5 Ways to Remove Yourself from a Fantasy Football League

Learn how to leave a fantasy football league on ESPN, NFL, Yahoo! Sports, CBS Sports, and Sleeper

Written by Cory Stillman

Last Updated: February 14, 2023 References

Deciding to Leave

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Leave an ESPN League

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Leave an NFL League

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Leave a Yahoo! Sports League

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Leave a CBS Sports League

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Leave a Sleeper League

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How to Leave a League that Has Already Drafted

Do you want to leave your fantasy football league before, during, or after a season? Fantasy football is a popular form of entertainment for NFL fans everywhere, but there may come a time when you no longer want to be in the league. There are a variety of reasons you may want to leave a league, such as a disagreement with the commissioner, or a personal decision to step away from playing fantasy sports. No matter why you might choose to do so, this wikiHow article has you covered as we guide you through everything you need to know about leaving a fantasy football league on the most popular platforms.

Things You Should Know

Most fantasy platforms only allow you to leave a league prior to the draft.
ESPN users can leave both inactive and inactive leagues, or hide inactive leagues from view within the app.
NFL and Yahoo! Sports players can only leave their fantasy football leagues via a web browser, not through the app.
CBS Sports does not allow you to delete a team or league, but you can archive teams you no longer want to see.

Section 1 of 7:

Deciding to Leave

1
Make sure you're eligible to leave. You may only leave a fantasy football league prior to that season's draft. Once you are fielding a roster, no platform will allow you to leave that team without a manager.
- On some platforms, including Yahoo! Sports, leagues lock even earlier. Once a commissioner finalizes the team list (which happens prior to the draft) in a Yahoo! Sports Private League, no manager may leave.
  - Public Prize Leagues on Yahoo! Sports lock 72 hours before the league's draft.
- If you still feel like you need to leave a league after the draft, you will need to work with your commissioner and fellow league members to determine the best path forward.
2
Try resolving personal disputes first. If you still want to play fantasy football but just want to leave your league over an issue with another league member, try talking to them first! Despite the competitive nature of fantasy, all players want to have fun, and your continued involvement is likely a huge part of that.
- If you are unsure of your skills as a fantasy player, remember that there are countless resources available to help you draft and manage your team!
- If you feel that a play was scored incorrectly, consult with your commissioner, or be on the lookout for a stat correction from your chosen fantasy platform.
- If you disagree with a trade or roster move made by another team, raise the issue in a league-wide chat. Of course, remember that each manager is responsible for their own decisions, and that even real-life NFL teams can make costly or lopsided deals!
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3
Communicate your decision to leave prior to doing so. If you ultimately feel that leaving your fantasy football league is your best course of action, that is perfectly fine. Just let your league's commissioner know beforehand, so that they can begin to find a replacement.

Section 2 of 7:

Leave an ESPN League

1
Open the ESPN Fantasy app. You can leave your ESPN fantasy football league directly via the ESPN Fantasy app. There's no need to open your league in a web browser.
- These instructions should help you leave a fantasy league in any sport!
- Be aware that ESPN's League Manager Leagues only allow for the commissioner to remove members, so individuals cannot leave on their own.
2
Open the Football tab. If you primarily play fantasy football over other fantasy sports, the Football tab will already be opened. Otherwise, browse through the sports listed atop your screen.
3
Select the league you would like to leave. Remember, you may only leave a league that has not yet drafted.^{[1]
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- If you would like to leave an inactive league, tap the Remind League Manager message, then tap "Leave League".
- There is no harm in staying in an inactive league on ESPN, although it can be understandably distracting to see that league each time you open your app.
- If you want to stay in an inactive league but hide it from view, you may open your app's Settings and visit "Order Games/Teams List" to select which leagues you do and do not want to see.
4
Visit the My Team tab. Here is where you will eventually see your team's roster. For now, your roster should be empty, and there should be an option reading Leave League atop the page.
5
Tap Leave League. ESPN will ask you to confirm your decision to leave the league. Continue through the warning in order to finalize your exit.
- As a commissioner, you may not leave your league without assigning a new commissioner beforehand.
- Commissioners may also delete their leagues entirely, but this should definitely be discussed with all participants before doing so.^{[2]
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Section 3 of 7:

Leave an NFL League

1
Go to https://fantasy.nfl.com/myleagues in a web browser. NFL Fantasy players may only leave their league online, as the app does not allow you to do so. Open a web browser to get started.
- You may visit the site from a desktop or mobile device, but you cannot use the app.
2
Select the league you would like to leave. The homepage should display all of your leagues. Click on the one you plan on leaving.
- Custom Leagues on NFL.com need to be reactivated before users may opt to leave. Leagues managed by NFL.com do not roll over from year to year, and may only be left prior to the league's draft.
3
Visit your league's "LEAGUE" tab and click "League Notes". The LEAGUE tab is where you can view your league's standings, as well as a variety of other information. For now, we can navigate directly to the League Notes section, located just below the big picture in the center of the page.
- League commissioners will also see a "MANAGE" tab, where they may delete a league in its entirety.^{[3]
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  - Always discuss this option with your fellow players before following through.
4
Select "Leave League". Your League Notes include a variety of relevant settings and information. Scroll through them until you see the option that reads Leave League. Click it and confirm your decision to do so.

Section 4 of 7:

Leave a Yahoo! Sports League

1
Sign in to https://sports.yahoo.com/fantasy in a web browser. You may only leave a Yahoo! Sports league in a web browser. The app does not allow you to do so.
2
Mouse over the "Fantasy" tab and select Football. This tab will display all available fantasy sports on Yahoo!. We want to leave our fantasy football league, so select that one.
3
Find "My Teams and Leagues" and click Edit Teams. The My Teams and Leagues section will display all of your fantasy football involvement. Click the small Edit Teams button with a gear icon next to it.^{[4]
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4
Click Delete Team next to the team you want to remove. If the option is not available, that league has likely already finalized its team list. For any teams that you choose to delete, you will be prompted to click Delete Team again to confirm your decision to do so.

Section 5 of 7:

Leave a CBS Sports League

1
Archive the league in which you no longer want to play. CBS Sports does not allow users to delete teams or leagues once they have been created. You can only hide them from view by archiving them.^{[5]
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- To archive, go to https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/games/my-teams and click "Manage All My Teams" in the top-left corner. From here, you can click Archive next to any team you no longer want to see.
2
Contact your commissioner. If you no longer want to play in a league on CBS Sports, you must ask your commissioner to remove you. Because the onus falls on them, consider seeking out a replacement before notifying your commissioner of your decision.

Section 6 of 7:

Leave a Sleeper League

1
Open the Sleeper app. You can leave a league directly via the Sleeper app. Sleeper does not have any web browser functionality.
- According to Sleeper's online FAQ, teams can leave a league up until scoring has started for that season.
- Once scoring has started, no teams or leagues can be deleted, even after the season has ended.
2
Tap LEAGUE. It should be the far-right option.
3
Tap League Settings atop your screen. Here you will find a variety of relevant info.
4
Scroll down and tap Leave League. Sleeper will ask you to confirm your decision to do so. Confirm it and you will have officially left your league!

Section 7 of 7:

How to Leave a League that Has Already Drafted

1
Talk to your commissioner. Few platforms will allow you to leave a league after the draft, so if you still need to leave, you will need to discuss the matter with your commissioner.
2
Seek out a replacement for yourself. The easiest way to leave a league after the draft is to find someone outside of your league who is willing to take over your team. Being able to present this option to your commissioner will likely make them more receptive to the idea, and the ensuing transition much easier.
- If you are in a workplace league, ask around your office. If you are in a league with friends, ask other friends or league members if they know anyone looking to join a fantasy league.
- Be transparent about the players on your roster. Being unhappy with your roster is not necessarily a reason to leave a league, especially as you can still improve your team by being active on the waiver wire!
  - Passionate fantasy players may still be willing to take over your team even if they don't love the roster. But remain flexible in explaining the situation to interested parties.