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.
For more dynasty fantasy football content and advice, check out the FantasyPros Dynasty Draft Kit.
- Dynasty Trade Value Chart
- Dynasty Rookie Primers: QB | RB | WR | TE
- Derek Brown’s Dynasty Rookie Draft Sleepers
- Dynasty Rookie Draft Pick Trade Strategy & Advice
- Latest Dynasty Rookie Mock Draft
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.
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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.