> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://gameday-squad.gitbook.io/gameday-squad/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://gameday-squad.gitbook.io/gameday-squad/sports/gridiron/learning-the-game/squad-management.md).

# Squad Management

Once you've opened your first packs, you're ready to start building your squad!

### Building a squad

There are two parts of the squad building process on GameDay Squad Gridiron:

1. *The Field* - All 18 of your players sit on the Field and every one of them scores. Gridiron has no bench.
2. *Reserves* - This is where you'll find all your non active players. You can have an unlimited number of Reserve players and they do not contribute to your score.

### Scoring Players

There are 18 active scoring players that can earn your squad points in a given round, split up into the following positions:

* Quarterback - 1
* Running Back - 3
* Wide Receiver - 5
* Tight End - 2
* Superflex - 1
* Flex - 5
* Kicker - 1

At the end of the round your lowest scoring player is dropped, so 17 of those 18 scores count towards your round total. Full detail is on the Emergency Style Scoring System page.

### Superflex and Flex

Two of your 18 slots are flexible, which means more than one position can fill them:

* **Superflex** can be filled by a Quarterback, Running Back, Wide Receiver or Tight End
* **Flex** can be filled by a Running Back, Wide Receiver or Tight End. There are five Flex slots

The Superflex slot is the one that shapes your squad. Quarterbacks score more points than any other position under our scoring, so a second quarterback there is usually the highest floor play available to you. The trade off is that quarterback cards are the ones every other coach is chasing too, and a Flex running back on a heavy workload can beat a backup quarterback on any given week. Five Flex slots on top of that means over half your field is positions of your choosing, so two coaches with the same cards can build very different squads.

### Reserve Players

The GameDay Squad Reserves are where coaches will find all their Player Cards that aren't being used in competitions. There is no limit to the number of Player Cards a coach can keep in their Reserves. The Player Cards in your Reserves do not contribute to your score for the round.

### Rules around swapping players

GameDay Squad's unique gameplay allows coaches the freedom to make more changes to their squad, before, during and after the start of games.

#### Before Rounds

There are no restrictions on the number of changes you can make to your squad in between rounds. This means you could change all 18 players from 1 round to the next or leave them exactly as they are. It is all about making sure that every round you play the best squad you can for that given round.

#### During Rounds

Coaches can also make as many changes to their squad during a round as they like, with the only exception being that they can't swap in or out any players that are already locked out (their game for the round has already started).

#### Bye Weeks

Every team has one bye across the season. A player whose team is on a bye does not play and does not score, so it is on you to have the depth in your Reserves to cover it. Players on a bye are marked **Bye** in their player status, so you can see them at a glance when you set your squad. There is no special bye rule and no extra protection beyond the single lowest score that is dropped every round.