The fantasy draft is the culmination of months of offseason chatter, but the draft order itself is usually a dull, anticlimactic click of a button. If your league is ready to inject some real-world competition, pride, and even a little physical pain into the preseason, it’s time to host your own Fantasy Draft Combine.
This isn’t just about drawing names from a hat; it’s about forcing your league mates to prove their worth on the track, in the backyard, or at the beer pong table. Here’s a collection of physical challenges — from a hilarious “Draft Combine” to competitive bar games — to put the power of the first pick directly into the hands (or feet) of the most dominant manager… at least until the season starts!
The “Fantasy Combine”
These tests mirror events from the NFL Combine to determine your league’s draft order. Use them individually, or combine scores to determine draft order.
- 40-Yard Dash: Classic test of speed. The fastest time gets the best pick.
- Vertical Jump/Broad Jump: A raw measure of explosive power. Longest distance/highest jump wins.
- Accuracy Throw (Quarterback Challenge): Set up targets (like tires, hoops, or buckets) at varying distances and assign point values. The highest total score wins.
- Field Goal/Punt Challenge: Use a football to kick field goals (or punt for distance/hangtime). You can assign points for distance, or just see who can make the longest one.
- 3-Cone Drill/Agility Drill: Set up cones in a W or figure-eight pattern. The fastest time through the course wins.
Backyard & Bar Games Tournament
Use a round-robin or single-elimination tournament style for these competitive classics.
- Cornhole (Bean Bag Toss): A tournament style where winners advance, or everyone throws a set number of bags and the highest score wins.
- Darts: A game of ‘Cricket’ or ‘301’ where the final standings determine the draft order.
- Miniature Golf (Putt-Putt): Play a full 9 or 18 holes. The person with the lowest score gets the first pick.
- Bocce/Shuffleboard: A bracketed tournament to determine 1st through last place.
- Skee-Ball or Arcade Tournament: Go to an arcade bar and select one game (or a variety of games). The highest total score or champion wins.
Food & Drinking Challenges (Adult Leagues)
Note: Always drink responsibly and be mindful of your league’s comfort level with these options.
- Flip Cup Tournament: A single-elimination tournament to find the fastest flipper. The order of elimination determines the draft order (first out is last pick).
- Beer Pong Tournament: The winner of a traditional bracket-style tournament gets the first pick.
- Chugging Contest: A simple timed race to chug a drink (beer, soda, or water). The fastest time wins.
- Eating Contest: A race to finish a plate of a specific (and often unpleasant) food item, such as an entire jar of pickled eggs or the spiciest chicken wing.
Fitness Challenge
Remember the ol’ sit-and-reach, rope climb, and pull up challenges from grade school? You older guys will. Bring ’em back!
- Pushups: Ah yes, the manly pushup competition. No girly pushups here! Knees off the ground, back straight, all the way up and down.
- Sit-ups: Beer guts, beware! It’s time to test those abs. All the way up and down. No cheating.
- Bench Press: Not exactly a test from grade school, but let the puffy-chested dudes boast their strength.
- Pull-ups: Who can clear the bar the most times?
- Planks: Who has the strongest core muscles? Make sure you have proper form and see who can hold it the longest.
- Wall Sits: Can you sit against a wall for a long period of time? Who has the quads and lower body strength to stay up the longest?
- Mile Run: Maybe you don’t have the short, straight-line speed for a 40-yard dash. Who can run the fastest mile?