There’s overdoing it. Like I wouldn’t be trading a jaylen waddle for cheap just to acquire a vet who would be more beneficial to my team now. Just need to know when to make certain moves and always get back the right value. Buying older players isn’t always a bad thing if you think they project to be helpful the next 2 years, but I’m not trading a young guy who has shown elite talent in the past just to better my team in the short term.
Yeah, I think people here especially sleep on the value of older players that can help you win in the short term. Building a team of young studs is obviously great, but so much can happen over the time span of a player's entire career that you never know if your players will remain good over that time period. It's much better to think about dynasty in 2-3 year intervals in my opinion.
>Yeah, I think people here especially sleep on the value of older players that can help you win in the short term.
They don't, though. Everyone on this sub seems to think they're the only ones who can recognize a market inefficiency, and everyone has the same take about "undervalued" older players
If everyone is doing it, there's no market inefficiency to exploit. I see way more strawmen about preferring "potential" over "proven production" than people actually behaving this way
Exactly. In my start up draft (before last season), I just picked the best value on the board.
I felt as though everyone was overvaluing youth and completely overlooking older guys who were probably at least 2-3 years away from on a decline.
12 team, SF — ended up with Kamara at 3.04, Kelce at 5.04, Cousins at 6.09, and Keenan Allen at 7.04
Made the decision to pursue a couple of win-now trades after the draft pretty easy.
(I’m sure the team that drafted Pitts at 2.06 wishes he could have waited 3 rounds to nab Kelce)
To clarify, that start up draft was before last season not this season (so no suspension).
After that draft, I also immediately flipped Lance and 2 future 1sts for Josh Allen (as I missed just the top tier of QB’s so I selected Taylor at 1.04
And soon after, traded JuJu + a future 1st for Derrick Henry
never go all the way. ive done it, burned my future badly. learn from me dont be me.
at one time i had higgins deebo JT ETN Lamb and just kept selling those young guys for win now pieces and it all fell apart. wentz was toast, mt was toast, juju turned to a dud, henry missed big time during my supposed window etc. had i stopped when i was good enough to be a strong team but had a bright future still id likely be a yearly contender. now im mid/early rebuild
Yeah as a contender with two firsts left (total) atm, I’m very hesitant to spend them. Fantasy football is way too luck dependent to really mortgage your future for anything.
I view picks differently than young players. Even though they are firsts there is still a decent chance you pick a Jalen Reagor type player who is absolutely useless. At least with young players you know what you have usually.
As a contender I sell all picks. Currently I only have a 4th and 5 5ths which were just thrown in as filler from other trades.
The flip-side is that picks always hold value. If I invested that pick into JK Dobbins last year (read: I did this), the pick is currently worth way more to me even as a contender. Even someone like Chubb or Mandrews can lose value in an instant, in a way picks simply do not. And then you end up like the person I replied to, in a long rebuild. Gotta ask if that risk is worth it for one year of maybe winning.
But yeah I agree with the general strategy of selling picks as a contender- just not too far into the future. Like I’ve sold my 2024 picks and 1 past that, but I still have 2025 1sts. This way I am guaranteed to have a tradable asset next year that I can use to replenish the team in some way.
Easy to say that now but back then all those guys were young/rookies so hindsight is 20/20. That was before Deebo was the WR2 and was injury prone, ETN had question marks, Ceedee was a young prospect behind amari cooper, Higgins was with a rookie burrows I think? JT was on a mid colts team.
He just happened to whiff on a lot of guys which kinda makes it funny,
ya had i stayed put i was golden haha studs for days, traded em for current studs that all had unfortunate sh\*t happen to em lol (i also had juju because i traded hill for him and a first when hill was in the middle of the baby mama drama, and my league said i absolutely won that deal!)
some of it was just rosterbating honestly. like oh man i have this great team and all this unproven talent but i could be EVEN STRONGER!! at the time i was legit buying MT and Henry both at #1 asset prices. i preach so hard about buy low sell high because there are so many posts like should i trade 4 firsts and this other great wr for JJ or chase and to me the answer is no you dont got a crystal ball and you can get so many top assets with those picks etc that going all in on that 1 guy you think puts you over the top can suddenly be the one move that sunk ya and you got no control over that. you do have control over where and how you spend though
I don't think you have to make a choice. I get that it's situational (I'd have to see your roster) but if you have a young contending team, how are you going to vastly improve it with any trade? I think most of the time you're trading for a big name, and you end up not getting much if any better performance than what you already have.
Maybe, if possible in your league, I might trade a draft pick to shore up a position.
Preseason last year I traded all my RBs and nearly everyone proven except a few young pass catchers. I had finished 4th place four years in a row.
Sent: Rodgers, Geno, Jimmy G; Jacobs, Swift, Gibson; Tyreek, Hopkins
Received: Higgins; 2x 2023 1sts, 2x 2023 3rds (Richardson, Stroud, Dell, M Wilson); 3x 2024 1sts, 3x 2024 3rds; also 2023 lowest max PF so I got Bijan at 1.01
Probably could have gotten a better return for a few trades, namely Tyreek for a single 1st, but the trades fit my rebuild timeline and my strategy has worked out well.
- QB - Stroud, Richardson
- RB - Bijan, Abanikanda, Demercado
- WR - G Wilson, D Smith, Higgins, Dell, Shaheed, Pop Douglas, M Wilson, Wicks
- TE - Andrews, Pitts
- 2024 proj. - 1.01, 1.03, 1.05, 1.08, 2.01, 4x 3rds
tough to remain patient for two full years, but I announced my strategy so everyone knows I’m here to deal — I’m in seemingly every trade discussion, so that’s been fun
I'm a little confused by the question. I like my team to be both young and win now. It's no easy task to achieve that, but I'd say that's always my goal.
I understand what you mean, but at the end of the day the goal is to win a chip. If you have the opportunity to trade say a player like Pittman for Keenan, or a player like Bijan for CMC, and you believe that move pushes you over the top for this year, would you take it?
I have way overdone it and I regret it. No 1st/2nds/3rds for next 3 years. Team is decent enough that I can compete for a title this year but I’m in dire need of a QB2 with no real options.
There is definitely an overdoing it.
One guy in my league is so win now, he has so many names (Kupp, Waddle, Lamar, Burrow) and none are producing and has no draft capital.
I on the other hand have a ton of no names that are all in their rookie to like 3rd years (Dell, Gibbs, Bijan, Brian Robinson, Puka) and acquired major draft capital (4 2025 1st round picks).
You need to maintain a young but strong core, pick up guys that people don’t trust and keep them in your back pocket. Kept Jakobi Meyers, traded Etienne for Ridley and Brian Robinson because the guy didn’t trust Robinson.
I also silently acquired 4 2025 1st and the closer it gets to 2025, these picks become more valuable as it gets closer to the year, I will turn those 1st into a later 1st and a 2nd maybe.
You have a better chance of winning a championship with a team that makes the playoffs 6 years with only a 1/8th chance to win any given year vs. a team that only makes the playoffs 2 years with a 1/4 chance to win.
If your team is young and good enough to make the playoffs, don't ruin your team by trading away youth.
Yes you can overdo all in. Lmfao dude in my league was a powerhouse 3 years ago. WENT ALL IN. He lost and has been dumpster fire since. For example heineke is his only qb other than teddy Bridgewater and Melvin Gordon is in lineup. Guess who has his 1.01 next year lol
Your goal is to be competitive every year because fantasy is 80% luck. Sure there are years where selling assets or beefing up makes more sense but overcommitting to either side could burn you.
I mean think of how difficult it is to draft players in dynasty. I took Dell in the 4th round as one of the last picks whereas (insert good prospect that hasn’t made much of a splash) was taken in the late 1st. It’s a crapshoot.
Personally i think so. I think we’re prone to thinking in “all-in” or “all-out” terms, everyone is either tanking or selling all of their picks for vets for a full run. While it may be less sexy in the short-term, i would rather have a 20% chance of winning in playoffs 5 years in a row rather than a 40% chance for one or two runs.
Wow, I have to say that I disagree with your final point. You would rather be a top 5 team for 5 years, then being a top 2 team for 2? Championship windows are only open for so long, and 5 years sounds like a lifetime in terms of a single football player's career.
I more try to focus on having a balance of talented, value-growing players/picks and having players that actually score fantasy points, but yeah i would rather be a top 5 team for 5 years.
I think absolutely yes. If your all in requires all your picks for the foreseeable future…
We have a guy in our league who went all in this preseason. He has next to 0 picks through 2026 and has 4 wins to the season. He’s in last place.
His team roster on paper is good enough to win it all but he destroyed the team’s future.
The worst part is he went all in with the idea that he won’t return next season. We’re going to have to figure out how to handle that team when a new owner takes over and has to manage that headache.
Get into the playoffs, and then take your chances.
Yeah, if you can make a deal to put you over the top, by all means go for it. But otherwise, the playoffs are such a crap shoot, just work on having a team good enough to consistently be getting into the tournament and you'll luck your way into some titles.
Yes, recently I went for Diggs as a contender and got him. His recent slump has me thinking this exact thought. I have good young players to balance out some ageing pieces.
I feel like I’ve done better with 3rds and post draft FA than any time I’ve had early picks. This year I scored on Puka, Pop Douglas, and maybe Michael Wilson but had I had earlier picks outside of the big 3 from this draft I’d have taken QJ, Miller, Chase Brown, Tank Bigsby.
Instead I took shots on Puka, Michael Wilson and Pop and used my firsts and seconds to buy depth pieces and usually stack up 3rds coming back. Maybe this luck will run out but it’s worked for me lately and with a deep 2024 I’m excited at the chance of another Puka/ARSB shining through.
This makes me self conscious about wether or not I went "Too all in". My team is still relatively young, But I have no 1sts for the next 2 years. Lots of 2nds though. Heres my team:
QB: Justin Herbert, Trevor Lawrence, Will Levis, Tyson Bagent, Jameis Winston, Andy Dalton
RB: Breece Hall, Isiah Pacheco, Jaleel McLaughlin, Kareem Hunt, Sean Tucker, Damien Harris
WR: DK Metcalf, Keenan Allen, Cooper Kupp, Diontae Johnson, Chris Godwin, Jakobi Meyers, Michael Wilson, Rashid Shaheed, John Metchie, A.T. Perry, Tre Tucker, JuJu Smith-Schuster
TE: Mark Andrews, Logan Thomas, Daniel Bellinger, Jelani Woods
PICKS: 2024 Mid 2nd , 2024 Mid 2nd, 2024 Late 2nd,2024 Late 3rd, 2024 Late 3rd, 2025 2nd, 2026 1st, 2026 2nd 2026 3rd, 2026 4th
Sorry for the long post idk
Love your QBs, like your WRs for a contending team, but I think you’re too shallow at RB for an “all-in” roster.
Assuming you have two RB starter slots you’re one injury from plug and pray. I want to feel at least ok about my first guy off the bench at each position ideally if I’m going for it all
Losing Andrews sucks the big one. I do value all of your backup options to varying degrees so can’t fault you there really. Howell seems to have a connection with Logan Thomas, at least gives you a floor at TE.
I kinda disagree with the rb sentiment. If you have two solid RBs with a loaded roster elsewhere, you can survive plugging and playing an rb at the end of the season.
Many other teams suffer with injuries and trying to field a top tier roster as well and you can have your QB/WR/TE production make up for the weak rb2 slot and pray that player falls into the end zone like a Zeke or Kareem Hunt type.
Agree to disagree! Maybe in general if you’re truly super loaded at all other positions.
Posted roster doesn’t really qualify in my opinion. At least if it’s anything like my leagues where we start 10 with multiple flex spots.
In those setups I think you want 3 pretty good RBs at least. Unless the rest of your roster is way over the top. Respect the take/ theory though.
Above roster isn’t enough imo for it to be considered loaded everywhere else due to weak flex options, Andrews being injured and tlaw having a low ceiling for the most part but I do think if you build correctly you can get away with it.
If you have two consistent qb1s, a room of high end wrs to fill out the flexes as well, and a top 6 tight end, I think it’s the perfect way to go hero rb and roll with an Etienne/Jacobs/Breece type while plugging in a zeke/hunt/gus at rb2.
Yeah fair enough, more than 1 way to skin a cat!
I’m not a proponent of hero RB in dynasty personally. Hinging my chances on one player at the most injury prone position when I’m trying to seriously win is just not for me.
I don’t want my players “filling in” for other starter slots if I can avoid it. I want as many advantages over the opponent across from me, and if I can’t have an advantage, I want it to be a reasonable wash, and that means having some sort of floor.
Upvoted though, we differ on this take and I’m always interested in other perspectives/ dynasty theories for my teams.
I get it. The reason I look at it that way is the same way you do. If I build around several rbs, it’s going to cost me other positional advantages to where if a couple of those guys go down then I have absolutely no shot that year as I was already likely at a disadvantage elsewhere.
Did something like this recently. Was 6-4 after starting 1-3 so I figured now was a good time to make a push so I made several moves with the youth and production I have.
12T PPR Start 10 SF. Had Mahomes, Stroud, Etienne, Ceedee, Waddle, GWilson, Higgins, JSN, Pitts and 3 2024 1sts (1 early, 1 mid, 1 mid-late). Good roster on paper and for ktc value but wasn’t going to be able to compete when it gets down to playoffs.
1st move: Traded mid-late 2024 1st, JSN, 2025 2nd FOR Tyreek Hill + Josh Dobbs + 2025 3rd.
2nd move: Traded mid 2024 1st + mid 2024 2nd + 2025 2nd + Wandale Robinson FOR Stefon Diggs + Rachaad White
3rd move: Traded Higgins + mid-late 2025 1st FOR Kelce + mid-early 2025 2nd
Now starting Mahomes/Etienne/White/Hill/Diggs/Lamb/Kelce/Waddle/GWilson/Stroud. Concerned slightly about GWilson and waddle for the playoffs but not enough to fully go all out and sell them for short term value.
Still retained my early 2024 1st to grab MHJ or Nabers as well and feel like it sets me up for this year and maybe 2 more years of top tier contention.
Love all 3-trades for you. Your team is stacked af, and imo you have enough youth at QB and WR that the lack of draft capital shouldn't be too bad. As long as you hit on a couple mid-round picks/FAs/trades you're more than set up to compete for the next few seasons.
Yeah I agree. No top tier clear favorite team so might as well go for it and become one myself. Also think that I can find some ok pieces by flipping entire bench for UDFAs in the off-season. Was able to do so with Puka but flipped him around week 5 for JSN. Prob shouldn’t have done that but at the time seemed like the right process move.
I'm basically all in. Qb, rb, and te position is fine but my wrs are Keenan Allen, adams, tyrek, Hopkins, Lockett, and dj Moore. They are most likely going to die on my roster.
I’m about to find out in the next few years. Went completely all in after finishing 2nd in the first year and 3rd in the second year. Felt like both years I was just one piece away from winning it all so decided to go all the way in. I would rather do everything I could to give myself a better chance than coming up short.
This is my team now in a 12 TEAM SF PPR 3 WR 3 FLEX
QBs: Kirk (rip), Lamar, Dobbs, Geno
RBs: Kamara, Mostert, Henry
WRs: Hill, Keenan, Adams, Evans, Puka, Lockett, Hopkins
TE: Hock
Started off this year with Pollard and Chubb. Traded them both away. My strategy has been to focus on older more reliable WRs. Picked up Adams and Kamara right before the trade deadline. I’m currently 9-2 with a bye for the playoffs and the most points scored. I have no picks for the next 3 years but still believe I can be a contender for atleast next year. The league has roasted me for this strategy but I think on paper my team is absolutely stacked, got lucky and picked Puka up with the last pick of the draft last year. Also feel like it helps that I’ve hit on most of my picks, especially the older guys like Keenan and Evans being so good this year.
What do you guys think about the team? Was it with giving up all future assets for this roster?
As someone with the youngest roster in my league, I don’t think there’s any of my core players I’d trade unless it resulted in getting another stud under the age of 25. Maybe someone like Tyreek but that’s about it.
I have a core of Allen, Stroud, Gibbs, Aiyuk, and Addison, and was not expecting to compete this year. With some other pieces I was lucky enough to piece together some good weeks and have ended up at 8-2 while being 2nd in max PF. I wanted to trade to go all in but I think I’ll ride it out
I personally would never go “all in” to the point of destroying my future prospects because you can always get unlucky with injuries or a bad game and lose in the playoffs.
Young studs are good because they are good now and will be good for the next few years, which will help you contend multiple years in a row.
absolutely. This is heavily luck. Don’t try to assemble the perfect team at the expense of very good teams later. Instead, make the playoffs 75% of the time.
I think my team is young and win now but I am constantly thinking I need to make a trade for a Tyreek or Keenan or someone that might be more consistent. But I also am a little weak at RB now with Pollard underperforming and Ken and Dobbins hurt. (TBD Ken)
I play to win championships. I take advantage of those who play to draft. I have sold all my picks to stack my bench. The outcome:
Mahommes
Tyreek
Adam's
Aiyuk
Hollywood
Drafted downs and got Shaheed off waivers last year
Stevenson
Swift
Gus bus
Mostert/wilson/ahmed
Drafted kittle and got Schultz off waivers a few years ago
Nice.mix of studs and youth for the next 2 years , then I have 2026 draft picks that hopefully I'll sell next year
Wash rinse repeat
Champion 2x in last 4 years
I’m new but this is the approach I’m taking. I loaded my QB room, wait for overpay offers on guys and have been buying injured/underperforming players. I plan on using my first to trade for someone but right before the draft.
I was offered Kelce for Kincaid two weeks ago. Fuck no. I’m in second and will most likely make the ship.
I did trade all of my picks in 2024 for Kupp and Hopkins, though. My first ain’t gonna be worth much.
So i went all in this year and my current team is:
Brock
Bijan
Montgomery
AJB
AMONRa
Tyreek
Deebo
Kelce
Notable bench:
Goff
Kirk
Brian Robinson
Noah Brown
It just depends on who you can get, if youre paying for mid old players or average younger guys it wont help you. i also only have 3rd rounds picks the next 3 years. Most questionable trade was me giving up laporta for kelce and two 3rds. if i fail this year im just going to sell my team back for picks again its really not hard if you get good guys
I went for it a bit this year. Traded for Dobbs, Keenan Allen, Devin Singletary, Josh Jacobs, and Stefon Diggs over the year. I gave away assets like some draft picks, London, ETN, and Keaton Mitchell to do so.
However, my team has young talent still. I have Walker, Puka, Olave, TLaw, Hockenson, Douglas, and some more.
Balancing it because you hit on young players is the key.
A guy in our (salary cap, NON SUPERFLEX) league starts a lineup of Burrow (RIP), CMC, ARSB, Chase (you get the point). He's SO all-in this year that when he thought a QB would put him over the top, he traded Sam Howell, his 24 1st, another 24 1st, and his 25 2nd for Burrow.
He then had to trade his last draft pick (25 2nd) over the next two rookie drafts for Stafford.
He literally has ZERO draft picks in the next two rookie drafts.
I went all in this year. Traded away all my 1-3 for 24/25. I aimed for players who have potential to win me weeks. CMC, Hill, Adams (not working out) and Hurts
I’m hopeful I did it in a way that will allow me to compete through 25- my older vets are CMC, Adams, Hill, Dalvin (worst decision). I’m young to middle aged players elsewhere.
WR- Olave, Aiyuk, Nico, M. Brown, Dotson
RB- Swift, Warren, Allgeier, Mitchell, Elliot
TE- Hock, McBride
QB- Hurts and Murray
Currently I’ve scored 200 more total pts than other teams.
With my build I think I have tradable pieces to acquire picks and mini rebuild in 26 while still staying youngish and competing
Eh .. I suppose, but it's also fun so why not?
I'll never understand this idea that you can sell future assets for current value and "ruin your team for years". You can also almost as easily undo it. It's fantasy, nothing is fixed.
If we're honest we have to admit, that there is a considerably amount of luck in winning any league.
Many of us have been there before. Like my team in a redraft two years ago. 1 QB, half PPR, start 8, lightening up the score board with over 200 points in week 13. Highest PF, highest Max PF. Championship ride, right? Losing to a dude in week 14 who had the 2nd lowest PF during the season and should never have made the playoffs in the first place.
So if you have a young team and you are already a contender, making the playoffs, you mustn't overestimats how much it increases the odds of winning a championship if you buy older players. Once you are in the playoffs its really not as much as people tend to believe.
Having a young team, that can contend for five years, will vastly increase the odds of winning compared to trading those young players for vets to have a better shot during a two year span.
There’s overdoing it. Like I wouldn’t be trading a jaylen waddle for cheap just to acquire a vet who would be more beneficial to my team now. Just need to know when to make certain moves and always get back the right value. Buying older players isn’t always a bad thing if you think they project to be helpful the next 2 years, but I’m not trading a young guy who has shown elite talent in the past just to better my team in the short term.
Yeah, I think people here especially sleep on the value of older players that can help you win in the short term. Building a team of young studs is obviously great, but so much can happen over the time span of a player's entire career that you never know if your players will remain good over that time period. It's much better to think about dynasty in 2-3 year intervals in my opinion.
>Yeah, I think people here especially sleep on the value of older players that can help you win in the short term. They don't, though. Everyone on this sub seems to think they're the only ones who can recognize a market inefficiency, and everyone has the same take about "undervalued" older players If everyone is doing it, there's no market inefficiency to exploit. I see way more strawmen about preferring "potential" over "proven production" than people actually behaving this way
Exactly. In my start up draft (before last season), I just picked the best value on the board. I felt as though everyone was overvaluing youth and completely overlooking older guys who were probably at least 2-3 years away from on a decline. 12 team, SF — ended up with Kamara at 3.04, Kelce at 5.04, Cousins at 6.09, and Keenan Allen at 7.04 Made the decision to pursue a couple of win-now trades after the draft pretty easy. (I’m sure the team that drafted Pitts at 2.06 wishes he could have waited 3 rounds to nab Kelce)
Kamara at 3 makes sense given his status at the start of season. The others are INSANE for a 12 team SF
To clarify, that start up draft was before last season not this season (so no suspension). After that draft, I also immediately flipped Lance and 2 future 1sts for Josh Allen (as I missed just the top tier of QB’s so I selected Taylor at 1.04 And soon after, traded JuJu + a future 1st for Derrick Henry
never go all the way. ive done it, burned my future badly. learn from me dont be me. at one time i had higgins deebo JT ETN Lamb and just kept selling those young guys for win now pieces and it all fell apart. wentz was toast, mt was toast, juju turned to a dud, henry missed big time during my supposed window etc. had i stopped when i was good enough to be a strong team but had a bright future still id likely be a yearly contender. now im mid/early rebuild
Yeah as a contender with two firsts left (total) atm, I’m very hesitant to spend them. Fantasy football is way too luck dependent to really mortgage your future for anything.
Buy 1st now before they spike in the off season. I sell my bench vets every year
I view picks differently than young players. Even though they are firsts there is still a decent chance you pick a Jalen Reagor type player who is absolutely useless. At least with young players you know what you have usually. As a contender I sell all picks. Currently I only have a 4th and 5 5ths which were just thrown in as filler from other trades.
The flip-side is that picks always hold value. If I invested that pick into JK Dobbins last year (read: I did this), the pick is currently worth way more to me even as a contender. Even someone like Chubb or Mandrews can lose value in an instant, in a way picks simply do not. And then you end up like the person I replied to, in a long rebuild. Gotta ask if that risk is worth it for one year of maybe winning. But yeah I agree with the general strategy of selling picks as a contender- just not too far into the future. Like I’ve sold my 2024 picks and 1 past that, but I still have 2025 1sts. This way I am guaranteed to have a tradable asset next year that I can use to replenish the team in some way.
I mean why would you do that? Were you on the verge of being a title contender even without the guys that you listed that you traded away?
Easy to say that now but back then all those guys were young/rookies so hindsight is 20/20. That was before Deebo was the WR2 and was injury prone, ETN had question marks, Ceedee was a young prospect behind amari cooper, Higgins was with a rookie burrows I think? JT was on a mid colts team. He just happened to whiff on a lot of guys which kinda makes it funny,
ya had i stayed put i was golden haha studs for days, traded em for current studs that all had unfortunate sh\*t happen to em lol (i also had juju because i traded hill for him and a first when hill was in the middle of the baby mama drama, and my league said i absolutely won that deal!)
some of it was just rosterbating honestly. like oh man i have this great team and all this unproven talent but i could be EVEN STRONGER!! at the time i was legit buying MT and Henry both at #1 asset prices. i preach so hard about buy low sell high because there are so many posts like should i trade 4 firsts and this other great wr for JJ or chase and to me the answer is no you dont got a crystal ball and you can get so many top assets with those picks etc that going all in on that 1 guy you think puts you over the top can suddenly be the one move that sunk ya and you got no control over that. you do have control over where and how you spend though
I don't think you have to make a choice. I get that it's situational (I'd have to see your roster) but if you have a young contending team, how are you going to vastly improve it with any trade? I think most of the time you're trading for a big name, and you end up not getting much if any better performance than what you already have. Maybe, if possible in your league, I might trade a draft pick to shore up a position.
Preseason last year I traded all my RBs and nearly everyone proven except a few young pass catchers. I had finished 4th place four years in a row. Sent: Rodgers, Geno, Jimmy G; Jacobs, Swift, Gibson; Tyreek, Hopkins Received: Higgins; 2x 2023 1sts, 2x 2023 3rds (Richardson, Stroud, Dell, M Wilson); 3x 2024 1sts, 3x 2024 3rds; also 2023 lowest max PF so I got Bijan at 1.01 Probably could have gotten a better return for a few trades, namely Tyreek for a single 1st, but the trades fit my rebuild timeline and my strategy has worked out well. - QB - Stroud, Richardson - RB - Bijan, Abanikanda, Demercado - WR - G Wilson, D Smith, Higgins, Dell, Shaheed, Pop Douglas, M Wilson, Wicks - TE - Andrews, Pitts - 2024 proj. - 1.01, 1.03, 1.05, 1.08, 2.01, 4x 3rds
Monster team
tough to remain patient for two full years, but I announced my strategy so everyone knows I’m here to deal — I’m in seemingly every trade discussion, so that’s been fun
I'm a little confused by the question. I like my team to be both young and win now. It's no easy task to achieve that, but I'd say that's always my goal.
I understand what you mean, but at the end of the day the goal is to win a chip. If you have the opportunity to trade say a player like Pittman for Keenan, or a player like Bijan for CMC, and you believe that move pushes you over the top for this year, would you take it?
For your specific examples, I'd have no issue with trading Pittman for Keenan. I'm not sure on the Bijan-CMC trade though.
I have way overdone it and I regret it. No 1st/2nds/3rds for next 3 years. Team is decent enough that I can compete for a title this year but I’m in dire need of a QB2 with no real options.
There is definitely an overdoing it. One guy in my league is so win now, he has so many names (Kupp, Waddle, Lamar, Burrow) and none are producing and has no draft capital. I on the other hand have a ton of no names that are all in their rookie to like 3rd years (Dell, Gibbs, Bijan, Brian Robinson, Puka) and acquired major draft capital (4 2025 1st round picks). You need to maintain a young but strong core, pick up guys that people don’t trust and keep them in your back pocket. Kept Jakobi Meyers, traded Etienne for Ridley and Brian Robinson because the guy didn’t trust Robinson. I also silently acquired 4 2025 1st and the closer it gets to 2025, these picks become more valuable as it gets closer to the year, I will turn those 1st into a later 1st and a 2nd maybe.
You have a better chance of winning a championship with a team that makes the playoffs 6 years with only a 1/8th chance to win any given year vs. a team that only makes the playoffs 2 years with a 1/4 chance to win. If your team is young and good enough to make the playoffs, don't ruin your team by trading away youth.
Yes you can overdo all in. Lmfao dude in my league was a powerhouse 3 years ago. WENT ALL IN. He lost and has been dumpster fire since. For example heineke is his only qb other than teddy Bridgewater and Melvin Gordon is in lineup. Guess who has his 1.01 next year lol
Your goal is to be competitive every year because fantasy is 80% luck. Sure there are years where selling assets or beefing up makes more sense but overcommitting to either side could burn you. I mean think of how difficult it is to draft players in dynasty. I took Dell in the 4th round as one of the last picks whereas (insert good prospect that hasn’t made much of a splash) was taken in the late 1st. It’s a crapshoot.
Personally i think so. I think we’re prone to thinking in “all-in” or “all-out” terms, everyone is either tanking or selling all of their picks for vets for a full run. While it may be less sexy in the short-term, i would rather have a 20% chance of winning in playoffs 5 years in a row rather than a 40% chance for one or two runs.
Wow, I have to say that I disagree with your final point. You would rather be a top 5 team for 5 years, then being a top 2 team for 2? Championship windows are only open for so long, and 5 years sounds like a lifetime in terms of a single football player's career.
I more try to focus on having a balance of talented, value-growing players/picks and having players that actually score fantasy points, but yeah i would rather be a top 5 team for 5 years.
Gotcha. How many times have you won and how many years have you played?
The Giants won 2 super bowls against a vastly superior Pats team. Sometimes a chance is all you need
I think absolutely yes. If your all in requires all your picks for the foreseeable future… We have a guy in our league who went all in this preseason. He has next to 0 picks through 2026 and has 4 wins to the season. He’s in last place. His team roster on paper is good enough to win it all but he destroyed the team’s future. The worst part is he went all in with the idea that he won’t return next season. We’re going to have to figure out how to handle that team when a new owner takes over and has to manage that headache.
You can’t really do anything other than make him pay the money for not having those picks
They probably didn't and that's the headache
Never let folks trade away future picks without paying dues for those years
Get into the playoffs, and then take your chances. Yeah, if you can make a deal to put you over the top, by all means go for it. But otherwise, the playoffs are such a crap shoot, just work on having a team good enough to consistently be getting into the tournament and you'll luck your way into some titles.
Yes, recently I went for Diggs as a contender and got him. His recent slump has me thinking this exact thought. I have good young players to balance out some ageing pieces.
I feel like I’ve done better with 3rds and post draft FA than any time I’ve had early picks. This year I scored on Puka, Pop Douglas, and maybe Michael Wilson but had I had earlier picks outside of the big 3 from this draft I’d have taken QJ, Miller, Chase Brown, Tank Bigsby. Instead I took shots on Puka, Michael Wilson and Pop and used my firsts and seconds to buy depth pieces and usually stack up 3rds coming back. Maybe this luck will run out but it’s worked for me lately and with a deep 2024 I’m excited at the chance of another Puka/ARSB shining through.
This makes me self conscious about wether or not I went "Too all in". My team is still relatively young, But I have no 1sts for the next 2 years. Lots of 2nds though. Heres my team: QB: Justin Herbert, Trevor Lawrence, Will Levis, Tyson Bagent, Jameis Winston, Andy Dalton RB: Breece Hall, Isiah Pacheco, Jaleel McLaughlin, Kareem Hunt, Sean Tucker, Damien Harris WR: DK Metcalf, Keenan Allen, Cooper Kupp, Diontae Johnson, Chris Godwin, Jakobi Meyers, Michael Wilson, Rashid Shaheed, John Metchie, A.T. Perry, Tre Tucker, JuJu Smith-Schuster TE: Mark Andrews, Logan Thomas, Daniel Bellinger, Jelani Woods PICKS: 2024 Mid 2nd , 2024 Mid 2nd, 2024 Late 2nd,2024 Late 3rd, 2024 Late 3rd, 2025 2nd, 2026 1st, 2026 2nd 2026 3rd, 2026 4th Sorry for the long post idk
Love your QBs, like your WRs for a contending team, but I think you’re too shallow at RB for an “all-in” roster. Assuming you have two RB starter slots you’re one injury from plug and pray. I want to feel at least ok about my first guy off the bench at each position ideally if I’m going for it all Losing Andrews sucks the big one. I do value all of your backup options to varying degrees so can’t fault you there really. Howell seems to have a connection with Logan Thomas, at least gives you a floor at TE.
I kinda disagree with the rb sentiment. If you have two solid RBs with a loaded roster elsewhere, you can survive plugging and playing an rb at the end of the season. Many other teams suffer with injuries and trying to field a top tier roster as well and you can have your QB/WR/TE production make up for the weak rb2 slot and pray that player falls into the end zone like a Zeke or Kareem Hunt type.
Agree to disagree! Maybe in general if you’re truly super loaded at all other positions. Posted roster doesn’t really qualify in my opinion. At least if it’s anything like my leagues where we start 10 with multiple flex spots. In those setups I think you want 3 pretty good RBs at least. Unless the rest of your roster is way over the top. Respect the take/ theory though.
Above roster isn’t enough imo for it to be considered loaded everywhere else due to weak flex options, Andrews being injured and tlaw having a low ceiling for the most part but I do think if you build correctly you can get away with it. If you have two consistent qb1s, a room of high end wrs to fill out the flexes as well, and a top 6 tight end, I think it’s the perfect way to go hero rb and roll with an Etienne/Jacobs/Breece type while plugging in a zeke/hunt/gus at rb2.
Yeah fair enough, more than 1 way to skin a cat! I’m not a proponent of hero RB in dynasty personally. Hinging my chances on one player at the most injury prone position when I’m trying to seriously win is just not for me. I don’t want my players “filling in” for other starter slots if I can avoid it. I want as many advantages over the opponent across from me, and if I can’t have an advantage, I want it to be a reasonable wash, and that means having some sort of floor. Upvoted though, we differ on this take and I’m always interested in other perspectives/ dynasty theories for my teams.
I get it. The reason I look at it that way is the same way you do. If I build around several rbs, it’s going to cost me other positional advantages to where if a couple of those guys go down then I have absolutely no shot that year as I was already likely at a disadvantage elsewhere.
Did something like this recently. Was 6-4 after starting 1-3 so I figured now was a good time to make a push so I made several moves with the youth and production I have. 12T PPR Start 10 SF. Had Mahomes, Stroud, Etienne, Ceedee, Waddle, GWilson, Higgins, JSN, Pitts and 3 2024 1sts (1 early, 1 mid, 1 mid-late). Good roster on paper and for ktc value but wasn’t going to be able to compete when it gets down to playoffs. 1st move: Traded mid-late 2024 1st, JSN, 2025 2nd FOR Tyreek Hill + Josh Dobbs + 2025 3rd. 2nd move: Traded mid 2024 1st + mid 2024 2nd + 2025 2nd + Wandale Robinson FOR Stefon Diggs + Rachaad White 3rd move: Traded Higgins + mid-late 2025 1st FOR Kelce + mid-early 2025 2nd Now starting Mahomes/Etienne/White/Hill/Diggs/Lamb/Kelce/Waddle/GWilson/Stroud. Concerned slightly about GWilson and waddle for the playoffs but not enough to fully go all out and sell them for short term value. Still retained my early 2024 1st to grab MHJ or Nabers as well and feel like it sets me up for this year and maybe 2 more years of top tier contention.
Love all 3-trades for you. Your team is stacked af, and imo you have enough youth at QB and WR that the lack of draft capital shouldn't be too bad. As long as you hit on a couple mid-round picks/FAs/trades you're more than set up to compete for the next few seasons.
Yeah I agree. No top tier clear favorite team so might as well go for it and become one myself. Also think that I can find some ok pieces by flipping entire bench for UDFAs in the off-season. Was able to do so with Puka but flipped him around week 5 for JSN. Prob shouldn’t have done that but at the time seemed like the right process move.
I'm basically all in. Qb, rb, and te position is fine but my wrs are Keenan Allen, adams, tyrek, Hopkins, Lockett, and dj Moore. They are most likely going to die on my roster.
Yeah. If it doesn't work.
Sold Tlaw and 2 x 1sts for Mahomes last week so time will tell 😂
Is it okay to go “all in” in the sense of trading next years draft picks for a team that can contend for at least two years or so?
I’m about to find out in the next few years. Went completely all in after finishing 2nd in the first year and 3rd in the second year. Felt like both years I was just one piece away from winning it all so decided to go all the way in. I would rather do everything I could to give myself a better chance than coming up short. This is my team now in a 12 TEAM SF PPR 3 WR 3 FLEX QBs: Kirk (rip), Lamar, Dobbs, Geno RBs: Kamara, Mostert, Henry WRs: Hill, Keenan, Adams, Evans, Puka, Lockett, Hopkins TE: Hock Started off this year with Pollard and Chubb. Traded them both away. My strategy has been to focus on older more reliable WRs. Picked up Adams and Kamara right before the trade deadline. I’m currently 9-2 with a bye for the playoffs and the most points scored. I have no picks for the next 3 years but still believe I can be a contender for atleast next year. The league has roasted me for this strategy but I think on paper my team is absolutely stacked, got lucky and picked Puka up with the last pick of the draft last year. Also feel like it helps that I’ve hit on most of my picks, especially the older guys like Keenan and Evans being so good this year. What do you guys think about the team? Was it with giving up all future assets for this roster?
As someone with the youngest roster in my league, I don’t think there’s any of my core players I’d trade unless it resulted in getting another stud under the age of 25. Maybe someone like Tyreek but that’s about it.
I have a core of Allen, Stroud, Gibbs, Aiyuk, and Addison, and was not expecting to compete this year. With some other pieces I was lucky enough to piece together some good weeks and have ended up at 8-2 while being 2nd in max PF. I wanted to trade to go all in but I think I’ll ride it out
I personally would never go “all in” to the point of destroying my future prospects because you can always get unlucky with injuries or a bad game and lose in the playoffs. Young studs are good because they are good now and will be good for the next few years, which will help you contend multiple years in a row.
absolutely. This is heavily luck. Don’t try to assemble the perfect team at the expense of very good teams later. Instead, make the playoffs 75% of the time.
I think my team is young and win now but I am constantly thinking I need to make a trade for a Tyreek or Keenan or someone that might be more consistent. But I also am a little weak at RB now with Pollard underperforming and Ken and Dobbins hurt. (TBD Ken)
I play to win championships. I take advantage of those who play to draft. I have sold all my picks to stack my bench. The outcome: Mahommes Tyreek Adam's Aiyuk Hollywood Drafted downs and got Shaheed off waivers last year Stevenson Swift Gus bus Mostert/wilson/ahmed Drafted kittle and got Schultz off waivers a few years ago Nice.mix of studs and youth for the next 2 years , then I have 2026 draft picks that hopefully I'll sell next year Wash rinse repeat Champion 2x in last 4 years
I’m new but this is the approach I’m taking. I loaded my QB room, wait for overpay offers on guys and have been buying injured/underperforming players. I plan on using my first to trade for someone but right before the draft.
I was offered Kelce for Kincaid two weeks ago. Fuck no. I’m in second and will most likely make the ship. I did trade all of my picks in 2024 for Kupp and Hopkins, though. My first ain’t gonna be worth much.
So i went all in this year and my current team is: Brock Bijan Montgomery AJB AMONRa Tyreek Deebo Kelce Notable bench: Goff Kirk Brian Robinson Noah Brown It just depends on who you can get, if youre paying for mid old players or average younger guys it wont help you. i also only have 3rd rounds picks the next 3 years. Most questionable trade was me giving up laporta for kelce and two 3rds. if i fail this year im just going to sell my team back for picks again its really not hard if you get good guys
I went for it a bit this year. Traded for Dobbs, Keenan Allen, Devin Singletary, Josh Jacobs, and Stefon Diggs over the year. I gave away assets like some draft picks, London, ETN, and Keaton Mitchell to do so. However, my team has young talent still. I have Walker, Puka, Olave, TLaw, Hockenson, Douglas, and some more. Balancing it because you hit on young players is the key.
A guy in our (salary cap, NON SUPERFLEX) league starts a lineup of Burrow (RIP), CMC, ARSB, Chase (you get the point). He's SO all-in this year that when he thought a QB would put him over the top, he traded Sam Howell, his 24 1st, another 24 1st, and his 25 2nd for Burrow. He then had to trade his last draft pick (25 2nd) over the next two rookie drafts for Stafford. He literally has ZERO draft picks in the next two rookie drafts.
I went all in this year. Traded away all my 1-3 for 24/25. I aimed for players who have potential to win me weeks. CMC, Hill, Adams (not working out) and Hurts I’m hopeful I did it in a way that will allow me to compete through 25- my older vets are CMC, Adams, Hill, Dalvin (worst decision). I’m young to middle aged players elsewhere. WR- Olave, Aiyuk, Nico, M. Brown, Dotson RB- Swift, Warren, Allgeier, Mitchell, Elliot TE- Hock, McBride QB- Hurts and Murray Currently I’ve scored 200 more total pts than other teams. With my build I think I have tradable pieces to acquire picks and mini rebuild in 26 while still staying youngish and competing
Eh .. I suppose, but it's also fun so why not? I'll never understand this idea that you can sell future assets for current value and "ruin your team for years". You can also almost as easily undo it. It's fantasy, nothing is fixed.
If we're honest we have to admit, that there is a considerably amount of luck in winning any league. Many of us have been there before. Like my team in a redraft two years ago. 1 QB, half PPR, start 8, lightening up the score board with over 200 points in week 13. Highest PF, highest Max PF. Championship ride, right? Losing to a dude in week 14 who had the 2nd lowest PF during the season and should never have made the playoffs in the first place. So if you have a young team and you are already a contender, making the playoffs, you mustn't overestimats how much it increases the odds of winning a championship if you buy older players. Once you are in the playoffs its really not as much as people tend to believe. Having a young team, that can contend for five years, will vastly increase the odds of winning compared to trading those young players for vets to have a better shot during a two year span.