What is a snake draft?

A snake draft is a fantasy draft in which the selection order reverses after each round.

If a 12-team league drafts from Team 1 through Team 12 in Round 1, Round 2 begins with Team 12 and ends with Team 1. Round 3 returns to the original direction. The manager with the last pick of one round therefore receives the first pick of the next.

The format balances the advantage of an early first-round selection by making early selectors wait longer before their second pick. Managers should plan around the gap between their selections, especially near either end of the draft order, where consecutive or nearly consecutive picks are common.