The Dynasty Commissioner's Handbook is your guide to creating and overseeing a harmonious and enduring fantasy football league experience. In this seven-part series, we'll introduce you to your responsibilities for each phase of the dynasty lifecycle.

Before the NFL regular season kicks off, you oversee the addition of rookies to your league's fantasy rosters.

Once the NFL Draft ends, the curtain rises on a new act in your fantasy dynasty league. This stretch - late April to early September - is your preseason. But don't let the name fool you. It's not downtime. You, the commissioner, must orchestrate a smooth, disciplined, and harmonious run-up to the regular season.

RELATED: See Part 1 - Are You Ready to Lead? here
RELATED: See Part 2 - Putting the Band Together here

Here's how to conduct the preseason like a veteran maestro.

Set the Stage with a Roster Cutdown

Before the rookie draft begins, have owners trim their rosters to make space for their draft picks. Document your expectations and establish penalties for non-compliance. And don't wait until draft day to tell them—that's like giving the violinists their sheet music just before they take the stage.

The Annual Rookie (and Free Agent) Draft

If the league calendar is your sheet music, the rookie draft is your overture. It sets the tone for the upcoming season. Done well, it energizes the league. Done poorly, your owners will lose confidence in the conductor.

Configure your draft structure settings:

Rounds
Most rookie drafts last four to six rounds, depending on the number of franchises, roster capacity, and whether or not unrostered veterans are eligible.

Clock
Use a slow draft format with a timer, typically between four and twelve hours per pick. This allows for trades, deliberation, and manager time zone differences.

Overnight Clock Pause
Give your managers some time to sleep. If your draft clock is short, pause your draft overnight (typically between midnight and 7:00 am league time) to preserve sanity.

Auto-Pick Protocol
If the draft clock times out, either:

1. Default to the top player from the host site's pre-ranking list,
2. Assign the best player available (per the host platform or a public source such as Footballguys), or
3. Forfeit the pick.

Ensure your fallback process is understood before the draft begins.

In-Draft Trades
Allow them. Encourage them. Love them. Trades are the jazz solos of the rookie draft—they add energy, drama, and unpredictability. But be sure to document and enforce trade approval rules.

Rookie Draft Challenges You'll Face, and How to Handle Them

Owner Unavailability
Encourage owners to set pre-draft rankings or name a proxy if they're going off the grid.

Draft Pick Disputes
If an owner claims they didn't really time out, or that their selection wasn't what they intended, or there was a system glitch, stop the clock and investigate. Let the evidence guide your ruling. Abide by your constitution.

Trade Tantrums
Someone may think a lopsided trade will ruin competitive balance. Remind them that value is subjective, and unless there's clear collusion, trades stand. You're conducting the league, not rewriting the composer's notes.

Final Roster Management

The preseason isn't just about drafting rookies. It's also about fine-tuning rosters to ensure all teams are ready to march into Week 1 - in step, and in time.

Roster Limits
Whether your league allows 25, 30, or 35 players, make it clear when rosters must be finalized. Typically, this is the week before the NFL season kicks off. Set the deadline and enforce it.

Taxi Squads
These are developmental stashes that add strategic depth. Most leagues allow between two and five taxi spots. Define who's eligible—typically only rookies, though some leagues have no restrictions. Specify when a taxi squad player can be promoted to the active roster.  Will you permit players to be demoted to the taxi squad in-season? Clarify it in your constitution.

Injured Reserve (IR)
Specify IR eligibility rules. Must the player be on real-life IR? Out? Doubtful? Platforms vary. State when a player returning from IR must be moved to the active roster, and the penalty for non-compliance.

Best Practices for Preseason Success

Let's bring it all together with a summary of commissioner best practices to keep the preseason composed and compelling.

Send a Preseason Newsletter
Recap rule changes, share the draft order, and highlight key schedule dates. You get bonus points for humor, inside jokes, or a nod to last season's champion or "Toilet Bowl" award winner.

Appoint a Deputy
You need someone to wave the baton if you're out of town or incapacitated.

Create Preseason Awards or Contests
Predict how the NFL draft will unfold, who will be the first rookie drafted, or which teams will make the first trade. Keep the banter rolling.

Audit League Rules
Spot inconsistencies or outdated policies before the season starts. This is your chance to tune up the rule book before showtime.

Run a Preseason Roster Audit
Make sure rosters are compliant. Don't be afraid to give a friendly nudge - or an unfriendly warning - to owners who are dragging their feet.

Hold a Town Hall Meeting
Convene a short Zoom or group chat to discuss any lingering questions and confirm everyone understands the rules—keep the energy high.

Conductor's Notes

The preseason may be downtime for some, but not for the commissioner. This is when the musical score is finalized, the instruments are tuned, and the musicians get warmed up. Get it right, and your league will hum along from Week 1 to championship week with harmony, energy, and rhythm.

You've put in the hard work. The curtain is about to rise. Now take the stage, and step up to the podium.

Next week, in Part 4, we'll discuss your role in conducting your troupe through the regular season concert.