I think you're being too lame. Get after it! Be aggressive. I believe your goal is to improve VALUE of the team over the long term, not win-now. You can probably get there 18-24 months (contend for a title) depending on position. I count 26 players and you only start 9 or 1/3. There's A LOT of "Filler" on this roster that seems more REDRAFT focused rather than Dynasty focused. You can drop most of your players. Trade/cut. Keep some sleepers or upside guys.
Dynasty is Long Term: To be competitive in the future, you need to focus on younger talent today. Embrace the SUCK. Be patient. Target elite level players in their positions that will be starters on your team 3-5years from now. This is typically NOT RB. That position is too volatile and you just end up replacing them by the time your team catches up. ALSO, It's nice to "STACK" QBs and their Top Target. Fields, DJ Moore? ARichardson Pittman Jr? Mahomes Kelce, Your team will score more consistently. More on that later.
GENERALLY:
Cut (or Trade) the filler from your roster. No RBs over 25, no WR over 25. (Cut or Trade). ONLY ACQUIRE PLAYERS THAT CARRY TRADE VALUE OR are YOUNGER WITH UPSIDE. If you're trading them, obviously wait to trade but don't be afraid to move at a discount. Especially if you're getting future draft picks and a potential sleeper player. For 12 team league target Top 18 overall picks. Future draft picks will hold their value and help you create roster space to acquire sleeper prospects. START NOW, before the draft not when the season starts. You might get a better deal on a guy before an injury.
Superflex formula to build a team:
**This is a guideline. Take best available talent. Don't draft Mike White over Bijan Robinson bc it says QBs first.
1. Acquire QBs. 2 solid QBs for years to come = consistency. 5-15 years of quality play from QB potentially. No drop off on BYEs or injury. Pick matchups.
2. HOARD YOUNG Elite WRs. You've got JChase the #2 arguably. These guys typically play 6-10yrs at a high level. Again = stability.
3. A Top TE. It only takes 1 with no premium and a backup solid upside option. There are some great TEs in this draft. I don't know if you start 2 or 1.
4. Best available talent regardless of situation and need. Obviously you want to round our your roster so there's balance but don't grab situational temp players. Grab the longer term future.
5. Create a positional surplus so you can dictate a trade.
6. Hoard FUTURE draft picks
7. In 2022 if you grabbed Geno Smith were not in position to win it all. The BEST THING YOU CAN DO IS SELL that player and LOCK IN VALUE. If he was WW pickup it's ALL PROFIT even if you Sell for last than perceived market value.
8. Use WW only to claim players with RD1 type talent on a "Targeted Players Wish List" You should have a Rolling TOp 24 QB Top 48 WR Top 24 RB and Top 18 TE list. IF anyone is an upgrade consider if they might get claimed or by whom. Ideally you're sitting on WW#1 priority when it counts.
You've got 26 players and start 9. Lots of players on the bench.
Look at your league rules for positional advantages.
My 10 team 2QB league starts 11. 2Q,3WR, 2RB,1TE, 1xWR/TE, 1xWR/RB 1x WR/RB/TE. SO, I can start up to 6 WRS each week. If I have 10WRS i'm only leaving 4 on the bench. I can only start 4RB and 3TE max each week. If I have 10 RB I'm leaving 6 on the bench. That's no good.
I practice what I preach AND the results have worked.
2018, YEAR 1 of My league. We all autodrafted .I prioritized QBs. RWilson, Watson. I embraced the SUCK and Losing YEAR 1 and told the league I'm winning it in 3yrs. I squeaked into playoffs Y1 last spot. Made title game Y2 on a fluke and Y3 won it all, Y 4 won it all and last year took 2nd.
QBs DWatson, RWilson, TUA, TLance, Skylar Thompson
WR: JJefferson, AJBrown, JWaddle, COlave,GWilson, DLondon, CGodwin, RMoore, JMetchie,
RB: JTaylor, JKDobbins, NChubb, DPierce, BRobinson JR, AJDillon,
TE: TKelce, DGoedert
2023 Draft Picks #9, #11, #13, #19, #29, #30
2024 1st 2nd 3rd
2025 1st 2nd 3rd.
Specific Players I would target if I were you:
Joe Burrow QB since you have CHase.
I like to consider stacking QB and WR1 for consistent scoring.
ARichardson at #1.03
1.10 Jaxson Smith Njigba.
I'd trade back into 2nd round for Dalton Kincaid or Sam Laporta. MMayer depending on who's available. L Musgrave.
Trade Targets:
If you get IND QB Richardson, will Pittman Owner be open to a trade?
Jameson Williams, Najee Harris, even Russ Wilson could be BUY LOW candidates.
I like AmonRa St Brown but I'm concerned he's at his ceiling. Not a bad ceiling at all.
CWatson could be BUY LOW.
John MetchieIII 1st Round Talent before cancer. He's in the clear now. Get him before he's good. If it doesn't work out so what.
Trade WanDale Robinson, I think he's more of a situational player than a player that produces regardless of the matchup.
Sterling Shepard is older too.
Zay Flowers? Upside there even if OBJ signing what about in 2023, 2024 long term I think he could be the dude.
Allegier I think could be more valueable as insurance to BIJAN owner.
MMims, underrated
Trade CHuba Hubbard. I think he's done well but has limited upside.
Zay Flowers: Marvin Mims, Drake London, Jayden Reed are probably underrated still.
Who's favored to WIN It ALL. Give them BOTH player for 2024 1st. It's #12 pick. (MTHomas and T Lockett)
Sometimes I'll put conditions on it. 2024 1st round pick if you win it all. Who wouldn't give a 1st rounder for a title? Especially a late round 1st.
If they don't make the playoffs. They can bump it out to 2025. OR..... You'll do 2023, 2024 2nd rounders & Player.
With 12 teams and large rosters. I don't know if there's a ton of value in 4th round picks other than scraping the bottom of the barrel. COuld mean WWs/FAs picked clean but not everyone is right.
DROPPING high producing starting veterans: MGordon, Mostert..... what contender wouldn't want to grab a starting RB for insurance. They might use their WW priority on them AND they'll take up a roster space while you created room to have the next Geno Smith, Elijah Mitchell, James Robinson etc.
Let's say 10 of the 26 roster spots are for "Sleeper Picks" YOU only make money when you cash out.
You only retain value when you sell that player.
Trade for better player or a pick
Future draft picks hold their value and don't take up a roster spot
I'll sell FA pickups all day for 3rd rounders until I have a few and bundle them for 2nd rounder and repeat.
I'll also ask crappy teams for solid trades for 1st rounder that don't konw they suck for their 1st rounder before week 4 or so. It's gamble with upside.
I'm always looking to acquire a non playoff teams 1st rounder each draft so I have multiple options to make moves or dictate.
I always want most of picks to be in the Top 20 especially the top 15.
If I see value dropping AND i Have the roster space. I might buy back in to the draft late for cheap.
HOw to deal with other TEAM overvaluing their Player:
Pitts owner wanted 3x 1st round picks and 2 starting players players. Way over priced. 5 for 1 trade. Terrible
So I found out what Mark Andrews was worth.
I said. Look... 5 for 1 is an emotional value. There's no way I could recoup my cost at the price even if production was at ___ for next _ years.
TO verify I asked dynasty #2 TE owner what he'd charge me to pay for his TE and it was ____ (2 for 1 essentially. More in line with real value even if over paying).
I also like some of the TEs in the draft. I can get #5 pick and take ___ for a lot less.
I realize you're not trying to SELL Pitts but what's a more accurate value? and what would be not just a good but very good incentive?
I didn't trade for Pitts which is OK. Tunnel Vision often leads to paying premium which is risky.
2019 I offered Cortland Sutton and N Agholor to owner needing WRs for his 1st round pick 2020. Team was 3-0. He said "Nope, 2nd rounder."
That was a bad offer. So, I reminded him that he drafted Delanie Walker 1.08 overall and he's tied for first and likely to win the league with Mahomes at QB...so the pick would be 8,9,10 reasonably. He said "Good Point." Made the deal. It helped his team but other issues hurt. He lost next6 games missed playoffs. I got 3rd overall pick and drafted TUA for Courtland Sutton and Agholor.
Even if you like the PITTs player more learning what the next best option is going to cost is a great way to PRESERVE Value vs over spend. Going down the line of top tier positional players. is a good practice.
Reminding Owners who they drafted (poorly) or even have dropped in the past can be a good way to put draft pick value in perspective.
I also find that it's easier to trade lower tier players and picks.
It's easier for owners to say yes to a 3rd and yes to taking on 2x3rd for 1x2nd and 2x 2nd for 1st early in the season or a 2024, 2025 type 1st or second. The longer the delay for payment the better.
BUT Grab 10 players. 5 might work out. Trade them. Grab 5 more. You have the roster space.
Trade them to people at a discount so it's easier to say yes to it.
If you do 5 Trades per year... You only need to be right 3x to win. You're right 60% of the time. You're growing.
If you only do 1x trade. YOU can't afford to lose.
SO... do a lot f smaller little trades with increase odds of upside.
Acquire future draft picks. Draft picks hold their value well and don't take roster spots.
Trade down if it makes sense. Trade up if you like
Try to have 2x 1st rounders with a 2024, 2025 target.
This year might be harder.
Try to get block of picks or close together early picks so you can influence draft AND get other players to drop to you.
In this draft I'm targeting ARICHARDSON, JSN Kincaid. I like Bijan but probably not paying for him.