Survey Says: 100 People Answer 10 Dynasty Fantasy Football Questions

by Tim Lazenby

The NFL offseason is in full swing, but for those of us in dynasty fantasy football, there is no actual “offseason”.  You’ve always got to look for ways to improve your team, especially while others are sleeping on golden opportunities.  After all, a savvy manager never sleeps.

I’ve sent out a dynasty fantasy football survey to 100 people, asking ten pressing questions.  While some are more pertinent than others, each of these ten questions is designed to give you an edge over your fellow managers for next season and beyond.  Without further adieu, here are the results.

• Who’s your must have this season?

This response was one of the more spread out answers of the bunch, but there is a leader.  At 13%, Michael Pittman all led the pack.  And there’s a lot to love here.  Although he’s always been seen as talented, many are pegging him as one to take the next step next year, so let’s focus on wide receiver, Michael Pittman.

This information tells me two things: that selling Pittman is going to net you more than you paid originally and that if it’s a fresh draft, you’ll have to go above his ADP.  While paying more than you want for a player is not usually a good thing, I fully support paying up for MPJ.  Great age, better quarterback and solid team all equal a great investment.

Runners up: Saquon Barkley, Ja’Marr Chase, Cooper Kupp

My Pick: Cole Kmet

• Who are you willing to waste a bench spot on until he develops?

This question was also very spread out in the responses.  While there was no dominant answer leading the way, at 14%, the people have spoken.  Tight end Trey McBride is an excellent candidate to lead the way as one to patiently waste a bench spot on.  Makes sense too, as he’ll be behind Zach Ertz for a while.

Though this year’s top tight end isn’t being heralded nearly as highly as last year’s, he’s still garnering enough attention to be important.  In good news, this highly regarded stud from Colorado State is much cheaper than he could be with more press.  If you want him, you may have to pay up from tightly fisted managers but I, for one, know this kid is worth it.

Runner Up: Jameson Williams

My Pick: Kenneth Gainwell

• Who are you absolutely avoiding?

Of all of the answers in the group, this one may have been the most humorous.  It seems there are a few Patriots haters as I got answers of “the Patriots backfield” and “anyone on New England”.  But in all seriousness, leading the charge at 16%, Christian McCaffrey is certainly a player many managers are wary of.

For anyone not brand new, this isn’t shocking as the injury woes are real.  After three fully healthy seasons, he’s missed 23 games in the past two seasons, which causes even the most steady hand to waiver.  I will say though, if you can take advantage of leery managers, now’s the time.  His ceiling is Sears Tower level, so he’s well worth the risk.

Runner Up: Deebo Samuel

My Pick: Darren Waller

• Who is the player you just can’t stand?

As unbiased as we all want to be for ultimate success in this industry, everyone has biases.  There are many players that we pass on just because we don’t like them for a variety of reasons.  And while it’s impossible to truly know this based on your opponents, some are more common than others.

With a 17% share in the “I just don’t like you” market, Saquon Barkley leads the charge.  And while most answers were paired with injuries as the cause, there were other reasons too.  If you find him endearing or want him on your squad, his price point has never been lower and now’s the time to pounce.

Runner Up: Tyreek Hill

My Pick: Tom Brady

• Who would be way better if one plausible thing changed about his scenario?

This is a question designed to reward those who are willing to wait and gamble to some degree.  While there is a chance that some players just won’t pan out due to their circumstances, numerous as they may be, if you hold on to hope that something could change, you can reap the rewards that the less gutsy never will.

At 15%, DK Metcalf is the most popular name to come from this survey for this question.  While he’ll probably never be cheap by any means, if you’re ready to take on some risk, you’ll be rewarded if his circumstances change for the better.  If you’re wanting to sell, you may want to wait until his quarterback is better or he’s traded.

Runner Up: DJ Moore, Javonte Williams

My Pick: Davis Mills

• Which top rookie (probable day one starter) are you avoiding?

Like any other year, teams have many holes to fill this year.  Of those holes, some are more gaping than others.  And while many starting positions will be filled with established veterans, there will be rookies who will be thrust into action as the lead man.  Of those rookies, some are more probable to land starting gigs.

At 21%, it’s clear that many people are worried about Treylon Burks moving forward.  Understandably, there are big shoes to fill for Burks.  It will be extremely difficult to replace AJ Brown from day one and many managers just don’t see that happening.  If you, however, are a believer, now’s the time to take advantage.  Get Tennessee’s star receiver for cheaper than he’ll ever be and hope he’ll work out.

Runner Up: Chris Olave

My Pick: Jameson Williams

• Which low ranked rookie are you most excited about?

While some rookies will gain golden opportunities, others will have to wait for their chance at glory.  Not every team needs a young starter at every position and some players will take more time to blossom into that household name.  In fantasy though, we need to stay on top of these names not at the top to have our best chance at success.

The heir apparent to Austin Ekeler, Isaiah Spiller is clearly a name exciting many managers at 15%.  It’s no secret that Spiller’s impact will not be immediate, as Ekeler is one of the biggest names among running backs in the NFL.  If you just need to have Spiller moving forward, you may have to pay more.  And if you’re ok to sell, now may be the time to reap the rewards, while securing other capital for your team’s success.

Runner Up: Tyler Badie

My Pick: Makai Polk

• Which non-quarterback player would you build your team around?

Obviously, an NFL team usually builds their team around a stud quarterback and in fantasy, the same is true.  If you don’t play superflex, this isn’t the case, but with the popularity of superflex, the answer to this question is actually quite pressing.  That being said, some non play callers are way more valuable than others.

It shouldn’t be surprising to see a receiver leading the votes here due to their longevity in dynasty.  There are really only two men in the running for this question with Ja’Marr Chase leading the way at 26%.  Notably, Justin Jefferson was awfully close with only one less vote.  If you are pondering whether to sell, you’ll get value now that you usually wouldn’t with a non quarterback.  And if you want one of these two receivers, be prepared to break the bank acquiring them.

Runner Up: Justin Jefferson

My Pick: Ja’Marr Chase

• Even though you want to keep him, who do you have to sell because the return would be massive?

Each season, we’re forced to evaluate each and every player in an attempt for our team’s overall success.  If you’re not operating under the rule that no one is off limits, you’re not in it to win it.  Every player should have a price tag, only some may be quite outlandish. 

In the heaviest result of the entire survey, the people have overwhelmingly voted that Jonathan Taylor should be sold even though you want to keep him with 43% of the votes.  Not since Christian McCaffrey have we seen a single non quarterback carry a price tag like Taylor.  And while he makes any team much better, is he really worth the price you could get to sell?

Runner Up: Deebo Samuel

My Pick: Jonathan Taylor

•  Do you roster players from your favorite team?

In the most split decision of all ten questions, 41% of people have no preference, while the people that roster players from their favorite teams are split evenly from those who do not.  It’s a common mistake to draft players based off of who you think wants them.  There’s nothing worse than taking a player to flip them to someone else only to be stuck with them on your squad.

Don’t make the mistake of making moves based off of what you think others want or do not want.  If you make a move, make it because it’s best for your team.  If Jim Bob really loves the Bills, it doesn’t mean he wants them on his team.  Conversely, Ricky may hate the Patriots in real life, but he may also have the sense to roster talent over real life love or hate.  I’ve seen this mistake too often.  Don’t fall into this trap.

Best of luck this offseason and beyond!