The DLF Mailbag

Jaron Foster

Welcome to the latest edition of the weekly mailbag.

Send your questions using the DLF Mailbag Form and we may answer them in future articles. Remember the guidelines to have the best chance at seeing your question get posted:

1) Dynasty questions only, no start/sit questions

2) Help us help you by providing sufficient information about your league (e.g. line-up requirements, PPR or non-PPR, etc.), and include your first name and where you’re from.

3) Your chance of getting your question answered is inversely proportional to the length of the question.

Let’s get to it!

1. We keep 8 players each season and draft 8 new players from the rookie/free agent pool. This is our 10th season in this format and I am the B2B defending champ.

My WRs – Julio Jones, Hopkins, D Thomas, Jeffrey, Gordon, DGB

My RBS – Freeman, Martin, M Jones, Ivory, McKinnon, Ajayi, Dixon, Drake.

I accepted a trade giving up McKinnon for Sammy Watkins. What are your thoughts considering I traded a young RB with a big opportunity for an injured WR where I have great depth already?

Keith in Kentucky

(10 teams, .5 PPR, 1QB, 2RB, 3WR/TE, D/ST)

Keith, although the situation in Minnesota’s backfield has evolved in McKinnon’s favor since your question was submitted, this was a slam-dunk “dynasty” trade. In a keeper league, where presumably you are able to keep any player indefinitely, Watkins is easily among your top eight most valuable players heading into 2017.

With 16 players per team in a ten-team league, the free agent pool is very deep throughout the regular season. Even now, with McKinnon projected to lead the backfield on a run-first team with a great defense, it is unknown whether he will be able to run with the opportunity and play the vast majority of downs. With Matt Asiata and Ronnie Hillman as his primary competition, it will be concerning for his long-term value if McKinnon can’t prove to be a bellcow in a great situation.

Watkins is a luxury to have on your bench, in that you have several great starting options at wide receiver and can plan to not start him. When he is healthy, he has proven he can produce even in a subpar environment for fantasy production. Ultimately, if he is unable to stay healthy, he should still have more trade value than McKinnon at this time next year.

In leagues with shallow rosters, I tend to take more risks with my players. If a boom-or-bust player busts, either in terms of production or health, there are solid replacement options on the waiver wire.

2. I have an extremely deep wide receiver group, looking to add a top star to win as well as always looking to the next draft. I will receive Tevin Coleman, Antonio Brown and a draft pick which will be either 1.01 or 1.02 in the 2017 draft. Which of the following would you send? (1) Mike Evans and TJ Yeldon or (2) Alshon Jeffery, Jordan Matthews and TJ Yeldon. Also, do you view this trade as a win?

Charles in Tennessee

(10 teams, standard, 1QB, 2RB, 3WR, 1TE, 1FLEX, 1D/ST)

Charles, either deal is a landslide win for you. I would offer whichever side you prefer to give up, but would not hesitate to send the other deal if that’s what the owner is targeting. Brown is worth more than either deal by himself, so adding in the high draft pick and Coleman makes this an absolute no-brainer.

3. With the Allen injury I immediately started shopping Tyrell Williams. One team in my league accepted the offer of a 2017 second in return. This is a new owner to the league one that has immediately started dealing making his team his own. I have made about 4 trades with the guy in about three weeks. This new owner has made a few questionable deals but nothing gross. That being said, a few members of the league are upset about this trade. Is this a fair trade in your eyes or do you think the bitterness in the league is coming from me making so many deals with him so soon?

David in Colorado

(12 teams, PPR, 1QB, 2RB, 2WR, 1TE, 1OFLEX, 2DL, 2LB, 2DB, 1DFLEX)

David, one of the biggest challenges I face in dynasty leagues has nothing to do with trades, drafts or lineup decisions. It is the dynamic of joining a group of other owners who have the same goal I do, albeit we may take different approaches to achieve that goal. Working with those owners can be a challenge when we don’t know the motivations behind what appear to be lopsided trades or why they rejected an otherwise fair offer.

In this case, where it is unclear whether the bitterness stems from a perceived lopsided trade or a more general perception that this is the latest in a string of quick trades between the same owner, there needs to be communication from the commissioner to open a league-wide dialogue. Though the Williams deal is not veto-worthy, if two owners in the league start to become singled out (fair or unfair) the snowball effect could have negative implications on future trades. An undercurrent of hostility in what is supposed to be a fun league is not good for anyone.

Those who are upset about the league need to explain why, give you and the other owner an opportunity to explain your trades, and then move on. If the bitterness is because they wish they had made trades with what they consider to be a less knowledgeable owner, that is not your issue, but if it impacts trade talks down the road it becomes yours. If your commissioner hasn’t already, a post on the message board to air grievances is in order.

4. My year is off to a horrifying start. I’m winless and have been decimated by injuries (Russell Wilson, Gronk, Brandon Marshall, Donte Moncrief) and ineffectiveness (Randall Cobb, Latavius Murray). I ended up selling Marshall, Moncrief and Latavius for Dez and Ingram but then Dez went down two snaps in to the game. My season already appears over so I’m considering selling Dez and Gronk and start the rebuild. Do you have any specific players you would target? I’m not sure if I should deal now while both are injured, sell higher a few weeks from now when they start playing like studs again or hold and look to next season.

Alex in Colorado

(12 teams, PPR, 1QB, 1RB, 2WR, 1TE, 1FLEX)

Alex, I would definitely not sell Dez now. In my leagues, a couple owners had a similar idea and put Bryant on the block, but haven’t received anything close to what they consider fair value. As you imply, selling low is not a good idea when his value will only increase throughout the season (or into the offseason).

Gronk is more borderline as he has returned from injury, though many seem skittish about his role after Bennett’s three-touchdown game. I would consider him a hold as well, although it only takes one bullish owner who recognizes that Gronk is back to pay what you need for him.

I would be looking to sell Ingram as the Saints have a good rest-of-season schedule, and if you are looking to 2017 you can likely get an asset (or combination of assets) for a player who will likely be less valuable in six months.

jaron foster
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