Preparing for week 11 and beyond is important for dynasty players. Your team is in one of four places right now, and how you set up your bench could really play a role in the ultimate outcome of your season and, let’s face it, your ability to be profitable this year or beyond. Remember, the art of dynasty is a long game, but there isn’t an opportunity to simply start over unless you quit.
Let’s first look at a team that is 4 weeks away from getting that valued 1st round bye. Do you have enough depth to withstand an injury at every position? Keep scouring the waiver wire to add pieces to get those items handled. If a good deal comes your way, swipe it, but remember you got to a 7-3, 8-2, 9-1, or 10-0 with players on your roster, so you have a solid team. I never like to give up my future or go “all in” because what if the Burrow & Chase stack was in week 16 against you? I learned this lesson several years ago in 2019 when Drew Brees had a week 14 (first round of playoffs back then) that simply took out my Lamar, CMC, Beckem, & Kittle core. I had the best team by far, but far too often, we experience variance, so going all in prevents an ability to draft great players the next year. Dobbins hasn’t worked out well, but selling the pick in 2020 would have meant that I would have had a big problem this year at RB. Pick up players who could start this year for your team or players who are needed to start for your opponent’s teams. The player list varies very widely from league to league as the supply and demand of positions has its own economy.
Looking at teams currently in the last 2 play off positions these teams need to make sure their bench is full of players that will potentially start for them or if one piece will likely get your team a bye spot then get aggressive and build your bench by making your line up better. This attitude is not about winning a trade but more so winning the league. If 10 more projected points gets you to extra wins then go get 10 points of improvement. Keep an eye on age when doing this, for instance be very slow to buy Derrick Henry in this position by using your 1st round capital as your moving up from Najee Harris to Henry. The position this puts you in is if you miscalculate or are on the wrong side of variance you have two likely RB’s that will likely be worse next year with no fire power to replace it until the 2nd round. By comparison if the Bijan owner would sell him to improve your Najee team I’d give 1st, 2nd, & Najee to get the younger Bijan. If it doesn’t work out your 2025 team is still better in almost all circumstances. Keep in mind that these are examples with no validity to values. Each league economy is far different as this is a mindset of roster construction.
Teams that are 1 or 2 games out of final playoff spot still could catch lightening. Do you want your teams to be in this category? Patience and consistency are the keys. Look at your opponents records, Do you play teams that a head to head win puts you in a flip flop in the standings or do you need more than just winning to get to the playoffs? I prefer to play very defensive in this situation vs. my opponents staying one week ahead of what they likely need. They have holes in their roster as they are in those final playoff spots. Pick up the players they likely need to win should their best players get hurt and have them on your roster. This is where the mental side of dynasty comes into play. Most players get very annoyed when they have a good team but no QB at all to start. It forces them into making poor decisions and whether you are the beneficiary or not is less important than a sporadic move by another owner in your league. Bad decisions can start small but most times lead to more bad decisions. They compound like a snowball and before you know it its one less good team to deal with for many years.
If your team isn’t likely to win then collect draft capital but remember don’t sell your best assets sell the assets you feel will be worse next year and beyond. Most times this is older players but not every time, and remember you are in a power position you don’t NEED to sell anything. The acquiring team needs the boost. You have the supply and they have the demand. At this point you want to collect anyone on your bench that can create picks, so you pickup Tillman with your FAAB and sell him for a 2nd & 4th to a team 1 WR short on a bye week. You pick up Mike Williams so you can sell him to a contender. Its about acquiring lottery picks not selling your young core. If you have Nacua and not winning odds are he’ll be better next year so he stays but if you have Kupp and someone will pay then you sell him but remember its possible that you will draft Treylon Burks with your rookie first. Would you make that trade Kupp for Burks? Then realize that the range of outcomes on picks can be great with Garrett Wilson or bad with Burks. Remember the outcome of those draft picks in a strong WR class when you move on from Kupp. How many of these first round rookie picks would you trade straight up for Kupp right now just two years after drafting? Generally the following WR were taken in the 1st round, London, Wilson, Burks, Olave, Williams, Skyy, Dotson, Watson, & Pickens. I included anyone that average in the top 15 in this list over my 79 rookie drafts I did that year. I use this example to say keeping your aging veteran isn’t the worse thing for a rebuild as selling short does’t always make you better as its better to take your FAAB acquisitions and pick them up and sell them for dart throws that can become the next Puka types.
Your bench plays a pivotal role in developing a long term successful dynasty team. As you will notice, the consistent players, even when their team is struggling, can eventually develop into a juggernaut for years to come. Patience and Persistence is the key.
