Making the switch from redraft to dynasty can be a bit intimidating at first. Going from making daily moves on the waiver wire to being tied to the same players year in and year out can make some people reluctant. Please make no mistake, dynasty is a different game. However, it is one worth playing. Below are three things I learned after my first year of dynasty that can hopefully help anyone that wants to get their feet wet in this fictional game we love.
Do Not Stress Over Age
Over and over again, I see people putting too much emphasis on age. I can’t draft a guy older than 24. This guy is almost 30, and his career is done. It is this backward thinking that can hamstring you as a dynasty manager. The NFL guarantees nothing. Injuries, collegiate talent not carrying over, and poor situations are among the many factors that make drafting the right players so unpredictable.
Notable first-round picks that did not translate into the NFL include Rashaad Penny, Phillip Dorsett, Paxton Lynch, Johnny Manziel, Kevin White, Justin Blackmon, and Trent Richardson, to name a few. Setting your sights on only rookies when starting a dynasty team can easily backfire. With so many unknowns and no proven track record in the NFL, you could end up in rebuild mode right from the start.
On the flip side of things, just because a player is nearing 30, it does not mean to fade them. In his age 30 season, Julio Jones put up a monster 99/1,394/6 on 157 targets in only 15 games. Another guy who has produced well into his thirties is Larry Fitzgerald. In his age 32-34 seasons, Fitzgerald produced 325/3,394/21 on 456 targets in 48 total games. Finding real value with these types of players often propel a team to a championship run.
Do Not Get Attached to Players
I cannot stress this enough. Everyone has their differing opinions on each player. One may value player X highly, while another values that player at their floor. It is important to realize that every player has a price. In dynasty, this price can be very fluid. It can easily change from week to week, depending on how said player performed. Having no ties to a specific player is key to becoming a successful manager.
So much can change so quickly in this league. It was merely two years ago when people were drafting Todd Gurley as the top RB in their startups, after posting 1,251 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns the year before. Now, a free agent, he is not even being drafted in fantasy. When it comes to player rankings, the landscape changes tremendously from year to year. Just because Christian McCaffrey was dominant in 2019 does not mean he is untradeable. Having the mindset that anyone can be traded at any given time and recognizing future trends can be the difference between managing a successful team and constantly rebuilding.
Join the Right League
Join. The. Right. League. This may be the most important thing I learned after my first year of dynasty. Knowing exactly what you want from a fantasy football league is crucial when deciding which league to join. Are you in it for fun? Do you want a super competitive league? Choosing the correct one can significantly enhance your fantasy experience.
If joining a dynasty league to get your feet wet or for fun, it may be a smart idea to make the league free. This will give everyone involved a lay of the dynasty land without making it overly competitive. If looking for a competitive league, make sure everyone in the league is on the same level. This includes people who share the same football knowledge and who will also be committed to the league.
Twelve teams make up the league I am currently in. When joining the league, I thought everyone would be talking fantasy, and slinging deals left and right. I hoped that it would be a year-round league where there was truly no offseason. Much to my surprise, this was not the case. Not everyone was as into it as me. Only two trades happened the entire year, and there was barely any banter in the league chat. When doing a dynasty league, make sure the league you join is the one that best suits your expectations.
Have Fun!
Keeping these three points in mind, the most important part of dynasty and any fantasy football league is having fun. Fantasy football has the power to bring so many groups of people together. Family, friends, and even people we have never met in person all share common interests when joining a league. These relationships that we make, build, and maintain, make fantasy football a game worth playing.
If you enjoy my content, feel free to follow me on Twitter @FF_Worm. Always down to talk fantasy football, answer questions, and give advice!
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