Dynasty fantasy football is arguably the best form of fantasy sports. It’s a year-round game that allows fantasy players so many ways to build their team into a contender. However, which draft strategy is the best?
The honest answer is that there is no answer. You can only screw up your dynasty team by not having a draft strategy. However, having a draft strategy and executing it are two different things.
This dynasty strategy primer won’t cover every possible startup draft strategy, as there are way too many strategies. However, I’m going to highlight five of the more popular draft strategies fantasy players use when wanting to compete in the first year. Unfortunately, that means I won’t get to cover my favorite draft strategy: tanking the first year.
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Hero RB Strategy
Overview:
This strategy is also referred to as Anchor RB. With this strategy, fantasy players want to draft a running back with their first-round pick. That player is the hero or anchor of your team. He is the superstar you are relying on each week to get you the win. When picking out your hero or anchor running back, you want a player with a history of success in the NFL. You want a player that has finished as a top-five running back over the past two years.
After selecting your superstar running back, fantasy players want to load up at other positions. You want to use your next 6-7 picks on wide receivers, a stud tight end, and a star quarterback. Then, you load up on running backs in the middle to late rounds to rotate as your weekly RB2 and to provide depth. The logic with this strategy is to sacrifice at the RB2 slot so you can build a roster with studs at other positions.
Pros:
- Running backs are the easiest position to replace throughout the season.
- You can prioritize other positions, giving you a weekly advantage at the quarterback or tight end spot.
Cons:
- Your team will struggle if your Hero RB busts or misses significant time.
- The running back position is deep but lacks massive upside in the middle to later rounds.
Players to Target:
Yes, these are three of the top running backs in fantasy football. Yet, that’s exactly what you want when using the Hero RB strategy. Younger running backs like Breece Hall and Ken Walker III are appealing, however, they haven’t proven to be elite fantasy players yet. Furthermore, you want a safe floor with your hero running back. Even if they don’t finish as a top-three running back, you know they won’t end the year outside the top 10.
You can find more about this strategy here.
Zero RB Strategy
Overview:
For the record, I hate this strategy. However, some find it the best strategy to use if you want to win right away. Running backs are arguably the most injury-prone position in football. Therefore, some believe it’s a mistake to invest high fantasy picks at the position. Furthermore, the running back position is the easiest to replace during the season between injuries and changes on the depth chart.
This draft strategy requires fantasy players to ignore the running back position until the middle rounds. Ideally, you won’t draft a running back until the sixth or seventh round. Instead, fantasy players want to load up on wide receivers. More importantly, you must land a top-three quarterback and tight end. If you’re going to surrender a weekly advantage at the running back position, you must make up that loss at the quarterback and tight end spots.
Pros:
- There is more potential upside in mid to later-round running backs than wide receivers.
- You can build a roster with your top players lasting over a decade in the NFL at an elite level.
Cons:
- The number of superstar running backs is limited.
- You must hit on the quarterback and tight end positions in order to contend for the championship.
Players to Target:
Mahomes and Kelce have been the best at their position over the past few years. Last season, Kelce outscored every other tight end by at least four half-point PPR fantasy points per game. Meanwhile, Mahomes was a top-four quarterback in all but one year as the starter, with two overall QB1 finishes, including in 2022. Ideally, fantasy players want to land one of the Chiefs in the second round to pair with a superstar first-round wide receiver.
You can find more about this strategy here.
Robust RB Strategy
Overview:
This draft strategy is my favorite because I am a running back fanatic. Some also refer to this strategy as Zero WR. Unlike Zero RB, fantasy players want to load up on running backs. At least your first two picks should be a running back, maybe even the first three selections. Furthermore, you don’t want to draft two running backs and ignore the position for several rounds. By the end of the fourth round, you want three running backs on your roster.
I love this draft strategy because of the depth at the wide receiver position. Last year Rhamondre Stevenson was the RB11, averaging 12.6 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. Meanwhile, Jerick McKinnon was the RB21, averaging 9.9 fantasy points per contest. By comparison, Christian Kirk was the WR11, averaging 11.8 fantasy points per game, compared to Jerry Jeudy, who was the WR21, averaging 11.4 fantasy points per contest. Furthermore, Chuba Hubbard was the RB50 last year, averaging 5.4 fantasy points per game. Jahan Dotson was the WR50, averaging 9.4 fantasy points per contest by comparison.
Pros:
- You load up at a position that lacks superstar depth and weekly higher scorers.
- Fantasy players can avoid streaming or playing the matchup with their RB2 spot.
Cons:
- Running backs have the shortest shelf life, so fantasy players must replace more of their roster in 4-5 years.
- You can’t pull this strategy off and secure a top tight end and quarterback without making a trade or getting lucky.
Players to Target:
When fantasy players use a Hero RB draft strategy, you want more certainty at the position. That’s because you only have one superstar. If he busts or gets hurt, your team will struggle. However, you will draft at least three running backs with your first four picks with the Robust RB strategy. Therefore, fantasy players can be more aggressive and target young running backs and players with more upside. That’s because if one struggles, you have plenty of top-end depth to replace him.
You can find more about this strategy here.
Late-Round QB Strategy
Overview:
Let’s move on to quarterback draft strategies. This strategy is simple enough. You wait until the later round to draft quarterbacks. Instead, you load up at the flex positions early in the draft. Everyone knows you punt on quarterbacks in 1QB redraft leagues. However, should you do the same in dynasty leagues? It’s a debate. Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen will make setting your weekly lineup easier for the next several years. Yet, you must spend an early-round draft pick to grab one of the top 2-3 quarterbacks. That means you will have to pass on a star running back or wide receiver with that early draft pick.
Meanwhile, fantasy players can use this strategy in superflex leagues. However, it’s not something I would suggest. You will need to hit on multiple later-round quarterbacks. The argument for using this strategy is the depth at quarterback, as the position has never been deeper. Daniel Jones was a later-round pick last year, and he ended the 2022 season as the QB9, averaging 18.1 fantasy points per game. Similarly, many wrote off Jared Goff before the start of last season. Yet, he was the QB10 in 2022, averaging 16.7 fantasy points per game.
Pros:
- You can load up with star running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends.
- Quarterback is arguably the most weekly volatile position in fantasy football.
Cons:
- You must hit on your later-round quarterback picks. If not, you could have trouble competing, no matter how much talent is on the roster.
- Drafting 1-2 stud quarterbacks will make setting your weekly lineup simple. It will also make future rookie draft decisions easier.
Players to Target:
So, there are three different types of targets here. Murray will slide down draft boards in startup drafts this year because of the torn ACL. While he likely won’t play until midseason (if at all in 2023), Murray is a star fantasy quarterback. The Arizona star averaged over 21 fantasy points per game in 2020 and 2021. Furthermore, Murray averaged 20 fantasy points per contest last year before the game where he tore his ACL.
Wilson is this year’s version of Kirk Cousins or even Jared Goff. People want to write him off or call him washed. However, last year was just a fluke. He averaged only 15 fantasy points per game in 2022, the lowest average of his career. Yet, Wilson averaged 20.5 or more fantasy in three of the previous five years. More importantly, he was much better once the team fired Nathaniel Hackett. Over the final four weeks last season, Wilson averaged 20.1 fantasy points per game, scoring 23 or more three times.
Do not be afraid to draft high-end backup quarterbacks if you use this strategy in superflex leagues. While you don’t want to draft any backup quarterback, fantasy players do want backups with the potential to start, especially those with starting experience. Brissett started the first 11 games last year with Deshaun Watson suspended. Meanwhile, Sam Howell will have the first crack at earning the starting role in 2023. Yet, the Commanders signed Brissett to an expensive contract for a backup quarterback in free agency. It will be an open competition in Washington, so don’t be afraid to grab Brissett late in your drafts and hope he wins the starting role.
You can find more about this strategy here.
Aggressive Superflex Strategy
Overview:
Everyone loves a superflex league. It increases the trade value of quarterbacks and makes things more exciting. However, how does going from one quarterback to two impact draft strategy? Fantasy players can wait until the later rounds to load up on quarterbacks in superflex leagues, yet that’s not something I would recommend. Instead, I would go with the aggressive quarterback approach. By the end of the fourth round, I always have two quarterbacks on my team. Whether you are trying to win right away or tank in the first year, this is the approach I would take in superflex leagues.
Furthermore, I wouldn’t rule out taking two quarterbacks with your first two picks. Fantasy players will have to pass on the superstar flex players like Justin Jefferson, Bijan Robinson, and Ja’Marr Chase. However, guaranteeing yourself two superstar quarterbacks will work out better for your team in the long run. Superstar quarterbacks last for 12 or more years, while running backs likely give you 5-6 elite years. Meanwhile, the depth at wide receiver has never been deeper. If you can walk away with two of the top 5-6 quarterbacks under the age of 28 with your first two picks, your team is on its way to being elite.
Pros:
- Superstar quarterbacks give you a weekly advantage and can single-handily win your matchup.
- You will have your two starting quarterbacks set for the next decade or more.
Cons:
- Fantasy players must pass on the superstar running backs and wide receivers to execute this strategy.
- It’s a strategy best used when you want to tank in the first year.
Players to Target:
Obviously, you would love to draft Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen with your first two picks. However, that won’t happen in superflex leagues unless you make a blockbuster trade during the startup draft. I would HIGHLY recommend you DON’T make that trade. Ideally, you want to pick towards the end of the first round when using this draft strategy. While fantasy players will miss out on Mahomes, Allen, Jalen Hurts, and Joe Burrow, you could land two of the next tier of quarterbacks. All four are not in the elite top tier. Yet, all four can end the year as the overall QB1. Furthermore, they are in situations to succeed for the next several years.
You can find more about this strategy here.
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Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.