Building a Dynasty – Handcuffs & Handgrenades
Posted: 8/31/06
There is nothing, at least in the realm of fantasy football, quite like the strategy and methodology present when a coach assembles and manages his/her dynasty roster. Being proactive towards making your team better increases your chances for a championship, but action without purpose is no better than jumping on a hand grenade.
The term “dynasty” should leave no question as to what the ultimate goal of your efforts should be. And better yet, there is no one correct strategy for assembling a successful dynasty team, but there are multiple ill-fated strategies that will, sadly, play out year over year… often by the same coaches. In many cases, it seems that the term Legacy should replace Dynasty as most coaches in your league will certainly leave one (legacy) for better or for worse.
Why is it that some coaches always seem to exist, year-in, year-out, at the top of the standings while others wallow in mediocrity, celebrating a .500 season as a significant achievement? While there is always the exceptional year one way or the other, there also exists a reason why each coach earns his/her legacy. Identifying and mimicking the traits of successful coaches is just as important as doing your initial draft research. There isn't a coach out there that doesn't have something to learn by watching others.
But what are some of the successful strategies to give you a head start and to avoid blowing up in mid-season?
Analyze your weekly match-ups
A successful coach knows whether his players are playing away or at home, on grass or turf, weather conditions and the defensive abilities of a particular player's opponent on any given week. All these must be considered when making choices for your starting roster. But …
Never bench your studs
Say it with me again, “Never bench your studs!” No, I don't care that your research has revealed that your stud WR has sub-par games on days of the month beginning with “2” on Sundays following a harvest moon. Do not over-analyze your match-ups to the degree that your “sneaky play” finds you benching Steve Smith in favor of Michael Jenkins. You WILL lose sleep if Steve Smith goes for 26 points on your bench …. but won't lose sleep if your stud just doesn't perform on a given week. Not a lot of sleep anyway. But in never benching your studs, you must first know which of your players are studs.
Handcuffs
When drafting your team or looking for trade opportunities, first turn your attention to the coaches in the other division who own the handcuffs of your front line starters, especially if you have a handcuff of his. Acquisition of a handcuff from within your division can be important as well. This is not to say that you offer to blindly swap handcuffs, unless of course your are getting the better end of the deal. But, in situations where you do have complementary handcuffs, that is the initial ingredient for a successful trade. Quality handcuffs to your starters is an important aspect of designing a durable and deep team. Think twice before adding that no-name WR prospect and think first about acquiring great depth by adding strategic handcuffs. Realize that a division can undergo a significant power shift with a single season ending injury to your key RB … especially if an intra divisional foe has the handcuff to your stud.
Selective mining of the free agent pool
In the dynasty format, front line starters and depth win championships and a good stable of developmental players helps create a lasting dynasty. Notice that I said “good stable” and not just “stable”. Quality developmental player depth is a primary component of a budding dynasty team. Be very selective on the type and quality of your rostered prospects. Pay particular attention to quality rookies and 2 nd year players that are 3 rd on the depth chart, particularly in a RB role. Double points if they are also a handcuff-to-be to your RB or fellow coach's RB. Be objective about your developmental players at all times … having dead meat taking up a valuable roster spot due to hope and a prayer is not a recipe for success.
Be objective
This is perhaps the most difficult task for any fantasy football coach. Being objective about your roster and the players on your roster means taking all of the emotion and desire out of the equation when assessing your squad and seeing them, individually, for what their potential is given their skills and situation. Fact is, very few of your rostered players will become the studs of tomorrow … but many of the scrubs of tomorrow have value today and vice versa. I have yet to see a subjectively minded coach stay on top of the standings.
These few strategies have appeared in many fantasy articles, including past articles here at DLF. But this fact does not diminish their importance towards successfully building and managing your dynasty team.
A successful coach is always valuing and revaluing his/her players, looking for angles, researching and trying to find that right recipe of veteran production, depth and developmental talent. Maximize your effectiveness by focusing your available time on those items that pay the greatest dividends. As you hone your skills, you may then focus on advanced strategies such as becoming a better snake-oil salesman.
In the end, there is something to be taken from every coach in your league as long as you are willing. The moment that you settle for “good enough” or become complacent at the top is the same moment you have jumped on the hand grenade. Rest assured that your fellow coaches will not mourn the loss.