Rolling Rebuild

DJ Jarvis Posted On April 22, 2019

Editor’s Note: This is the first article from new Member Corner writer DJ Jarvis. Follow DJ on Twitter @JarvisDFootball.

It’s the name of the format. It’s the ultimate goal of sports teams and fantasy teams alike, to build a dynasty. It isn’t always easy and the majority of time, even in fantasy, it generally requires a few years of suffering and high draft picks. Years of watching someone else hold up the trophy, while you’re hoping to strike it rich with an Ezekiel Elliott, Christian McCaffrey or Odell Beckham at the top of the draft. Those one or two missing pieces to make you a mainstay. If you can, you want to avoid the years where your team is filled with aging veterans at the end of their careers, holding almost no trade value. While it doesn’t work for everyone or in every league, there are a few ways to put yourself on top and stay there, long enough to win two or three titles in a five-year span.

This is the rolling rebuild. While there is an argument to be made for a complete tear down and rebuild, this is my preferred way to rebuild. After all, it never hurts to win more championships.

Get There

Obviously, the first step to building a dynasty, is getting to the top. This step usually starts with a startup draft, but sometimes can come when a few pieces come together at the right time. Usually this starts with a mixture of aging guys and young guys who could be mainstays throughout your dynasty process.

Don’t Be Afraid To Cut Bait

The biggest issue we all run into in fantasy football is falling in love with our players, especially in dynasty. It’s not hard to fall in love with guys like AJ Green and Julio Jones after owning them for years. Sometimes, you have to cut bait with your aging superstars and attempt to turn those into up-and-coming superstars. The first step in what I was able to do, came with a swap of Green and a second-round pick for Davante Adams. Never be afraid to add something to a trade that could make you better in the future.

Aces and Spaces or Studs and Duds

There’s two times having depth on your roster does you no good. The off-season and the playoffs. Dump your depth in the off-season and at the trade deadline, if you have one. If you have depth, trade it for top-end guys. Being five or six players deep at running back and wide receiver does you no good in Weeks 14-16 when you can’t start them. If you feel like you can start them any given week, so does someone else. DeAndre Hopkins and Mike Evans are more valuable than the receivers 3-6 on your team if you’re trying to win the race. Being top heavy can win you titles.

Trade for Future Assets

While you shouldn’t be afraid to throw something in to get your guys, you also shouldn’t be afraid to ask for a little more on the end. Sometimes that can be a third round pick, which can be valuable. Even in weak drafts, there’s always someone to be found in the third round. Whether that’s by you or a leaguemate, who may pay a future second for that third round pick. With luck, you can turn that second into another player to help you get through the season or as another piece to get a top guy. Another valuable trade target during a rolling rebuild is expiring contracts. It’s not just a way for professional sports teams to shed payroll, it’s your way to get a possible bell cow running back under the radar. Though it doesn’t look great as I write this, Carlos Hyde was a major trade target for me last season, knowing that the Browns would likely buy out his deal this off-season. Not everyone looks at contracts when making trades. Take a look at guys with expiring deals and guys who give their team a massive cap hit.

Be Aggressive in the Trade Market

If a highly sought after guy hits the market and you have the assets (depth you may not need) to get him. Go after him. You may not need him. But you may be able to answer the price tag and may be interested in what other teams had to offer for that same player. Every top end talent should always be on your radar. It takes some serious scheming at times, but sometimes you find yourself in a situation where in benefits you to do a swap. At times, with two trades, you can turn a guy like Julio Jones into DeAndre Hopkins by getting pieces that will buy another player. It never hurts to inquire about a player you can’t afford at the time, because sometimes assets can be moved to acquire that player down the road. Additionally, the best times to make trades in dynasty leagues are in the off-season. Most leagues, if hosted on MFL, wait until the rollover to open up trading again, if there’s a deadline. That’s a great time to trade. To me, owners are most likely to deal with you in the period between the Super Bowl and the draft. Especially if there’s question marks surrounding the players situation.

Keep Notes

It’s been mentioned a ton of times in a ton of different places in this industry. Keep notes of players price tags, keep notes of owners tendencies, sometimes that means favorite players or favorite teams. This doesn’t only has to be physical notes, but mental notes. You can find out a lot about your league mates by paying attention to trades and league message boards.

What’s Next?

Unlike a complete tear down and rebuild, the rolling rebuild doesn’t quite have an endgame. In a rebuild, a championship is the end game. In a rolling rebuild, the end game is a dynasty. A few championships in a short span of time to assert yourself at the top of your league. Continue to evaluate your team each season to see where you can get younger or where you can improve the top end of your roster.