Dynasty Fantasy Football Strategy: Stop Continuously Rebuilding
Dynasty

Dynasty Fantasy Football Strategy: Stop Continuously Rebuilding

Jake Trowbridge offers a caution to dynasty fantasy football managers who can't stop, won't stop rebuilding.

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Today I’d like to talk about the saddest type of dynasty manager: The perpetual rebuilder. You know the one …

This person hasn’t fielded a competitive roster for as long as you can remember. Or maybe ever. But it’s not because they’re “bad” at fantasy football. And when you get your guaranteed win against them during the season it’s not because they forgot to set a lineup.

No, it’s because any player that’s ever threatened to actually score points has been kicked off their team in exchange for a gaggle of deep, deep sleepers (borderline coma patients) and future draft picks. This person is the Bob Vila of your league: Always taking a hammer and saw to their team. Forever in a state of rebuilding.

Maybe you’re that person. And if you are … please stop.

Fight the Perpetual Rebuild in Dynasty Fantasy Football

Why Do Dynasty Managers Rebuild?

Here’s the thing people rarely mention when talking about rebuilding: It’s FUN. Also, it’s sometimes strategically sound and necessary. But mostly … it’s hella fun!

There’s a profound freedom to the simple fact that you’re not trying to win. And because you’re not trying to win you have no roster constraints. You don’t need to worry about filling those holes in your starting lineup because your starting lineup is composed entirely of holes! Seriously, it’s like a goddamn honeycomb!

By taking yourself out of the fantasy grind you get to experiment with all sorts of different roster constructions. And no trade is a bad trade as long as you’re getting positive value out of it.

Fun aside, from a practical standpoint, sometimes you just know when your current roster’s time in the sun is over. And you know that a few sly trades and clever waiver pickups aren’t going to get you back into the thick of it. You must take the long way around to an eventual championship.

So I get it. There are times to rebuild.

But Get On With It Already

If you must, then do it quickly. A full rebuild should never take longer than two seasons. Anything more than that and you’re playing with it. A few tips to get things moving:

Time your trades carefully to maximize the return value. Don’t trade away crusty old veterans early in the offseason. No one in your league will value them properly until they physically see them putting up fantasy points again. And don’t trade for rookie picks right before a rookie draft. Unless you want to pay the hype tax.

Go after players with high variance. If you trade for a safe, consistent player, that’s exactly what you’ll get. But beware, when you go to trade that player away later, their value is more likely to decrease (because they got older) than increase. On the flip side, a volatile player may not be great for your weekly lineup, but the potential for a net gain is much better.

Never stop churning. A big reason why rebuilding takes so long is because managers aren’t as active as they should be. They trade for those high-variance players I mentioned before and then just … let them sit there. Instead of trading them away during an obvious sell-high window. Or they wait for other managers to initiate trade offers. Or they fail to scour the waiver wire for gems. Basically, managers expect the bricks to lay themselves. But you and I know we’ve gotta pick up that little … what’s it called … trowel? Is … is that the little brick tool? Anyway, do the work!

What Perpetually Rebuilding Says About You

A lot of these managers are just scared. Scared to compete. Scared to jump off the rebuilding carousel and actually try. Because see, if you never stop rebuilding, you can never really fail.

It’s brilliant!

What you’re saying to your leaguemates (and to yourself) by getting trapped in a cycle of reconstruction is that you lack confidence, both in your player analysis and in your ability to assemble a competitive team. You’re also saying that you don’t mind donating money to the winner year after year, which … I guess is admirable. Though I’d rather you donate that money to a legitimately good cause instead of your leaguemate’s golf habit or new TV or whatever the f*ck.

And truthfully, is this just a fantasy football problem? Or does that lack of self-confidence extend out into the real world? I’m honestly asking. And I hope you can be honest with yourself about the answer.

So here’s what I need from you, dearest dynasty renovator. I need you to walk over to a mirror (or any shiny surface) and say the following words: I’m good enough. Once more, loudly! I’M. GOOD. ENOUGH.

Because goddamn right you are! You’re certainly good enough to compete with all those other jabronis in your dynasty league.

Let’s think about this practically: All other things equal, in a 12-team league where six teams advance, you have a 50% chance of making the playoffs. And once you’ve made the dance, sometimes all it takes to win the whole thing is a pinch of hope, a dash of luck and a healthy group of hamstrings in your lineup.

Because here’s the dirty little secret that other fantasy analysts won’t tell you: Many, many championships have been won simply because the team stayed healthy. Or at least healthier than everyone else’s.

We can’t predict injuries. Well … we can’t predict MOST injuries. Let’s face it, you know what you’re getting yourself into when you add J.K. Dobbins to your roster. That’s on you. But generally, it’s your job to build the best team possible when healthy and leave the rest to Asclepius. (That’s the Greek god of medicine, in case you didn’t know. And no, he’s not in The Odyssey movie.)

So please, put the metaphorical hammer down. Take off that figurative construction hat. AND GO F*CKING WIN!

Players Mentioned in this Article

  1. J.K. Dobbins
    J.K.Dobbins
    RBDENDEN
    PPG
    11.0
    Proj
    130.8

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