The jargon, without assuming you know it

We keep the terms in English when that is how a draft table uses them. The sentence beside each one is the one you would want to hear out loud.

Draft

The order in which players are chosen when the league is formed. In a snake, the last pick of a round goes first in the next one. It is not a cup draw. It is an auction of turns.

Touchdown

Taking the oval into the opponent's end zone, by run or by pass. It is worth 6 points in the real game. In fantasy it is usually 6 for the player who runs or catches and 4 for the one who throws, unless your league says otherwise.

Quarterback (QB)

The player who takes the snap and decides whether to throw, hand off or run. He is the conductor. In fantasy you almost always start only one.

Salary Cap

An NFL team's salary ceiling. In fantasy it shows up if you play an auction or a budget league. In a snake draft there is no cap. There are picks.

Waiver Wire

The list of free agents and cuts. Claims are processed in a batch, not instantly. Overnight Wednesday is the ugly, useful hour.

Waiver

The specific claim on a player from the wire. Putting in a waiver means asking for that name with your priority or your FAAB.

PPR

Points per reception. Every catch is a point. It changes the value of wide receivers and of running backs who catch. It is the format we use as the reference on this portal.

Sack

Tackling the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage before he throws. It takes yards off the offense. In fantasy it scores for the defense (and for IDP, if your league uses it).

Interception

A pass caught by the defense. A turnover. The fantasy quarterback loses points; the defense gains them. If the defender also scores, the defense gets the defensive touchdown.

Red Zone

The last 20 yards before a score. That is where touchdowns and field goals are decided. A red-zone running back is worth more than his total yards suggest.

Flex

A fantasy spot that accepts RB, WR or TE. It does not exist on the field. It exists in your lineup, and it is where the mistake of the week hides.

Handcuff

The direct backup to your starting running back, drafted so you are not stuck at zero if there is an injury. He is not cheap insurance if he will not see touches unless there is a disaster.

Snap

The action that puts the ball in play, from the center to the quarterback. Snap share measures how much a player is on the field. No snaps means no points, however famous the name is.

Bye week

An NFL team's off week. Your players from that team score zero. Check the schedule before you set the lineup. In 2026 every team still has one bye. Do not discover it on Saturday.

FAAB

Free agent acquisition budget. Virtual money for blind bids on the waiver wire. Whoever spends 70 percent in October watches December from the couch.

Start / Sit

The weekly decision: who goes into the lineup and who stays on your roster's bench. It is not the NFL team's bench. It is yours.

Lineup

The lineup you lock for the week. If you do not touch it, the system starts whatever you left last week, bye weeks included.