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How to Play

Complete guide to Pickem Trivia's game modes

Pickem Trivia offers two main game modes: Draft Battle and Pickem Grid. Both test your NFL knowledge in different ways. Here's everything you need to know to get started.

Draft Battle

🏈 Overview

In Draft Battle, you build a fantasy football roster by naming players who match specific categories. You have 30 seconds per round to select a valid player, and the goal is to maximize your total fantasy points.

The Draft Order

Each game consists of 8 rounds in a standard fantasy draft order:

Round 1: QB Round 2: RB Round 3: RB Round 4: WR Round 5: WR Round 6: WR Round 7: TE Round 8: FLEX

The FLEX position can be filled by any RB, WR, or TE.

Categories

Each round presents a category that describes a group of eligible players. Categories can be based on:

Example Category

Round 4 (WR): "Played for the Green Bay Packers"

Valid answers: Davante Adams, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, etc.

Scoring

Points are based on each player's best single-season fantasy performance. We use standard PPR (Points Per Reception) fantasy scoring:

Action Points
Passing Yard 0.04 pts
Passing TD 4 pts
Rushing/Receiving Yard 0.1 pts
Rushing/Receiving TD 6 pts
Reception 1 pt
Interception Thrown -2 pts
Fumble Lost -2 pts
Pro Tip: Think about peak seasons! A player's best year matters most. LaDainian Tomlinson's 2006 season (31 TDs) scores higher than most players' entire careers.

Game Modes

Daily Challenge (Free) - A new puzzle every day at midnight. Everyone gets the same 8 categories, so you can compare scores on the leaderboard. Play once per day.

Head-to-Head - Real-time battles against other players. Both players receive identical categories simultaneously. Winner gains ELO rating points; loser drops. Costs 1 token per game.

Past Dailies - Replay any previous daily challenge from our archive. Great for practice. Costs 1 token per game (unlimited with PRO subscription).

Pickem Grid

🎯 Overview

Pickem Grid presents a 3×3 grid where each cell requires a player matching both the row and column criteria. You have 9 guesses to complete the grid, and rarer picks earn better scores.

How It Works

  1. The grid shows 3 row headers (player positions or criteria) and 3 column headers (usually NFL teams)
  2. Tap any empty cell to see what criteria it requires
  3. Type a player name who matches BOTH the row AND column criteria
  4. Each guess counts, whether correct or incorrect
  5. You cannot use the same player twice in one grid
Example Cell

Row: Running Back | Column: Dallas Cowboys

Valid answers: Ezekiel Elliott, Emmitt Smith, DeMarco Murray, Tony Dorsett, etc.

Rarity Scoring

Your score is based on how unique your picks are compared to other players. Rarer answers = better score. The goal is the lowest possible score (like golf).

Unicorn
0%
Platinum
1-5%
Gold
5-10%
Silver
10-25%
Bronze
25-50%
Green
50%+

A Unicorn pick means you're the only player who chose that answer. Empty cells add 100 points to your score as a penalty.

Pro Tip: Avoid the obvious picks! Everyone will guess Patrick Mahomes for Chiefs + QB. Think of backup players, historical players, or those who had brief stints with teams.

Player Eligibility

For a player to be valid for a team category:

Tokens & Economy

Tokens are the in-game currency used to play competitive modes:

Earning Tokens:

ELO Rating System

Head-to-head matches use an ELO rating system to track competitive skill:

Division ELO Range
🥉 Bronze Below 1200
🥈 Silver 1200 - 1400
🥇 Gold 1400 - 1600
💎 Platinum 1600 - 1800
💠 Diamond 1800+

All players start at 1200 ELO. Wins against higher-rated opponents earn more points, while losses to lower-rated opponents cost more.

Tips for Success

  1. Study peak seasons: Know which players had monster years, not just career totals
  2. Remember journeymen: Players who bounced between teams are valuable for grid puzzles
  3. Think historically: Don't forget legends from the 2000s and 2010s
  4. Learn college connections: Knowing which stars came from which schools expands your options
  5. Practice daily: The free Daily Challenge is the best way to improve

Ready to play? Start your first game →