The Dynasty Reset: Rebuilding A Fantasy Football Team: Part 1
So, the fantasy football regular season is over, and you’re admiring your championship trophies, rings, belts, and other victory swag. And as you take stock of all your fantasy leagues, you notice “that” league. You know the one; the record is mediocre, the assets are meh, at best, and it gives you that nostalgic feeling of old past video games. The games where you realize you didn’t complete that quest that gives you the sword to defeat the final boss, or you chose not to upgrade the tires on your racecar, and now you can’t clear a pivotal time stage? Remember those games? Yeah, we all do, and that nostalgic feeling you’re dealing with is knowing what must be done next…yeah, you guessed it; we must walk to the console, look at what’s beside the power button, and press…RESET! In this case, we need to reset our dynasty team by deciding to rebuild. I know it may seem daunting, but in some cases, it must be done, and if you’re reading this, you more than likely have already made that choice.
In this series of The Dynasty Reset, I will give you all a peek behind the curtain, in which I maneuver through the rebuilding of a dynasty team within varying stages. This team is in year two of a total rebuild in a 14–team league. I hope that seeing the thought processes, strategies, and moves made in my rebuild will help give you an idea of how to attack yours if you find yourself in a similar situation. I will break down this dynasty team in a showcase at different parts of the season, such as the off-season (which we’re currently in), pre-season, and the regular in-season. Mixing in some tips and video game references along the way, we should be headed to slay that final boss, save the princess, and hoist another dynasty championship!
Understanding the Game Mechanics (Team Fundamentals)
This should go without saying, but here I am saying it. When rebuilding, you must first know the league settings and how they will affect your team. This includes understanding the scoring format, general roster construction, and being familiar with the owners in your league. Who is the dominant one? The one who loves to trade? The one with rookie fever? Or the one who needs to have all the players from his favorite team? Identifying these types of owners and the league trends will help you when it’s time to make moves. You wouldn’t expect to be successful at Mortal Kombat without knowing the button functions, would you?
Before diving into the team fundamentals of this rebuild, we desperately need to give it a much better moniker than 14-team. On this 14-teamer, I have a couple of mobile quarterbacks, so I will name that team Konami. Without further ado, let’s meet Team Konami:
Team Konami – 2023 Record (3 – 11) Finished (12th )
The league setup for Team Konami is a 14-team Superflex league with roster and settings as listed below:
Team Konami is in the second year of its rebuild and is still in pretty rough shape, as you can see from the record. But we have our eyes on the prize and hope to turn this team into a perennial contender in this league. The roster is as follows:
Team Konami has some core pieces to build around in the QB and WR room. Justin Fields will be a pivotal piece in the success or failure of this reset/rebuild. If the Bears decide to move on from him, it could limit my options. However, I believe Fields will remain a starting QB in the NFL moving forward, and when he plays, he scores fantasy points. Tank Dell was a rookie acquisition from last season that hit, and he can be a vital piece for years. Amari Cooper is getting older, and decisions will need to be made on his future with Team Konami, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Although there are a couple of solid pieces in the WR room, it is fragile with receivers you cannot trust.
The running back room is about as adequate as a Goomba from Mario Bros, with not being able to put up much of a fight. Brian Robinson and Antonio Gibson will be intriguing going into the offseason. Rivera is gone in Washington, and it looks like Gibson will be on the move in free agency. That can potentially give both RBs a boost heading into next season. Chase Brown started to see a little run alongside an aging Mixon last year, so his role may expand. The rest? Well, I may have to be like Super Mario and boot them like that Goomba when Mario gets the star!
The tight end position is almost non-existent, with only Darren Waller to show right now, and he was often injured and ineffective last year. He cannot be trusted, and that part of the team needs some major work as we rebuild.
Regarding picks, I own my ’24 first-round pick, which is the 1.03 in the upcoming draft. Having the 2.01, 2.03, and 3.14 also will give me a few more chances to hit with rookies, but it is not a lot to work with, considering the amount of work to be done. Set to level expert and strap in for some fun.
Developing a Strategy (Long-Term Planning)
In those old-school video games, players often developed strategies to maximize their scores or progress through levels. Similarly, rebuilding a dynasty team requires a long-term strategy, including drafting young talent, trading wisely, and managing the personalities of those in the league with them. When you decide to reset and transition into a rebuild, you must be clear and execute your plan. Continually changing your plan will leave you spinning your wheels for years and never enjoying the fruits of your hard work. Let’s dig into the “settings” for our rebuild and plan how to reset Team Konami successfully.
- Adapting to Challenges (Flexibility and Adaptation): Arcade games often throw unexpected challenges at players, requiring quick adaptation. In dynasty football, unforeseen events like player injuries, breakout performances, or rule changes demand similar adaptability in strategy. Before I said, you should not constantly be changing your plan; this is revising your plan based on what is happening in real-time. The decision to rebuild is now your prime directive, but you should always be willing to adapt to changes and maintain your eye on the prize of completing the rebuild. In this league, I know that the owners do not like to make a lot of trades. Because of this knowledge, I must be cautious with my moves with Team Konami and diligently scour the waiver wire to uncover hidden gems early. In your dynasty rebuild, you need to understand your team’s weaknesses and the challenges you might face and be prepared to maneuver around any unexpected changes that may arise.
- Resource Management (FAAB and Roster): Just as managing limited resources like lives or power-ups is crucial in games, managing a dynasty team’s roster and FAAB (Free Agent Acquisition Budget) budget effectively is vital to sustainable success. In addition to its nine starters, Team Konami has 11 bench spots, 3 IR spots, and three taxi spots. That’s not a deep bench in a dynasty, so I have to be more selective in which players I choose to fill those slots with. When building your team, you should clearly understand how you want your roster to be. For me, I like to construct my rosters like real NFL teams. The NFL offenses have shifted, and QBs and WRs now rule most of the scoring, which is different than running backs years ago. That doesn’t mean the other positions are not valuable; it just means I prefer the higher-caliber players in the positions I lean toward. When you decide what you want your roster to look like, you need to target the right players for you. With Team Konami, I am emphasizing pass catchers more than any other positions at this point of the season. My reason for this is that I like where my quarterbacks are right now, so there is no need to manipulate them. Running backs tend to have the shortest shelf life of players in the league, and since I’m not in a contending window right now, it is counterproductive to stock my team with them now, and they are aged out in a couple of years when I’m ready to ascend from the ashes like a phoenix. The influx of young, productive tight ends is very encouraging, and if I can acquire any, I will, especially with this fantasy league being a TE premium. Wide receivers tend to last longer in the NFL because they are not subject to the beating that running backs take, and the NFL rules are set up for them to thrive. So, for Team Konami, they are my top target. Of course, if I can acquire ascending assets of any position, I definitely will. The name of the game is to buy low and sell high, so every person on your roster should be in play if the price is right!
- Learning from Failure (Analyzing Losses): In arcade games and dynasty football, losses can be learning experiences. Analyzing what went wrong and adjusting strategies accordingly is part of both realms. This is very important to remember as you continue your rebuild. Consider Great Tiger from Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out. The very first time you fought him back in the day, odds are, you got knocked out. But from that loss, you learned the timing and pattern of his punches, and it was long before you were advancing to the next opponent. The same applies to a dynasty rebuild. Did you miss out on a free agent because your FAAB bid was woefully low, or was another owner super aggressive on a particular player? Use that knowledge to make better bids next time. Or maybe trade talks broke down because you didn’t respond to an owner in a timely fashion, or he values Tee Higgins more than Justin Jefferson and Ja’marr Chase combined; whatever it is, make sure to make a mental note and learn how to turn that loss into an opportunity in the future. Rebuilding is not for the lazy or those afraid to take a ‘L’ now and then.
- Patience and Persistence (Grinding Through): Many arcade games require patience and persistence, with players repeating levels multiple times to succeed. Similarly, rebuilding a dynasty team is rarely a quick process; it often requires patience through seasons of growth and development. There are differing levels of rebuilding regarding dynasty teams. Some can be turned around quickly, some may take a year or two, and some may take three years to complete. The length should be part of your assessment when you’ve decided to start rebuilding. Honestly evaluate where your team is regarding your end goal and be patient but diligently work towards your endgame. In dynasty, side quests aren’t necessarily your friend.
- Enjoyment of the Process (Fun and Engagement): Lastly, just as playing arcade games is ultimately about having fun, managing a dynasty football team, even through a rebuilding phase, should be an enjoyable and engaging experience. So many owners decide to leave a league when the going gets tough, or they tank and thoroughly check out of the game. Rebuilding shouldn’t make you want to hang it all up completely. Doing it correctly is fun and gratifying when you see your progress and begin contending for the crown. Stay engaged by offering trades, making waiver moves, and churning your roster until you are satisfied with the end product!
What’s Next? Now that I have a game plan strategy to attack this rebuild, the next thing to do is do it! To help me execute, I like to put my fantasy team roster down just like the depth charts of real NFL teams. Team Konami depth chart is below:
This exercise allows me to look at my team in a much more manageable way. My starters are not terrible, considering it’s a 14-team league, and every team will have a hole or two. If Lamar and Fields stay healthy and Fields remains an NFL starter, I have three QBs that I can feel confident rotating each week in the QB and Superflex roster spots.
At RB, I have likely an RB2 and a flex play in Robinson and Gibson. The offseason will provide more clarity on those two and Chase Brown. However, the rest are darts at best. What I like to do this time of season, if free agency is unlocked, is to scoop up any young backup running back on the wire who has questions ahead of them on their actual NFL roster. I think guys like Chris Rodriguez in Washington or DeWayne McBride in Minnesota. Look for situations where an opportunity may be had because of a vacating vet, like the Tennessee Titans. If Derrick Henry leaves in free agency, there may be more work besides what Tyjae Spears will get. Doing this will give you a leg up if you can get these players now versus fighting the FAAB war when training camp starts.
DJ Moore and Tank Dell project to be part of Team Konami post-reset as they are young and have shown big-play abilities and a relatively stable floor. Amari Cooper is a thought-provoking piece; he will be entering his age 30 season and had a roller coaster of a season until Flacco came in and gave him a boost. With the build of this team, it is time to consider putting Cooper on the market to see if I can flip him for a usable asset and picks. While in rebuild mode, assets are the currency we want the most. The more assets we accrue, the better chance we will flesh out a competitive roster with depth to cover injuries fully. So, one of the moves to help my WRs is moving on from Cooper now versus risking a fall-off, even though I think he will be relevant for the next few years.
As for Darren Waller, I think I will be forced to keep him this year because of having a down year and his age. But for the TE position, I will try to find either young, upside types to help with depth or go to the well of vets like Juwan Johnson, who play enough for spot starts but shouldn’t hold an absurd asking price. I would also like to have more confidence in the pool I have to choose from to play in my flex spot. Jeudy, Dotson, and company seemed to have potential, but it is not equating to fantasy points, although changing coaches and scenery could be excellent. I will take the same approach and seek out those players on NFL rosters where a change in the depth chart above them could lead to fantasy opportunities; think of players like Trey Palmer and Cade Otten of Tampa Bay.
In summary, I will try to bolster my wide receiver and tight end rooms with moves in the off-season and search and acquire young talent that may see opportunities with NFL roster changes going into the preseason. These will be done in addition to using the 1.03, 2.01, and 2.03 to draft the best player available and use the 3.14 as a dart throw. I believe in drafting the best player available and trading for need, which will also be my approach in this year’s rookie draft.
On to the Next Level
Now that we have appropriately assessed what Team Konami needs, it’s time to implement those plans by firing up the trade talks and being an absolute menace on the waiver wire. Some owners who have endured the grueling regular season may be taking it easy right now, but not those who are rebuilding. In a dynasty, the heavy lifting starts this time of season, so be active and take advantage of any owner’s lackadaisical approach. The grind will be worth it; remember always to be conscious of your end goal with every decision. We’ve defeated this level’s mini-boss; now it’s on to the next level. Queue that 80s 8-bit game music!
The next installment of The Dynasty Reset will come after the NFL draft when we have a clearer picture after the rookies have found their landing spots on NFL rosters. I will update you on any changes that Team Konami has gone through and dive into the next steps of this rebuild. Be sure to comment, ask any questions, or suggest ideas you might have, and keep an eye out for part 2. In the meantime, check out the content that the rest of the Fantasy In Frames family and I will be putting out to help you prepare to dominate all your fantasy leagues in the coming season. I truly appreciate you taking the time to read this article, and I look forward to screenshots of your successful rebuilds. Until the next chapter, BE GREAT!