June is a great month to jump into a dynasty fantasy football startup draft, since rookie drafts are mostly complete and redraft season is two months away. The League Winners will help guide you by showcasing several draft strategies to build a dynasty fantasy football team to compete now while building for the future.
No one strategy is the best. So dive into each strategy and learn the pros and cons of each. This series will revolve around Half-PPR, Superflex, and .5 TEP scoring formats in dynasty leagues. Remember, the best strategy is to adapt and be flexible in your draft.
Dynasty Fantasy Football Startup Draft: My Experience
The first dynasty fantasy football startup draft strategy is trading up to grab three or more elite players. This strategy works by trading future picks and startup draft capital to have multiple picks in round 1 or early round 2. Usually in Superflex leagues, I am targeting either two stud quarterbacks, three stud wide receivers, or a combination of both.
In one dynasty league, I had the last pick of the startup draft. I ended up trading for the 1.09 prior to the start of the draft. The trade gave me the 1.09, 1.12, and 2.01 picks. My original intent was to trade either 1.12 or 2.01 to recoup some startup draft picks. However, I pivoted once I saw I could have Ja’Marr Chase, CeeDee Lamb, and A.J.Brown.
A common strategy is to build your dynasty team around young stud quarterbacks and wide receivers. Knowing I had lost out on all elite quarterbacks, I wanted to fortify my wide receiver room. I was able to nab Daniel Jones and Derek Carr as my quarterbacks and several RBBC running backs that will get opportunities in 2023 to fill out my team.
Dynasty Fantasy Football Startup Draft: Target Quarterbacks
If you are in the top half of the startup draft – say, from 1.01-1.07 – try to secure another pick also between 1.01-1.07. This guarantees two elite quarterbacks in a Superflex league.
You may be asking, ‘who will trade their high-round pick, and at what cost’?
Some dynasty fantasy football players adhere to the trade-down strategy to create a team with significant depth. Find the league teammate that is looking to trade down.
Now, speaking of the cost – in most SF startup drafts, quarterbacks are forced into the top four rounds. Even in later parts of the draft, teams pick up a third quarterback. This is relevant because skill players will fall and you will find value throughout the draft.
Parting with your second and/or third-round picks to nab that first-round pick is a smash, especially if you are getting back round 4-8 picks as part of the trade. Those second and third rounds will be filled with mediocre quarterbacks, so I’d rather upgrade to an elite one.
Conclusion
In conclusion, trading up in a dynasty fantasy football startup draft can be a strategic move to secure elite talent and build a strong foundation for long-term success. By targeting key players and leveraging assets, you can position yourself for a competitive advantage and increase your chances of becoming a dynasty powerhouse. By sacrificing some depth or future picks, you can acquire elite assets that will anchor your team for years to come.
With a calculated approach and a keen eye for talent, trading up can be a game-changing strategy that propels you toward dynasty fantasy football greatness. Having not one but two #leaguewinner players is premium.
