Dynasty Dispersal & Rebuild Story: Part 1 [Guest Contribution]

This guest contribution comes from Australian with UTH Superfan Matt Caldow. Here is his dynasty rebuilding story:

I wanted to share my experience rebuilding using the ‘UTH method’ after taking over a team in a 16 team 0.5 ppr league – 25 man rosters in 2015.

Dispersal Draft: 2015 Offseason

The league conducted a four-team dispersal draft to replace four owners. I had the No.2 pick in the draft. It was my first dispersal draft and it was rough. The quality of the players was not deep. Although I was trying to follow the UTH way – very few young WRs were available. Sammy Watkins was the clear top asset and a few good RBs were available but most had rather sizable questions about their role or their ability at the time.

Prominent players (at the time) in the dispersal draft included:

QB – R. Wilson, Big Ben, Brees, Cutler, Stafford, Kaepernick and Kirk Cousins

RB – M. Lynch, D. Martin, D. Freeman, R. Hillman, T. Riddick, B. Rainey

WR – Watkins, Edelman, B. Marshall, M. Floyd, A. Johnson, S. Johnson, V. Cruz, P. Garcon, B. LaFell, E. Royal , Janis

TE – Cameron, H. Miller, Tamme, Fleener, N. Paul, J. Cook, O. Daniels

Others – DST: Seattle, Packers, Jags, Jets, Steelers, Falcons, Giants, Chiefs

Picks – 1.02, 1.06, 1.12, 1.13, 2.02, 2.06, 2.11, 3.02, 3.05, 3.06, 3.12, 3.15

The dispersal draft was conducted prior to the three-round rookie draft. The league was quite top heavy and the top teams deep. It was quickly clear I wouldn’t compete in 2015. With the 1.02 pick I knew I was not going to get Watkins. I aimed for young upside players and picks so I could begin building through the draft and ‘competing’ for the 2016 1.01. After Watkins went at 1.01, I took rookie pick 1.02 at No.2, knowing I was going to get either Todd Gurley or Amari Cooper. 1.06 went at 3 and then Hyde and Lynch. I took 1.12 with my second pick and was hoping Michael Floyd would fall to me. He didn’t and I took 1.13. In hindsight, I should have taken Floyd over the 1.12 but the picks did work out later.

For the rest of the draft, I focused on value and grabbing pieces I could trade. I took Drew Brees with my 6^th pick thinking I would be able to trade him in a 16 team league. Wilson and Big Ben were good value for their draft position in the dispersal, Kirk Cousins went late. In hindsight, I probably focused on average WRs a bit too heavily at the expense of overall value.  I took Charles Johnson with my 5^th pick falling for the offseason hype that he would be a WR1 in MIN. I avoided RBs as I wasn’t going to compete in 2015. I took a few veterans right at the end with the intention of trading them. I managed to build the following team with an eye to the 2015 1.01 and packaging up everyone I could.

QB – Brees, Cutler

RB – D. Robinson, B. Pierce, Bradshaw, J. Rodgers, D Thomas (Chiefs)

WR – Charles Johnson, Garcon, LaFell, Royal, Sanu, Beasley, Welker, R. Wayne

TE – L. Willson, Miller, Tamme

DST – Jets, Jags, Packers

Picks – 1.02, 1.12, 1.13, 2.11, 3.06

With my team ready to go I turned towards building value for the rookie draft and trying to move up. I made the following trades:

Gave: B. Pierce, C. Beasley, C. Johnson

Got: 2.01 and a 2016 2^nd (late). 

I sold on the Pierce hype when Ray Rice was in legal trouble and the hype on Johnson. At the time I thought I was giving up too much but considering the performance of the players I am really happy with the outcome.

• Gave: Eddie Royal,
• Got: 3^rd round pick

• Gave: Jacquizz Rodgers,
• Got: 3.04

• Gave: Cutler, 2.11,
• Got: 2.04, 3.08

A slight move up in the second and a third round pick for a quality backup QB.

• Gave: H. Miller
• Got: D. Inman, 2016 2^nd

A win now team needed a TE – I pounced.

• Gave: B. LaFell, 1.12, 1.13, 3.08
• Got: 1.06, 2.02

I had been madly trying to send out offers to move up in the draft but I lacked the ammunition to do so. I wanted to get into the top 5/6 because I liked the WRs available (Cooper, White, Perriman, DGB). This was the best that I could do. I drafted Perriman at 1.06 – which worked out well because he was injured and missed the whole season so didn’t hurt my chance at the 1.01 in 2015.

• Gave:  L. Willson, 3.06, 2016 2^nd
• Got: J. Wright, 2.16, 2016 2^nd

I sold Willson to the Jimmy Graham owner for a small bump in the 2^nd and to turn a 2016 3^rd into a 2016 2^nd.

2015 Rookie Draft

The rookie draft started with a flurry of trades. The 1.01 surprisingly changed hands (for a deal around Andrew Luck) and most of the first round was exchanged. The team that had given up the 1.01 had the 1.09 and didn’t seem to want to pick so I saw an opportunity to move up to 1.09. I made a series of trades to move up into the first but also move back in the draft later depending on my targets.

Rookie Draft Trades:

• Gave: 2.01, 2.02, 2.16
• Got: 1.09

• Gave: P. Garcon, 2016 2^nd
• Got 2.09, Harry Douglas

• Gave: 2.09
• Got: 2.15 and 3.01

2015 Rookie Draft Picks

• 1.02 – Gurley
• 1.06 – Perriman
• 1.09 – DGB
• 2.04 – Max Williams
• 2.15 – Josh Robinson
• 3.01 – Jeremy Langford
• 3.04 – Zach Zenner

2015 Season

My focus in season was to make sure that I was in the running for the 1.01 and to get value where I could. My plan was to build up as many picks in the 2016 draft as I could. Both for flexibility and not to jeopardise my chance at the 1.01 by acquiring productive players. I wanted to use my roster spots to play the waiver wire and to add any player that had a chance of having value. In a 16 team roster the waiver wire is very thin so speculative additions are the way to go. I made a conscious decision to chase QB and RB value during the season as I felt that was where the most value was to be had in the league.

In-Season Trades

The pick values unknown at the time but inserted later for value measurement:

• Gave: Jets DST
• Got: Marvin Jones

In this 16 team league every DST was owned. I drafted three in the dispersal thinking that I would be able to trade one. To get a solid WR for the Jets DST midseason was great value.

• Gave: Brees, Marlon Brown, Harry Douglas
• Got: Mallett, Manziel, Norwood, 2016 2^nd (2.05) 2016 3rd (3.05)

I had shopped Brees around a lot with little interest. A team suffered an injury at QB and I pounced. I picked up a couple of younger QBs with upside and a couple of picks for Brees. Mallett and Manziel did not work out but I managed to get a couple of picks…

• Gave: DGB
• Got: 2016 1^st (1.16) and 2016 1^st (1.08)

I picked DGB at 1.09. I didn’t like the red flags with DGB at the time and I was getting pestered with offers. I sent an offer for two firsts and was surprised when it was accepted. I was happy to turn DGB into more flexible assets (picks) to help with the rebuild.

• Gave: Chandcandrick West, 2016 3^rd (3.05) 
•  Got: Josh Huff, 2016 2^nd (2.12)

I picked up West when he overtook Knile Davis as the handcuff a week or two before Jamaal Charles was injured. He had a couple of good games but I wasn’t a believer. I sold him for a WR showing promise and a 2^nd round pick. In hindsight I probably sold a bit cheaply but Spencer Ware emerged soon after.

• Gave: Brian Hoyer
• Got: 2016 3^rd (3.14)

Just trying to squeeze every drip of value out of my team and free a roster spot.

• Gave: Jeremy Langford, Marvin Jones
• Got: Andre Holmes, John Phillips, 2016 1^st (1.05)

Forte was injured and Langford was the presumptive bell cow RB in Chicago. In line with my strategy to build 2016 picks I wanted a first. I very was happy to cash out on Langford. After ‘hitting’ on Langford in the rookie draft, this deal equated to turning the 3.01 rookie pick and the player I got for the Jets DST (Marvin Jones) into a what would turn into a high first in a very short time. This deal shows the value of always searching for value and packaging up lesser assets to eventually land a better asset.

• Gave: Tyrod Taylor , 2016 1^st (1.16)
• Got:  2016 1^st (1.04)

I picked up Tyrod off waivers early in the year thanks to listening diligently to podcasts. He was a serviceable QB2 in the league. I was keen to move him to maximise my chance at the 1.01. I moved what became the 1.16 from the league winner for a lower first rounder, which ended up as the 1.04.

I only just managed to secure the 1.01. I had won a game earlier in the year so the 1.01 came down to a late season game against a team that had 0 wins to my one. Fortunately, I managed to put up a miserable 45 points and lose 47-45 and ‘clinch’ the 1.01 on the basis of having fewer points for with a 1-12 record.

With the season over and the 1.01 secured. I managed to pull off a couple more trades with teams trying to compete in the playoffs:

• Gave: Draughn, 2016 3rd (3.10)
• Got: Bryan Walters, 2016 2^nd (2.10)

• Gave: Hightower, Denard Robinson, Will Tye, 2016 2^nd (2.10)
• Got: Abbrederis, Chris Polk, Ryan Griffin, 2016 1^st (1.10)

Hightower, Robinson and Draughn all emerged when the respective starters on their teams (Ingram, Yeldon and Hyde) went down to injury. I picked up Hightower and Draughn and had been holding Robinson all season. I was happy to send those guys and an emerging TE and a 2^nd for a mid 1^st (1.10) and some younger upside shots.

By paying attention for the full season I was able to turn a few waiver wire additions at RB into multiple picks, including a first.

Picks at end of season: 1.01, 1.04, 1.05, 1.08, 1.10, 2.01, 2.04, 2.05, 2.12, 3.01, 3.14

This was my end of season squad and the method they were acquired:

QB: Gabbert (waivers), Manziel (trade)

RB: Gurley (2015 1.02), Akeem Hunt (waivers), Polk (trade), Josh Robinson (2015 2.15), Chris Thompson (waivers), Zenner (2015 3.04)

WR: Perriman (2015 1.06), Abbrederis (trade), Kenny Bell (trade), Ryan Grant (waivers), Holmes (trade), Huff (trade), McBride (waivers), Pryor (waivers), Roberts (waviers), Royal (waivers), Sanu (dispersal), Walters (trade)

TE: Bell (waivers), Griffin (trade), Williams (2015 2.04)

DST: Packers (dispersal), Jaguars (dispersal)