The Ask DLF Weekly Rundown
We do a weekly Ask DLF show every Tuesday at 9 PM Eastern on DLF’s YouTube Channel. Every week, we answer live dynasty questions and love doing it, especially with how interactive the live chat is. Of course, make sure to like the video and subscribe to the channel so you can be a part of this experience in the future.
However, the chat has become so active that we rarely actually answer all the questions in full detail. Still, we don’t want to let the people down, especially those who tuned into the live show. Therefore, we decided to do this article series, where we will provide written answers to some of the lengthier questions or the ones where we had to cut the answer short.
Let’s jump into this week’s first question!
Marcus Forsyth – Can we talk about Sean Payton’s future and what his departure means for the value of Saints players?
In general, I tend not to think too much of coaching changes in terms of player value as we don’t know how the new head coach will think of a specific player. In this particular situation, I doubt stars like Alvin Kamara are affected much by a coaching change, but it may impact some lower valued assets. For example, it’s evident that Payton loved quarterback hybrid Taysom Hill, and I doubt he gets a genuine chance to start under a new head coach.
Additionally, sleepers like Marquez Callaway, Adam Trautman, Deonte Harris, and Tre’Quan Smith may have been “Payton’s guys,” so there’s no guarantee they get the same opportunity in 2022. Payton also rehabilitated Jameis Winston in 2021, turning him into a somewhat conservative game manager. Before this coaching change, I assumed Winston would re-sign with the Saints, but now I’m not so sure.
Overall, the Saints are a mess right now, finding themselves $74 million over the cap. Payton may have left because he didn’t want to be a part of a rebuild, and his departure will undoubtedly accelerate that process. I wouldn’t target Saints’ players on my fantasy or dynasty rosters in 2022.
Spock498 – Do you go for value in startup drafts or fill in positional needs as the startup draft goes?
I chose this question because my answer is very, very short. I always go for value in a dynasty startup draft. Dynasty leagues typically have lots of trades, and you don’t have to set a starting lineup until September. If you’re doing a startup right now, you still have an entire rookie draft to play out before the regular season, so I wouldn’t worry about positional needs. I’m not saying to take all of one position or anything like that but stick to value within reason.
Gatorfan15 – What are your general thoughts on doing a 2QB league compared to superflex?
Generally, I prefer the superflex format, as it provides flexibility for dynasty managers in that league. I don’t like the idea of managers taking zeroes, and that situation is far more likely to arise in a 2QB league. In terms of strategy, raise the quarterback value slightly in 2QB leagues versus the superflex format. Having a second forced quarterback starter increases their scarcity, which is why quarterbacks carry heightened value in superflex formats in the first place.
Patrick Pichette – Amon-Ra St. Brown for a 2023 first? Or are you riding St. Brown next year?
I wanted to use this trade to highlight the DLF Trade Analyzer.
As you can see, St. Brown comes in almost equal to a 2023 first-round pick in a 1QB dynasty format. Honestly, that value seems slightly low, especially considering his January DLF ADP of 51.83 and WR25. I don’t think you can typically acquire a player around that value with a single 2023 first-rounder.
I bet that St. Brown’s current dynasty overall rank is weighing down his value in the trade analyzer, as he’s the 86th overall player in DLF’s dynasty rankings. I strongly disagree with that ranking, and I value St. Brown closer to his ADP value. Therefore, I prefer him over a 2023 first-rounder, at least in the 1QB format.
However, this equation changes in a superflex dynasty format.
Due to the heightened value of quarterbacks, all other positions lose value compared to a random future draft pick. I also know that the 2022 quarterback class is generally considered weak, while the 2023 quarterback class is far stronger. For those reasons, I would rather have a 2023 first-rounder over St. Brown in a superflex dynasty league. Of course, I purposely chose this question, as I wanted to point out a specific example of a player who falls between a 2023 first-rounder in superflex and the same pick in 1QB.
Keith Boyer – Question for Tyler, what is your waiver wire strategy throughout the year? Do you like to keep a few spots free for value and to block your competition or are you dropping/picking players as you go?
I put this question in the article for one reason and one reason only. If you’re reading this section, go and check your dynasty waivers, and make sure you haven’t missed something. Waivers are a year-round endeavor. You never know when you’ll find a hidden gem like James Robinson, Darren Waller, Phillip Lindsay, or Tyler Huntley.
Outside of that point, I have no major waiver-wire strategy other than continuing to check them. Of course, anytime you’re adding a player in a dynasty league, it’s either because they can offer you value in trade or production. But that’s true of all transactions, not just waivers. The goal of playing dynasty is to build value and convert that value into fantasy production when you want to compete for a title.
Gatorfan15 – In general trade talks do you tend to tell people what your price for a player is or do they have to tell you what they would give first?
I love this question because it addresses the social element of playing in dynasty leagues. Typically, I don’t like to reveal information like my price for a player when negotiating trades, as that puts me at an informational disadvantage.
I usually begin negotiations with a trade offer through the official site platform. However, that offer may represent my best offer or just a starting offer. I vary from trade to trade and manager to manager, depending on what I believe is the best way to obtain the most trade value. Dynasty fantasy football is just another social game, and you have to have different approaches with different people.
Robert M Streeter II – What should a contender that missed out on a chip approach the off-season?
I wrote a recent article on this topic, where I discussed how to transition your dynasty team from the regular season to the off-season. Specifically, tip three from that piece discusses the first step a contender or any team from 2021 should do: take stock of your team. As I mentioned there, I would recommend beginning your off-season process by listing your players by position in value order from top to bottom. Then, separately, list out your 2022 picks and any future draft picks.
In the context of this question, I would then look at your team compared to the rest of your league. First, where did you finish in 2022? Were you close to the top of the league in points scored and all-play record, or were you more of a team that got lucky and hot near the end of the season? Also, compare your roster to the other top contenders in the league and decide if you think you can run it back.
After that, take stock of your 2022 picks and any assets that may severely decline in value, such as retiring players like Ben Roethlisberger. Those picks and dead assets will be the most significant changes from 2021 to 2022, so it’s important to track those. Also, look at your future picks to see what potential ammunition you can use to acquire more win-now pieces in the off-season.
Finally, it’s decision time. If you feel like you can contend again, I’d mostly recommend standing pat at the moment. You can try to acquire a few low-priced veterans like Leonard Fournette or Allen Robinson, but you don’t have to. Just make sure you continue to churn waivers throughout the off-season. On the other hand, if you feel it’s time to rebuild, I’d immediately begin that process. 2022 rookie picks are insanely undervalued right now, as the class is generally unpopular. You can likely acquire those picks at a low price before rookie fever sets in, kick-starting your rebuild.
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