to more trading as well since managers have better players to deal.
Is a 6 Team League Competitive?
A common concern is whether a smaller 6 team league can be competitive. With fewer teams, the rosters are inevitably stacked with star players at every position. This can lead to high scoring and often closer matchups week-to-week. While owners will score much more on average, the rank of highest scorer still wins each week. Working the waiver wire is also crucial to success in shallow leagues like this.
Positives of a 6 Team League
- Easier to find competitive and active owners when the league is smaller.
- Top players at every position available in the draft. Owners have multiple stud RBs, WRs, TEs.
- Waiver wire has quality players available to add each week.
- Easier to pull off trades with fewer owners needed to approve a deal.
- Lower league fees with fewer teams.
- Less time per week needed to research, set lineups, propose trades.
Negatives of a 6 Team League
- Less diverse rosters. Most teams look similar with stud players.
- Very high weekly scoring leads to lots of luck in close matchups.
- Potential for some teams to become overly dominant through trades.
- Fewer teams means less smack talk and rivalry.
- Waiver order impacts teams more in smaller leagues.
- The worst teams still have great players – less motivation to improve rosters.
Roster Construction
The most obvious difference in a 6 team league is that the rosters will be loaded with star players. Most experts recommend smaller starting lineups for shallow leagues like this. The following roster settings can help maintain balance:
- 6-8 total starters (1 QB, 2-3 RBs, 2-3 WRs, 1 TE, 1 Flex)
- 4-5 bench spots
- No kicker or team defense
This allows every team to have multiple top-tier options at each position. Owners can play matchups effectively with their starters. The smaller benches prevent hoarding of talent.
Draft Strategy
Drafting for a 6 team league requires a different approach than larger leagues. Some key tips:
- Focus on upside and ceiling over floor. You have the luxury of more risk/reward picks.
- Don’t worry about drafting backups at QB, TE, or DST with such small rosters.
- Grab an elite TE early if you want a huge weekly advantage there.
- Be prepared to pivot your picks based on runs at positions.
- Take rookies and breakouts more aggressively due to shallow waivers.
In the first couple rounds, go after the top RBs and WRs as usual. You can wait longer on a QB since there will still be quality starters available in the mid-late rounds. Load up on starting RBs and WRs before filling your flex and bench.
Sample 6 Team Draft
| Round | Pick | Player | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Jonathan Taylor | RB |
| 1 | 2 | Derrick Henry | RB |
| 1 | 3 | Cooper Kupp | WR |
| 1 | 4 | Justin Jefferson | WR |
| 1 | 5 | Austin Ekeler | RB |
| 1 | 6 | Najee Harris | RB |
| 2 | 7 | Stefon Diggs | WR |
| 2 | 8 | Davante Adams | WR |
| 2 | 9 | Dalvin Cook | RB |
| 2 | 10 | Joe Mixon | RB |
| 2 | 11 | Deebo Samuel | WR |
| 2 | 12 | Nick Chubb | RB |
| 3 | 13 | Travis Kelce | TE |
| 3 | 14 | Mike Evans | WR |
| 3 | 15 | DJ Moore | WR |
| 3 | 16 | Ezekiel Elliott | RB |
| 3 | 17 | Mark Andrews | TE |
| 3 | 18 | Aaron Jones | RB |
| 4 | 19 | Lamar Jackson | QB |
| 4 | 20 | Josh Allen | QB |
| 4 | 21 | Tyreek Hill | WR |
| 4 | 22 | Saquon Barkley | RB |
| 4 | 23 | Leonard Fournette | RB |
| 4 | 24 | Cam Akers | RB |
| 5 | 25 | Amon-Ra St. Brown | WR |
| 5 | 26 | Kyle Pitts | TE |
| 5 | 27 | Patrick Mahomes | QB |
| 5 | 28 | Javonte Williams | RB |
| 5 | 29 | Jaylen Waddle | WR |
| 5 | 30 | Breece Hall | RB |
Regular Season and Playoffs
During the regular fantasy season, managers in a 6 team league have some advantages over larger leagues. With just 5 opponents each week, you only need to outscore a few teams to get a win. The schedules are perfectly balanced too – you play every other team once during the season. This helps ensure the best fantasy teams rise to the top.
Most 6 team leagues opt for a shorter playoff schedule after the regular season. Just two or three weeks of playoffs focusing on the top teams makes sense. Some leagues have the top 2 teams get a first round playoff bye as well.
Regular Season Schedule
| Week | Team 1 | Team 2 | Team 3 | Team 4 | Team 5 | Team 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Team 1 | Team 2 | Team 3 | Team 4 | Team 5 | BYE |
| 2 | Team 1 | Team 3 | Team 4 | Team 5 | Team 6 | BYE |
| 3 | Team 1 | Team 4 | Team 5 | Team 6 | BYE | Team 2 |
| 4 | Team 1 | Team 5 | Team 6 | BYE | Team 2 | Team 3 |
| 5 | Team 1 | Team 6 | BYE | Team 2 | Team 3 | Team 4 |
| 6 | BYE | Team 1 | Team 2 | Team 3 | Team 4 | Team 5 |
Playoff Schedule
4 teams make the playoffs (Top 2 get a first round bye)
| Week | Matchup |
|---|---|
| 14 | Team 3 vs Team 4 |
| 15 | Team 1 vs lowest remaining seed |
| 15 | Team 2 vs highest remaining seed |
| 16 | Championship Game |
Finding Owners
Fielding 6 active, engaged owners can sometimes be challenging. Here are tips to fill out your league:
- Only invite people you know will be responsive and set lineups.
- Reach out to those who you’ve played other fantasy leagues with already.
- Set expectations clearly – let them know it’s a 6 team league.
- Schedule a live online draft so owners are more connected.
- Use LeagueSafe.com or collect dues upfront.
- Create a Facebook messenger or GroupMe chat for the league.
- Send weekly recaps, power rankings, and notes to keep everyone engaged.
While finding only 6 teams may take more effort than a typical 10 or 12 team league, the payoff is a more active and competitive league with the top football fans you know.
Final Tips & Strategies
Here are some final strategy tips for excelling in a fantasy football league with just 6 teams:
- Focus on upside with your draft picks since you have to differentiate your roster.
- Always play the top performers each week – don’t get cute benching studs.
- Stay active on waivers since new stars always emerge.
- Propose aggressive trades mixing up rosters while addressing roster holes.
- Take some risks like drafting rookie RBs expected to emerge.
- Don’t neglect TE – having an elite one like Kelce or Andrews is a big advantage.
- Make sure your co-owners stay engaged via chat, weekly updates, polls, etc.
A fantasy league with only six teams can be an exciting alternative to normal leagues with ten or twelve teams. You’ll have star players at every position to choose from each week. There will be tight matchups and lots of trash talk just like any other competitive fantasy football league. Give it a try!
