Trading Away Significant Capital to Win Now
Another fantasy football season will soon be upon all of us. At the moment, we’re nearing the end of the NFL off-season and the kickoff of the regular season is in four weeks. Now, you are likely making some trades and acquiring new players or you should be. However, what are you giving away to get those new assets on your team? Trading is always a two-way street, before hitting accept check what you are sending away. Will the new player/players significantly improve your roster? How much are you giving up to get them? And what rookie/rookies could you be passing up?
The worst thing that you can do in a dynasty league is to have any draft picks at all. Or only later-round draft picks to add players to your team. Yes, you can trade early-round picks for a piece or pieces from time to time. Looking at your roster, do you see your team in a position to do that? Might your roster be in worse shape than you are willing to admit? Can you really afford to send away, a first or second-round pick, or both? If you only have a hand full of startable players, that is a top-five pick team, not a contender.
You are actually just hurting your long-term fantasy football success if you continue to do that. Much like the Texans failed experiment with Bill O’Brien, you are just going to trade yourself into a hole. One that you could wind up taking years to dig yourself out of.
Spending The Future
In a dynasty league, you have the ability to borrow from the future much like a credit card. However, just because you can trade assets from two to three years from now should you? It honestly depends on how much of an impact it will have on your roster. While you do not have to have a team of drafted players, because honestly, you are not going to hit every pick. With that said though, you absolutely should have players that you have drafted representing the core of your team. Also, remember even NFL draft experts don’t always know who will be coming out in the next draft or two. If they don’t know, can you consistently send away future assets?
Once you begin to continuously spend from the future, it can begin to have a snowball effect. It will just start rolling downhill with no sign of slowing down. As you find yourself beginning to make trades to cover up spending draft picks from the future. Again you never know, who those future assets could potentially become. Also, you’re just helping your competition to better their teams. Making trades there is always a chance that you will come out the loser. If though you are yearly borrowing from your future, you are not replenishing the present. You must restock your team with players that you have selected in the draft. When you think about it, you are helping the rest of the league do that, so why not help yourself?
As I have previously stated, there is nothing wrong with trading to improve your team. You need to exercise patience though and assess if you actually can afford the risk. If you aren’t competing for championships, you need to stop yourself from spending capital you don’t have.
Nothing To Show For It
Have you won a championship like that? Made the championship game? It’s a lot of fun to play with your friends and family, but as Herman Edwards once said “You Play To Win The Game”. Fantasy Football is fun, dynasty football is even more fun. Personally, however, I am do not play to have fun, I play to win. If you have not won a championship, then you may need to reconsider the way your doing things. With that said yes, the 2021 fantasy rookie class is very top-heavy. There are however players that can help your team get to the playoffs, or be a part of your team’s core long-term.
Remember a dynasty league is all about now and the future. If you have too many aging veterans on your team, and not enough youth and you don’t have any upcoming draft picks. Then you are going to have a team picking in the top five of the draft, and someone else will get to benefit from that.
Conclusion
Don’t be the league team that helps everyone else. When you look at the draft picks of the other league teams, are they filled with your draft picks? Or players they selected with your draft picks? There is still time to stop doing that, in fact, the first thing that you can do is be patient. If you don’t have a lot of draft picks, or any and just a few startable players. Accept that your team is in a bad place, and just let the season ride out. Join us over at the nerd herd. We really want to help you win, and put some championship trophies on your mantle.
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