Three ways to ruin a good dynasty team (1 Viewer)

[JohnnyU]

1) Addiction to trading. Yes, we want to continue improving our team, but I've seen many great dynasty teams turn to mush in 3 years because the owner cannot stop trading. Even those who are great traders and have excellent knowledge of FF can ruin dynasty teams because of their trade addiction. Some would argue against the "if it isn't broke, don't fix it", and I for one agree somewhat that you should always look to improve your team, but some owners take it to the next level, and with that next level comes greater risk, especially if you already have a great team.

2) Always playing for now by trading draft picks. That can sure backfire on you in a dynasty league if the players you traded for don't pan out. Trying to regain those picks later with players that don't carry the value they once did can make rebuilding very tough. Letting your team get old without having replacements is devastating to a dynasty team. By the way, I'm sure most of you already know this.

3) Probably the most important thing in dynasty leagues is the ability to buy / sell a player at the right time. I know this isn't news to any of you guru's out there, but it's a fact. It's also the toughest element in fantasy sports IMO, and it's also the most rewarding when you make the right decisions. You can turn around a bad franchise in a hurry with a few great moves. You can also ruin a great franchise in a hurry with a few bad ones (see #1 Addiction to trading).

 

[fruity pebbles]

Disagree with the first one. Agree with the second and third. Nothing wrong with trading if you're getting good value in your trades. The new players can just as easily excel or fail as the ones you traded away. Don't see how trading a lot is any more risky. I've seen some huge teams built through a lot of trading.

 

[JohnnyU]

Disagree with the first one. Agree with the second and third. Nothing wrong with trading if you're getting good value in your trades. The new players can just as easily excel or fail as the ones you traded away. Don't see how trading a lot is any more risky. I've seen some huge teams built through a lot of trading.

At some point you have to know that your team is good enough to win it all, and by constantly trading, you are putting your team at greater risk for failure because of the number of parts being changed constantly. Not all of your trade decisions are going to be as great as the previous one, so that in itself puts your team at greater risk.Edited to include: I'm just saying that constantly changing parts increase your risk for failure if you are trading more for the thrill of the deal, rather than helping your team.

 

[Loomba]

I actually think FP and Johnny are in agreement with respect to #1. Good value in trading is what it is all about. If you can do a lot of trades where you get good value and improve your team, wonderful. The problem that Johnny is identifying are the owners that feel the need to always be working on a deal.

Johnny is right in that you should always be looking to improve your team (i.e. be opportunistic) but you should NOT always be trading. Sometimes the best deal you can do is the one that you don't do.

I too have seen a lot of good teams, keeper, yearly and otherwise, ruined by an owner that trades for thrill of the deal. That is just dumb in the end.

 

[kupcho1]

At some point you have to know that your team is good enough to win it all, and by constantly trading, you are putting your team at greater risk for failure because of the number of parts being changed constantly.

Are you inferring that there's some sort of fantasy team chemistry that's being disrupted? "Parts being changed constantly" is irrelevant and has no bearing whatsoever on how your fantasy team does. Trades you make, or who is on your roster, has nothing to do with on-field performance.

 

[JohnnyU]

At some point you have to know that your team is good enough to win it all, and by constantly trading, you are putting your team at greater risk for failure because of the number of parts being changed constantly.

Are you inferring that there's some sort of fantasy team chemistry that's being disrupted? "Parts being changed constantly" is irrelevant and has no bearing whatsoever on how your fantasy team does. Trades you make, or who is on your roster, has nothing to do with on-field performance.

Maybe I didn't do a good job explaining this, and Loomba said it best, when he said "I too have seen a lot of good teams, keeper, yearly and otherwise, ruined by an owner that trades for thrill of the deal. That is just dumb in the end.". Yes, if you are getting great value, or you need the deal to help your team, then explore the trade, but some people trade for the sake of trading more than helping their team. I'm just saying that constantly changing parts increase your risk for failure if you are trading more for the thrill of the deal, rather than helping your team.

 

[thayman]

Disagree with the first one. Agree with the second and third. Nothing wrong with trading if you're getting good value in your trades. The new players can just as easily excel or fail as the ones you traded away. Don't see how trading a lot is any more risky. I've seen some huge teams built through a lot of trading.

At some point you have to know that your team is good enough to win it all, and by constantly trading, you are putting your team at greater risk for failure because of the number of parts being changed constantly. Not all of your trade decisions are going to be as great as the previous one, so that in itself puts your team at greater risk.Edited to include: I'm just saying that constantly changing parts increase your risk for failure if you are trading more for the thrill of the deal, rather than helping your team.

I agree with your edit. Once my team gets to a certain point I only draft if it's a improvement, my general philosophy is to get insane depth at QB, RB, WR, then make some moves over the past few weeks to make upgrades with the panicking owners.

 

[Killerclown]

How about not trading enough, for example your in last place and get a great offer for Fred Taylor that would help you rebuild and instead you hold onto to him until he retires. Just an example.

 

[Bizkiteer]

1) Addiction to trading. Yes, we want to continue improving our team, but I've seen many great dynasty teams turn to mush in 3 years because the owner cannot stop trading. Even those who are great traders and have excellent knowledge of FF can ruin dynasty teams because of their trade addiction. Some would argue against the "if it isn't broke, don't fix it", and I for one agree somewhat that you should always look to improve your team, but some owners take it to the next level, and with that next level comes greater risk, especially if you already have a great team.

2) Always playing for now by trading draft picks. That can sure backfire on you in a dynasty league if the players you traded for don't pan out. Trying to regain those picks later with players that don't carry the value they once did can make rebuilding very tough. Letting your team get old without having replacements is devastating to a dynasty team. By the way, I'm sure most of you already know this.

3) Probably the most important thing in dynasty leagues is the ability to buy / sell a player at the right time. I know this isn't news to any of you guru's out there, but it's a fact. It's also the toughest element in fantasy sports IMO, and it's also the most rewarding when you make the right decisions. You can turn around a bad franchise in a hurry with a few great moves. You can also ruin a great franchise in a hurry with a few bad ones (see #1 Addiction to trading).

Johnny,I think what you said is very general and kind of reminds me of a horoscope, where it can be applied to almost anyone in some sort of way. Though it all makes a lot of sense and trades can hurt you as much as help I think the blanket approach you are using can't be applied throughout. I think trading draft picks can be good if done right. If you know your team will finish in the lower 1st round, then why not trade that 1st for something that is proven rather than a project that might not even start...ever. Trading picks si smart move if you are on the edge of making a serious run and already are in the upper tier in the league, if you use it right...you could get that player or two that pushes you over the edge or get the depth in case of injury during the playoffs. ANother thought that depth wors incase you have some players that sit out in the final weeks (FF playoffs). I think not always selling high/buy low is as important, but more identify the needs and be realistic with the other owners. In dynasty, each team usually has a hole or two somewhere on their roster. Take a position that you have great depth in and sell to get a player that you need to fill a hole in. This works really well for me because generally they really need what you are selling to them because in dynasty owners hold their players much more than redraft. I am a trading crazed owner and in over 7 yrs of one full IDP roster of 14 team dynasty, I've made the playoffs every year except the first year. I also made the finals two years in a row and won the championship. I'm also atop the standing this year. I think you just have to be a smarter trader in dynasty to keep you at the top. Matter of fact, I've only had a 1st round pick in 3 of those years. Depth is very important because if you have an injury, you don't have to go sell the farm to get a replacement. I have seen more knee jerk trades because of injury, which is not good in the long run.

 

[Sigfawn]

1) Addiction to trading. Yes, we want to continue improving our team, but I've seen many great dynasty teams turn to mush in 3 years because the owner cannot stop trading. Even those who are great traders and have excellent knowledge of FF can ruin dynasty teams because of their trade addiction. Some would argue against the "if it isn't broke, don't fix it", and I for one agree somewhat that you should always look to improve your team, but some owners take it to the next level, and with that next level comes greater risk, especially if you already have a great team.

2) Always playing for now by trading draft picks. That can sure backfire on you in a dynasty league if the players you traded for don't pan out. Trying to regain those picks later with players that don't carry the value they once did can make rebuilding very tough. Letting your team get old without having replacements is devastating to a dynasty team. By the way, I'm sure most of you already know this.

3) Probably the most important thing in dynasty leagues is the ability to buy / sell a player at the right time. I know this isn't news to any of you guru's out there, but it's a fact. It's also the toughest element in fantasy sports IMO, and it's also the most rewarding when you make the right decisions. You can turn around a bad franchise in a hurry with a few great moves. You can also ruin a great franchise in a hurry with a few bad ones (see #1 Addiction to trading).

Sounds like you're talking about how to manage your retirement fund. People should just have fun. So a stacked team, could make 0 trades over 3 years, have success, but not enjoy it as much? It's not work. Part of the fun is ditching guys, getting new guys, playing GM. That's like saying, "Okay for this round of golf, no driver. You play 2-3 irons off the tee, always lay up, limit your mistakes". Sure your score *might* be a little better, but you won't enjoy it. This isn't the NFL, and you're not on the PGA. Hitting driver is FUN. Does it sometimes hurt your score? Do you sometimes end up in the water? Sure. Don't ever be scared to go for the hole because you might get laughed at. People live in fear far too much in this world. Live it up, you'll be dead within 30 years.

I'd encourage people to have fun, enjoy all the parts of dynasty. Trade up, trade down, swap studs, take some gambles. If that's what you enjoy, go nuts. The whole fear of "ruining your team" has pretty much "ruined" a lot of good leagues. Everyone is scared to look stupid. So you draft, then submit lineups for 16 weeks. Wow fun.

I realize you're not saying don't trade. I more disagree with the "be scared" theme of the post. This is a game. It's a hobby. Have fun. Don't ever be "scared" in FF. I know FF owners who lose sleep over trades/picks. Let the stress go. Go ballz to the wall. The worst thing that can happen, is you're the butt of a few inside jokes.

 

[JohnnyU]

1) Addiction to trading. Yes, we want to continue improving our team, but I've seen many great dynasty teams turn to mush in 3 years because the owner cannot stop trading. Even those who are great traders and have excellent knowledge of FF can ruin dynasty teams because of their trade addiction. Some would argue against the "if it isn't broke, don't fix it", and I for one agree somewhat that you should always look to improve your team, but some owners take it to the next level, and with that next level comes greater risk, especially if you already have a great team.

2) Always playing for now by trading draft picks. That can sure backfire on you in a dynasty league if the players you traded for don't pan out. Trying to regain those picks later with players that don't carry the value they once did can make rebuilding very tough. Letting your team get old without having replacements is devastating to a dynasty team. By the way, I'm sure most of you already know this.

3) Probably the most important thing in dynasty leagues is the ability to buy / sell a player at the right time. I know this isn't news to any of you guru's out there, but it's a fact. It's also the toughest element in fantasy sports IMO, and it's also the most rewarding when you make the right decisions. You can turn around a bad franchise in a hurry with a few great moves. You can also ruin a great franchise in a hurry with a few bad ones (see #1 Addiction to trading).

Sounds like you're talking about how to manage your retirement fund. People should just have fun. So a stacked team, could make 0 trades over 3 years, have success, but not enjoy it as much? It's not work. Part of the fun is ditching guys, getting new guys, playing GM. That's like saying, "Okay for this round of golf, no driver. You play 2-3 irons off the tee, always lay up, limit your mistakes". Sure your score *might* be a little better, but you won't enjoy it. This isn't the NFL, and you're not on the PGA. Hitting driver is FUN. Does it sometimes hurt your score? Do you sometimes end up in the water? Sure. Don't ever be scared to go for the hole because you might get laughed at. People live in fear far too much in this world. Live it up, you'll be dead within 30 years.

I'd encourage people to have fun, enjoy all the parts of dynasty. Trade up, trade down, swap studs, take some gambles. If that's what you enjoy, go nuts. The whole fear of "ruining your team" has pretty much "ruined" a lot of good leagues. Everyone is scared to look stupid. So you draft, then submit lineups for 16 weeks. Wow fun.

I realize you're not saying don't trade. I more disagree with the "be scared" theme of the post. This is a game. It's a hobby. Have fun. Don't ever be "scared" in FF. I know FF owners who lose sleep over trades/picks. Let the stress go. Go ballz to the wall. The worst thing that can happen, is you're the butt of a few inside jokes.

While true that lack of trading is also bad, I prefer smart trading over the need for trading based upon nothing but boredom. I'm just saying there is a difference between those who trade based upon opportunity and need, than those who trade to feed an addiction.

 

[JohnnyU]

How about not trading enough, for example your in last place and get a great offer for Fred Taylor that would help you rebuild and instead you hold onto to him until he retires. Just an example.

I agree 100%

 

[Two Deep]

I actually think FP and Johnny are in agreement with respect to #1. Good value in trading is what it is all about. If you can do a lot of trades where you get good value and improve your team, wonderful. The problem that Johnny is identifying are the owners that feel the need to always be working on a deal.

Johnny is right in that you should always be looking to improve your team (i.e. be opportunistic) but you should NOT always be trading. Sometimes the best deal you can do is the one that you don't do.I too have seen a lot of good teams, keeper, yearly and otherwise, ruined by an owner that trades for thrill of the deal. That is just dumb in the end.

"Sometimes your best move is your nonmove" is one of my motto's

 

[Two Deep]

1) Addiction to trading. Yes, we want to continue improving our team, but I've seen many great dynasty teams turn to mush in 3 years because the owner cannot stop trading. Even those who are great traders and have excellent knowledge of FF can ruin dynasty teams because of their trade addiction. Some would argue against the "if it isn't broke, don't fix it", and I for one agree somewhat that you should always look to improve your team, but some owners take it to the next level, and with that next level comes greater risk, especially if you already have a great team.

2) Always playing for now by trading draft picks. That can sure backfire on you in a dynasty league if the players you traded for don't pan out. Trying to regain those picks later with players that don't carry the value they once did can make rebuilding very tough. Letting your team get old without having replacements is devastating to a dynasty team. By the way, I'm sure most of you already know this.

3) Probably the most important thing in dynasty leagues is the ability to buy / sell a player at the right time. I know this isn't news to any of you guru's out there, but it's a fact. It's also the toughest element in fantasy sports IMO, and it's also the most rewarding when you make the right decisions. You can turn around a bad franchise in a hurry with a few great moves. You can also ruin a great franchise in a hurry with a few bad ones (see #1 Addiction to trading).

Sounds like you're talking about how to manage your retirement fund. People should just have fun. So a stacked team, could make 0 trades over 3 years, have success, but not enjoy it as much? It's not work. Part of the fun is ditching guys, getting new guys, playing GM. That's like saying, "Okay for this round of golf, no driver. You play 2-3 irons off the tee, always lay up, limit your mistakes". Sure your score *might* be a little better, but you won't enjoy it. This isn't the NFL, and you're not on the PGA. Hitting driver is FUN. Does it sometimes hurt your score? Do you sometimes end up in the water? Sure. Don't ever be scared to go for the hole because you might get laughed at. People live in fear far too much in this world. Live it up, you'll be dead within 30 years.

I'd encourage people to have fun, enjoy all the parts of dynasty. Trade up, trade down, swap studs, take some gambles. If that's what you enjoy, go nuts. The whole fear of "ruining your team" has pretty much "ruined" a lot of good leagues. Everyone is scared to look stupid. So you draft, then submit lineups for 16 weeks. Wow fun.

I realize you're not saying don't trade. I more disagree with the "be scared" theme of the post. This is a game. It's a hobby. Have fun. Don't ever be "scared" in FF. I know FF owners who lose sleep over trades/picks. Let the stress go. Go ballz to the wall. The worst thing that can happen, is you're the butt of a few inside jokes.

The worst thing that can happen is that you lose and I don't like to lose. As far as having fun there is nothing more fun than winning. I haven't seen many happy losers.

 

[TheFanatic]

Disagree with the first one. Agree with the second and third. Nothing wrong with trading if you're getting good value in your trades. The new players can just as easily excel or fail as the ones you traded away. Don't see how trading a lot is any more risky. I've seen some huge teams built through a lot of trading.

I think you are missing the point. Got a guy in my main Dynasty League that gets all edgy and twitchy if he hasn't made a trade in a while. Particularly in the offseason. He's always making trades on wildly speculative conjecture. Coupld of years ago the hot rumor was that Alexander was going to sign elsewhere and that Travis Henry would wind up in Seattle. He traded Steve Smith straight up for Henry. Henry didn't do squat (was even suspended the first 4 games) and Smith tore it up. The guy did win the SB a few years ago but sneaked into the playoffs with a 6-7-1 record because that division was so bad. But he hasn't had a winning season in probably 5 years. Which will likely go to 6 as he is 2-5 this year.

On the flip side of this, I think there is another fatal flaw in Dynasty Leagues. That is not trading at all. Or trading very little in the vain hope that some diamond in the rough will ever become the next breakout player. There are owners that just aren't susceptible to trade talks. Either they have to rape the other owner to make a trade or they just don't do it because they feel that their players are way too valuable.

Another fatal flaw is the rebuilder. I'm in two Dynasty leagues and have a guy in each that is a consumate rebuilder. Doesn't just want to win a championship. Wants to win it all for like 10 years. Will constantly trade proven talent for the next Reggie Bush/Bo Jackson/Ki'Jana Carter/Ricky Williams etc. They will trade a Westbrook or a Tiki for one of these guys in their rookie season or a bunch of first rounders to draft one of these unproven commodoties. And before any of these guys develops into a player the owner falls in love with the next guy coming out of college and dumps the player for the new flavor of the month.

And one final flaw. This is a little more obscure because I don't know a ton of guys that are in salary cap leagues. But that flaw is to worry about the cap too much. In my salary cap league there are ways to move money around and get around the current year cap but it usually comes at a cost out of next year's cap. Moving money into next year cost 25 cents on the dollar. Move a million into next year. Your $32 million cap goes down $250K for next year. There is a guy this year with a $24 million cap because he moved so much money. There is also 1 guy that has never made the playoffs in 7 years. And he has never pushed money back to go after that top flight player. He looks to be primed to make the playoffs this year but he has never made it since the inception of the league in 2000.

 

[JohnnyU]

Disagree with the first one. Agree with the second and third. Nothing wrong with trading if you're getting good value in your trades. The new players can just as easily excel or fail as the ones you traded away. Don't see how trading a lot is any more risky. I've seen some huge teams built through a lot of trading.

I think you are missing the point. Got a guy in my main Dynasty League that gets all edgy and twitchy if he hasn't made a trade in a while. Particularly in the offseason. He's always making trades on wildly speculative conjecture. Coupld of years ago the hot rumor was that Alexander was going to sign elsewhere and that Travis Henry would wind up in Seattle. He traded Steve Smith straight up for Henry. Henry didn't do squat (was even suspended the first 4 games) and Smith tore it up. The guy did win the SB a few years ago but sneaked into the playoffs with a 6-7-1 record because that division was so bad. But he hasn't had a winning season in probably 5 years. Which will likely go to 6 as he is 2-5 this year.

On the flip side of this, I think there is another fatal flaw in Dynasty Leagues. That is not trading at all. Or trading very little in the vain hope that some diamond in the rough will ever become the next breakout player. There are owners that just aren't susceptible to trade talks. Either they have to rape the other owner to make a trade or they just don't do it because they feel that their players are way too valuable.

Another fatal flaw is the rebuilder. I'm in two Dynasty leagues and have a guy in each that is a consumate rebuilder. Doesn't just want to win a championship. Wants to win it all for like 10 years. Will constantly trade proven talent for the next Reggie Bush/Bo Jackson/Ki'Jana Carter/Ricky Williams etc. They will trade a Westbrook or a Tiki for one of these guys in their rookie season or a bunch of first rounders to draft one of these unproven commodoties. And before any of these guys develops into a player the owner falls in love with the next guy coming out of college and dumps the player for the new flavor of the month.

And one final flaw. This is a little more obscure because I don't know a ton of guys that are in salary cap leagues. But that flaw is to worry about the cap too much. In my salary cap league there are ways to move money around and get around the current year cap but it usually comes at a cost out of next year's cap. Moving money into next year cost 25 cents on the dollar. Move a million into next year. Your $32 million cap goes down $250K for next year. There is a guy this year with a $24 million cap because he moved so much money. There is also 1 guy that has never made the playoffs in 7 years. And he has never pushed money back to go after that top flight player. He looks to be primed to make the playoffs this year but he has never made it since the inception of the league in 2000.

, especially the part about NEVER trading, and also the salary cap league info.

 

[thatguy]

I'm addicted to trading. It's a problem.

My biggest problem is that I'll get a huge hard on for a particular player and sell the farm to get him. If you really covet a particular player, that's all fine and good, but it's important to keep things in perspective and keep your expectations tempered.

Last season, this player for me was Willis McGahee. All of my other trades worked out, but this one (and all it takes is one bad one) almost cost me the championship.

 

[JohnnyU]

I'm addicted to trading. It's a problem. My biggest problem is that I'll get a huge hard on for a particular player and sell the farm to get him. If you really covet a particular player, that's all fine and good, but it's important to keep things in perspective and keep your expectations tempered. Last season, this player for me was Willis McGahee. All of my other trades worked out, but this one (and all it takes is one bad one) almost cost me the championship.

Your post was the first step to recovery.

 

[The Man Who Met Andy Griffith]

I'll list two others:

1) Trading too little.

OK this is a little Aristotelian--trade neither too much nor too little. But seriously, I've seen a lot of good teams lose too early in the playoffs because they didn't aggressively go after trades to help them down the stretch. We've all seen those fire sale trades, and if you're a contender and you don't go after them, chances are somebody else will.

2) Falling in love with your depth.

As a rule of thumb you should try to have a couple of positions on your bench which you are willing to drop for a bye week DEF/PK or another sleeper who seems fresher. A lot of people will refuse to pick up the Bernard Berrians of the worlds because it would require dropping a Ronald Curry.

 

[JohnnyU]

I'll list two others:1) Trading too little.OK this is a little Aristotelian--trade neither too much nor too little. But seriously, I've seen a lot of good teams lose too early in the playoffs because they didn't aggressively go after trades to help them down the stretch. We've all seen those fire sale trades, and if you're a contender and you don't go after them, chances are somebody else will.2) Falling in love with your depth.As a rule of thumb you should try to have a couple of positions on your bench which you are willing to drop for a bye week DEF/PK or another sleeper who seems fresher. A lot of people will refuse to pick up the Bernard Berrians of the worlds because it would require dropping a Ronald Curry.

While I agree mostly with both of your points, depending on my team, I might not want to trade my future away (by that I mean my young depth), for the sake of winning now. Just maybe, I'll try to win without trading that depth. I agree with your statement about Berrian and Curry, and that doesn't apply to my statement, but I'm not so sure I would trade a Chad Jackson for a productive WR #2 to help me win this year, unless I was in dire straits at WR, but that's just me.

 

[JohnnyU]

I would like to add another, and that would be those that give-up on players too quickly, especially WRs. RBs included, but to a lesser degree. Most everyone has the patience to wait on QBs, because we expect most of them to have to wait.

 

[Ariakis]

I certainly fall into the trade a lot category. My theory is my good trades will outnumber my bad trades based on my knowledge of FF. I try to make trades that help both owners so that they will trade with me again though.

On average I carry between 4-6 money leagues a season and have won more than twice what I spend over the past few seasons on average. My goal is usually to try to achieve what I would consider a strong foundation. Until that point I tend to trade frequently although I think minor trades can be discussed at all times and situations.

 

[JohnnyU]

I certainly fall into the trade a lot category. My theory is my good trades will outnumber my bad trades based on my knowledge of FF. I try to make trades that help both owners so that they will trade with me again though.On average I carry between 4-6 money leagues a season and have won more than twice what I spend over the past few seasons on average. My goal is usually to try to achieve what I would consider a strong foundation. Until that point I tend to trade frequently although I think minor trades can be discussed at all times and situations.

You also had Peyton Manning, LT2, and Portis on your FLL team at one time, and Manning and LT2 at the same time, and now are 2-5 and don't have any of them. However, I really like your latest trade obtaining Ronnie Brown. You really won that trade, and that's the kind of trades that jump starts a team in a big way. Good job.

 

[Ariakis]

I certainly fall into the trade a lot category. My theory is my good trades will outnumber my bad trades based on my knowledge of FF. I try to make trades that help both owners so that they will trade with me again though.On average I carry between 4-6 money leagues a season and have won more than twice what I spend over the past few seasons on average. My goal is usually to try to achieve what I would consider a strong foundation. Until that point I tend to trade frequently although I think minor trades can be discussed at all times and situations.

You also had Peyton Manning, LT2, and Portis on your FLL team at one time, and Manning and LT2 at the same time, and now are 2-5 and don't have any of them. However, I really like your latest trade obtaining Ronnie Brown. You really won that trade, and that's the kind of trades that jump starts a team in a big way. Good job.

Well that was also my first dynasty draft and season which certainly had some ups and downs and certainly set me behind to catch up. If I recall I had LT2, Manning, Tony G, no RB2, no WR's, etc. This was the year LT2 blew up and long before Manning did. I have admittedly tinkered too much there but I think I finally have what I've been looking for. Probably too late for this season but should be set for next. I turned one of the oldest teams in the league into one of the youngest midseason and really my PPG would put me in 2nd place in the other division I've just ran into very bad luck in matchups this year. Going forward I probably keep that nucleus intact: SSmith, CJ, RMoss, McGahee, RBrown, Gates, Vick, and maybe even Lundy plus my 2 spare #1 picks and depth of guys like LJ Smith, Hagan, and Brandon Jones.In my 2nd dynasty league is in about it's 4th year and my lineup (10x18) is pretty sick. LT2, LJ, Boldin, Harrison, CJ, Shockey, Bulger, Ravens/Broncos, Rackers and guys like Brees, Musa Smith, Perry, Lundy, and Roy Williams for depth. I acquired that team with a mix of waiver wire luck and skill and trades.In my 3rd dynasty league I drafted a team that by midseason several of my top picks were worthless but I traded my way into a championship. In Year 2 I made the playoffs and in year 3 traded my way into a top dynasty team both present and future. I probably stand pat here and project to win the points title.In my 4th dynasty league I moved down in Round 1 but the guys I targetted with my extra picks didn't pan out very well. I of course made the playoffs however this year I cut half the old RB's in the league although trades may have me set to be very strong next season and STILL may be on the fringe this year.

 

[JohnnyU]

2) Falling in love with your depth.As a rule of thumb you should try to have a couple of positions on your bench which you are willing to drop for a bye week DEF/PK or another sleeper who seems fresher. A lot of people will refuse to pick up the Bernard Berrians of the worlds because it would require dropping a Ronald Curry.

I think falling in love with your players in general is a big no no, and most all of us are guilty of it. It may or may not ruin your dynasty team, but it is an overal flaw in dynasty thinking.

 

[coolnerd]

didn't see this a couple of weeks back

 

[beto]

I tend to fall into the not trading enough in my dynasty league but it's not by design. I rarely have someone bring a deal to me and I just don't feel like my team has enough depth to make many deals. Any advice for my type? (don't want this to turn into a AC question)

 

[fsufan]

2) Always playing for now by trading draft picks. That can sure backfire on you in a dynasty league if the players you traded for don't pan out. Trying to regain those picks later with players that don't carry the value they once did can make rebuilding very tough. Letting your team get old without having replacements is devastating to a dynasty team. By the way, I'm sure most of you already know this.

disagree.If your team if ready to win now(this year) , then trading a first round pick(especially a late round pick) for a player that you can plug into your line up as an upgrade is a must.

2 examples if my main dynasty league

i traded my 1st round pick in 2007(will be the 8th,9th or 10th pick). Needed help at the #2 RB.

another guy traded his 1st round pick in 2007(will be the 8th,9th or 10th pick) for River. He needed QB help now and for the future.

We are the top 2 teams in the league and are trying to improve our teams for a Superbowl run.

 

[Super King]

I would like to add another, and that would be those that give-up on players too quickly, especially WRs. RBs included, but to a lesser degree. Most everyone has the patience to wait on QBs, because we expect most of them to have to wait.

learned my lesson on that one. traded away Chad Johnson after his rookie season, as a throw in

 

[Keg]

where would 28 trades from May til now rate

 

[lions327]

I would like to add another, and that would be those that give-up on players too quickly, especially WRs. RBs included, but to a lesser degree. Most everyone has the patience to wait on QBs, because we expect most of them to have to wait.

 

[lions327]

I think owners need to be more objective regarding the current state of their teams. I see teams make deals to help them win now when they arent good enough to win now, even after the trade. So they sell the future for nothing, and the next year are in the same boat.

 

[stevegamer]

Sometimes you need to deal the early picks, because they just have a higher failure rate than players on NFL rosters that have been succesful.

Having been a bottom feeder for a while in a dynasty league with a eam I took over, I finally bit the bullet and realized that I really have no business drafting in the first 2 rounds. Rogers, KJones, Winslow, etc have really bit me badly.

I've been improving and after finishing 5th in a league 2 straight years where 4 teams make the playoffs, i figured it was time to make a run and fix some weak spots.

I dealt my 2nd round pick & Winslow for DJax & a late 2007 pick, and I'm happy with it, even though I probably "lost" the deal. I got VDavis in the first, so I'm covered at "early pick TE who will do nothing until I trade him away." And I have a ok #1 WR now. I'm sitting in the playoffs right now, and in the hunt to win my division.

I would gladly deal a pick for a player, if I figure I'm getting a starting caliber player with 3+ years left.

 

[guderian]

2) Always playing for now by trading draft picks. That can sure backfire on you in a dynasty league if the players you traded for don't pan out. Trying to regain those picks later with players that don't carry the value they once did can make rebuilding very tough. Letting your team get old without having replacements is devastating to a dynasty team. By the way, I'm sure most of you already know this.

I like the strategy thread, but disagree with this point. If you are worried about trading away picks because the player you trade for doesn't pan out that risk is multiplied for a rookie. At least the veteran is a player who you have an idea of what they can do in the NFL.

Also, I look at trading away rookie picks for players as a way of maximizing the firepower of my team. Look at it from the perspective of an auction. If you value the players on your team at $200 and you trade away your rookie picks for players worth another $20, then you've just improved the firepower of your team by 10%. If you're out of it, by all means keep your rookie picks and trade for more, but if you are going to the playoffs you should do whatever you can to put the best team on the field to give yourself a shot this year. In my experience, too many people are playing to be good in some mythical future year.

If you are going to make the playoffs--go for the championship. If you try to build a team for the future you're sacrificing a good chance to win now and hoping that an injury or whatnot doesn't de-rail you down the road.

I've found the best way to build a team for the long-term is to trade away players that are still near their peaks for players that are proven, but just starting to hit their prime--basically just trading for players that are 2-3 years younger.

You also have other factors going for you in trading away your picks.

1. There is always another team in the league that under-estimates your team and, therefore, overvalues your picks.

2. By getting a player for a pick you are devaluing the pick if the player contributes to wins and pushes the pick to later in the round.

 

[guderian]

BTW, the best time to trade FOR rookie picks, IMHO, is after the NFL draft. Before the draft people put together intricate mock drafts that make complete sense with players going into situations where they will have great opportunities. Mock drafts are the best case scenario. Inevitably, in the real NFL draft the Saints draft Deuce McAllister to go along with Ricky Williams, McGahee goes to Buffalo where Travis Henry is the incumbent and Reggie Bush goes to the Saints. At that point the value of draft picks plummet and its time to trade for them.

 

[FreeBaGeL]

1) Addiction to trading.

Uh oh, I'm in trouble..

3) Probably the most important thing in dynasty leagues is the ability to buy / sell a player at the right time. I know this isn't news to any of you guru's out there, but it's a fact. It's also the toughest element in fantasy sports IMO, and it's also the most rewarding when you make the right decisions. You can turn around a bad franchise in a hurry with a few great moves. You can also ruin a great franchise in a hurry with a few bad ones (see #1 Addiction to trading).

I think this may be the most important one. I'm having a helluva time sitting on Moss, Gates, Portis, Chambers, Bush, and Roethlisberger right now but I've seen too many people trade guys at their lowest value and have it come back to bite them. This is one of the toughest things to do in a dynasty but also one of the most important.

 

[FreeBaGeL]

BTW, the best time to trade FOR rookie picks, IMHO, is after the NFL draft. Before the draft people put together intricate mock drafts that make complete sense with players going into situations where they will have great opportunities. Mock drafts are the best case scenario. Inevitably, in the real NFL draft the Saints draft Deuce McAllister to go along with Ricky Williams, McGahee goes to Buffalo where Travis Henry is the incumbent and Reggie Bush goes to the Saints. At that point the value of draft picks plummet and its time to trade for them.

Well, the best time is during the season. Rookie picks see their value skyrocket in the offseason. Part of that is a bit of steadiness in knowing who has exactly which pick, but that's only part of it.

 

[Biabreakable]

There are 3 ways to change your team in a dynasty league.

1. Picking up free agents. This is effected greatly by the number of teams in your league and roster size. The more players that are kept the lesser amount of useful free agents are available. However even in deep leagues useful players come out of nowhere every year. FWP and Colston for example were not drafted as rookies in many leagues. So there are valuable players to be had from the free agent pool. But unless you play with very small rosters this is the least likely way to improve your team.

2. Rookie draft This is where most of the new players in dynasty come from. If you are good at evaluating rookie talent it gives you an edge over your competitors. Some people are not good at evaluating rookies. Know your strength/weakness. The value of rookie picks varies greatly from one owner to another. The dynamic values of young players cannot be overlooked. Know yourself and make the best use of your picks as possible either by drafting with them or trading picks for known players.

a. Rookie picks are pure potential that is hard to quantify in terms of actual value until 1st the pick is made and 2nd after 1-3 years have passed and the players true value is finaly known.

b. There are transition periods that effect rookie pick value.

1. Rookie picks for the following year are least valuable at the begining of the season.

2. Rookie pick value changes once most of the regular season is finished as owners then have a better idea of where each pick will be sloted based on team records for the year.

3. Rookie picks become more valuable to teams out of playoff contention and less valuable to teams that are playoff caliber at the trade deadline.

4. Rookie picks reach thier highest level of value close to the NFL rookie draft.

5. After the NFL draft rookie pick values will change based on which teams drafted what players.

By being aware of all 5 of these transition periods it can help you to take best advantage of the value of rookie picks. Buy rookie picks by trading depth players at the begining of the season when thier value is low. Sell rookie picks before the NFL draft to maximise your return value of them and before the rookie player situations become known.

c. Rookie picks because of thier flexible nature can fill positional needs on your team or likewise be used to trade for positions of need for your team. I believe in drafting best player available at all times. However just like any draft you can use ADP also in your determination. It is hard to know where picks will slot prior to the season starting but you can still guess based on overall team strength. Rookie drafts have a similar pattern in all leagues:

Picks 1-3 best Rbs

Picks 4-8 best Qb or Wr maybe a elite Te 2nd tier Rbs

Picks 9-12 best IDPs and other remaining players

So knowing this and evaluating the teams going into the season you can try targting teams you think will have poor records at the end of the year to hopefully gain a early rookie pick from them. The better the player you trade them of course the better chance they will have of winning games. If your targeting rookie Qbs you can get easier trades with teams that you expect to be playoff contenders. They may not value thier picks as much expecting them to be lower picks as well.

I try to keep my rosters balaced positionaly so I can stay flexible in the rookie draft. Having depth at all positions also keeps you available as a trade partner with teams seeking to fill a specific need during the season.

3. Trading This is really the main way to change your team in dynasty. If you are not doing much trading then your team only changes as much as thier situation in the NFL does. Free agency will still give you some change good and bad as your players change teams or the team around them changes. I believe in building a solid core of veteran Wbs and Qbs because thier situations do not change as quickly as they do with Rbs and they typicly take longer to develop into starting caliber players at those positions than Rbs do. For IDPs. I have noticed it ushualy takes defensive lineman a year or 2 to bulk up enough to reach thier actual playing level. Linebackers and defensive backs contribute quicker than linemen do. In some cases especialy with defensive backs thier best years are early in thier careers before opposing offense's give them more respect and avoid letting those defensive backs make plays against them.

I try to stay open minded and flexible to any trade at any time. If a deal offers value to me I will ushualy take it. From minor deals to blockbusters. If the deal is worth it to me and doesen't disrupt my ability to win now I take it. Player value in dynasty is more dynamic than in redraft because the players career is not limited to just this year.

Factors of player value:

Talent~the more/less talented the player is the more/less likely they are to start compared to other players on the team and the more/less productive they will be when playing.

Situation~How the player fits with thier team and coaching staff. If the teams head coach is on the hot seat that could totaly change your players value if they are fired. The more stable the teams situation is the more predictable that players role with the team will be. Poop still happens though. Javon Walker for example. Thats part of why talent is most important.

Contract~After team situation then you need to consider the players contract and if they will stay with the team or move on. Talented players in bad team situations can be great buy low or sell high prospects if thier contracts are close to expired.

Health~Some players carry more risk of missing time or getting benched because of injury/durability issues. Injuries can shorten a players career and waste your roster space if continualy rehabbing. Buy low opportunities can come out of this also but buyer beware.

Age~ The younger the player the more overall potential they have. There is also reason to believe that a younger player will improve as they get more experience. The older a player is the better your chances are of aquiring them for value in a trade. Many owners are imbalanced on one side of this or the other. I always try to go where the value is buying young talented players in trade who's owners have gotten impaitient with them or buying older but still talented players whos owners are concerned about thier decline.

As far as the timing of player trades there are several transitional phases during the year when trades will become available:

Preseason- ushualy not much trading at this time as teams are evaluating thier rosters and hopes are high. This time is ushualy better for free agent pickups but injuries and preseason performance can spawn some trade interest in specific players and to fill team needs that have not yet been addressed. Buying rookie picks now ushualy can be done at value if you feel comfortable enough with your depth to move players for picks.

Week 3-4 regular season- Fast/slow starting players can be sell high/buy low opportunities. Teams with major injuries to key players may be looking to fill holes in thier lineup. Very hard to trade for teams best players right now as everyone still able to make the playoffs. Teams with riches in depth at a position should be targeted for that position of strength as they should feel comfortable with making such a move. If you are in that situation take advantage of it and deal from your strength. Rookie picks from winning teams possible buys. Harder to get rookie picks from teams that are losing early on unless your really offering them a solution to why they have been losing through a trade. Target talented but underperforming players that you expect to improve as the season goes on or even next year if you can afford to stash them.

Week 5-9 regular season- Teams that are winning should be targeted for thier rookie picks and/or position of depth players. Likewise if you have depth at a position look to trade from your strength to teams that need that position. Consolidate depth. Teams that are losing will be harder to get picks from than they were in the 1st 4 weeks. Be nice to these owners and offer tips and trades that might help them win some games. Target thier underperforming players that you expect to improve. Lay the groundwork now so they are ready to deal with you once they concede that they wont be making the playoffs. Once they accept this then you can trade them picks or younger players for players to help you win now.

Week 10-Trade deadline- Final trade push to position for the playoffs or for next year. Best time for a team with a rebuilding team to trade for the future. Playoff teams should be trying to consolidate thier depth and fix any weaknesses they have in thier lineups. Rookie picks from winning teams are at the lowest value to them right now and great for rebuilding teams to target. Don't sell short take the best offer of all the playoff contenders you can get. Trade quality for quantity.

Post season- Rookie draft pick sloting should be known now. Hold picks or trade for picks if they can be had at value. (ushualy not) I like the post season for player trades that I project to get increased roles in the upcoming year and to jetison older veterans who's situations could be effected by offseason, free agency or the draft.

Pre NFL rookie draft - the month or so leading up to the draft some free agency moves have changed situations but a lot of the buzz is about the rookies turning pro. This is the best time to sell rookie picks for players. The hype ushualy outweighs the actual return.

NFL rookie draft - I recomend trading rookie picks away for value before this but sometimes you may want to see what players are drafted where before giving up your picks. Sometimes a situation for a rookie looks better than expected. There are always a few workout warriors who get too much hype and rarely live up to it. Trading rookie picks now is still a good time to sell high on them if you didn't find a deal to your liking prior to the NFL draft.

To be successful in dynasty I think you have to be active and trade when value presents itself. If you can make even modest improvements in 2 out of 3 trades that you make you will find yourself ahead of your compitition. There are so many ways to skin this cat. The devils in the details.

 

[Biabreakable]

I was looking for somthing else but bump for more discussion.

 

[-OZ-]

2) Falling in love with your depth.As a rule of thumb you should try to have a couple of positions on your bench which you are willing to drop for a bye week DEF/PK or another sleeper who seems fresher. A lot of people will refuse to pick up the Bernard Berrians of the worlds because it would require dropping a Ronald Curry.

I almost fell victim to this problem this year.In a league where WRs are more valuable than most, and we start 4, I had 8 that I really liked. All except Hines Ward were young, and I was refusing to trade any. I also had 3 2007 1st round picks. I was content to stay where I was, even though my IDPs needed work (probably still do). Eventually after one team came after my picks hard (including one of his own), I ended up trading 2 1sts, Reggie Brown, Terrell Suggs and Tony Parrish for Javon Walker, KWill (DT required), Osi and Polamalu. Long term this could bite me back, but with very good young depth on offense, it's unlikely that those 1sts would start for me, and the players I got have helped a lot this year. You might consider that a violation of rule #2, but I consider it knowing your team and making a good move. I suppose what I'm getting at is, everything is relative.

 

[fsufan]

3. Trading This is really the main way to change your team in dynasty. If you are not doing much trading then your team only changes as much as thier situation in the NFL does. Free agency will still give you some change good and bad as your players change teams or the team around them changes. I believe in building a solid core of veteran Wbs and Qbs because thier situations do not change as quickly as they do with Rbs and they typicly take longer to develop into starting caliber players at those positions than Rbs do. For IDPs. I have noticed it ushualy takes defensive lineman a year or 2 to bulk up enough to reach thier actual playing level. Linebackers and defensive backs contribute quicker than linemen do. In some cases especialy with defensive backs thier best years are early in thier careers before opposing offense's give them more respect and avoid letting those defensive backs make plays against them.

I try to stay open minded and flexible to any trade at any time. If a deal offers value to me I will ushualy take it. From minor deals to blockbusters. If the deal is worth it to me and doesen't disrupt my ability to win now I take it. Player value in dynasty is more dynamic than in redraft because the players career is not limited to just this year.

[

I think trading is best and quickest way to improve your dynasty team.

 

[nightshift]

Play to win NOW. Every year - no matter what the format is. The only time to conisder "rebuilding" is if you have little or no chance at the playoffs.

Rebuilding as strategy SUCKS. It implies that at some point you stopped improving your team. Even if you are in first, there is still room for improvement. Any coach that you find "rebuilding for future wins" is easy prey for a present win.

Rookie picks are like players. Trade them successfully and you will win. Don't worry about how many you have, someone will always want to trade them, especially the guy that likes to horde them. After all, how many rookies do you really want on your team? Some rookies, yes. But to WIN NOW, you need a solid core of players that produce points NOW.

Which brings me to the most important fact to remember in dynasty: YOUTH IS ALWAYS OVERVALUED. Remember PLAY TO WIN NOW? More often than not, veterans (not young rookies) will be the ones to win the title for you. Example: Tiki Barber. He's retiring, right? Why have him? POINTS, POINTS, POINTS! I would still rather Tiki for his last year and have a helluva good shot a title (WIN NOW!) over an upcoming RB that MIGHT pan out in the future.

Do your homework. If your team needs RBs next year becuase of retirement, attrition, injuries, etc., then pay attention to those players that could help out that a flying under most of your competition's radar. Ray Perkins is a prime example of this. It is likely Turner could get traded next year; who backs up LT2? LT2 has some serious miles on that NFL body, which could mean coaching may want to reduce the carries in the future or God forbid, LT2 sustains an injury (a fact of life in the NFL). No, Perkins is not a sure thing, but indications are good he might be a producer in the near future. Why? Check his tapes, read the articles on him, read the SD blogs, DO YOUR HOMEWORK.

BTW, any of you that do not subscribe to the WIN NOW strategy, I thank you for your donations!

 

[Tag]

The "Win Now" philosophy has its draw backs. To win a league you not only have to have a strong team but some luck as well. If you have a team that is built to win this year or the next and you dont win it then your window has closed and you either have to rebuild or quit the league. From my experience the Win Now guys usually just quit after failing to win in the first year. I would bet you own Tiki in your dynasty league, hope you win it now cuz your window is closing fast.

 

[Trey]

Win Now definitely takes luck.

I was sitting pretty atop my dynasty lead being led by McNabb and Portis.

Now I'm limping into the playoffs with Aaron Brooks.

 

[mlball77]

Win Now definitely takes luck.I was sitting pretty atop my dynasty lead being led by McNabb and Portis.Now I'm limping into the playoffs with Aaron Brooks.

Similar story for me... I have a banged up Colston as well.Lucky for me I picked up Romo before the year started and will have a solid replacement for McNabb it seems. Losing Portis is a killer though, especially if Betts doesn't get things going.This is an interesting topic. I'm only in my 2nd year of dynasty and appreciate hearing the different philosophies; good and bad.

 

[lions327]

If you build a good core, you can then retool instead of rebuild.

 

[wannabee]

There are 3 ways to change your team in a dynasty league.

1. Picking up free agents. This is effected greatly by the number of teams in your league and roster size. The more players that are kept the lesser amount of useful free agents are available. However even in deep leagues useful players come out of nowhere every year. FWP and Colston for example were not drafted as rookies in many leagues. So there are valuable players to be had from the free agent pool. But unless you play with very small rosters this is the least likely way to improve your team.

2. Rookie draft This is where most of the new players in dynasty come from. If you are good at evaluating rookie talent it gives you an edge over your competitors. Some people are not good at evaluating rookies. Know your strength/weakness. The value of rookie picks varies greatly from one owner to another. The dynamic values of young players cannot be overlooked. Know yourself and make the best use of your picks as possible either by drafting with them or trading picks for known players.

a. Rookie picks are pure potential that is hard to quantify in terms of actual value until 1st the pick is made and 2nd after 1-3 years have passed and the players true value is finaly known.

b. There are transition periods that effect rookie pick value.

1. Rookie picks for the following year are least valuable at the begining of the season.

2. Rookie pick value changes once most of the regular season is finished as owners then have a better idea of where each pick will be sloted based on team records for the year.

3. Rookie picks become more valuable to teams out of playoff contention and less valuable to teams that are playoff caliber at the trade deadline.

4. Rookie picks reach thier highest level of value close to the NFL rookie draft.

5. After the NFL draft rookie pick values will change based on which teams drafted what players.

By being aware of all 5 of these transition periods it can help you to take best advantage of the value of rookie picks. Buy rookie picks by trading depth players at the begining of the season when thier value is low. Sell rookie picks before the NFL draft to maximise your return value of them and before the rookie player situations become known.

c. Rookie picks because of thier flexible nature can fill positional needs on your team or likewise be used to trade for positions of need for your team. I believe in drafting best player available at all times. However just like any draft you can use ADP also in your determination. It is hard to know where picks will slot prior to the season starting but you can still guess based on overall team strength. Rookie drafts have a similar pattern in all leagues:

Picks 1-3 best Rbs

Picks 4-8 best Qb or Wr maybe a elite Te 2nd tier Rbs

Picks 9-12 best IDPs and other remaining players

So knowing this and evaluating the teams going into the season you can try targting teams you think will have poor records at the end of the year to hopefully gain a early rookie pick from them. The better the player you trade them of course the better chance they will have of winning games. If your targeting rookie Qbs you can get easier trades with teams that you expect to be playoff contenders. They may not value thier picks as much expecting them to be lower picks as well.

I try to keep my rosters balaced positionaly so I can stay flexible in the rookie draft. Having depth at all positions also keeps you available as a trade partner with teams seeking to fill a specific need during the season.

3. Trading This is really the main way to change your team in dynasty. If you are not doing much trading then your team only changes as much as thier situation in the NFL does. Free agency will still give you some change good and bad as your players change teams or the team around them changes. I believe in building a solid core of veteran Wbs and Qbs because thier situations do not change as quickly as they do with Rbs and they typicly take longer to develop into starting caliber players at those positions than Rbs do. For IDPs. I have noticed it ushualy takes defensive lineman a year or 2 to bulk up enough to reach thier actual playing level. Linebackers and defensive backs contribute quicker than linemen do. In some cases especialy with defensive backs thier best years are early in thier careers before opposing offense's give them more respect and avoid letting those defensive backs make plays against them.

I try to stay open minded and flexible to any trade at any time. If a deal offers value to me I will ushualy take it. From minor deals to blockbusters. If the deal is worth it to me and doesen't disrupt my ability to win now I take it. Player value in dynasty is more dynamic than in redraft because the players career is not limited to just this year.

Factors of player value:

Talent~the more/less talented the player is the more/less likely they are to start compared to other players on the team and the more/less productive they will be when playing.

Situation~How the player fits with thier team and coaching staff. If the teams head coach is on the hot seat that could totaly change your players value if they are fired. The more stable the teams situation is the more predictable that players role with the team will be. Poop still happens though. Javon Walker for example. Thats part of why talent is most important.

Contract~After team situation then you need to consider the players contract and if they will stay with the team or move on. Talented players in bad team situations can be great buy low or sell high prospects if thier contracts are close to expired.

Health~Some players carry more risk of missing time or getting benched because of injury/durability issues. Injuries can shorten a players career and waste your roster space if continualy rehabbing. Buy low opportunities can come out of this also but buyer beware.

Age~ The younger the player the more overall potential they have. There is also reason to believe that a younger player will improve as they get more experience. The older a player is the better your chances are of aquiring them for value in a trade. Many owners are imbalanced on one side of this or the other. I always try to go where the value is buying young talented players in trade who's owners have gotten impaitient with them or buying older but still talented players whos owners are concerned about thier decline.

As far as the timing of player trades there are several transitional phases during the year when trades will become available:

Preseason- ushualy not much trading at this time as teams are evaluating thier rosters and hopes are high. This time is ushualy better for free agent pickups but injuries and preseason performance can spawn some trade interest in specific players and to fill team needs that have not yet been addressed. Buying rookie picks now ushualy can be done at value if you feel comfortable enough with your depth to move players for picks.

Week 3-4 regular season- Fast/slow starting players can be sell high/buy low opportunities. Teams with major injuries to key players may be looking to fill holes in thier lineup. Very hard to trade for teams best players right now as everyone still able to make the playoffs. Teams with riches in depth at a position should be targeted for that position of strength as they should feel comfortable with making such a move. If you are in that situation take advantage of it and deal from your strength. Rookie picks from winning teams possible buys. Harder to get rookie picks from teams that are losing early on unless your really offering them a solution to why they have been losing through a trade. Target talented but underperforming players that you expect to improve as the season goes on or even next year if you can afford to stash them.

Week 5-9 regular season- Teams that are winning should be targeted for thier rookie picks and/or position of depth players. Likewise if you have depth at a position look to trade from your strength to teams that need that position. Consolidate depth. Teams that are losing will be harder to get picks from than they were in the 1st 4 weeks. Be nice to these owners and offer tips and trades that might help them win some games. Target thier underperforming players that you expect to improve. Lay the groundwork now so they are ready to deal with you once they concede that they wont be making the playoffs. Once they accept this then you can trade them picks or younger players for players to help you win now.

Week 10-Trade deadline- Final trade push to position for the playoffs or for next year. Best time for a team with a rebuilding team to trade for the future. Playoff teams should be trying to consolidate thier depth and fix any weaknesses they have in thier lineups. Rookie picks from winning teams are at the lowest value to them right now and great for rebuilding teams to target. Don't sell short take the best offer of all the playoff contenders you can get. Trade quality for quantity.

Post season- Rookie draft pick sloting should be known now. Hold picks or trade for picks if they can be had at value. (ushualy not) I like the post season for player trades that I project to get increased roles in the upcoming year and to jetison older veterans who's situations could be effected by offseason, free agency or the draft.

Pre NFL rookie draft - the month or so leading up to the draft some free agency moves have changed situations but a lot of the buzz is about the rookies turning pro. This is the best time to sell rookie picks for players. The hype ushualy outweighs the actual return.

NFL rookie draft - I recomend trading rookie picks away for value before this but sometimes you may want to see what players are drafted where before giving up your picks. Sometimes a situation for a rookie looks better than expected. There are always a few workout warriors who get too much hype and rarely live up to it. Trading rookie picks now is still a good time to sell high on them if you didn't find a deal to your liking prior to the NFL draft.

To be successful in dynasty I think you have to be active and trade when value presents itself. If you can make even modest improvements in 2 out of 3 trades that you make you will find yourself ahead of your compitition. There are so many ways to skin this cat. The devils in the details.

Great post, Bia.

 

[Otis]

Not all of your trade decisions are going to be as great as the previous one, so that in itself puts your team at greater risk.

Faulty logic. You are ignoring the risk associated with keeping the players you currently have. Those guys' values can go down just as easily as the guy you might trade for. If anything, the risk (on average) is a wash.If you are getting more present value in all of your trades, you'll likely make out well in the end. However, the obvious is worth mentioning here -- the best way to build a dynasty team is to have an eye for future value. Guys who had a choice between Deshaun Foster and Frank Gore this offseason, both at similar values (arguably Foster's being higher) could have made or lost a boatload of value there. It comes down to being right about the future. If you traded for Gore, your overall team value skyrocketed. If you traded for Foster, it didn't (at least at that position). Now, if you were also wise enough not to give up on Andre Johnson, and traded for him when his value was low, you also made a ton of value up there.

Building a dynasty team is a lot like playing the stock market. Values go up and down -- you just have to be smart enough to buy the right ones and buy low.

So, back to your original point, there is no greater risk whatsoever in trading for other players. It's just different risk.

 

[Blackjacks]

Disagree with the first one. Agree with the second and third. Nothing wrong with trading if you're getting good value in your trades. The new players can just as easily excel or fail as the ones you traded away. Don't see how trading a lot is any more risky. I've seen some huge teams built through a lot of trading.

I think you are missing the point. Got a guy in my main Dynasty League that gets all edgy and twitchy if he hasn't made a trade in a while. Particularly in the offseason. He's always making trades on wildly speculative conjecture. Coupld of years ago the hot rumor was that Alexander was going to sign elsewhere and that Travis Henry would wind up in Seattle. He traded Steve Smith straight up for Henry. Henry didn't do squat (was even suspended the first 4 games) and Smith tore it up.

The guy did win the SB a few years ago but sneaked into the playoffs with a 6-7-1 record because that division was so bad. But he hasn't had a winning season in probably 5 years. Which will likely go to 6 as he is 2-5 this year.

Your right my team hasn't been great lately but even you admit I've been unfortuante this year. I made some great trades in the offseason and they just didn't work out. Unfortunetly I had to go against Javon Walker when he went off for 38 points (luck) and S. Moss (luck) when he scored 35. The fanatic also forgets to let everyone know that "THE OTHER CONFERENCE" which he makes out to sound so bad has won our fantasy bowl the last 6 years (every year except our first year when I lost by 5 points).

 

[nightshift]

The "Win Now" philosophy has its draw backs. To win a league you not only have to have a strong team but some luck as well. If you have a team that is built to win this year or the next and you dont win it then your window has closed and you either have to rebuild or quit the league. From my experience the Win Now guys usually just quit after failing to win in the first year. I would bet you own Tiki in your dynasty league, hope you win it now cuz your window is closing fast.

I do own him, I am winning, and the window is closing fast. So what's the point?Since luck is a factor in winning every year, how does building for future change that? It doesn't.To win at all you need a strong team, no matter what year it is.Losing sucks. There is no way to rationalize into success. If your strategy is duration over winning, then I suggest staying away from dynasty money leagues.