Three New Year’s Resolutions for Dynasty Owners

Noah Ballweg Posted On January 5, 2018

The beginning of the New Year comes at just the right moment for nearly every fantasy owner. For some, the sweet taste of victory is still being savored as the countless hours of mock drafts, ADP research and superior lineup-setting has paid off. Those select few raise their championship banners and ring in the New Year with an off-season full of boasting in the league chats, while confidently preparing for the 2018 fantasy football season.

For the rest of us, (myself included) 2018 brings a much-needed sigh of relief that many have long been waiting for. Whether you came up just short in the playoffs or hit the reset button early on, 2018 could be the year. That is something everyone can believe.

No matter the position you are in, turning over of a new leaf each January gives you the chance to reflect on the past year and eagerly expect even greater things in 2018. Each year as an owner I make it a point to reminisce about the past year. I look at areas I could have improved in, and set new resolutions to improve in particular areas of my fantasy game. Doing so allows me to avoid silly mistakes. They may be small at the time, but after a year in review, I can see patterns that form and might have cost me weekly matchups and ultimately the championship at the end of the year.

Whether you just capitalized on your third straight championship, or you are on your last legs still trying to right the ship of disappointing seasons, here are three New Years resolutions that every fantasy owner can make over the off-season. Regardless of skill or level of involvement in your leagues, these changes can be the difference between a pretender and contender in your league and are certain to increase your level of enjoyment of fantasy football.

1. Trim Off Extra Weight

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If you are anything like me, then the idea of getting a gym membership to start off the year sounds more like punishment than any kind of resolution to be better. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for a healthy lifestyle and I love to be active, but ever since I graduated college where I ran track and field, I have dreaded getting back in the weight room. After having been forced to work out for four years of my life, I have found the motivation for the gym nearly impossible to find, especially without the company of my past teammates.

Every year as a fantasy owner, I realize I have to get to the gym and get myself into fantasy shape. Often I burden myself with way too many leagues, thinking I can win them all. In reality, it just adds unnecessary stress that I bring to the leagues I actually love.

I go through all of my leagues and trim them down to a place where I am confident I can continue to enjoy fantasy without being overwhelmed with obligations, or without letting it get in the way of more important things like my marriage and family. Sometimes this means letting go of leagues I have been successful in, which is no easy thing to do, but saying “no” to one thing, means you are saying “yes” to another.

Practically the aim here is spending some time in the off-season reviewing your leagues and making the decision to either move forward with them or taking a step back to say yes to further fantasy success in more important leagues. I look at which ones are so-so in owner relationship, the ones I could never give up, and the ones that provide me with the most enjoyment whether I win or lose. In doing this, you will find more consistent success combined with more enjoyment overall in fantasy. You can focus on the areas of fantasy that are truly the most important.

Regardless of my feelings, I could not deny the results of getting into the weight room every day. It allowed me to be focused on my physique leading to a more effective athlete in his sport. I have recognized the same truth to be equal to fantasy football. So many times the thought of having to pick and choose leagues to drop after a season can seem impossible and simply not worthwhile. There is simply too much investment, potential to win and friendship in many of our leagues that we don’t want to give up. However, like the gym, most of us just need to get up and make the effort to change before we can realize how much we actually enjoy it.

2. Buy Yourself Something Nice

Call me crazy, but it took me the longest time to switch my leagues over to MyFantasyLeague.com. For years I was stubborn. I read review after review of how efficient and customizable MFL was for league owners and commissions, but the thought of having to communicate an overhaul in my leagues was daunting. In 2013, I thought I would give MFL a try, and both my league mates and I were thoroughly impressed and were left questioning why we had not made the switch sooner.

This one is simple. Make the switch over to MFL in all of your leagues. Whether you are the commissioner or not, make the effort to communicate the need for change in your leagues as soon as possible. You will not regret it. Sure, there is bound to be the one owner who complains about having to pay an extra $5 for an entire year of fantasy service, but if you want to get the most out of your league without the hassle of sites shutting down over the off-season, MFL is specifically for you.

Since switching, I’ve had the most active and enjoyable years since starting my leagues. I am confident you will find this to be the same for you. With the most opportunities to customize your league in scoring, site layout and communication, MFL has changed the game and has done so specifically for dynasty leagues. This year, be selfish and spend a little extra money on you and your league mates. Do something for yourselves to start off the year. You won’t regret it.

3. Don’t Wait To Start

You’ll have heard it many times at Dynasty League Football; there is no off-season. If you want to be successful, your dynasty leagues require an immense amount of attention, both during the season and throughout the off-season. This is why dynasty has become so popular. Owners hate the eight-month drought of waiting between football seasons, when they could be crafting their teams, preparing a strategy for the future and connecting with leagues more often.

I encourage you to make an effort to get started early in your research this off-season. Each year I get started earlier, looking over my past seasons and finding weaknesses in my rosters. Then I do the necessary research to make up for the cracks in the foundation. Often this is due to veteran players finally hitting the age-gap, so I turn my attention to upcoming rookies and tune into the game film as soon as I can. Doing so allows me to come into rookie drafts fully prepared to get the players I want and need, rather than drafting ones who may or may not flourish at the NFL level.

Cheers!

Make a resolution this year to be great! Take the necessary steps to maximize your potential in dynasty leagues, increasing your overall enjoyment of fantasy football and most likely increasing your chances of turning the championship corner. As you take time to reflect on your past fantasy seasons, sit down and take a little time for yourself, do some research on your past seasons and begin to make plans for 2018. Nothing has to stay the same, and why not make it this year? With a few changes to your fantasy lifestyle, before you know it you could be living the most enjoyable years of championship runs your league has ever seen.

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