Is stockpiling rookie picks the way to go in dynasty rebuild mode? (1 Viewer)

[Pick]

You have to play to win every year IMO. I was a fan of rebuilding when I first started playing dynasty but found that the most successful owners are the ones that play to have the best players at each position no matter what the age. This will burn you about every 3-4 years but your window on winning is longer than those who constantly try to go for youth movements.

Side note: When you have that bad season make sure you sell during the year to those teams in the race. They will over pay with their picks in the offseason draft.

 

[Bracie Smathers]

Curious what some people think of this. We often see teams that realize they need to rebuild and start over trade known players, usually older vets, for rookie picks. However, is that really the way to go? Does acquiring a larger # of picks really help you achieve a competing team effectively? Given that many rookie picks don't pan out plus the fact that you have to wait for them to even see if they are worth it or not, this strategy could potentially prolong a period of noncompetitiveness.If you aren't going to trade for rookie picks, is it better to trade for cheaper 1st/2nd year players with upside? Or possibly to acquire the rookie picks and then trade them closer to the draft as their value increases for known, younger players. Just wanted to see some thoughts on this.

Depends on the choices and if you have targeted 'quality' rookies with the picks and which second/third year players you have your sites on. I trade for picks A-LOT. Like as much as possible and then try to cul together picks/players to move up in drafts if I see a player worth moving up for. This year I held multiple choices, highest being #5. I wanted in the top three. I also needed a QB prospect and instead of getting a rookie I traded for last year's hot pick, JaMarcus Russell, who had fallen out of favor with the guy who drafted him in last year's first round, just as I had predicted. So I packaged my, #5 pick, my #11 pick, and Reggie Bush, for his #3 pick, JaMarcus Russell, and his first round pick next year. He ended up with Bush (Non-PPR), Matt Forte with the #5 pick and Ryan Torain with the #11 pick. I ended up with Mendenhall with the #3 pick (I knew McFadden would go #1 and simply am not high on him and wanted either Mendenhall or Stewart so I am happy with that part of the trade), and JaMarcus (I figure I have this guy already signed sealed and delivered, he's already got a year in with the team. He strolls in as the undisputed starter. He's got mad skilz with tremendous upside IMHO) I dished the #11 pick this year for an undetermined first round pick next year but I like my odds of improving on the #11 slot since their are only 12 teams in my league. I can only do worse if he wins the championship, doubtful.So I moved up from #5 to #3 and got the guy I wanted in this year's draft. I like Forte but I'd take Mendenhall over him any day of the week. Bush is alright for a third RB but I'm loaded at RB so he was wasting away on my bench. I really needed a QB prospect and got the guy who hasn't proven himself, who owners wanted to dump who has the most upside IMHO. Then I still owned the #9 pick in the draft (Hardy) so I really didn't need another late round pick so I, in effect, dished it for a higher pick next year. I've already stockpiled one extra pick for next year. In the second round I took young vets with upside/comeback potential. WR Laurent Robinson and LB Jonathan Vilma. I like the upside of Robinson and think Vilma can make a comeback in a new system that fits his skill set. Basically I use a mixture of both approaches but I constantly try to have at least one extra first round pick for next year's draft. I like to go into the season with a lean roster of high quality talent and then pick up guys whose value looks to increase the following year, late in the season when many owners are in sleep mode. I typically have room on my roster that others don't have and then I trade guys and picks for higher picks or future picks for players I plucked from the wire late the previous season.

 

[cstu]

Here's a rebuild I did midway through the 2011 season. At the end of the 2011 season my roster looked like this:

QB - Stafford, Ponder, Mallett

RB - Leshoure, R.Williams, Gerhart, McCluster

WR - D.Moore, DHB, V. Brown, Kerley

TE - Jordan Cameron

Roster today:

QB - Stafford, Ponder, Manuel, Mallett

RB - AP, Forte, Gore, Lattimore, Pead, Leshoure, R.Williams

WR - Fitz, Bowe, Jennings, D.Moore, DHB, Little, Jenkins, S. Hill

TE - H. Miller, Housler, Fleener, L.Green, Jordan Cameron, T. Thompson

Extra future picks - 2 1sts and 5 2nds

Still not quite there but rebuilding by stockpiling draft picks is possible.

 

[tdmills]

Here's a rebuild I did midway through the 2011 season. At the end of the 2011 season my roster looked like this:

QB - Stafford, Ponder, Mallett

RB - Leshoure, R.Williams, Gerhart, McCluster

WR - D.Moore, DHB, V. Brown, Kerley

TE - Jordan Cameron

Roster today:

QB - Stafford, Ponder, Manuel, Mallett

RB - AP, Forte, Gore, Lattimore, Pead, Leshoure, R.Williams

WR - Fitz, Bowe, Jennings, D.Moore, DHB, Little, Jenkins, S. Hill

TE - H. Miller, Housler, Fleener, L.Green, Jordan Cameron, T. Thompson

Extra future picks - 2 1sts and 5 2nds

Still not quite there but rebuilding by stockpiling draft picks is possible.

So you gained AP, Forte, Gore, Fitz, bowe, Jennings and gave up nothing, all within a 1.5 year timespan?

 

[Doubtingthomas]

Here's a rebuild I did midway through the 2011 season. At the end of the 2011 season my roster looked like this: QB - Stafford, Ponder, MallettRB - Leshoure, R.Williams, Gerhart, McClusterWR - D.Moore, DHB, V. Brown, KerleyTE - Jordan Cameron Roster today: QB - Stafford, Ponder, Manuel, MallettRB - AP, Forte, Gore, Lattimore, Pead, Leshoure, R.WilliamsWR - Fitz, Bowe, Jennings, D.Moore, DHB, Little, Jenkins, S. HillTE - H. Miller, Housler, Fleener, L.Green, Jordan Cameron, T. Thompson Extra future picks - 2 1sts and 5 2nds Still not quite there but rebuilding by stockpiling draft picks is possible.

So you gained AP, Forte, Gore, Fitz, bowe, Jennings and gave up nothing, all within a 1.5 year timespan?

Yeah how does that happen?

 

[cstu]

Here's a rebuild I did midway through the 2011 season. At the end of the 2011 season my roster looked like this: QB - Stafford, Ponder, MallettRB - Leshoure, R.Williams, Gerhart, McClusterWR - D.Moore, DHB, V. Brown, KerleyTE - Jordan Cameron Roster today: QB - Stafford, Ponder, Manuel, MallettRB - AP, Forte, Gore, Lattimore, Pead, Leshoure, R.WilliamsWR - Fitz, Bowe, Jennings, D.Moore, DHB, Little, Jenkins, S. HillTE - H. Miller, Housler, Fleener, L.Green, Jordan Cameron, T. Thompson Extra future picks - 2 1sts and 5 2nds Still not quite there but rebuilding by stockpiling draft picks is possible.

So you gained AP, Forte, Gore, Fitz, bowe, Jennings and gave up nothing, all within a 1.5 year timespan?

Yeah how does that happen?

I sold everything I could for draft picks...literally anything I could get I took. In the 2012 draft I took Blackmon, Hill, Fleener, Jeffery, Randle, Jenkins, Pead, Hilton and Osweiler. Also got Gordon with using late 2nd and 3rd rounds picks - traded him for Bowe.

I have since traded Blackmon (part of a deal to get AP), Jeffery (future 1st and 2nd), Randle (2014 1st), Hilton (2015 1st) and Osweiler. I got Jennings last year for what ended up being the 1.09 and 2.09 this year.

I had the 1.02 which I traded for Fitz. Gore I got for this year's 2.02 and Forte I had to give up Vincent Brown, my 2014 1st, a 2nd this year.

 

[FUBAR]

Here's a rebuild I did midway through the 2011 season. At the end of the 2011 season my roster looked like this: QB - Stafford, Ponder, MallettRB - Leshoure, R.Williams, Gerhart, McClusterWR - D.Moore, DHB, V. Brown, KerleyTE - Jordan Cameron Roster today: QB - Stafford, Ponder, Manuel, MallettRB - AP, Forte, Gore, Lattimore, Pead, Leshoure, R.WilliamsWR - Fitz, Bowe, Jennings, D.Moore, DHB, Little, Jenkins, S. HillTE - H. Miller, Housler, Fleener, L.Green, Jordan Cameron, T. Thompson Extra future picks - 2 1sts and 5 2nds Still not quite there but rebuilding by stockpiling draft picks is possible.

So you gained AP, Forte, Gore, Fitz, bowe, Jennings and gave up nothing, all within a 1.5 year timespan?

Yeah how does that happen?

I sold everything I could for draft picks...literally anything I could get I took. In the 2012 draft I took Blackmon, Hill, Fleener, Jeffery, Randle, Jenkins, Pead, Hilton and Osweiler. Also got Gordon with using late 2nd and 3rd rounds picks - traded him for Bowe.

I have since traded Blackmon (part of a deal to get AP), Jeffery (future 1st and 2nd), Randle (2014 1st), Hilton (2015 1st) and Osweiler. I got Jennings last year for what ended up being the 1.09 and 2.09 this year.

I had the 1.02 which I traded for Fitz. Gore I got for this year's 2.02 and Forte I had to give up Vincent Brown, my 2014 1st, a 2nd this year.

It would help if you listed the picks you had as a footnote to your 2011 roster. They aren't "on the roster" per se, but they're assets which should be included in the post.

 

[FUBAR]

You have to play to win every year IMO. I was a fan of rebuilding when I first started playing dynasty but found that the most successful owners are the ones that play to have the best players at each position no matter what the age. This will burn you about every 3-4 years but your window on winning is longer than those who constantly try to go for youth movements.

Side note: When you have that bad season make sure you sell during the year to those teams in the race. They will over pay with their picks in the offseason draft.

In all of the leagues I'm in, the one I've been most successful in is the one where I have only rebuilt one year out of 11.

It gets a little worrisome when your key players turn 30, but there is always a "next big thing" or sleeper to be had.

 

[Heep]

I won my dynasty league 2 years in a row and then finished 3rd the 3rd season. After finishing 3rd, I felt my team was on its way down. The team that won was substantially better and younger. I went into rebuild mode trading for as many rookie and college devy picks. I was actually lucky (or unlucky because I wanted to suck while still trying to win) and finished the season 6-7, 5 VPs out of making the playoffs. Here was my roster when my team was winning championships/finishing top 3... Start 1 QB, 1 RB, 2 WR, 3 Flex, 1 TE

QB - Rivers, A. Smith

RB - R. Rice, Lynch, Wells, F. Jax, McGahee,Hightower, Hillis (After Hillis' big season, I traded him and other players for MJD in the year I finished 3rd)

WR - Marshall, Bowe, A. Brown, S. Smith, Bess, N. Washington, Lafell

TE - Gates, Pettigrew, Cooley

Roster Today:

QB - Luck, Ponder

RB - D. Martin, Leshoure, Ingram, L. Bell, M. Ball, B. Tate, C. Thompson

WR - A. Brown, Hilton, K. Wright, Woods, K. Allen, Hopkins, R. Randle, Quick, Dobson, Criner, Lafell, DHB

TE - Rudolph, Myers

I still own my 1st next year (I'm thinking top 6 because I look at this team as a year away from being very dangerous), another 1st that i think will be top 3, and the 1.8 college devy this year.I would say my rebuild is still in progress but I feel I can compete with a decent year from either Bell or Ball.

 

[cstu]

Here's a rebuild I did midway through the 2011 season. At the end of the 2011 season my roster looked like this: QB - Stafford, Ponder, MallettRB - Leshoure, R.Williams, Gerhart, McClusterWR - D.Moore, DHB, V. Brown, KerleyTE - Jordan Cameron Roster today: QB - Stafford, Ponder, Manuel, MallettRB - AP, Forte, Gore, Lattimore, Pead, Leshoure, R.WilliamsWR - Fitz, Bowe, Jennings, D.Moore, DHB, Little, Jenkins, S. HillTE - H. Miller, Housler, Fleener, L.Green, Jordan Cameron, T. Thompson Extra future picks - 2 1sts and 5 2nds Still not quite there but rebuilding by stockpiling draft picks is possible.

So you gained AP, Forte, Gore, Fitz, bowe, Jennings and gave up nothing, all within a 1.5 year timespan?

Yeah how does that happen?

I sold everything I could for draft picks...literally anything I could get I took. In the 2012 draft I took Blackmon, Hill, Fleener, Jeffery, Randle, Jenkins, Pead, Hilton and Osweiler. Also got Gordon with using late 2nd and 3rd rounds picks - traded him for Bowe.

I have since traded Blackmon (part of a deal to get AP), Jeffery (future 1st and 2nd), Randle (2014 1st), Hilton (2015 1st) and Osweiler. I got Jennings last year for what ended up being the 1.09 and 2.09 this year.

I had the 1.02 which I traded for Fitz. Gore I got for this year's 2.02 and Forte I had to give up Vincent Brown, my 2014 1st, a 2nd this year.

It would help if you listed the picks you had as a footnote to your 2011 roster. They aren't "on the roster" per se, but they're assets which should be included in the post.

2012 draft picks (ones I traded for in bold) - 1.02, 1.08, 1.09, 1.11, 1.12, 2.02, 2.05, 3.09

2013 draft picks - 1.02, 1.10, 1.12, 2.02, 2.03, 2.04, 2.09, 3.02

 

[Caveman_Nick]

This is a great topic.

I don't think that there is a yes or no answer to the original question. I think that stockpiling draftpicks is one way to rebuild, but it's not the only way.

The best ways to rebuild are clearly dependent on 1) the established economy in your league, 2) the current state of your roster, 3) what the draft class looks like, and 4) how do your fellow GMs tend to operate.

For me, the best way to rebuild is to ignore specifics (at first) and work on building an economic model for the league. Ask questions like:

- Is there an amount of bidding money released to each team each year?

- Do dollars carry over if not used

- Does your league use contracts or are players permanently yours when you get them

- What are viable rostering strategies in your league that can be used to assmeble a winning score each week

- If your league uses contracts, what percentage of your annual cash distribution is a contract year for a QB1, QB2, RB1, RB2, etc., worth in your economic scale. This is of course tied into the roster strategies.

- Do certain owners over value certain positions and undervalue others? Can you use these tendencies to flip economic value back onto your roster during a trade?

- What percentage of your cash distribution is each rookie draft slot worth?

- When are the best times to trade for or trade away young players, aging players, one year wonders, draft picks, cash? Target those times and always trade away the commodity that is more valuable at the moment. You are rebuilding, not going for a championship.

My philosophy is very solidly rooted in the concept of increasing your team's assets until it is time to compete for a sustained number of seasons. I will lose money for 5 years if I think that by doing do I can win money in 3 of the next 5.

Remember that to break even you only need to win often enough to pay your entry fee. If you are patient enough to try to do that and build your team to sustain performance then you will do well with a team that needs to be rebuilt. Once you have some assets built up, then you can start looking more at specific ways to improve instead of just taking whatever comes to you that increases your team's value.

 

[ShaHBucks]

Here's a rebuild I did midway through the 2011 season. At the end of the 2011 season my roster looked like this: QB - Stafford, Ponder, MallettRB - Leshoure, R.Williams, Gerhart, McClusterWR - D.Moore, DHB, V. Brown, KerleyTE - Jordan Cameron Roster today: QB - Stafford, Ponder, Manuel, MallettRB - AP, Forte, Gore, Lattimore, Pead, Leshoure, R.WilliamsWR - Fitz, Bowe, Jennings, D.Moore, DHB, Little, Jenkins, S. HillTE - H. Miller, Housler, Fleener, L.Green, Jordan Cameron, T. Thompson Extra future picks - 2 1sts and 5 2nds Still not quite there but rebuilding by stockpiling draft picks is possible.

So you gained AP, Forte, Gore, Fitz, bowe, Jennings and gave up nothing, all within a 1.5 year timespan?

Yeah how does that happen?

I sold everything I could for draft picks...literally anything I could get I took. In the 2012 draft I took Blackmon, Hill, Fleener, Jeffery, Randle, Jenkins, Pead, Hilton and Osweiler. Also got Gordon with using late 2nd and 3rd rounds picks - traded him for Bowe.

I have since traded Blackmon (part of a deal to get AP), Jeffery (future 1st and 2nd), Randle (2014 1st), Hilton (2015 1st) and Osweiler. I got Jennings last year for what ended up being the 1.09 and 2.09 this year.

I had the 1.02 which I traded for Fitz. Gore I got for this year's 2.02 and Forte I had to give up Vincent Brown, my 2014 1st, a 2nd this year.

Wow nice job! It's amazing how much owners value the unknown. Draft picks have value even when your team is horrible. It's definitely a good strategy to use. Seems like as soon as a player had value you're flipping them.

 

[ConnSKINS26]

Recently undertook a small rebuild of a roster in a 12-team PPR league. My RB's were strong and I managed to keep them that way, while building elsewhere when my gambles at WR didn't really pay off.

Started with this, about two weeks ago (listing all pieces with any kind of value, ignoring roster stashes and roster trash)

Matt Ryan

LeSean McCoy, Trent Richardson, Darren McFadden, Beanie Wells

Kenny Britt, Miles Austin, Jon Baldwin, Sidney Rice, Rod Streater

Vernon Davis

I had a single 2nd round pick, and that's it. It had been a total rebuild a couple years prior and I had mortgaged all my depth and future picks to build as strong a starting lineup as possible, but injuries killed it as they often do with dynasty rosters that are top-heavy. So I reevalutated and decided to sell off the riskiest, most injury-prone players to a couple of guys in my league who particularly love them, while trying to get younger, deeper, more talented, healthier, and just generally better in the long run. That's all easier said than done, but I like the outcome.

Made a few trades during the draft and this is where I currently stand, a couple weeks later. I'm very happy with it so far:

Colin Kaepernick

LeSean McCoy, Trent Richardson, David Wilson, Eddie Lacy, Beanie Wells

Josh Gordon, Cordarelle Patterson, Jon Baldwin, Sidney Rice, Rod Streator

Tyler Eifert, Travis Kelce

I'm under no illusions though, I got a couple of sweet deals worked out to get this all where I wanted it. Things just worked out.

Trade 1:

Darren McFadden, Kenny Britt traded for David Wilson, Josh Gordon, 1.5 (Patterson)

Trade 2:

Vernon Davis traded for 1.6 (Eddie Lacy)

Trade 3:

Matt Ryan traded for Colin Kaepernick

Trade 4:

Miles Austin traded for 2.5 (Tyler Eifert)

And that's that.

 

[kutta]

I think the most undervalued guys in dynasty are the older vets with a few good years left. Guys like Colston, Jennings, Fitz, AP, etc. All these guys have a few good years left, and yet they can be had pretty cheaply (with AP being the exception - maybe). To me, if a guy still has three years left, that's like a lifetime. A LOT can happen in three years. Guys get hurt, they get traded, they have a coaching change, whatever. New rookies come along. The beauty is that we have a rookie draft every year. If you always traded your rookie picks for older studs, you would always have a pretty awesome team.

I like to have a little bit of youth - guys I know will be around awhile. But as a general principle, I'll give you my rookie picks for guys like the ones above any day of the week.

 

[hbkhbk]

It's all about trades and waiver play.

 

[cstu]

Here's a rebuild I did midway through the 2011 season. At the end of the 2011 season my roster looked like this: QB - Stafford, Ponder, MallettRB - Leshoure, R.Williams, Gerhart, McClusterWR - D.Moore, DHB, V. Brown, KerleyTE - Jordan Cameron Roster today: QB - Stafford, Ponder, Manuel, MallettRB - AP, Forte, Gore, Lattimore, Pead, Leshoure, R.WilliamsWR - Fitz, Bowe, Jennings, D.Moore, DHB, Little, Jenkins, S. HillTE - H. Miller, Housler, Fleener, L.Green, Jordan Cameron, T. Thompson Extra future picks - 2 1sts and 5 2nds Still not quite there but rebuilding by stockpiling draft picks is possible.

So you gained AP, Forte, Gore, Fitz, bowe, Jennings and gave up nothing, all within a 1.5 year timespan?

Yeah how does that happen?

I sold everything I could for draft picks...literally anything I could get I took. In the 2012 draft I took Blackmon, Hill, Fleener, Jeffery, Randle, Jenkins, Pead, Hilton and Osweiler. Also got Gordon with using late 2nd and 3rd rounds picks - traded him for Bowe.

I have since traded Blackmon (part of a deal to get AP), Jeffery (future 1st and 2nd), Randle (2014 1st), Hilton (2015 1st) and Osweiler. I got Jennings last year for what ended up being the 1.09 and 2.09 this year.

I had the 1.02 which I traded for Fitz. Gore I got for this year's 2.02 and Forte I had to give up Vincent Brown, my 2014 1st, a 2nd this year.

Wow nice job! It's amazing how much owners value the unknown. Draft picks have value even when your team is horrible. It's definitely a good strategy to use. Seems like as soon as a player had value you're flipping them.

I believe these trades worked out for everybody. In an established league everyone has different needs. For example, the team I got AP and Fitz from didn't need them and could afford to take the risk. In the case of Forte it was a team that just started a rebuild and had no use for him. The key is to recognize who needs what and work with them.

 

[Steed]

One has to ask, who doesn't need Alien Peterson?

 

[cstu]

One has to ask, who doesn't need Alien Peterson?

Someone in a 1 RB league who has Spiller, DMC, Lacy and Bernard.

 

[az_prof]

I have won two trophies in the past four years and took second place the last two years. I rebuilt a team that came in 11th by trading the aging Shaun Alexander for Roddy White (before his explosion) and a 1.5. I took Ray Rice with the 1.5. I already had Drew Brees and Gates and did NOT trade them. I had Marshall from the year before and did NOT trade him. I traded a second round pick and some guy I can't remember now but he was young and promising at the time for Ocho Cinco. Brees, Rice, Bradshaw/Stewart/Michael Bush, Roddy White, Marshall, Ocho, and Gates won me two championships. You don't always have to do a ton to turn a team around. Basically I made one big trade that netted me White and a draft pick that was fortunate to become Rice, and I traded some young stuff for an aging Ocho, who gave me two decent years. Now my team looks like this, after having been in the championship four years in a row:Brees and ManuelRice, Stewart, Bradshaw, and a bunch of garbageMarshall, Cobb (draft with the 1.12), White, Holmes, Sanu, and Hunter (1.11 this year).Witten, Fleener (drafted with 1.11), Gates I have a weakness at RB2, but still a very competitive team in PPR with Flex. My point: you don't always want to be in rebuilding mode and when you have a good team you don't want to be selling off sure pieces for draft picks unless you really can't compete. A few key trades to get you an additional first round pick can be the difference maker, plus a good FA pickup (that's how I got Bradshaw and Marshall).

 

[FUBAR]

One has to ask, who doesn't need Alien Peterson?

Someone in a 1 RB league who has Spiller, DMC, Lacy and Bernard.

One would think that team wouldn't need Lacy our Bernard, or spiller.

 

[cstu]

One has to ask, who doesn't need Alien Peterson?

Someone in a 1 RB league who has Spiller, DMC, Lacy and Bernard.

One would think that team wouldn't need Lacy our Bernard, or spiller.

He won the league, there's a method to his madness.

 

[Patroclus]

Or possibly to acquire the rookie picks and then trade them closer to the draft as their value increases for known, younger players.

This is what I have started doing. Once you know you are out of it and wish to rebuild, trade for picks mid season. Then trade most of those picks later in the March / April pre-draft hype days. I built a contending team in one season doing this (I traded older vets and ended up with three 3 firsts and three seconds - then traded all but the 1.1 and one second - built a nice little team)

Do exactly this. The key is to trade some of those picks for real players once rookie fever hits around the NFL draft.

 

[JPeso]

One has to ask, who doesn't need Alien Peterson?

Someone in a 1 RB league who has Spiller, DMC, Lacy and Bernard.

One would think that team wouldn't need Lacy our Bernard, or spiller.

He won the league, there's a method to his madness.

You're rebuild has been impressive. I've certainly contributed to your ability to compete this year, and that only happened because you successfully picked your spots in the draft.

I think the AP deal certainly works for us both. I was able to deal Blackmon in to Torrey/Maclin and then Maclin/Gresham (before draft) in to Hernandez. Devoid of a true TE1 when Gonzalez retires, I'm quite happy with my net, as you are as well.

ETA - I also dealt cstu Fitzgerald for the 1.2 in 2013.

 

[mlball77]

I like the idea of waiting until near or during your rookie draft to move some of your high picks (assuming you stockpiled a few) for actual players. People defiintely get rookie fever and overpay for picks as they dream of landing the next ADP or AJ Green. And those dreams gain frequency and intensity during the NFL draft and during a typical dynasty draft. That's the time to try to cash in...

Along these lines, if you can be patient with your rebuild, you can probably move your high picks during the current draft for similar picks in a year or two + get some nice other pieces (whether more picks or young, upside players). Example: moving 1.07 for what looks to be a mid first in 2014 + what looks to be a mid second in 2014. --A couple of moves like this and you can reallly add some nice extra pieces to build with... but it'll take a year or two longer.

 

[bostonfred]

Here's a team I rebuilt in a 14 team dynasty league that is filled with tough, experienced owners. Starting roster headed into last season:

Peyton Manning

Alex Smith

Blaine Gabbert

Mark Sanchez

Matt Leinart

David Garrard

Beanie Wells

Tim Hightower

Marion Barber

Jason Snelling

Ryan Torain

Tashard Choice

Thomas Clayton

Chad Ochocinco

Mario Manningham

Brandon Gibson

Eddie Royal

Steve Smith (Phi)

Mike Thomas (Jax)

Brent Celek

Marcedes Lewis

Connor Barth

San Diego Chargers

Oakland Raiders

2012 2nd round pick

3rd pick in the Free Agency draft

This is what I started with. Just a horrendous team. Oh, and for fun, I had traded away my first this year to get Manning - hours before the news broke that Manning's neck wasn't recovering well and it might last into training camp or even bother him during the season. That pick ended up being RGIII. But a year later, I've got a contender after working the waiver wire, making a massive number of trades, and selling off draft picks. I'm going to post the transactions below.

 

[bostonfred]

Rookie Draft: Mohammed Sanu

Free Agency Draft: Randy Moss

Traded Randy Moss for a 2013 third

Traded Peyton Manning and my first (projected 1.1, actually 1.2) for two first round picks (one projected early, one mid; turned out to be 1.1 and 1.3)

Picked up Daryl Richardson off waivers

Traded Daryl Richardson and mid first (actual 1.3) for Marques Colston, Malcolm Floyd

Traded Eddie Royal, my 2nd and my 3rd for Peyton Hillis after he had gotten off to a "slow start"

Traded an early first (turned out to be 1.1) for a late first (turned out to be 1.14) and a still healthy Cedric Benson

Traded Beanie Wells for Donald Brown, a 2nd and a 3rd

Traded Oakland and a 3rd for the Redskins and a 3rd

Picked up Brady Quinn and Matt Hasselbeck off waivers

Traded Donald Brown, Peyton Hillis, Blaine Gabbert, Mohammed Sanu and a late first (actual 1.14) for Chris Johnson, Willis McGahee, Jay Cutler, Nate Washington - This was right after week five, when Chris Johnson had a terrible week, his fourth of the season, with just one good week all year.

Traded Mark Sanchez and the Redskins D for Jerome Simpson, the Panthers D, and a 2013 2nd.

Traded Jay Cutler and a 2013 2nd for Phillip Rivers

Traded Nate Washington, Brent Celek and a 2013 3rd for Jermichael Finley and Lance Moore - This was when there were rumors Finley was in the doghouse and might be cut after the season, and before Moore really took off. Loved this trade.

Picked up Mohammed Sanu off waivers - other owner had already given up on him after I traded him.

Traded Willis McGahee for a late 2013 1st (actual 1.13) - this was with one of the top contenders in the league, and he had been trying to get a starting back all season, but refusing to overpay because he had awesome wr depth and could start a third wr over a rb.

Picked up Jonathan Dwyer off waivers - Owner had dropped him the week before he took on starter carries

Traded Rashad Jennings and a 2nd for Danny Woodhead and a conditional 2013 1st - the latest of three late picks owned by the other guy, turned out to be 1.14.

Traded Dwyer and two late firsts (turned out to be 1.13 and 1.14) for Percy Harvin - This was after the Harvin injury and doghouse rumors

----- offseason ------

Traded my 2014 1st for Tony Romo - This was before the Romo extension, and on the same offseason day that I made the next two trades.

Traded Percy Harvin for Andre Johnson, Steven Jackson, Chase Daniels - This was right after he was traded to Seattle.

Traded Marques Colston for a late 2014 1st and Jacquizz Rodgers - other owner was desperate for WR help, stacked at RB, and had multiple 1sts in the 2013 and 2014 drafts

Traded two third round picks for Brandon LaFell

Traded Mohammed Sanu for DeAngelo Williams

Traded my 2014 2nd for Brandon Pettigrew

Traded Alex Smith for Mike Williams and a 2014 2nd

Traded a late 2014 1st and a 2014 2nd during our rookie draft for the right to acquire Montee Ball

Traded 4.03 for a 2013 3rd

 

[bostonfred]

Net of a year of rebuilding:

QBBeforeeyton Manning, Alex Smith/Gabbert/Garrard/Leinart/Sanchez. After:Romo, Rivers, Chase Daniel, and TebowRBBefore:Beanie, Hightower, Snelling, Tashard Choice, Marion Barber, Ryan Torain and some guy named Thomas Clayton I don't remember owningAfter:Chris Johnson, Steven Jackson/Jacquizz Rodgers, Montee Ball, DeAngelo Williams, Danny Woodhead, LaRod Stephens HowlingWRBefore:Chad Ochocinco, Mario Manningham, Steve Smith (NYG), Eddie Royal, Brandon Gibson, and Mike ThomasAfter:Andre Johnson, Lance Moore, Mike Williams, Malcolm Floyd, Brandon LaFell, Andrew Hawkins, and Jerome Simpson.TEsBefore:Marcedes Lewis, Brent CelekAfter:Jermichael Finley, Brandon PettigrewDSTBefore:San Diego, OaklandAfter:San Diego, CarolinaThere's only one player I had before who you'd prefer to any player currently on my roster, and that's Manning. But he might literally be the only guy from my team last year who will be a fantasy starter this year. Alex Smith is close. Brandon Gibson is on waivers. Beanie is still looking for work. Celek/Marcedes might sneak into a lineup during the season

 

[mjr]

Here's how I typically approach a rebuild:

1) Growing A Spine: The first thing I do when rebuilding a team is to establish a core of durable, productive players who have a few years left in the tank and don't have constant off-field issues. They don't have to be superstars. They don't have to have a total injury free history. They don't have to be saints off the field. But they DO have to be the kind of guys who can play through the smaller injuries, go for long stretches between missing games and can put up decent enough stats week to week. Whatever it takes for me to build that solid backbone into my team is what I'll do, and so I have no preference or order of execution on strategies in this regard. High risk/high reward players, no matter how great they are, are usually my first casualties on a takeover.

2) More Than Skin Deep: Second on the list is depth. I'd rather start off with a hand full of #2 WRs than one stud and a bunch of hopeful lottery tickets. My goal is to have a team that can go through 16 weeks as seamlessly as possible (through the bye weeks, any possible injuries that do arise and so on). Here I'll also look to add guys who I think have a shot at a starting job due to vacancies within the next year or two.

3) A Shot In The Arm: Once I establish a durable, plodding, core of a team that can generate the fantasy points that puts my team above the bottom half of the league fairly consistently, I'll start adding the kind of guys that are less consistent but put up big games now and then, and play them as #3s or as a flex when I feel the desire to.

4) The New Alpha Male: While I never pass up an opportunity along the way to pick up a true #1 guy, this is the phase in my rebuild when gaining a true #1 as a drafted rookie or an unsuspecting waiver wire gem becomes my only focus. This is when I'll start acquiring draft picks and stockpile on rookies/FAs with potential. This is when I look for the next big WR or whatever. Adding true #1 guys at QB, RB and WR above the otherwise already solid team I've built is the jolt that puts my team over the top and makes it the every year contender for the trophy that I want it to be.

I've applied this process to a 1-12 team I took over 2 years ago and I've already transformed it into a playoff team while only getting started on phase 4 last year with the addition of Luck to my QB stable. I feel all I need now is a Doug Martin or an AJ Green to push my team into the yearly championship run.

 

[cstu]

Traded Peyton Manning and my first (projected 1.1, actually 1.2) for two first round picks (one projected early, one mid; turned out to be 1.1 and 1.3)

Picked up Daryl Richardson off waivers

Traded Daryl Richardson and mid first (actual 1.3) for Marques Colston, Malcolm Floyd

Traded Eddie Royal, my 2nd and my 3rd for Peyton Hillis after he had gotten off to a "slow start"

Traded an early first (turned out to be 1.1) for a late first (turned out to be 1.14) and a still healthy Cedric Benson

The Peyton trade is great but the last 3 trades are where I see people consistently go wrong rebuilding. If you know you're going to be bad, just accept it and focus on the following year. You would have had the 1.1, 1.3, 1.14, a 2nd, a 3rd and Richardson instead of Colston, Floyd, Hillis and Benson.

 

[bostonfred]

Traded Peyton Manning and my first (projected 1.1, actually 1.2) for two first round picks (one projected early, one mid; turned out to be 1.1 and 1.3)

Picked up Daryl Richardson off waivers

Traded Daryl Richardson and mid first (actual 1.3) for Marques Colston, Malcolm Floyd

Traded Eddie Royal, my 2nd and my 3rd for Peyton Hillis after he had gotten off to a "slow start"

Traded an early first (turned out to be 1.1) for a late first (turned out to be 1.14) and a still healthy Cedric Benson

The Peyton trade is great but the last 3 trades are where I see people consistently go wrong rebuilding. If you know you're going to be bad, just accept it and focus on the following year. You would have had the 1.1, 1.3, 1.14, a 2nd, a 3rd and Richardson instead of Colston, Floyd, Hillis and Benson.

I really disagree with that. The biggest mistake I think people make when rebuilding is that they put all their eggs in the draft basket, then have to pray that their guys stay healthy and are still good by the time they acquire some other starters to go with them.

As long as your league has active traders, I think the right move is to trade one guy for three, trade down from your likely 1.1 and try to get more capital, then keep flipping. Sure, Benson was a bad fit for my team, and I never got to flip him. And that trade really hurt, because I gave up 1.1 for 1.14 to get a guy who ended up getting hurt a week later. Oh well. That's the cost of doing business in the flipping game.

If I'd gone the way you suggested, I wouldn't have gotten McGahee, because he was a bad fit for my team. But I flipped him for a first, which I used to acquire Percy Harvin. And I got him as part of a deal that netted me Chris Johnson, and the guy I traded for Rivers, and the guy I traded for Finley and Lance Moore. (You might not love those players - and that's why they were available to begin with - but I'm getting great offers for them now, which means I can still flip them for something else I want if I'm so inclined.)

You might also say that I should have had 1.1 and 1.3, and that I should be able to trade those picks for more than I got after all my trades. But that was a big gamble. Neither of those teams was expected to end up 1.1. I was. And I would have had it, too, if I hadn't been so active in the trade market. So maybe I end up with 1.2 and 1.3, and now I end up taking Montee Ball - who I got anyway - and maybe Bell or Lacy. And then I pray that those guys stay healthy long enough for me to make a run. Four years later, I've paid four entry fees for a high risk rebuild and a three or four year window to try to make some money back. No thanks.

Similarly, I flipped Colston for jacquizz Rodgers and a 2014 first, and traded that 2014 first a 2014 second to get Montee Ball, who I would have taken at 1.3 (or at 1.1, honestly - I'm very high on him). So while that trade was another one that looks worse once we know how the picks lay out, I basically traded Richardson and a 2014 second for Jacquizz and Floyd. I'm not even sure that's a mistake, since I have SJax to go with Jacquizz, and I don't have any interest in Richardson.

If you're not going to be as active flipping players - or if your leaguemates aren't frequent traders - then I totally agree. But I think people make a huge mistake when they rebuild by sitting on their butts, hoping their picks work out, and paying entry fee after entry fee waiting for that big 2016 season they hope to have. I took over a crappy team, I put all my eggs into one basket and the guy got hurt, and then I changed my whole outlook on this thing. Now my goal is to compete every year, and if I can't compete, to use my early waiver position and the perception that my draft picks are worth more to make as many deals as possible to rebuild as quickly as possible and compete the next year. YMMV.

 

[FUBAR]

Traded Peyton Manning and my first (projected 1.1, actually 1.2) for two first round picks (one projected early, one mid; turned out to be 1.1 and 1.3)

Picked up Daryl Richardson off waivers

Traded Daryl Richardson and mid first (actual 1.3) for Marques Colston, Malcolm Floyd

Traded Eddie Royal, my 2nd and my 3rd for Peyton Hillis after he had gotten off to a "slow start"

Traded an early first (turned out to be 1.1) for a late first (turned out to be 1.14) and a still healthy Cedric Benson

The Peyton trade is great but the last 3 trades are where I see people consistently go wrong rebuilding. If you know you're going to be bad, just accept it and focus on the following year. You would have had the 1.1, 1.3, 1.14, a 2nd, a 3rd and Richardson instead of Colston, Floyd, Hillis and Benson.

I really disagree with that. The biggest mistake I think people make when rebuilding is that they put all their eggs in the draft basket, then have to pray that their guys stay healthy and are still good by the time they acquire some other starters to go with them.

As long as your league has active traders, I think the right move is to trade one guy for three, trade down from your likely 1.1 and try to get more capital, then keep flipping. Sure, Benson was a bad fit for my team, and I never got to flip him. And that trade really hurt, because I gave up 1.1 for 1.14 to get a guy who ended up getting hurt a week later. Oh well. That's the cost of doing business in the flipping game.

If I'd gone the way you suggested, I wouldn't have gotten McGahee, because he was a bad fit for my team. But I flipped him for a first, which I used to acquire Percy Harvin. And I got him as part of a deal that netted me Chris Johnson, and the guy I traded for Rivers, and the guy I traded for Finley and Lance Moore. (You might not love those players - and that's why they were available to begin with - but I'm getting great offers for them now, which means I can still flip them for something else I want if I'm so inclined.)

You might also say that I should have had 1.1 and 1.3, and that I should be able to trade those picks for more than I got after all my trades. But that was a big gamble. Neither of those teams was expected to end up 1.1. I was. And I would have had it, too, if I hadn't been so active in the trade market. So maybe I end up with 1.2 and 1.3, and now I end up taking Montee Ball - who I got anyway - and maybe Bell or Lacy. And then I pray that those guys stay healthy long enough for me to make a run. Four years later, I've paid four entry fees for a high risk rebuild and a three or four year window to try to make some money back. No thanks.

Similarly, I flipped Colston for jacquizz Rodgers and a 2014 first, and traded that 2014 first a 2014 second to get Montee Ball, who I would have taken at 1.3 (or at 1.1, honestly - I'm very high on him). So while that trade was another one that looks worse once we know how the picks lay out, I basically traded Richardson and a 2014 second for Jacquizz and Floyd. I'm not even sure that's a mistake, since I have SJax to go with Jacquizz, and I don't have any interest in Richardson.

If you're not going to be as active flipping players - or if your leaguemates aren't frequent traders - then I totally agree. But I think people make a huge mistake when they rebuild by sitting on their butts, hoping their picks work out, and paying entry fee after entry fee waiting for that big 2016 season they hope to have. I took over a crappy team, I put all my eggs into one basket and the guy got hurt, and then I changed my whole outlook on this thing. Now my goal is to compete every year, and if I can't compete, to use my early waiver position and the perception that my draft picks are worth more to make as many deals as possible to rebuild as quickly as possible and compete the next year. YMMV.

I really don't get how any team would trade two 1sts for a 30 year old RB. He was doing alright but wasn't worth it even if he had stayed healthy.

 

[bostonfred]

I really don't get how any team would trade two 1sts for a 30 year old RB. He was doing alright but wasn't worth it even if he had stayed healthy.

One trade was a 2013 first for a less valuable 2013 first plus benson.The other trade was a late first for mcgahee. In a fourteen team league, that's about right.

 

[cstu]

I really don't get how any team would trade two 1sts for a 30 year old RB. He was doing alright but wasn't worth it even if he had stayed healthy.

One trade was a 2013 first for a less valuable 2013 first plus benson.The other trade was a late first for mcgahee.In a fourteen team league, that's about right.

The key is to know your league and you apparently do. The owners in my leagues value picks much higher and prior to the draft you can acquire very good players with them, especially the high picks.

 

[bostonfred]

thats the key to flipping, imo. Two years ago at the start of the season, michael turner went for a second round pick. Mcgahee wasnt drawing any first round offers early in the season, either. But he was totally worth a first rounder to a rb needy contender when he was a legit rb1. Remember that backs are more scarce and late firsts are less valuable in a fourteen teamer than a twelve.

Similarly, the market for qbs in our league is fairly well established. Any starting qb - even a short term play like hasselbeck or sanchez - is worth a second round pick. A qb with upside is worth more. This league is qb heavy - 6 point tds, but -3 for turnovers - so the top qbs don't move much. The brady owner wanted romo, a first, an early 2013 2nd, and finley. And I considered it, even at his age.

Tight ends seem to be worth about a second, if they're starters. The good ones are worth an early second, and the gronk/graham/hernandez owners have all said they are untouchable.

No defense has gone for less than a second rounder, and they rarely if ever get traded without another defense being swapped back. Everybody has two ds except the four teams who have three.

receivers are a lot trickier, and I rarely try to trade for one. Opinions are just all over the map. But because of that, they are very flippable.

Of course, all of these prices assume that you're working with a motivated seller. If you want to buy a guys best running back, you almost definitely have to overpay, unless you want to wait until they give up on this year. Then the old rb market softens a bit, but t the same time, any rb needy contenders will be willing to overpay a little. That's how I got a first for mcgahee. If you're selling, work the phones. You need a market if you want a good price.

The other thing I think helps is to offer what people want. Conventional dynasty league wisdom is to trade your picks as close to the draft as possible. I think you can get good deals by trading picks at the end of the season, because the guys who want picks are trying to buy low.

 

[BC3]

I took over an orphaned team in a 16 team IDP contract league this year. We have an Restricted Free Agent period that allows you to bid on other teams RFA's. The team I took over had the most money in the league and no notable Free Agents to protect so I started by going after a few names like Jamaal Charles, Derrick Johnson, and Larry Fitzgerald. I soon realized that to get one of those guys I would have to break the bank and one player is not going to help me win in next 3 years. So I decided to use my money to buy picks during a time when owners are looking for more money. I had 1.04 going in and when RFA was over I had 1.03, 1.04, 1.06, 1.07, 1.10, 1.15 and bought low on Greg Jennings.

Instead of breaking bank on one or two proven guys I was able to acquire Gio Bernard, Cordarrelle Patterson, Keenan Allen, Markus Wheaton, Arthur Brown, and Zac Stacy.

Also acquiring future picks during the current draft can open things up next year. I am entering the 3rd season in a 32 team IDP Contract Rebuild. The first 2 seasons I had upwards of 25 total picks. Going in to this offseason I realized I have a chance to make a run and I had 15 picks so I decided to flip those picks and some of the prospects I had acquired to rebuilding teams to acquire Randall Cobb, Kyle Rudolph, Karlos Dansby, Malcolm Jenkins, Yeremiah Bell, Greg Toler, Lorenzo Alexander, Kamerion Wimbley, and Mike Goodson. My DTS is still stocked full of talent and I have 10 picks next year.

 

[TheFanatic]

I am in year two of a rebuilding session. I have done a combo of draft stockpiling, trades, and FA signings.

I traded Cam Newton after his rookie season for Rodgers and Crabtree

I picked up Cecil Shorts off the WW

I drafted Michael Floyd and David Wilson at 1.4 and 1.7 last year

I traded Wilson for Morris and Flacco this offseason.

Before the tradiing deadling last year I traded Daryl Richardson and Colston for two first rounders that became Bell and Eiffert

I had another 1st rounder (1.1) that I picked Austin and with my 2.1 I took Robert Woods.

So last year I was starting guys like Droughns at RB

This year my starting team looks like:

Rodgers

Morris

Bell

Danario Alexander

Crabtree

Shorts

(by the time DX gets injured, hopefully guys like Austin, Floyd, and maybe even Sanders will be contributing solid numbers)

And someone from these guys at TE:

Celek, Kendricks, Effert, F. Davis

I still have a way to go here. If Bell and Austin are busts, I'm right back at the rebuilding. I feel I will be competitive this year. Maybe even make the playoffs, but not counting on the latter at all just yet.

 

[cstu]

I still have a way to go here. If Bell and Austin are busts, I'm right back at the rebuilding. I feel I will be competitive this year. Maybe even make the playoffs, but not counting on the latter at all just yet.

I'd forgotten that your team was nearly as bad as mine at the end of 2011. It's rather impressive that we can both mention 'playoffs' and not burst out laughing so soon.

 

[cstu]

Here's a rebuild I did midway through the 2011 season. At the end of the 2011 season my roster looked like this:

QB - Stafford, Ponder, Mallett

RB - Leshoure, R.Williams, Gerhart, McCluster

WR - D.Moore, DHB, V. Brown, Kerley

TE - Jordan Cameron

Roster today:

QB - Stafford, Ponder, Manuel, Mallett

RB - AP, Forte, Gore, Lattimore, Pead, Leshoure, R.Williams

WR - Fitz, Bowe, Jennings, D.Moore, DHB, Little, Jenkins, S. Hill

TE - H. Miller, Housler, Fleener, L.Green, Jordan Cameron, T. Thompson

Extra future picks - 2 1sts and 5 2nds

Still not quite there but rebuilding by stockpiling draft picks is possible.

Roster now:

QB - Rodgers, Manuel, Mallett

RB - AP, Forte, Foster, Gore, Bolden, Cierre Wood, Khiry Robinson, Leshoure

WR - Nelson, Fitz, Bowe, James Jones, Stephen Hill, Boykin, Posey, Little

TE - Cameron, Housler, Fleener, L.Green, T. Thompson

Extra future picks - 2 1sts and 2 2nds

 

[valhallan]

So cstu, how does one acquire a bunch of studs and future firsts without giving up any studs or firsts? You had to trade for AP, Gore, Forte, Fitz, Bowe, and Jennings to assemble that May 2013 roster. Similarly you must have smoked someone for Foster recently. I hate to be that guy, but on the surface this looks like a league of horrible owners.

 

[madd futher]

Here's my opinion after trying several approachs. If your team is in 'rebuild mode' and hopefully that will be never - stockpiling rookie 1st round picks is definitely NOT the way to go. For that to work, you have to get very lucky. If you are talking about keeping a contending dynasty team competitive for the long term, and you can stockpile rookies while still being competitive, yes then you've got a winning formula and perhaps an easy league.

In the only dynasty league where I'm in first place with highest fantasy points (PPR), my reliable starters are almost identical to last year - where i was top regular season point finisher and lost in the semi-finals: Peyton Manning, Forte, Gore, Sproles, Boldin, Wayne, Welker, and Daniels. For RB depth, I have M Bush, M Reece, McGahee, and Woodhead in addition to Bolden and Dunbar. WR depth includes Amendola, D Moore, Wheaton and Deonte Thompson, with Charles Clay as my other TE.

Oh yes, I traded Jonathan Franklin to get Danny Woodhead. Some of the other owners annually laugh at my teams before the season starts, but the last laugh is usually mine.

 

[RenegadeGM]

Net of a year of rebuilding:

QB Before: Peyton Manning, Alex Smith/Gabbert/Garrard/Leinart/Sanchez. After: Romo, Rivers, Chase Daniel, and Tebow RB Before: Beanie, Hightower, Snelling, Tashard Choice, Marion Barber, Ryan Torain and some guy named Thomas Clayton I don't remember owning After: Chris Johnson, Steven Jackson/Jacquizz Rodgers, Montee Ball, DeAngelo Williams, Danny Woodhead, LaRod Stephens Howling WR Before: Chad Ochocinco, Mario Manningham, Steve Smith (NYG), Eddie Royal, Brandon Gibson, and Mike Thomas After: Andre Johnson, Lance Moore, Mike Williams, Malcolm Floyd, Brandon LaFell, Andrew Hawkins, and Jerome Simpson. TEs Before: Marcedes Lewis, Brent Celek After: Jermichael Finley, Brandon Pettigrew DST Before: San Diego, Oakland After: San Diego, Carolina There's only one player I had before who you'd prefer to any player currently on my roster, and that's Manning. But he might literally be the only guy from my team last year who will be a fantasy starter this year. Alex Smith is close. Brandon Gibson is on waivers. Beanie is still looking for work. Celek/Marcedes might sneak into a lineup during the season

Is this a team you took over? If so, where at? It looks vaguely familiar... not to a team of mine, but one that changed hands in a league I was in.

 

[cstu]

So cstu, how does one acquire a bunch of studs and future firsts without giving up any studs or firsts? You had to trade for AP, Gore, Forte, Fitz, Bowe, and Jennings to assemble that May 2013 roster. Similarly you must have smoked someone for Foster recently. I hate to be that guy, but on the surface this looks like a league of horrible owners.

It's a 1 RB required league and running backs over 27 are treated like herpes. If you are willing to trade 1st++ for older RB's they can usually be acquired cheaply.

BTW, this is a league of FBG's who are staff and very well known posters.

FWIW, one of the guys in the league (JPESO) was blasted for trading me Fitzgerald before the season in exchange for the 1.02. That pick turned out to be Bernard and I don't think anyone is questioning it now.

 

[valhallan]

1 RB required makes more sense. I actually think more leagues should be like that to prevent them from being RB crazy. Nice work.

 

[ghostguy123]

Every league will have a different "best way to build". With small rosters you cant just go after a ton of picks, cause you can't roster most of them while they are developing, and by the time any of them do develop, chances are you dropped them by then.

However, in a league with large rosters and big taxi squads, ABSOLUTELY getting a ton of picks is the way to go.

You just have to make sure you actually get good enough value on those trades. Some people don't differentiate between future 1sts, and think ANY future 1st is equal to any other future 1st.................pretty sure anyone with any sense realizes why that is not accurate.

Let's put it this way, I do feel each type of league has a "best" way to rebuild, but only a GOOD owner is going to be able to pull it off anyway.