IDP Dynasty League: Case Study

Posted 6/5 by Anthony Borbely, Exclusive to Footballguys.com

I know...nobody cares about my dynasty team. We have all heard that before. In most cases, I agree with this. We go to the message boards at Footballguys.com, browse through the Shark Pool, and often times see members trying to interject their fantasy teams into conversations about various players or teams. Very few readers care to see that in a thread about a specific player or team. That being said, I am going to talk about one of my fantasy teams. The objective is to give dynasty owners some insight into roster management, and that will be accomplished by using an actual fantasy team in the discussion. Seeing roster management firsthand allows for real examples to the topics that will be discussed, and in many cases makes it easier to make a point about specific strategies.

The specific team that I am using for this article is a team that I took over in early 2007 in a highly competitive 16-team IDP dynasty league. While this is an IDP league, the strategies discussed are used in any league, be it redraft, dynasty or keeper, IDP or non-IDP, and so on. As you will see, this team was in bad shape when I joined the league. The rebuilding strategies that I utilized during the initial stages of my ownership will be discussed in great detail, as will the strategies I later used when the team was ready to contend. By the way, when I say the team was bad when I inherited it, you will see that I mean BAD.

Basic League Information

Roster Limits

This league has a 45-player roster during the season, with a four-player injured reserve (IR). After the fantasy Super Bowl, the rosters expand to 53 players and all players that were placed on IR are automatically placed on the active rosters. We have a five round rookie draft, at which point the rosters are increased to 58 players. We then have to cut to the in-season 45-player limit five days before the first NFL game. This league also has a five-player taxi squad, for rookies only, but it was not in effect at the time this article was authored.

Starting Requirements

1 QB
1-2 RB
3 WR
1-2 TE
1 K
1-2 DT
2 DE
3-4 LB
2 CB
2 S

As you can see, we have two flex positions: a RB/TE flex and a DT/LB flex. Considering the scoring system, we rarely see a situation when two DTs start. The scoring is TE friendly, so we occasionally see teams starting two TEs.

Basic league scoring

Passing TD - 4 points (2-point bonus if over 40 yards)
Rushing / Receiving TDs - 6 points (2-point bonus if over 40 yards)
Passing Yards - 1 point per 20 yards (2-point at 300 yards)
Rushing Yards - 1 point per 10 yards (2-point at 100 yards)
Receiving Yards (2-point at 100 yards)
- RBs and WRs - 1 point per 10 yards
- TEs - 1.5 points per 10 yards
RBs - 0.5 points per reception
WRs - 1 point per reception
TEs - 1.5 points per receptions

As you can see, this is a TE premium scoring system, so they have increased value.

Regarding IDP scoring, it is slightly weighted to big plays.

Another key point about this league is that it is a 16-team league that is divided into four divisions. The division winners are the only playoff teams. This is a very important fact that needs to be addressed. It is very difficult to make the playoffs in a 16-team league that only has four playoff teams. This has to be a factor in any decisions made regarding whether or not to rebuild a team. As you will see shortly, the team that I inherited is really bad and I would be rebuilding regardless of league rules, but I wanted to make the point because sometimes it is not this easy to determine if a full rebuild is necessary. In this case, it is.

One important thing about league scoring systems and other important information about a league is that all leagues are not created equal. The facts about a league are vitally important when making decisions. I see many posts at Footballguys.com, in the Assistant Coaches forum, asking for advice, but not giving any information about their league. Folks, this is nothing short of throwing a dart at a bunch of names and hoping to be right. We must know the details of the league in question to effectively answer questions or make a comment. That is why I listed the pertinent facts about my league above. Without that, it would be tough to explain some of the transactions I made.

Plan Overview

My initial plan was to unload any player who had little long-term value to me, but still had some value to others, and acquire young players with upside and as many draft picks as I could. The objective was to build a solid core that would be a part of a future championship contender. I knew the 2007 season was going to be rough, and I did not care about players who would only be productive in the short-term. Any player who was on my roster and did not have long-term value was going to be moved. As you will see, I made numerous trades and several were relatively minor.

By the way, the word minor does not necessarily mean unimportant. For example, let's say you trade a borderline player that you have no future use for and add a draft pick to the deal. In exchange, you acquire a pick five spots higher in the draft from the one you traded away. You just moved up five spots for a player that has no value, and you also cleared a roster spot that you can use on a prospect. You also have a draft pick with a higher value that can be used as trade bait. Make a few deals like this, and the end result can be a pick that is a full round higher in the draft. That is just one example. Anytime you improve your team, be it large or small, your team becomes better.

At the time I took this team over, I was unsure of the length of time it would take me to rebuild this team. I decided to just add as much talent as I could and reevaluate again before the season started. At that time, I would adjust my goals and the plan if need be. For now, I wanted to focus on the first phase in the reconstruction of my roster, which was to rid my team of borderline talent, older players, and anyone else who I did not deem good enough to be a part of a future contender. My general rebuilding philosophy is to completely overhaul the roster. Patching holes works when you only need a few pieces to contend, but if you try this strategy with a bad team, all that happens is that you lengthen the time it takes to make your team a contender. You patch one hole and create another, basically spinning your wheels. I do not see any point in doing that. The goal is to win a championship, not to wallow in mediocrity.

Following is the starting roster, along with a position-by-position breakdown:

QB Drew Brees
QB Aaron Brooks
QB Kellen Clemens
QB J.P. Losman
QB Chad Pennington
QB D.J. Shockley
QB Andrew Walter

Brees is a top five stud and made QB one of my few strengths. Clemens has some upside, and I also had Pennington, which guaranteed me the starter for the Jets. That is important in a 16-team league. Losman was a respectable young starting QB at this point. The others had little value.

RB Arliss Beach
RB Cedric Cobbs
RB Stephen Davis
RB Justin Fargas
RB Justin Griffith
RB Maurice Hicks
RB Mewelde Moore
RB Willie Parker
RB Artose Pinner
RB Gerald Riggs Jr.
RB Michael Robinson
RB Derrick Ross

This group was pretty much Willie Parker and a bunch of handcuffs, prospects and roster filler. This particular league is one where RBs and WRs are hoarded in the hope of finding lightning in a bottle. In all honesty, I saw very little chance of finding any value here with the possible exception of Fargas and Robinson. But stranger things have happened.

WR Marques Colston
WR Lee Evans
WR Robert Ferguson
WR Chris Hannon
WR Chad Jackson
WR Greg Lee
WR Reggie McNeal
WR Martin Nance
WR Kevin Walter

Evans and Colston were part of my young core that I wanted to build my team around and were inquired for in trades more than any other player on my roster. I had no intention of trading either unless the package was significant. Chad Jackson was an intriguing talent. The others were middling prospects.

TE John Madsen
TE Tony Scheffler
TE Vishante Shiancoe
TE Ben Troupe
TE Delanie Walker

I was a huge Scheffler fan and felt he would be my upper echelon TE for a long time to come. Despite being an underachiever, Troupe had a lot of value when I took this team over and still had a lot of upside. The others were depth players at best.

K Shayne Graham

Graham is an elite kicker who plays for a high scoring team. I am solid here.

DT None

Defensive tackle is the least important position in this league, and I decided to worry about it when my team was a contender.

DE Ray Edwards
DE James Hall
DE Bobby McCray
DE Justin Smith

Smith was a solid DE2, and Hall was a borderline DE2 at the time. Edwards was a decent prospect. I felt this position was fair at best, but not an area of major concern.

LB Eric Alexander
LB Jon Alston
LB Tim Dobbins
LB Chad Greenway
LB Gerald Hayes
LB Alex Lewis
LB Brian Urlacher

Urlacher is a stud and Hayes and Greenway offered me a couple of solid starters behind him. There was very little behind them. The LB position in this league is by far the most important, especially considering we can start four. I definitely planned on placing a high priority on upgrading the talent and depth at this position.

CB Cedric Griffin
CB Pacman Jones
CB Johnathan Joseph
CB Ty Law
CB Jimmy Williams

Pacman is an elite fantasy CB with a waiver wire head. But since my team was not a contender, I decided to hold him and see what the future held. Griffin is a solid CB2. Law still had some value at this time. Joseph and Williams both are young players with upside. CBs are relatively easy to find, so this position has a low priority for me.

S Rodney Harrison
S Eric Smith

Harrison was still a solid safety and Smith has some upside. This was definitely an area that needed an influx of talent.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please remember that the roster and accompanying comments above are from February of 2007.

Draft picks
- 2007 pick 3.11
- 2007 pick 3.12
- 2007 pick 3.13
- 2007 pick 4.08
- 2007 pick 4.11
- 2008 Round 1 pick
- 2008 Round 2 pick
- 2008 Round 3 pick
- 2008 Round 4 pick
- 2008 Round 5 pick

Rebuilding: Phase One

Phase one began when I took over the team and continued until the beginning of the 2007 season. Considering the lack of talent I had to work with and the shortage of high draft picks, my initial analysis led me to believe this would be a one- or two-year undertaking to make this team a contender. The first order of business was to attempt to move players that had absolutely no value to me and try to acquire young players with upside, draft picks, or at worst swap picks and move up a few spots in the draft. Regardless, I wanted to rid my team of players that were not going to be a part of my long-term championship contender. I also wanted acquire picks and young players and open up roster spots that could be utilized for adding more prospects. My greatest chance at success was to load my roster with as many quality prospects as I could and rid myself of middling talent and players who would not be a part of my team's future.

The 2007 rookie draft took place during this phase. My draft strategy was simply to take the best available player regardless of position. This team is not good enough to be picky. I also was leaning to concentrating on offense unless an IDP caught my eye.

Trade #1: February 26, 2007

Traded: RB Correll Buckhalter, 2007 pick 3.11, 2007 pick 3.13, 2007 pick 4.11
Received: 2007 pick 2.11, 2007 pick 4.14

Analysis: The Westbrook owner wanted to handcuff him with Buckhalter, and I moved him along with a couple of late third round picks and landed the 2.11 pick. This was a win-win deal for both of us. As you will see, an important part of negotiating trades is to look from the other owner's perspective and see how a trade benefits him. The other owner accomplished his goal by acquiring Westbrook's handcuff, and I picked up a second round pick for a couple of late thirds and a player who did not have any long-term value to me. Another key point is that a player may have value to one owner and limited or no value to the other owner. Buckhalter had no value to me, so I made it a point to try to move him to the one owner that he did have value to - the Westbrook owner. RB handcuffs have a lot of value in a 16-team league.

Trade #2: February 27, 2007

Traded: 2007 pick 4.14
Received: DE James Hall

Analysis: This was a relatively minor deal, but I was in need of a DE and at the time, Hall was a respectable DE2. His value was low because he had only played half of the previous season. The other owner had depth and wanted to clear a roster spot. Once again, both owners got what they wanted.

Trade #3: March 1, 2007

Traded: WR Donte Stallworth, WR Mike Williams, TE Marcedes Lewis
Received: QB Kellen Clemens, QB Chad Pennington

Analysis: Stallworth was the key player in this deal. I was not enamored with him, and decided to shop him. I did not see Stallworth ever being more than a mid-level WR3, and he had more perceived value than true value to me. The other owner was in need of WRs and a TE with upside, and my impression of Lewis was that of a low-end starter in a 16-team league. Williams was the last piece necessary to get the deal done, and my belief about him was that he would never be a viable fantasy WR. I consider QB depth very important in a 16-team league and acquiring both Jet QBs fit into what I was doing. I liked the upside of Clemens at the time of this deal. Once again you see a trade where both owners accomplished their goals.

Trade #4: March 7, 2007

Traded: RB Justin Fargas, LB Brian Urlacher, 2007 pick 2.11
Received: LB Gary Brackett, 2007 pick 2.06, 2008 Round 1 pick, 2008 Round 2 pick

Analysis: This trade came about because the other owner really wanted Urlacher. I was not actively shopping him; as a matter of fact, I considered him one of the cornerstones of my future championship contender. I had initially wanted a first round pick plus a couple of other pieces. After several days of negotiating, we agreed to the deal. Fargas was the last piece of the puzzle for him. The Raiders had only Jordan and Fargas at RB at the time of this trade and the other owner had Jordan, so it made sense for him to acquire Fargas. I was content to get Brackett plus a future first and a second. I was hesitant when he first inquired about Urlacher, but the offer was too enticing to pass up.

Trade #5: March 12, 2007

Traded: QB Brooks Bollinger, 2007 pick 4.08
Received: 2007 pick 3.10

Analysis: This was another minor deal, but it was beneficial to both of us. The other owner only had two QBs on his roster: Carson Palmer and Tarvaris Jackson. At the time of this deal, it was expected that Jackson and Bollinger would battle for the Vikings' starting QB position. He wanted to secure a definite backup to Palmer and succeeded, and I was able to move up a few spots later in the draft. In 16-team leagues, even backups QBs like Bollinger have value. He had value to the Jackson owner, but none to me. I will mention this again: Do not underestimate small deals like this. You can move up a few spots for a player that has limited value and at the same time clear a roster spot that you can use on a prospect.

Trade #6: March 28, 2007

Traded: QB Chad Pennington
Received: S Anthony Smith, 2008 Round 2 pick

Analysis: At the time I made the deal to acquire Clemens and Pennington, my goal was to move Pennington as soon as possible because he was starting at the time and I did not expect that to continue. I looked for a team in need of a starting QB and this deal was consummated quickly. I believe second round picks have great value in an IDP league and I was happy to acquire one for a player that was not a part of my future plans.

Trade #7: April 16, 2007

Traded: LB Gary Brackett, CB Ty Law, 2007 pick 3.10
Received: QB Jeff Garcia, LB Jamar Williams, 2008 Round 2 pick

Analysis: Brackett is a solid LB whose upside is limited to about a top 25-30 LB, so I decided to pull the trigger on this deal and add another second round pick. When you have a team devoid of studs like this one, those early picks are valuable. I believe I can find LB2 types like Brackett relatively easy so he made for good trade bait. A contending team looks for players like this, myself included. Garcia was getting up in years and I had no intention of keeping him. The second round pick was the key part of the deal from my perspective.

Trade #8: May 1, 2007

Traded: RB Willie Parker
Received: RB Michael Turner, 2007 pick 1.11, 2008 Round 1 pick

Analysis: At the time of this deal, I was very high on Turner and expected him to eventually be a top-15 RB. The Tomlinson owner had him handcuffed, but he didn't have a great RB to pair with LT. Parker was a consensus top-10 RB and this trade was a great fit for both of us. A contender traded two late firsts and a prospect for a proven stud, while I added Turner and the two firsts. My thought was if Turner panned out like I thought and I could hit on one of the two firsts, the trade would be a great one for me. My objective through this entire rebuild was to add studs and acquiring Turner and two first gave me three legitimate chances to add some elite players to my squad. The cost was high (a proven top 10 RB in his mid 20s), but you have to give to get in fantasy football and you can't be afraid to pull the trigger. This trade was completed as the draft began.

Draft Pick

Pick 1.11 RB Brandon Jackson - Jackson was the best player on the board and I was somewhat surprised to see him available. I was not the biggest fan of Jackson, but I knew if he ever won the starting RB job that he would have significant trade value.

Trade #9: May 2, 2007

Traded: 2007 pick 2.06
Received: RB Vernand Morency

Analysis: I had just drafted RB Brandon Jackson and soon after this offer came my way. At the time, the Packers had Jackson and Morency and little else, so I jumped on the trade. I was hoping that this situation would play itself out so that one of these two RBs would take the job and run with it, at which point I would be trying to make a trade. One thing I know is that RBs are frequently injured and almost any starting RB has value. I figured I could get better than this 2.06 pick if I made a deal during the season.

Draft Pick

Pick 3.12 QB Trent Edwards - This was an easy pick to make since I had J.P. Losman, and if he had been gone, I likely would have tried to move the pick.

Trade #10: May 7, 2007

Traded: S Rodney Harrison
Received: 2007 pick 5.16

Analysis: A simple small deal where I gave up an older player with limited time left as a fantasy factor for a low draft pick. I was targeting a specific player and was working hard to acquire a pick in the latter part of the draft. I wound up getting the last pick in the draft.

Draft Pick

Pick 5.16 RB Selvin Young - Young was the only target with this pick. I believe in trying to acquire any Denver RB that I can for cheap, and then sell high as soon as they have any kind of value.

Trade #11: May 7, 2007

Traded: TE Ben Troupe, DE James Hall
Received: LB Anthony Waters, LB Michael Okwo, DE Ikaika Alama-Francis, 2008 Round
3 pick

Analysis: Shortly after the draft ended, another owner inquired about the availability of Troupe and we put a deal together in a relatively short time. Troupe had good value at the time of this deal and I was hesitant to pull the trigger, but I needed an influx of IDP talent and was happy with the package I received. As you can see, the earlier minor deal where I acquired James Hall allowed me to add the final piece to this deal; otherwise it may not have been completed. Do not underestimate the possible future importance of a small deal.

Trade #12: May 10, 2007

Traded: QB J.P. Losman, QB Trent Edwards, 2008 Round 2 pick
Received: QB Chris Simms, WR Joey Galloway

Analysis: This deal was made with the sole intent of putting together a package to acquire a future first round pick. The second rounder in the deal was that of a strong team, so I didn't mind moving it. I didn't feel at the time that either Buffalo QB was going to be anything special. Galloway had good value despite his age, and I was confident that a solid WR2 could land me a first rounder if I could put together the right package of players. I wanted to add Simms in this deal to give me both (at the time) Tampa Bay QBs. The teams that only own one QB would be the teams I would target with a QB duo from one team.

Trade #13: June 16, 2007

Traded: QB Jeff Garcia, QB Chris Simms, WR Joey Galloway, LB Paris Lenon, 2008 Round 2 pick
Received: TE Brent Celek, K Justin Medlock, 2008 Round 1 pick

Analysis: It took quite some time to put this deal together, but after countless negotiating sessions, the trade was completed. I received a first round pick that I deemed to be a potential top-5 pick. I gave up a lot on paper, but when you are looking to seriously upgrade your talent, high draft picks are worth it.

Trade #14: July 1, 2007

Traded: WR Kevin Walter, LB Gerald Hayes, 2008 Round 3 pick
Received: WR Matt Jones

Analysis: This was by far the worst trade I made. At the time the deal was consummated, I was very high on Jones and didn't think I gave up much. I felt that I was giving up middling talent and a pick for a player with a high ceiling and decided to pull the trigger. The one thing about making a lot of trades and taking chances on upside is that you will whiff occasionally. I whiffed on this one.

Trade #15: August 3, 2007

Traded: 2008 Round 1 pick
Received: QB Drew Stanton

Analysis: I was and still am very high on Stanton, and this trade was easy for me to make because I wanted to add a young QB that I was high on and Stanton fit the bill. The pick I traded was owned by a top contender, so I thought it would be anywhere from 1.13 to 1.16. The final determination of whether this deal was a good one will not be known for a couple of years at a minimum as I have to wait for Stanton to develop.

Trade #16: August 30, 2007

Traded: QB Brian Griese
Received: QB Kurt Warner, 2008 Round 5 pick

Analysis: A minor deal for me. The other owner had Peyton Manning as his starter and Grossman as the backup, and he wanted to secure a definite starter. This was good for both of us. I acquired a pick for a player I had no use for and he solidified his backup QB situation. In a 16-team league, backup QBs have value to whoever has the starter. The other owner added Warner to the deal because he had no use for him. He was not thought of as anything but a bench player at the time of this deal. My hope was to turn him into a low draft pick at some point.

Rebuilding: Phase Two

Phase two is during the 2007 season and the goals are similar to the first phase. I am in full rebuild mode. I have added some young talent and feel a lot better about my future than I did when I began. I will be making heavy use of the waiver wire during the season. This league uses a worst-to-first system for waivers and since my team was bad, I knew throughout the year I would get one of the early waiver claims. Do not underestimate how important this can be. There are always good players who come available during the year. My goal was to keep any good young talent and move replacement level players who had no long-term value to me, but had value to a contender. I highly advise fantasy owners who have a bad team to utilize this strategy, assuming your rules are similar to the rules in my league.

Waiver Move: September 1, 2007

Acquired: RB Ryan Grant

Analysis: Ryan Grant was a player who I knew very little about prior to training camp, but he caught my attention in a couple of preseason games and I felt he was worth keeping an eye on. Little did I know that he would become the player that he is today. This move by itself should tell you that the waiver wire could occasionally yield a player with high value.

Waiver Move: September 2, 2007

Acquired: LB Odell Thurman

Analysis: If you see a player with high upside and can get them for nothing, you should do so. Obviously, they will not all pan out and sometimes you do not have the roster space to make a move like this, but there is very little risk in a move like this and the potential rewards can make it worthwhile.

Waiver Move: September 2, 2007

Acquired: WR Shaun McDonald

Analysis: McDonald came out of nowhere and went on to have a big year with the Lions. My sole intention in picking him up was to trade him to a contender for some future value.

Trade #17: September 25, 2007

Traded: WR Shaun McDonald
Received: WR Steve Smith (NYG)

Analysis: McDonald was in the midst of a solid season and had value to a contender. The other owner was a serious contender and had a rash of injuries and was badly in need of a WR, yet had plenty of depth, so he could easily afford to part with a prospect. This deal was put together in about 30 seconds and was beneficial to both of us with respect to our goals.

Trade #18: November 2, 2007

Traded: RB Jesse Chatman, CB Cedric Griffin, S Brian Dawkins
Received: DE Brian Robison, 2008 Round 2 pick

Analysis: Chatman all of a sudden was a player with value, as Ronnie Brown suffered a season ending knee injury. I knew his value was short-term only and I was aggressively trying to move him as soon as possible. The other owner had serious issues at RB, some injury related and others due to underachievers. I had some other pieces to add in order to entice him to part with the second round pick. This deal took some time and effort to put together, but in the end, it was another win-win deal.

Trade #19: November 9, 2007

Traded: QB Kurt Warner, RB Selvin Young, 2008 Round 5 pick
Received: RB Chris Brown, S Adrian Wilson

Analysis: If you recall, I made a "minor" trade near the conclusion of the rookie draft, trading Rodney Harrison for pick 5.16, which was used to draft Selvin Young. After Travis Henry was injured, Young stepped up and had a few outstanding games. The Henry owner was contending to win the league championship and was in dire need of a RB. Young made perfect sense for him and once he put up some solid numbers, I immediately contacted the Henry owner. Adrian Wilson was struggling and was a great buy-low for a team like mine, which was looking long-term. I consider Wilson the number one overall fantasy defensive back and to acquire him was a major coup for my squad. I did not consider Young to be a long-term starter; otherwise, I am not sure I would have done this. This deal never could have happened without a minor trade in which I acquired the last pick in the rookie draft. If you had not yet figured out that minor deals could eventually reap some big rewards, you should know now.

Waiver Move: November 11, 2007

Acquired: WR Justin Gage

Analysis: I was first on the waiver wire priority and took advantage of it to add Gage. He is not a great player, but any starting WR has value in a 16-team league and, like McDonald, I planned on moving him to a contender.

Trade #20: November 19, 2007

Traded: RB Justin Fargas, WR Justin Gage
Received: WR Samie Parker, 2008 Round 3 pick

Analysis: Fargas was picked up earlier on the waiver wire and my initial reaction was to sell high. I did not think he would be an impact fantasy RB in the future and therefore he did not fit into my plans. The other owner was a contender and was in need of RB depth. I was happy to get a third round pick, although in retrospect I probably could have gotten more. But that does not bother me because I wanted to make a quick move in case something changed, such as Fargas getting injured. That would have killed his value. In a case like this where I am not sold on the long-term outlook of a player, I am more inclined to take the "best, fastest" deal, rather than trying to milk it for more. Gage was a player who I wanted to move and adding him to the deal was the final piece of the trade puzzle. As you can see, I utilized the waiver wire and that allowed me to complete a trade. Both Fargas and Gage were picked up on waivers.

Rebuilding: Phase Three

I finished the 2007 season at 4-10 and will draft second in the 2008 rookie draft. I managed to upgrade my young talent and also added several draft picks that will aid in my rebuilding efforts. Phase three is the period between the end of the 2007 season and the period following the 2008 rookie draft, which is also when this case study will end. I am going to show my roster, draft picks and a brief summary of my plans heading into the offseason.

I am going to mention my waiver strategy here. This league uses a worst-to-first waiver system, meaning the worst teams got first dibs every week. I knew my team would be one of the worst and thus I would have first crack at the weekly waiver wire players. This is a much bigger deal than people think. Regardless of the size of the league, there are always productive players available. My objective was to find some players with value and immediately try to move any of them who would not be a part of my future championship contender. There are always replacement level players available who have short-term value to a contender. This is just another weapon in the arsenal of a rebuilding team.

Following is the roster that I had at the end of the 2007 season, along with a position-by-position breakdown:

QB Drew Brees
QB Kellen Clemens
QB Kyle Orton
QB Patrick Ramsey
QB Drew Stanton

Brees is a stud, and Clemens and Stanton have upside. I would like to add a proven backup if possible. This is a low priority position.

RB Chris Brown
RB DeDe Dorsey
RB Ryan Grant
RB Maurice Hicks
RB Brandon Jackson
RB Kenton Keith
RB Mewelde Moore
RB Vernand Morency
RB Michael Robinson
RB Gary Russell
RB Musa Smith
RB Michael Turner

Grant and Turner are elite RBs. At this time, I was not sure where Turner would be playing, but I fully expected him to be a starter somewhere. I also have the second pick in the 2008 rookie draft, so I will add a third stud RB to my squad, which is huge in a 16-team league. This position is definitely one of my strengths.

WR Marques Colston
WR Lee Evans
WR David Givens
WR Chad Jackson
WR Matt Jones
WR Robert Meachem
WR Steve Smith (NYG)
WR Courtney Taylor

I am solid at the top with Colston and Evans, but beyond those two, all I have are some unproven players like Jackson, Meachem and Smith. Obviously, improving my WRs is a top priority.

TE Ben Patrick
TE Tony Scheffler
TE Visanthe Shiancoe
TE Delanie Walker

Scheffler is a solid TE and will only get better. My depth is lacking, but this is not one of my major concerns.

K Shayne Graham

Graham is a stud. I will find a second kicker between now and the start of the season.

DT Travis Johnson

I went week-by-week with my DTs. They have a low priority in this league and basically what I did was pick one up very late in the week (usually Sunday morning). This league has a 24-hour wait to be able to pick up a dropped player. I would pick up a DT and drop one of my players during this period and thus the player could not be picked up until the following week's waivers.

DE Ikaika Alama Francis
DE Brian Robison
DE Justin Smith

Smith is a solid DE2, but beyond him, all I have are a couple of unproven players. This is a position that I want to address.

LB Antwan Barnes
LB Quincy Black
LB John DiGiorgio
LB Chad Greenway
LB Michael Okwo
LB Odell Thurman
LB Lawrence Timmons
LB Anthony Waters
LB Jamar Williams

This is by far my biggest area of concern. Other than Greenway, I do not have any other LB who I know will be a starter for his team in 2008. Improving my LBs is the number one priority.

CB Jason David
CB Pacman Jones
CB Terence Newman

Pacman is an elite CB, but who knows if he will play. I normally don't have any problem finding decent CBs and it is not a high priority in this league, so this is not an area of concern.

S Hamza Abdullah
S Anthony Smith
S Adrian Wilson

Wilson is a stud. I need another proven player and will look to improve this position, although it is not a pressing need.

Draft picks
- 2008 pick 1.02
- 2008 pick 1.10
- 2008 pick 1.13
- 2008 pick 2.02
- 2008 pick 2.03
- 2008 pick 2.10
- 2008 pick 3.02
- 2008 pick 3.11
- 2008 pick 4.02
- 2008 pick 5.11
- 2009 Round 1 pick
- 2009 Round 2 pick
- 2009 Round 3 pick
- 2009 Round 4 pick
- 2009 Round 5 pick

If there was one thing that I feel I did well at, it was my ability to acquire and upgrade my draft picks. The roster was improved from a standpoint of adding some solid prospects and a couple of impact players in Ryan Grant and Adrian Wilson, but this collection of draft picks is going to be the biggest factor in making this team competitive. If you go back and look at some of the minor deals I made, then look at how they impacted the major deals, you can see just how important some of those small deals were. Several of the big trades would not have happened if not for making small deals beforehand and acquiring or upgrading late round picks. I've said it before and I'll say it again: do not underestimate the importance of a minor trade. Now that you have actually seen what these little transactions have done for me, I hope you realize how much they can help in the long run.

One thing that I want everyone to see is how I managed to rid my roster of players who I did not believe would be part of my future championship team. Instead of those types of players, I now have a roster full of young talent, not to mention a bunch of draft picks.

As I head to the offseason, I feel that my team still needs some work to contend with the elite teams in my league. I am proceeding with the thought of contending, but I am not good enough yet to throw away the future. LB is without question the top priority, followed by adding a couple of proven WRs. After this, I will try to acquire a top DE and a solid starting safety. I do not have much to offer in the way of players, but I have plenty of ammunition in the form of draft picks. I will not trade the 1.02, but beyond that, anything and everything is available. I feel I should be able to be competitive by the start of the season. I think it is still too early to know if I can compete for a playoff spot, but if things pan out, it is a possibility.

Trade #21: December 27, 2007

Traded: 2008 pick 2.10
Received: LB Angelo Crowell

Analysis: As I stated above, LB is my top priority, and I began my search by looking at other teams that had LB depth, but lacked offensive skill players. For teams like that, first and second round picks are very appealing. This was a deal that I offered and the other owner immediately accepted. Crowell is a solid LB2 and still in his mid 20s and I feel I received very good value for the 2.10 pick. I now have a second starting LB to go with Greenway. This was a very important trade for my team. I still have five of the top 19 picks in the draft, which made trading a second round pick a no-brainer.

Waiver Move: January 1, 2008

Acquired: LB Gerris Wilkinson

Analysis: Wilkinson impressed me in the Giants' last regular season game against the Patriots and that inclined me to pick him up when our rosters expanded. He was a decent prospect when drafted and I felt he would have a chance to become a starter in the future.

Waiver Move: January 1, 2008

Acquired: S Nedu Ndukwe

Analysis: There were several reports that the Bengals were going in another direction at the safety position and Ndukwe was very impressive in the latter part of the season. This move could land me a starting safety if things work out like I believe they will.

Trade #22: January 28, 2008

Traded: WR Robert Meachem, DE Brian Robison, 2008 pick 2.02, 2008 pick 4.02
Received: DE Osi Umenyiora, CB Ronde Barber

Analysis: This was the most important deal I have made to date. I managed to acquire an elite DE in Umenyiora and did not give up an elite player, nor did I have to give up a first round pick. The other owner wanted to add youth to his team as well as adding a high draft pick. His team was getting old and he did not have any picks in the first three rounds. The negotiations went back and forth and Meachem was the last piece of the puzzle for the other owner. There were other offers I made that included a first round pick, but the other owner chose this one instead. I feel that this was the best deal I have made to date. I now have an elite DE to go along with Justin Smith, and this is now a position of strength for me. This was the trade that made me believe I had a legitimate chance to be a contender this year.

Trade #23: January 28, 2008

Traded: QB Kyle Orton, 2008 pick 2.03
Received: LB Jonathan Vilma

Analysis: This was a high-risk deal, but the rewards are even higher. Vilma was the top LB in 2005, and I was of the belief that he would be healthy and also be playing MLB again in 2008. The 3-4 defense that the Jets played was not a good fit for Vilma. His skill set is that of a MLB in a 4-3 defense. If this trade pans out like I think it will, I will have the elite LB that I am lacking. A high second is tough to part with, but elite LBs are not easy to find in a league that allows up to four starting LBs. The other owner was concerned enough about his health to make the deal and he also wanted a higher draft pick, much like the owner in the Crowell trade.

Trade #24: January 29, 2008

Traded: 2008 pick 3.02
Received: WR Joey Galloway

Analysis: A year ago, I traded Galloway because he was too old to be a part of my rebuilding efforts. Now, he is the kind of player I am looking to add. I was desperate for WR help and Galloway should be a solid WR3 for at least this year. I don't expect anything beyond 2008. The other owner didn't want Galloway and this trade came about pretty fast. I feel a lot better about my starting WRs now.

Trade #25: February 1, 2008

Traded: WR Lee Evans, 2009 Round 2 pick, 2009 Round 3 pick
Received: WR Torry Holt, 2009 Round 1 pick

Analysis: This was not an easy trade to make. I am high on Evans and the difference in age between the two WRs was something that could not be ignored. I do feel Holt is the better WR and should be for the next couple of years, but I also had to concern myself with being too old at WR. Colston and Evans were the only young and proven WRs on my roster. After some bartering, I was able to acquire a future first in the deal, and that helped to alleviate the age concerns I would now have at WR. The other owner had concerns about Holt's knee and has long been after Evans. This deal came about in a relatively short period of time. The first I acquired is from a strong team, so it will not be a high pick. I had to trade my second and third in the 2009 draft to finalize the deal. This improves my starting lineup, but it weakens my long-term depth at WR. I will make that a priority in the upcoming draft.

Trade #26: March 2, 2008

Traded: TE Delanie Walker, LB Antwan Barnes, 2008 pick 1.13, 2009 Round 1 pick
Received: RB Brandon Jacobs, TE Randy McMichael, 2009 Round 3 pick

Analysis: I am a huge fan of Jacobs because anytime he is healthy enough to play, he puts up strong fantasy numbers. I did trade two first round picks and RB is not a weakness for me, but I would rather have a proven RB than the two low firsts that I moved. I now have three starting RBs plus the 1.02 pick in the rookie draft. I am hoping to upgrade at WR with the depth I have at RB.

Trade #27: March 8, 2008

Traded: LB Michael Okwo, LB Jamar Williams, 2008 pick 5.11
Received: 2008 pick 4.13

Analysis: This is a roster clearing minor deal. The other owner has Urlacher on his roster and had concerns about his neck injury, so he was willing to swap his fourth for my fifth in order to handcuff Urlacher. For two players I did not want or need, I moved up almost a full round in the draft and also opened up two roster spots that could be used for prospects or depth.

Trade #28: April 26, 2008

Traded: RB Brandon Jacobs, WR Chad Jackson
Received: QB Derek Anderson, LB Shawne Merriman, 2009 Round 1 pick, 2009 Round 2
pick

Analysis: The other owner in this deal was in dire need of RB help. All he had on his roster was Portis, and in a league like this, that simply is not good enough. I initially offered Grant for any of his top three LBs, his 1.07 and his 2009 first, but he rejected that. He was adamant about keeping the 1.07. He also was not interest in Grant, but he did have a strong interest in Jacobs. I had just traded two first round picks for him, so obviously it would not be cheap for him or anyone else to acquire him. Once he told me he would not part with his 2007 1.07 pick, I looked at other players to make a deal work I asked for Garrard in the deal, but he did not want to part with him and instead offered me Anderson. I actually like Anderson more so it was easy for me to accept this. The other owner is not very high on Anderson. He achieved his goal of acquiring a starting RB without trading his 2007 first or any offensive skill players. I acquired a future first, a much needed starting LB and QB depth. This was the last trade I made before the rookie draft.

The 2008 Rookie Draft

Pick 1.02 RB Jonathan Stewart - Stewart was the top player on my draft board and I was elated to see McFadden go first overall. I see Stewart as a future workhorse RB, if not this year.
Pick 1.10 WR Devin Thomas - My number one goal was to address the WR position. I have little depth at WR and two of my top three WRs are getting up in years. Thomas was my top-ranked WR and I did not expect him to be available with the tenth pick. I do not expect much from Thomas this season, but he was drafted to eventually replace Galloway. Anything I get from him this year is a bonus.
Pick 3.11 WR Keenan Burton - Burton was the best player available and also addressed my primary need. He likely will spend the year on my taxi squad.
Pick 4.13 TE Fred Davis - Davis was my third rated TE and I was surprised to see him available in a league that has TE friendly scoring. I do not expect anything from him this year, and he also is likely to be placed on my taxi squad.

Overall, I was very happy with my draft. Stewart was my top rated player, and Devin Thomas was my number one WR. I had three second round picks and moved two of them to acquire Crowell and Vilma, and a third was in the package I sent to acquire stud DE Osi Umenyiora. When you factor in the trades, I made great use of my draft picks.

This is my current roster along with a detailed analysis of each position: [R] denotes rookie.

QB Drew Brees (starter)
QB Derek Anderson
QB Kellen Clemens
QB Patrick Ramsey
QB Drew Stanton
QB Chris Simms
QB Tyler Thigpen

This is a position of strength for my team. Brees is a stud and Anderson has the potential to become one himself. Clemens has potential and seems likely to start for the Jets. Stanton has a lot of upside and there is a slight possibility that he could start later in the year. Should Clemens start, I will have three starting QBs, which is huge in a 16-team league. I think this position is strong at the top and also very deep. If there is one thing I do not have to worry about, it is QB.

RB Ryan Grant (starter)
RB Jonathan Stewart [R] (starter)
RB Michael Turner (starter)
RB Jackie Battle
RB Chris Brown
RB Thomas Brown [R]
RB DeDe Dorsey
RB Lex Hilliard [R]
RB Brandon Jackson
RB Vernand Morency
RB Michael Robinson
RB Gary Russell
RB Musa Smith

We start one RB, along with a RB/TE flex. I will normally start two RBs, but I listed three as starters because I will play a lot of matchups, especially if Stewart carries a heavy load, as I believe he will. I lack an elite top-five stud RB, but Grant, Turner and Stewart give me three solid options every week. I like the fact that I can start two RBs even during a bye week and that is a big advantage for me over most of the other teams. Chris Brown gives me a respectable RB4. Brandon Jackson is Grant's backup and also has the potential to start in the future if he continues to improve. The rest of the roster consists of a few prospects and some backups. All in all, I like my upper end depth.

WR Marques Colston (starter)
WR Joey Galloway (starter)
WR Torry Holt (starter)
WR Devin Aromashodu
WR Keenan Burton [R]
WR Matt Jones
WR Jordan Kent
WR Anthony Mix
WR Steve Smith (NYG)
WR Courtney Taylor
WR Devin Thomas

With Colston, Holt and Galloway, my starters are as good as any in the league. But this is still my biggest area of concern. First and foremost, Galloway is getting up in years and at some point he has to slow down. I think he should be fine for this year, but there is no guarantee. Holt has had some knee issues and is also getting up in years. I need those two to stay healthy because my bench is not the greatest. Steve Smith improved a lot in the latter part of the year, most notably in the playoffs and I expect him to play a bigger role in the Giant's offense in 2008. I do not really feel comfortable with him as my WR4. I am very high on Devin Thomas and he was drafted to eventually replace Galloway, but it is asking a lot to count on him to contribute as a rookie. Beyond these five WRs are a lot of prospects and question marks. This is one area that I would like to upgrade. I feel great about the starters, but I would prefer one more proven WR to add to my bench.

TE Tony Scheffler (starter)
TE Fred Davis [R]
TE Randy McMichael
TE Ben Patrick
TE Vishante Shiancoe

Scheffler is a stud in the making and finished 11th among TEs in this league last year, despite not having any fantasy points in the first four weeks. McMichael should play a bigger role in the Ram's offense this year and I feel very good with him being my TE2. Davis is headed to my practice squad and the others are nothing but depth.

K Shayne Graham (starter)
K Matt Prater

Graham is a stud and plays for a team with a high-powered offense. Backup K is a problem area, not only because Prater is unproven, but also because his bye week is the same as Graham's.

DT None (one starter required)

I will address this area once the season gets closer. DTs have low value in this league and they also tend to come out of nowhere, so I'm not concerned about finding a respectable DT. I also will utilize the waiver wire a lot for DTs during the year unless I happen to come across a good one.

DE Justin Smith (starter)
DE Osi Umenyiora (starter)
DE Ikaika Alama-Francis
DE Marques Douglas

Umenyiora is a stud and acquiring him strengthened this position enormously. Smith is a solid and proven DE2 and his consistent tackle numbers are welcome in my lineup. Douglas is very under the radar and in fact is a regular in the top 30 fantasy DEs. Alama-Francis has a world of potential and has a great chance to start for Detroit this year. Overall, this is another solid and pretty deep group.

LB Angelo Crowell (starter)
LB Chad Greenway (starter)
LB Shawne Merriman (starter)
LB Jonathan Vilma (starter)
LB Quincy Black
LB Geno Hayes [R]
LB Bryan Kehl [R]
LB Odell Thurman
LB Lawrence Timmons
LB Anthony Waters
LB Gerris Wilkinson

This was my worst overall position at the end of the 2007 season. I made a number of moves to acquire some solid LBs and I feel comfortable with my starters. Vilma was the number one fantasy LB in 2005 and with him moving back to MLB in a 4-3 defense, he should once again be a fantasy stud, assuming his knee is sound. Crowell and Greenway give me two more solid and consistent options behind Vilma. Merriman is my fourth starter and while he is not the most consistent LB, I like one of my four starters to be a big play LB because those huge weeks he puts up will help me win games. I don't mind one of the four starters to be like Merriman. There is no question he will have some big games. I just have to accept the down moments that go along with them. Wilkinson is slated to start for the Giants and gives me a solid backup for bye weeks and in case of injury. Thurman was cut and as of the time of this article, there is speculation that he was cut because he violated the NFL's substance abuse policy. I am keeping him for the time being, but if the speculation proves to be true, I will probably cut him. Waters is an intriguing prospect and I am very high on him long-term. Overall, I like my starters, but my depth is not the greatest.

CB Ronde Barber (starter)
CB Pacman Jones (starter if suspension is lifted)

Barber has been one of the best fantasy CBs for a long time and even though he is getting up in years, he should still be solid. Pacman is a great fantasy CB, but the problem is, he may not be playing any time soon. If he does, I will be solid here. CB is an easy position to find players in my opinion, so I'm not concerned right now about Pacman playing.

S Nedu Ndukwe (starter)
S Adrian Wilson (starter)
S Eric Smith

Adrian Wilson is a stud. As a matter of fact, he is my top-ranked DB. I was elated to acquire him last year. Ndukwe is a rising young talent that is not well known...unless you are a member of Footballguys.com. These are the gems that are not found in other places. Smith has a chance to start and may finally realize his potential. Depth is a mild concern here, especially if Smith does not earn a starting spot with the Jets.

Draft picks - I currently own two 2009 first round picks, along with a third, fourth and fifth.

The extra first round pick I acquired in my last deal could prove to be a valuable asset for me. I lack depth in a couple of areas, namely WR, and having this extra pick allows me some flexibility should I decide to make a move either before or during the season.

Summary

Overall, I am very happy with my team, especially considering how bad it was in January of 2007. I made a lot of trades and completely overhauled my roster in a year and a half. I would be lying if I said I expected my team to be this good this fast. I think my starters are strong and my depth is good in some areas, and not so good in others. I feel I am good enough to compete for a championship right now.

I want to make note of my general philosophy on making trades in a dynasty league. If I am a rebuilding team, my first thought is always to move players who do not have long-term value to a contender who is looking for a quick fix. I think you need patience to rebuild, and lack of patience is the biggest mistake I see when owners want to rebuild. They do not have the discipline to stay the course. The opposite is true if you are a contender. Find players with little or no long-term value and try to get them at a good price in order to fill a hole.

I hope this article and the real examples that were included will help you with regards to roster management. I went from a full rebuild to a contender in a respectable amount of time and you saw strategies for each. You can rebuild a bad team if you have a plan and stick to it. Do not try to patch a hole in a rebuild because if you do, you will see another hole shortly thereafter. Be objective when analyzing your roster.

I wish you all success in your fantasy leagues this year.