Do you consider yourself a fairly seasoned veteran of redraft leagues, best ball, or daily fantasy sports (DFS)? If so, it might be time to consider dipping your toes into a dynasty football startup. After all, dynasty is the only format that truly allows you to play year-round fantasy football. If you’re considering wading into your first ever dynasty football startup, here are a few tips and a good overall strategy to follow.
Dynasty Football Startup Overview
What is a dynasty league?
If you already know what a dynasty league is, then feel free to skip ahead to the next section. For those who haven’t heard of dynasty leagues or who may have heard about them but aren’t exactly sure what they are, it’s pretty simple. In a dynasty league, each team’s roster carries over to the next season year after year. It more closely mimics the real NFL in that rosters need to be built and maintained for multiple seasons, and offseason activity is heightened in the form of trades and waivers as well as a rookie draft.
Generally, a dynasty league is formed via a startup draft, similar to redraft. The primary differences are that a startup draft typically includes rookie picks for the incoming rookie class and that dynasty players must account for long-term outlooks. For example, a player like Austin Ekeler may be an elite fantasy producer, but his ADP is likely lower in dynasty startups than in redraft since Ekeler is 28 years old and toward the decline of his career. In a dynasty startup, younger players like Breece Hall and Jahmyr Gibbs would typically be drafted over Ekeler due to their longer expected fantasy lifespan.
Why dynasty can be more rewarding than redraft
So why is dynasty potentially more rewarding than redraft in the long run? Well, a significant aspect is that there is no offseason in dynasty since rosters carry over to the following year. Instead of going through fantasy withdrawal every February, dynasty leagues generally allow trading and waiver additions throughout the offseason. There is also a rookie draft following the real NFL Draft, which is a lot of fun and keeps dynasty leagues active year-round.
Another important factor is that variance is minimized in dynasty more so than in redraft formats. All fantasy sports are skill-based in that fantasy players must correctly project which players will produce in any given season or single game matchup. However, there will always be uncontrollable factors that impact the outcome. While it’s impossible to completely eliminate variance, dynasty formats give skilled players a greater advantage in defeating inexperienced but lucky players. In redraft, a GM could get lucky with a couple of strong early-round picks or luck into an ascending rookie off the waiver wire. In dynasty, a smart GM could build a roster with multiple starters who would be first-round picks in redraft, and high-upside rookies would be drafted already.
And finally, while injuries remain unpredictable and can derail a playoff run, dynasty teams are better equipped to handle such variance due to deep rosters and benches. One example is in the case of running back handcuffs. Many redraft formats offer shallow benches with few spots to hold onto unproductive handcuffs and project players. If a potential league winner like Tank Bigsby or Tyjae Spears were to emerge late in the season, there would be a mad scramble to the waiver wire in redraft leagues. In dynasty, knowledgeable GMs would have drafted these players in prior rookie drafts months or years in advance to capitalize on their eventual ascents to fantasy relevance.
Another way injuries are mitigated in dynasty is through trades. Let’s say that a strong contending team locked into the playoffs this coming season were to lose a key player like Ja’Marr Chase to injury right before the fantasy playoffs. In redraft, no one would trade any player of value for Chase at that point in the season. But in dynasty, the contending team could still trade away Chase to a team out of contention for future seasons to acquire a startable wide receiver for the fantasy playoffs in return. Rather than a fluky injury decimating a contending team, dynasty allows that team opportunities to strengthen a roster depleted by a late-season injury.
Playing dynasty helps you win in redraft, too
Dynasty formats are great in allowing fantasy players year-round activity and rewarding more active, knowledgeable GMs by minimizing variance. But there’s another benefit to playing dynasty that can also then be applied to redraft, and that is gaining a better understanding of long-term trends in fantasy. While most redraft players will do some research pre-draft and look at player projections, dynasty GMs who have done their due diligence on a player from year-round activity and research will still be far better prepared for their redraft leagues.
For example, older running backs are generally riskier assets whose dynasty values decline as they age. Avid dynasty GMs might fade Derrick Henry a bit for the coming season given that he’s 29 years old with a lot of tread on his tires. Instead, many young running backs like Jahmyr Gibbs generally succeed given their high NFL Draft capital and talent, but redraft players may be nervous to draft such players due to uncertainty when trends support younger running backs being impactful in fantasy.
Many dynasty players are also more aware of contract situations, injury histories, and coaching changes, all factors which affect fantasy production year to year. Contract years can result in spikes in production from a player looking to secure a lucrative long-term contract. And even though there’s plenty of risk in gambling on a new head coach or offensive coordinator’s scheme succeeding, dynasty players who invest in smart coaches reviving a player’s fantasy career can be greatly rewarded. Many capitalized on Kirk Cousins‘s relative cheap redraft ADP after Kevin O’Connell, a Sean McVay disciple joined the Vikings last year. Similar opportunities may be in store in 2023 for those paying attention, such as a bounce-back for Lamar Jackson following the hiring of Todd Monken in Baltimore or Tua Tagovailoa ascending in Year 2 of Mike McDaniel’s offense in Miami.
If you’ve made it through this entire article and have decided to try dynasty and join a startup draft, keep an eye out for Part 2 of this series coming soon, Dynasty Startup Draft Strategies. Yes, trying a dynasty format will have a somewhat steep learning curve, and it also requires additional time commitments in the offseason. But as a fantasy player who plays both redraft and dynasty, dynasty is far more rewarding long-term. And plus, it keeps the fun of fantasy football going from February to July and not just in-season. What more could you ask for?
Dynasty Football Startup Strategy
1. Know the rules and scoring settings
It sounds simple, but there are a lot of variations of starting spots, scoring settings, and other quirks that make each dynasty league unique. Superflex or 2QB formats that allow or even require starting two quarterbacks every week greatly increase the value of quarterbacks. Even in 1QB formats, a league that starts two wide receivers vs. one that starts three or four wide receivers can tilt the dynamics of running back value vs. wide receiver value. Many diverse scoring rules also exist. Tight end premium (TE prem) formats in which tight ends receive more points-per-reception than running backs or wide receivers increase the value of tight ends, whereas point-per-carry (PPC) scoring formats that award points for each rushing attempt place a premium on workhorse running backs. Knowing that Travis Kelce scored basically the same amount of points as Justin Jefferson last year in TE prem can change how you value him even at an advanced age.
2. Picks are generally cheaper than players during the startup draft
The startup 1.12 draft pick sounds much less sexy than a name like Chris Olave. Dynasty GMs will generally sell startup picks for less prior to that pick becoming an actual player on their roster. If you really believe that a player is undervalued or just really love a player that’s still available, don’t be afraid to trade up to draft him. That player will likely cost far more to acquire once he’s on someone else’s roster.
3. Trading during the startup draft is key
The fact that players are generally cheapest to acquire during the startup draft leads directly to this next point. Trade early and often during the dynasty football startup draft. This is your chance to immediately build a roster exactly how you want. Most redraft formats don’t allow trading during the draft, so the ability to be flexible can be a huge advantage…as long as you select the right players. Be aware of current market value and ADP for various players, as it could be wise to select a player that you don’t particularly like but that others love. My personal example would be Lamar Jackson, who I think is undervalued compared to the other elite quarterbacks.
4. Know your leaguemates
How exactly does one target overvalued or undervalued players in a startup draft? Well, it helps if you know your dynasty league mates. Real-life friends or acquaintances are of course easiest to read and predict, but even if you’re joining a startup with people you’ve met online, you can still go into the startup with a bit of knowledge. A quick scroll through their tweets or Reddit post history can help you glean some favorite players or preferences from your future league mate. For instance, just scrolling through my own Twitter feed, you could deduce that I’m very high on Zay Flowers. Based on that information, if I’m drafting one spot after you in a round where you’re contemplating drafting Flowers, you should probably do so or risk losing him. In this age of technology, social media is a crucial tool even if you don’t know your dynasty leaguemates well in real life.
5. Age matters…a lot
Dynasty formats devalue older players who are projected to decline, especially those nearing or past the age of 30. Players like Tyreek Hill, who were once considered elite dynasty assets barely a year ago, are now ranked below younger ascending players like Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave. Bear in mind during dynasty startups that you are in theory keeping these players forever. And even if you are planning to make trades to sell these older players down the line, their market price may quickly dip far below what you paid to acquire them.
6. But it’s not all about age
With all that being said, veterans can become undervalued buys if the pendulum swings too far. For teams who have built a strong roster through the first few rounds of the startup draft that is poised to immediately contend, it may be beneficial to then take a calculated risk in targeting some older veteran players. A veteran wide receiver like Keenan Allen or Tyler Lockett may not fetch much value in a trade, but for teams ready to immediately contend, their short-term production may outweigh their impending decline in value. If one or two more seasons of fantasy WR2 production from such a veteran helps win you a fantasy title, then it hardly matters if they become ineffective or retire while still on your dynasty roster shortly thereafter.
7. Contracts and coaching matter
Player contracts and team salary cap data are all readily available, but it requires time and effort to sift through impending free agents and potential landing spots based on which teams have both the need and available salary cap to pay for them. A recent example is the potential Josh Jacobs holdout impending. No one could’ve predicted a holdout, but dynasty GMs should’ve known the possibility of a franchise tag and disgruntlement, not to mention that most running backs decline the season following a massive workload such as the one Jacobs saw in 2022. Coaching changes can also greatly impact the efficiency and volume of an offense. Dynasty GMs are excited about Justin Herbert paired with new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and Lamar Jackson paired with new offensive coordinator Todd Monken.
8. Don’t worry about a starting roster until September
The phrase “best player available” is often mentioned when discussing dynasty, but it’s a difficult rule to follow when GMs are staring down empty roster spaces during a dynasty football startup draft. Whether it’s zero-quarterback strategies or zero-running back strategies or whatever it may be, the most important rule is to remain flexible during a startup draft. It hardly matters if you leave the draft with no tight ends or only one starting running back if you have an abundance of talent at other positions. Remember that most dynasty startups occur in March, April, and May during the offseason. You have three or more months to make trades and draft rookies before you need to worry about fielding a starting lineup in September.
9. Get your guys! Don’t worry too much about ADP
At the end of the day, you can draft players with the intention of flipping them for profit or wait on players that you think will drop to you. But there’s no better feeling than believing in “your guy” and watching him succeed on your roster. It’s okay to ignore ADP sometimes in dynasty football startup drafts to acquire the players that you truly believe in and want on your team. Sometimes it works out, and sometimes it doesn’t, but it’s worth the risk. Listen to expert analysis and use ADP as a guide, but at the end of the day, have faith in yourself and go get your guy. If you believe that Bryce Young can be the next Drew Brees, than go get him despite the size risks. Or if you think Anthony Richardson can be the next Cam Newton, feel free to draft him ahead of Young even if Young is ranked ahead. After all, it’s your team!
10. Don’t be a dick. Have fun!
This might be the most important rule of all for a dynasty football startup draft (and for life in general). Remember that while dynasty leaguemates may come and go, you’ll be playing with many of them for the next 10 or 20 years or more. Whether it’s trade negotiations or general banter, keep the trash talk flowing but respectful. There’s nothing worse than burning bridges that lead to either the collapse of the league or in dynasty GMs ignoring your future trade offers. We’re all in it to win it, but maintaining civility and respect in your leagues should be a top priority. Don’t ruin the league for yourself and/or everyone else. Oh, and don’t join a dynasty league if you’re not sure if you’ll stick it out for at least a few years!
For more fantasy football and NFL content, follow me on Twitter @FFA_Meng.
For more great rankings and analysis, make sure to check out our 2023 Fantasy Football Draft Kit!
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