Dynasty Superflex Startups: Fantasy Football Strategy Guide

January 28, 2025

What are some important tips and tricks to dominate your 2025 Dynasty startup draft? Kyle Lindemann breaks down everything you need to be prepared on draft day.

While the NFL regular season might be over, if you're a dynasty enthusiast you know what that means. A time to sit back and take a 30,000-foot view of the current NFL landscape and how you predict things will play out for all 32 teams heading into 2025. It's a part of what makes dynasty fantasy football so much fun. You get to manage your own team for years to come, much like a real-life NFL GM.

If you're new to dynasty or thinking about doing another startup and want to refresh your memory, you've come to the right place. In my opinion, every fantasy football enthusiast should be in at least one dynasty league. It gives you a reason to stay invested all year round. You'll have a head start on all the incoming rookies and already be aware of all the new changes on each team by the time the redraft season rolls around again.

The majority of dynasty startups tend to be slower drafts (with 8-hour pick timers) than typical fast drafts like in redraft formats. So, it's important to remember this is a marathon, not a sprint! A slow draft allows us to be extra thoughtful with each of our selections, as well as to negotiate some possible trades. So, what do you need to know to dominate your dynasty startup draft in 2025? Let's dive in, below!

Knowing Your League Settings

If you would prefer this article in video/audio format, it can be found here: Dynasty Startups: The Complete Strategy Guide for 2025 - YouTube

This sounds silly, I know. But just hear me out. You wouldn't believe the number of people who've sent me their rosters over the years or sent me a message during their startup asking for advice only to realize they aren't even completely aware of their league's own settings.

"First, master the fundamentals." - Larry Bird

In a dynasty startup draft, preparation, patience, and knowledge are the three pillars of success. By mastering each of these principles, we can stay even keeled like a Zen master throughout the startup draft and not panic despite any unexpected events like positional runs happening throughout.

Of these three pillars, preparation is the most important. You want to know exactly what the scoring settings are, what the format is (managed versus best ball), the number of teams in the league, the number of bench spots, the number of taxi spots, the number of injured reserve spots (if any), whether it is a Tight End Premium format, or if passing touchdowns count for six points instead of the standard four points.

Here is an example of how the starting lineup and roster spots look in a SF RotoViz Triflex Dynasty league on FFPC.

1 - Quarterback
2 - Running Backs
3 - Wide Receivers
1 - Tight End
1 - Superflex
2 - Regular Flex
10 - Bench Spots
3 - Injured Reserve

Haters of kickers and defenses in fantasy, rejoice!

Once you know the exact scoring settings and roster spots, you can begin to put your draft board and player tiers together (more on that below). If you are in a league with a shallower starting lineup and fewer bench spots, trading up in the startup to gain more star power is likely a good way to gain an advantage.

If you are in a league with a deep starting lineup, more bench spots, and even a taxi squad, often trading back to gain more depth in the form of additional players or future rookie draft picks is usually the move. The same is true of best ball formats in dynasty, where we can take advantage of building out a deep roster knowing that for the most part, it will work in our favor.

If you are doing your startup before the 2025 NFL Draft, my advice is to do a separate draft for rookies after the real draft has concluded. If you are doing your startup after the 2025 NFL Draft, you can just include all of the rookies in the startup to have just one draft.

For startups that take place before the 2025 NFL Draft, use kickers as pick holders for the future rookie draft. Whoever drafts the first kicker gets the rookie 1.01, whoever takes the second kicker gets the rookie 1.02, and so on. Even if your league doesn't use kickers, you can still do it this way for organizational purposes.

Ask your Commish, but from my experience, this has been the best and fairest way to deal with incoming rookies.

Why You Need a Tier-Based Drafting System

A dynasty league differs greatly from a redraft league because you will need a better roster to take down a championship in a dynasty than you would in a typical redraft league. Why? In dynasty formats, everyone in your league may not be trying to win right away, whereas in a redraft league (outside of hardcore keeper formats) everyone is still trying to win since everything resets the next year anyway.

This makes valuing players a lot more complicated in dynasty formats compared to redraft, but that's not a bad thing. It just means that with a little extra work and preparation, we can make it a point to be more prepared than everyone else once the startup begins.

A dynasty startup lobby in some ways is a lot like sitting down at the poker table. Ever watch the movie Rounders where Matt Damon utters that famous line: "If you can't spot the sucker within the first 20 minutes at the table, odds are that you're the sucker." Harsh, I know, but it's true.

As the draft unfolds, keeping a close watch on the team builds of each of your league mates is vital. Knowing how many quarterbacks they have, if they've gone "zero" at a certain position like running back, or if they're hoarding tight ends in a Tight End Premium league is all important information to know and track.

Establishing a tier-based system isn't just about knowing who to draft when you're on the clock; it's about organizing your personal player rankings into defined tiers to reflect their value and projected performance, not just for the upcoming season but over the next three seasons. We want to project each player's potential, durability, and expected output in fantasy into the future.

While we typically value players in redraft for one season, in a dynasty we always want to be thinking about everything in a three-year window. Think of a dynasty startup draft much like the stock market.

You would prefer to invest in assets whose value will appreciate over time, not in assets that could fall off a cliff in a year. This is very important in the early rounds as our picks will serve as the foundation of our roster.

An example of player tiers based on overall value is below. You'll want to put players (at least in the early rounds) into tiers based on overall value, as well as into separate tiers in each of their position groups.

Drafts can get chaotic quickly. A sudden quarterback run, or even that dreaded sniping of the player you had in the queue while you're on deck can be frustrating. But by making your own tier-based draft board, you can spot the pockets of value.

If the last receiver you want might get picked and you're not up in ten picks, maybe it's time to trade up. Let's say hypothetically you're on the clock, but you've got the next ten players all valued evenly, why not try to trade back a half dozen spots to scoop up more value later?

Overall Player Tiers

1. QB1 - Josh Allen (Tier 1)
2. QB2 - Lamar Jackson (Tier 1)
3. QB3 - Jayden Daniels (Tier 1)
4. WR1 - Ja'Marr Chase (Tier 1)
5. QB4 - Joe Burrow (Tier 2)
6. WR2 - Justin Jefferson (Tier 2)
7. WR3 - Malik Nabers (Tier 2)
8. TE1 - Brock Bowers (Tier 2)
9. RB1 - Jahmyr Gibbs (Tier 2)
10. RB2 - Bijan Robinson (Tier 3)
11. WR4 - CeeDee Lamb (Tier 3)
12. WR5 - Amon-Ra St. Brown (Tier 3)
13. QB5 - Jalen Hurts (Tier 4)
14. QB6 - Patrick Mahomes (Tier 5)
15. WR6 - Puka Nacua (Tier 5)
16. QB7 - Justin Herbert (Tier 5)
17. WR7 - Brian Thomas Jr. (Tier 5)

One of the most common mistakes that dynasty players tend to make is being worried about how their roster is going to look in September when they're drafting in March. But don't worry about that.

Since real games won't be played for a while, our rosters are far from finalized. So, don't worry about drafting based on need. Stick to your tiers and continue to draft for value. You can always trade for needs later.

Think of yourself like Philadelphia Eagles GM Howie Roseman. Known for his shrewd tactics, Roseman is seen as one of the best general managers and roster builders in football, who always seems to be one step ahead of his peers.

Wide Receiver Tiers

1. WR1 - Ja'Marr Chase (Tier 1)
2. WR2 - Justin Jefferson (Tier 2)
3. WR3 - Malik Nabers (Tier 2)
4. WR4 - CeeDee Lamb (Tier 3)
5. WR5 - Amon-Ra St. Brown (Tier 3)
6. WR6 - Puka Nacua (Tier 3)
7. WR7 - Brian Thomas Jr. (Tier 4)
8. WR8 - Nico Collins (Tier 5)
9. WR9 - Drake London (Tier 5)
10. WR10 - Marvin Harrison Jr. (Tier 5)
11. WR11 - Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Tier 5)
12. WR12 - Ladd McConkey (Tier 5)
13. WR13 - A.J. Brown (Tier 5)
14. WR14 - Garrett Wilson (Tier 5)
15. WR15 - Tee Higgins (Tier 5)
16. WR16 - Rashee Rice (Tier 6)
17. WR17 - DeVonta Smith (Tier 6)
18. WR18 - Jordan Addison (Tier 6)

These are just small examples, but by breaking these players down into tiers, it gives you a better idea of where the value lies. Preparation is key, and in a dynasty startup, you'll get out of the draft what you decide to put into it. After all, dynasty leagues are forever.

How to Approach Running Backs

Of all the positions out there, running backs tend to see their values fluctuate the most. They're the ultimate double-edged sword in dynasty, you need them to win championships, but you don't want to be holding the bag on them when they fall off.

I had a team coming off back-to-back championships in 2022 and 2023, but it had an aging roster of players like Christian McCaffrey, Raheem Mostert, Davante Adams, Keenan Allen, Cooper Kupp, and Mike Evans. While I still wanted to defend my title, I knew I still had to move some of those players for younger assets to keep the pipeline going.

During the summer, CMC was traded for a 2025 first, Jordan Addison, and Isaiah Likely in a Tight End Premium league. While it's unfortunate that McCaffrey got hurt, there were some obvious red flags about his overall durability and production based on how much usage he had seen during his first two years in San Francisco. Would I be able to do that same trade now? I don't think so.

Drafting a running backk early in a dynasty startup is much like buying a brand-new car. You're usually losing value the moment you drive it out of the showroom. Elite RBs absolutely have their place in dynasty, but in my opinion, they should be the final piece of your roster puzzle, not the foundation.

One of the worst things people can do in a dynasty league is hold onto very expensive running backs while they aren't contending. Not only are those running backs getting older and accruing more miles, but there's also the risk that one of them could suffer a very serious injury, leaving you completely stuck in the mud.

This principle is just as relevant in a dynasty startup as much as it is in the NFL Draft. If you're going to invest early draft capital into a back, there should be one goal in mind: winning right now. That means the rest of your draft strategy has to align with building a team capable of contending immediately. Otherwise, why take on such an expensive asset that could depreciate?

While we saw backs like Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, and Josh Jacobs completely beast out in 2024, injuries, reduced workloads, and the shorter shelf-life of RBs can make it a tough gamble if your team isn't ready to contend.

Nothing stings worse than watching a stud back burn through their best seasons while a team is stuck in the middle of a dynasty rebuild because once their roster is ready to compete, there's a chance that player's high-end productive years at running back could be gone!

If you are in a league with deeper lineups with three wide receiver spots and two additional flexes, you can benefit from prioritizing elite wide receivers instead. In full PPR leagues, you can get away with fading running back early, as there are pass-catching backs to be found later in drafts who offer plenty of value.

One such player in 2024 was Bucky Irving and Chase Brown was another late-round pick who well out-produced his ADP.

Approaching the RB position in a dynasty startup requires patience and foresight. You need the elite ones to take home a championship but just make sure that if you do invest in a running back early, that it lines up with the rest of your roster. Know your windows: contend or build for the future. Much like the real NFL, being stuck in the middle is the worst place to be.

Additional Startup Draft Tips

If your startup is happening very early in the year, such as during the NFL playoffs, before all the head coach and GM positions are filled, before free agency, or even before the NFL Draft, just know that player values will greatly fluctuate from that point until September once the season starts.

So, my advice is to focus your early picks on players who will be in their current contracts for a while, are cornerstones of their team's offense with a stable organization and a proven head coach or are attached to a good quarterback for the foreseeable future.

It's okay to embrace variance and risk, but only once you are later on in the startup. You don't always need to hit a home run with your second and third-round picks, you just want to make sure you are investing in players whose value is insulated. Hitting doubles early on is fine.

If you're drafting before free agency begins, you'll be able to snag a discount on older running backs or wide receivers who other players in your league might be worried about. An example of this was James Conner heading into the 2024 offseason.

He was coming off a solid year in 2023, but was getting older, and many feared that with all their extra draft capital and cap space the Cardinals would invest in another running back.

Arizona did take a running back, No. 66 overall in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the name of Trey Benson, but he didn't impact Conner much if at all. Conner had a solid low-end RB1 season for fantasy and was available late in startups and went for a mid to late 2024 rookie second in existing leagues. Talk about a steal!

James Conner this season:

— 236 Carries
— 47 Receptions
— 1,094 Rushing Yards
— 414 Receiving Yards
— 9 Touchdowns

How do you rate his performance this season? pic.twitter.com/wfOi3o7nuv

— Cardinals Muse (@CardsMuse) January 10, 2025

Am I saying you should invest in soon to be 30-year-old running backs? Not at all. But for contending teams heading into 2024, Conner was a great pickup at a low cost.

You can also think about how the dynasty value of players might be impacted during the coaching carousel. If Ben Johnson becomes head coach of the Chicago Bears and the team moves on from Keenan Allen, what does that do to Rome Odunze's dynasty value? What does it do to Caleb Williams' value? On the flip side, what if the team hires a more veteran coach like Pete Carroll, known for his slow pace of play?

Thinking about all of these possible factors in dynasty is important before you head into your startup. If you are doing your startup during the summer, all of these scenarios will have already been figured out with ADPs and adjusted accordingly, but that doesn't mean you still don't need to be thinking about them.

Trading Away Your Future First for More Startup Capital

One of the most tempting options in a dynasty startup is to trade away your future first-round pick in next year's rookie draft for extra startup capital. The appeal is clear as it provides you with more firepower to grab immediate contributors to help you win right away. But for newer dynasty players, this is often a trap, and you should tread carefully.

Depending on the landscape, a future first-round rookie pick will often fetch between a fifth or sixth-round pick in the startup draft. This might seem very enticing, but if you're not a seasoned dynasty player with a clear plan to contend in Year 1, this sort of move can backfire.

For example, back in 2021, I did a dynasty startup on FFPC where I traded a fifth-round pick in the startup to move back into the tenth round, but I was able to obtain another player's 2022 rookie first-round pick.

Let's just say that things didn't work out very well for the person who traded with me, and after a 3-11 finish, the future pick I had acquired became the rookie 1.01, which gave me Bijan Robinson.

To compound matters even more in my favor, I added Robinson to a team that already had Dak Prescott, Jalen Hurts, CeeDee Lamb, and Tyreek Hill, which opened up the championship window for that squad even bigger.

Now, dynasty can be a cruel beast at times, and if you're a new player, you will make mistakes. But I contend that trading away your future first leaves you with little room for error to recover from any mistakes. So, my advice if you're a new player is to do the opposite. Trade back in the startup to acquire an additional first-round pick in next year's rookie draft.

This way if you do make some mistakes, you will have extra ammo in your corner to hopefully correct them.

The reason for this is that the value of future draft picks tends to increase over time as the offseason (rookie draft season) gets closer. This is a way of insulating value instead of putting it into a more volatile asset (a player).

There is also a happy medium to be had as well. In a startup draft I did in the 2023 offseason; I traded back and acquired an extra rookie 1st and an extra rookie 2nd. By the time the season began, and the trade deadline started getting close, my team was 6-1, healthy, and looking like a strong contender. So, I decided to bolster the roster and trade my extra rookie picks for proven talent.

I acquired Brandon Aiyuk with the future first and Kyren Williams with the future second (what became an awesome bargain over time) and took home the league championship in Year 1 while still having all of my rookie draft capital for 2024. It actually worked out better because I traded my 2024 1st and 2nd, while keeping the extra ones I had acquired (which ended up as better picks anyway).

This diagram by @ekballer is a must save for dynasty. If you’re contending now I would see what you can get, but the value of the picks is likely only going to increase with time. pic.twitter.com/433Ke47Reh

— Kyle Lindemann (@LuckIsMadeFF) August 16, 2022

This diagram above shows the value of rookie draft picks and how to take advantage of it depending on where you are at in the cycle.

The strength of the incoming rookie class often dictates how I will approach whether or not to trade away future rookie picks. For example, heading into the 2023 season, it was clear that the incoming class was loaded with generational talents like Caleb Williams, Brock Bowers, Marvin Harrison Jr, Malik Nabers, and Drake Maye. Heck, even Jayden Daniels came out of nowhere to add to the already-loaded class!

Seeing the writing on the wall, I made it a priority to trade back in any startups I did that year to acquire extra rookie picks for the 2024 class, and it paid off.

So, before you're tempted to deal away future draft picks for more capital, make sure to ask yourself the hard questions: "Am I truly ready to compete this year, or am I building a younger roster for the future?" Playing this game wisely is important, and there's nothing like having to spend several years rebuilding a roster in the beginning due to the mistakes you made.

For veteran players, the move makes sense. By trading away future rookie draft picks for proven players to make your roster more competitive, you are thus decreasing the value of said picks. You just want to make sure you end up trading away what becomes the 1.12 instead of what becomes the 1.01.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, we are out of space for this article but stay tuned here at RotoBaller all offseason long for plenty more in-depth tips and tricks as it relates to all things dynasty.

Every dynasty startup draft is different, in much the same way every fantasy league is different. You don't always have to go into a startup with a set approach. Stay flexible but be ready to choose a path by your third or fourth pick and make sure to see your plan through until the very end.

Don't forget to follow me on X, and feel free to hit me up with any additional dynasty-related questions. As always, thanks for reading, and happy drafting!

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