I played and ranked the 17-0 NFL challenge games and 2 were almost too brutal

I played and ranked the 17-0 NFL challenge games and 2 were almost too brutal

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I played and ranked the 17-0 NFL challenge games and 2 were almost too brutal

Between the various 17-0 and 20-0 NFL challenge games on the internet, narrowing down the list to just a few of the best is a tall task. However, when attempting to rank the best variations of the popular game where you attempt to put together an undefeated roster, I factored in several things to ensure it wasn't just about personal preference (only).

Along with the overall game structure and variations it offers, I weighed how hard it was to pick my roster as somewhat of a positive (the game wouldn't be fun if you could easily reel off a superteam). I also included only games with similar roster types for fairness and ultimately narrowed the list to six undefeated NFL games. And I'm confident in saying that whether you want to draft a team quickly or you're seeking an extremely hard challenge, there are multiple options on this list that everyone would enjoy.

1. 20-0 Football challenge

This was the first 17-0 (or 20-0) game I ever played, and it remains a favorite for me. The game has expanded to offer more than just the classic and stats hidden modes. You can now also play online, run a GM mode, or include multiple sports in one challenge.

  • Choose to play classic or gridiron IQ (stats hidden)
  • Can do either a full roster (offense and defense) or just one side of the ball.
  • Choose your era, or do all-time
  • Include season variations or only a player's best season and choose between all NFL teams or just one
  • Roster for offense only (to compare with other sites): QB, RB, WR, TE, Flex, Flex
  • 1 re-roll per game
  • Premium position bonuses: QB counts x1.5 toward score

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I can't even pretend that my final roll, which I decided to wait on instead of taking Dak Prescott over Ezekiel Elliott, didn't hurt a bit. Even still, this game was great and I loved the layout and even admittedly enjoyed the heartbreak a bit. The 20-0 challenge has always been a favorite of mine.

2. Sleeper 17-0 fantasy game

The Sleeper 17-0 game is a unique take on the standard NFL option. It's based around fantasy football points, and you receive bonuses for various reasons, including selecting teammates, former teammates, players who went to the same college and those who were selected in the same draft.

  • Roster: 7 total players (QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, TE, Flex)
  • Bonuses: +2 for players on the same team, +1 for past teammates, +2 same college, +1 same draft
    • Bonus points are applied in terms of fantasy points per game
  • Rolling for one specific team in one season.
  • Ease of use: Roll for your team, automatically sorted by fantasy points per game, and can look position-by-position.
  • The layout is easy to see and navigate, and you know exactly what's left to fill out your roster on that specific side of the ball.

Sleeper's 17-0 NFL game

This game was great, and I'd say in terms of (almost) not wanting to pull my hair out, Sleeper and Stick To The Model were a nice balance of fun and disappointment, which is to be expected. I liked my roster a lot, and I think one really unique part of what Sleeper did was offering the bonuses for players who were on the same team, went to the same college or were drafted together.

3. Stick To The Model 17-0 (with college football option)

The play types for Stick To The Model were definitely unique, as you could choose between creating an NFL team with current players or all-time players, and there's also a college version. The roster size and setup make it tough, but it also requires a head coach, which is a fun creative twist.

  • Offers both the 17-0 NFL team creator and a college football option
  • Can choose between current players or players from all-time
  • Select roster size: 6 or 11 (6 is default)
  • Rosters: QB, RB, WR, TE, DEF player, head coach
  • Each player, defense and coach are given a rating up to 100

Stick To The Model 17-0 game

I really enjoyed this version of the 17-0 challenge, and after starting with J.J. Watt, O.J. Simpson and Aaron Rodgers, I thought I was cooking up a 17-0 dream team. As you can see, that dream took a sharp turn shortly after. Don Maynard and Ozzie Newsome kept me above water, but landing Norv Turner as a 77 at head coach probably did me in.

4. First Down Studio 17-0

There are multiple options for how you want to play at First Down Studio. You can choose between classic, ultimate, all-time, or daily, and also select the difficulty level. Lastly, you can choose the era you want (including all-time) or focus on a specific team.

  • Choose your mode: Classic, ultimate, all-time or daily
  • Game mode: Easy, medium or hard
  • Pick an era: All-time (1977-2025), Modern (2010-25), The 2010s (2010-19), The 2000s (2000-09), The '90s (1990-99), '70s & '80s (1977-89)
  • Roster: QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, TE, Flex
  • 1 re-roll per game
  • Also offers games similar to 17-0 in different sports.

First Down Studio's 17-0 game.

I have to admit, this one was really tough, and I was only on medium mode. I made the poor decision to use my re-roll early, and things just went downhill from there. Still, thankfully, I caught a break while needing a QB and RB in my last two spots, rolling Chris Johnson and Jacoby Brissett from the 2025 season.

5. RotoWire's 17-0 Fantasy perfect season

RotoWire's 17-0 NFL game is a challenge that, on the surface, I thought might not be as tough as it was. The rules were straightforward, and picking only one running back and one wide receiver made each decision feel like it carried extra pressure, as it did at one or two other sites.

  • Roll a random NFL team and a year (2010-2025).
  • Pick the best fantasy player on that team that year who fits an open roster slot.
  • Fill all 5 slots: QB, RB, WR, TE, FLEX.
  • Sim 17 weeks against an elite opponent — can your team win them all?
  • Two skips: One team skip and one year skip per game.
  • Two difficulty levels (Ball Knower Mode includes no stats)

RotoWire 17-0 NFL challenge

Whoever created the 17-0 game at RotoWire did so with no concern for punishment. Seriously, though, I enjoyed how tough this game was, and the results sort of speak for themselves in terms of how legitimate the challenge was. I thought I was sitting pretty after landing Calvin Johnson and Travis Kelce, but things quickly spiraled from there.

6. RotoIQ

With RotoIQ, you'll draft a seven-man starting lineup with all statistics hidden. One specifically interesting part is that two random teams' seasons pop up each time, and you choose one of the two.

  • 7-man roster: QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, TE, Flex
  • Select between two teams each turn before choosing a player
  • 1 re-roll for teams
  • No statistics or fantasy/player data is available, so it's purely off knowledge.

Roto IQ 17-0 NFL challenge

I can honestly say that attempting the RotoIQ challenge almost out of the gate left me trying to visualize any player from the teams I had to choose between. It was painfully hard, and as my final roster shows, I had the wrong Brandon Marshall season with the Denver Broncos. If you truly want to test your NFL knowledge, this qualifies as one of the toughest 17-0 challenges I've done.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: I played and ranked the 17-0 NFL challenge games and 2 were almost too brutal

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