If you want to make money playing fantasy sports without actually spending any of your own, give SKYLLZONE a try. From the same company that brought you DraftStreet, SKYLLZONE has come out with a new daily fantasy game format that pits man against machine and puts a unique spin on traditional sit and go drafts. Instead of waiting to draft with your friends/co-workers once a year, you can draft against 9 computer teams in leagues that last just one week. All you have to do is outscore the 9 computer teams, and you win $20. It’s that simple.

To make things even better, SKYLLZONE allows you to draft twice a week for a shot at $20 in each league, and you can make even more money if your team finishes near the top of the global standings. Drafts can take as long as you want them to; if you want it to move fast, just keep up with the action and make your picks as soon as soon as it’s your turn. If your drafting while at work or just don’t want to watch the computers make picks, you can come back to the draft and make your pick whenever your ready, since there’s no time limit on your selections.

Game Offerings

There is only one type of game offered on SKYLLZONE; snake drafts. This feature, titled “Fan vs. Machine” runs just like any snake draft you’ve done for season-long leagues, except there is no time limit on your selections. While the computer will draft in just a few seconds, you can decide on your pick for ten seconds or ten hours, it’s completely up to you. If your at work and can’t stay on the draft page for too long, just come back to it when you’re ready. Leagues last just one week and if you can outscore the nine computer teams, you’ll win $20 (and you could win even more if you finish near the top of the global standings). You’ll draft as one team in a league of ten (9 computers), and each team will consist of 11 players, two of which will serve as bench players whose points will not count unless you swap them in for one of the players you drafted as a starter. In my experience drafting at SKYLLZONE, it’s probably best to use one bench spot for a player who falls in the draft due to injury concerns (the computers typically won’t draft players that aren’t expected to play, so you can take a chance on a high-upside option that falls, like Aaron Rodgers in Week 17, who could have been drafted as one of your final two picks). Use your other bench spot as insurance for a position your thin at (for example, if you drafted a running back at your flex spot, take a receiver so you have someone to swap in if one of your two wideouts ends up sitting out). Drafts are only available for the NFL at the time of this writing, but other sports could be added in the future!

The interesting thing about the computer generated teams is that each computer team has a different draft strategy. Inside the Fan vs. Machine draft, a Weekly Draft Rank is displayed and players are sorted by this rank. The rank used is created by averaging ranks provided by two leading independent fantasy projection sites. These independent ranks are created daily/weekly based on the Fan vs. Machine scoring system, roster, and game format. Each computer team has its own unique draft strategy and a proprietary, subjective player draft ranking determined by SKYLLZONE that is different than these independent rankings.

Software and Interface

While the draft lobby is not overly flashy, it’s easy on the eyes while still maintaining a simple appearance. It’s easy to view the player’s you’ve selected so far while also following the players coming off the board. However, there are definitely improvements that can be made. I would like to see them add more features to the draft lobby, which would include things like improved player bios and player news. It’s nice to be able to not have to leave the page to look at game logs and opponent statistics, and that is something SKYLLZONE currently lacks. Overall, I’m pretty happy with what SKYLLZONE provides in terms of interface, and it is something that will appeal to the average sports fan as well as DFS regulars. I’ve never had any server issues or any problems getting my drafts to load, so the sight seems to be running pretty smoothly even at an early stage in its growth.

NFL Roster Guidelines

Each roster will consist of eleven players and defenses. A Starting Team consists of eight players and one Defense/Special Team:

• One Quarterback
• Two Running Backs
• Two Wide Receivers
• One Tight End
• One Flex Spot (RB, WR, TE)
• One Defense/Special Team
• One Kicker
• Two Bench Players (from any position)

• Here is a look at a few teams drafted in Week 14 of the 2013 NFL Season:

NFL Scoring Settings

NBA Roster Guidelines

Each roster will consist of 9 starters and 2 bench slots. The roster guidelines are as follows:

• One center
• Three guards
• Three forwards
• Two utility spots (G, F, C)

NBA Scoring Settings

Payouts/Cashier

This one is pretty simple; beat the nine computer teams and win $20. There is no need to deposit money on SKYLLZONE, because it is free to play. They allow you to draft twice each week for free, and you can earn additional drafts by referring friends to play. Each time you refer a friend, you will receive one free draft after your referral has completed their first draft. If you win one of your leagues and choose to withdraw your winnings, it’s a simple process. Just go to the “My Account” page, which will allow you to view your current balance on the site, and click on “Withdraw Funds.” You’ll be asked to provide a mailing address for your check, and once the transaction is processed, a check will be on it’s way!

If your team completely dominates in any given week, you could earn as much as $520 if you can lead the SKYLLZONE community in points scored. SKYLLZONE also doles out another $2000 in a global prize pool each week, which is divided between the top 20 scorers across the globe. The payouts are as follows:

Customer Service

The guys at SKYLLZONE have been eager to help any of the RotoGrinders users that have had any issues playing on the site. When we ran a promotion in Week 14, representatives from SKYLLZONE were active in the forums addressing any questions/concerns that the RG community had. They’ve also been quick to respond to any email inquiries (I heard back from them within an hour when I emailed about an issue I had signing up for the RG-Only freeroll in Week 14), and any customer service issues can be sent to support@SKYLLZONE.com, and you can expect a timely and professional response.

Mobile Site

If you can’t be around a computer but still want to participate in a draft, no need to worry. SKYLLZONE provides a mobile app for iPhone users that is just as intuitive and appealing to the eye as the regular site. In terms of similarity between the mobile site and the website, SKYLLZONE did a really nice job translating their product to the mobile market.

Other Notes

• Each player is locked into your lineup once their individual game starts, much like season-long NFL fantasy leagues.
• This is a full-point PPR site, so receivers (and pass-catching RB’s) become more valuable in this format. It’s best to use your flex spot on a WR, unless you can collect a group of RB’s that contribute in the passing game.
• Since this is a one-QB format, you can usually wait to grab yours and load up on RB/WR’s early.
• There are no points deducted from QB’s for interceptions thrown. Points are also not deducted for fumbles, or anything else for that matter. It’s not possible for a defense to finish with negative points.
• Injuries play a huge role in the computers draft, so you might be able to find some extreme steals if you are willing to take a risk on a questionable player. You can also take advantage of injuries by drafting players who could benefit from injuries, such as drafting Joique Bell late when it looks like Reggie Bush could sit.
• There is no auto-draft; you must make every one of your selections.