This is a follow up to an article that I wrote last year where using the UTH startup building tools I was able to get Leveon Bell for free right before the 2016 rookie draft. Here is a link to the original article.
By Katie Flower @FF_Skyler399
Never Settle
Even though I had just traded for Bell, I did so because the price I paid was under market value and I felt strongly that I could turn him into a piece or two I liked more at some point. The things concerning me about Bell were his past suspensions and his looming free agency in 2018. There is no denying his performance on the field.
Two months later in May, I was putting out various trade offers to different owners. The one to hit was I gave Bell for Gurley and an 18 2nd (ended up the 2.01). I probably could have received more but he didn’t have any 1sts and the 2nd did look like it was on a hurting team. Even though Gurley had a sub-par 2016, I never gave up on his talent and was thrilled to execute this trade.
Refuse to Be Average
I spent the summer months working trade talks and the waiver wire. Three days after the news broke that Jordan Matthews had been traded to Buffalo, I traded him plus Evan Engram for Demaryius Thomas. I had a gut feeling that Thomas would bounce back and give me a consistent starter as more than a bridge player. There is no premium for TE and though I hated to lose Engram, I felt my TE core was strong enough to let him go.
My best waiver wire pickups were WR Kenny Golladay in May and RB Javorius Allen in August. Both contributed to my team, and I did shop both when they were flashing, just couldn’t get a deal done.
In September I bailed on Kenneth Dixon, an asset I loved when he came out of college. His latest suspension and the season-ending injury was enough for me to shop him around the league. In the end, I got a 2018 4th which ended up the 4.02. Our rookie draft is held in March, long before the combine and NFL draft, I’m hoping for a sleeping gem and that my years of researching Devy players pays off even just a little.
Keep Building Those Dynasties!
My final and most critical move occurred in Week 11. With the playoffs looming in the week 13 distance, my team was 6-5 and tied for 5th place even though I had the 3rd best total points and weekly average. I figured if I could just make it into the playoffs, I could make a run.
An owner was shopping Dion Lewis and since I already owned Burkhead it made sense to pursue him. By this point, Lewis had established himself as the lead RB in New England and I was having trouble with my RB3 spot (Allen losing share to Collins, Mixon not quite established as a must-start). We negotiated back and forth and agreed on my 2018 2nd (ended up the 2.12) for Lewis.
Championship Run
I finished the regular season at 8-5 and landed the 5th seed, I still had the 3rd highest scoring and average weekly points.
I beat the 4th seed by 31 pts in the quarterfinals on the strength of Devante Adams (30.4), Demaryius Thomas (23.3) and Todd Gurley (28.5) as well as strong contributions from Burkhead, Lewis, and Winston and despite down games from McCaffrey and Evans.
On to the semifinals, I knocked off the 2nd seed by 43 points riding Gurley (45), McCaffrey (25.6) and Winston (31.76) and double-digit performances by all but 2 players.
In the finals, I met up with the 3rd seed, though he was the top scoring and weekly average all season. Coincidently he was also the owner with whom I traded Leveon Bell for Gurley and a 2nd and traded Jordan Matthews and Engram for Demaryius Thomas.
I beat him by 40 points in the championship. Bell and Engram combined for 23 points versus Gurley and Thomas at 59. If I had Bell and Engram on my team, I may still have made the playoffs, but I would have lost 166-154 in the finals, not taking into consideration other butterfly effect scenarios.
Will the trades pay off in the long run? I still like Gurley better than Bell. Thomas may give me several serviceable years but I did have to give up a stud in Engram. The 2.01 could be a juicy add. Not sure if Matthews ever pans out. Time will tell. I do know that flags fly forever and in year two of this dynasty team, the future looks bright!
Current 2018 Roster
QB: Winston, Flacco
RB: Gurley, Mixon, McCaffrey, Lewis, Foreman, Powell, Allen, Burkhead, J Williams, Edmunds, D Williams
WR: Evans, Thomas, Adams, Funchess, Conley, Smith Schuster, Golladay, Fuller, Godwin, Hogan, N Brown
TE: Ebron, Henry, Doyle
Picks: 1.04, 1.10, 1.12, 2.01, 3.12, 4.02, 4.12
Trading is open and time to keep grinding!
