The Unarmed Strike series will be offseason series focused on dynasty and redraft fantasy football offseason strategies that are themed with Dungeon & Dragons storytelling. Follow me @FF_Derekfuchs to see when my latest articles get posted.
Perception Check
Your Party Enters a Tavern…
As you and your party enter the tavern, returning from another conquest leaves you tired and depleted. Your party, while mending wounds, starts to drink and recoup from the many weeks of battling relentless creatures and obstacles alike. You decide to long rest for some time, but you know full well the next adventure is fast approaching, and you will need to see which members will be able to join or retire from your team. So rest, for now, evaluate for the future.
This past fantasy football season was more trying and hectic than in recent memory. From the significant injuries to the resurgence in COVID cases, there were crazy roster decisions and crazier results. I could navigate into two championships with getting the title in one, but that doesn’t feel good enough. I know I made some questionable decisions along the way, and I wanted to start sharing some of my learned lessons. The first is evaluating your roster for dynasty football as you head into the offseason.
You Cast Foresight (Understanding Your Win Windows)
You take a big swig of the ale as soon as the bartender hands you the stein. “There is plenty more good friend, no need to rush through the glass,” the bartender chuckles as he notices your big gulp as well. You smile and nod back, but knowing full well that one of your concerns is Camran, your faithful Druid that has accompanied you throughout the years. You know they will not be returning to this upcoming adventure and have trouble understanding how you will replace such a valuable member.
As you enter the offseason with your dynasty fantasy football rosters, understanding the current state of your registration is imperative to your success. It can lay the roadmap for how your season will go. The focus for your evaluation should be based around a single question, “Can I win this season?” This is a big-time question since each roster and league will vary, but more importantly, it will force you to be honest and self-reflective on yourself as well.
Take, for instance, your roster is starting to get to the higher end of the age model, you have your top quarterback retiring, and your future draft picks (Iron Bank) isn’t looking great, this might be a time to take into in account that your roster may be in a rebuilding phase. Therefore, it would be best to look to require future, younger assets. The legend Chalk writes a great article about the Iron Bank, and it could be in your best interest to read it when you get a chance.
Make a Perception Check (Evaluating League’s Rosters)
You look across the tavern and spot your friendly rival, Samas, the Barbarian. Rather cheerful in his demeanor, he seems like he is celebrating with his crew of adventurers as they come back from their quest to stop the orcs invading Teapost. You were thankful you didn’t take that quest initially but happy to see them return and be in good spirits. Maybe you need to notice who he chooses to bring on the next quest…
Just like evaluating your roster, you need to take stock in others as well since they – to no surprise – are trying to win a championship as well. Everyone’s windows will be different, and rosters will constantly be fluid. This is one of the major appeals to being in a dynasty football league that years of work can lead to fortunate rather than relying on a draft that got lucky with injuries (NOT SALTY AT ALL, BTW).
As you start to take stock of their rosters, make notes of their depths and iron bank status so you can find potentially good or easy targets for your trading. This is another excellent time to plan out how to navigate the offseason. Knowing the managers needing draft picks for a rebuild or looking to sure up their last starting roster spot caused them to lose in the championship in the prior year.
Update to the Adventure Board (Executing the Plan)
The night drags on with a friendly atmosphere between all, and the liquor has flown steadfast; you make your way to the adventure board to see if any new items have been posted for requests or if the regular bounties have been aging are still there. You are mindful that each journey has gotten more challenging as the competition is gaining experience, and the successes have come with much more strain and stress. Nevertheless, you remind yourself that the journey may be difficult, but the reward is worth every step.
With some reflection and planning, it is time to execute what you have decided. Start to scout the incoming rookie class at their pro days and NFL Combine and take note of their landing spots after the NFL Draft. Follow all the Free Agency changes and trades that could potentially happen. Take stock in the moves your league mates start to do after your season opens up. Ensure to check back at The Undroppables since we will be covering all the news and how to navigate all the information and changes coming for the NFL season. Good luck with your season, and make sure to follow me on Twitter to catch the next article in the Unarmed Strike series!
For up-to-date Dynasty Fantasy Football Rankings, check out The Undroppables Rankings!
