What is a Dynasty League in Fantasy Football?

What is a dynasty fantasy football league?

Unlike traditional redraft leagues, a dynasty fantasy football league has no hard reset. After the first season in a dynasty league, you retain 100% of the players you took in the league's startup draft and carry over all of the players onto your squad into the next year. Dynasty fantasy football leagues work very similarly to managing a real NFL team in that any transaction or move you make will affect your squad for years to come. 

The goal of a dynasty league is still very similar to the goal of any traditional fantasy football league (redraft, keeper, etc). Ultimately you want to foster a competitive team and give yourself a chance at winning the league outright once playoff time comes. However, dynasty leagues also have a lot of different factors involved, which makes managing them quite unique and much different from other formats.

How does a fantasy football dynasty league work?

Since rosters in dynasty leagues never go through a true reset, the only time all of the players will be available to be drafted at the same time is in the league's startup draft. This is obviously a massive change from most traditional redraft leagues, where each season sees us start afresh with empty rosters. 

League startup drafts in dynasty leagues operate very similarly to how drafts in most fantasy football leagues work but obviously carry extra significance due to the fact it is the only time all of the players will be available. While trades and free agency can be routes to acquire players and make roster changes, the startup draft sets the tone for how your team will look and operate out of the gate.

How big are dynasty fantasy football rosters?

Typically rosters in dynasty leagues will also be much larger than in a simple redraft league. Since you only have one shot at drafting your team from scratch, dynasty rosters also give you the chance to roster a deeper team. This creates interesting scenarios such as whether to expend extra roster spots on potential handcuffs for your star players (typically at positions like running back) or use them to bet on the talent of rookies or other players currently buried on a depth chart.  

Dynasty rosters typically will have at least 25 spots and often can have rosters that expand to 30 or more players, depending on the desire of the league. Many dynasty leagues now add in IR spots and even a taxi squad (see below) which allow for the ability to speculate on players who may not yet be productive enough yet to make your bench. 

As a result, dynasty drafts involve far more rounds than a standard redraft league and will require that you become familiar with more than just the starting lineups of every NFL team. 

What is a dynasty rookie draft? 

While the startup draft is the only time all of the players in the NFL will be available to be drafted at the same time, dynasty leagues still have a yearly rookie draft that involves selecting players new to the league that season. The rookie draft is an integral part of any dynasty league and is a good way for teams to build out their squad for future seasons.

Rookie drafts typically go in order of where players finished in the league in the previous season, with the worst team getting the first overall pick and the league winner picking last. Getting high draft picks in the rookie draft can be vitally important as high-end offensive players come into the league every season and can develop into fantasy studs in a short period of time. As we’ll discuss below, younger players are also highly valued assets in dynasty leagues as they can typically be counted on for longer periods of time. 

Some recent examples of great rookie talent who are now carrying teams into 2022 are Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase. Both of these wide receivers have played less than three full seasons but currently carry top five ADPs and are going as WR2 and WR3 in redraft leagues for 2022. Getting your hands on these kinds of players in rookie drafts can change the outlook for your team in a hurry. 

As we can see by the dynasty rookie ADP rankings (from preseason of 2020), evaluating and making the right kind of picks in the rookie draft can have a huge and lasting effect on your team.

Teams that were able to avoid the landmines in the 2020 draft (Henry Ruggs, Jalen Raegor, Clyde Edwards-Helaire) gained some massive cornerstones for their teams in Jonathan Taylor, Cee Dee Lamb, Justin Jefferson, Joe Burrow, and even Tee Higgins (a borderline round two pick in 2022). 

Dynasty rookie draft strategy

Typically how you approach the rookie draft also depends on your team’s short-term outlook. Teams that already carry a strong roster, and figure to be competitive in the upcoming season, may sacrifice high draft picks in the rookie draft for more proven talent so they can take a run at the league title. 

Teams whose outlook isn’t so bright for the upcoming year may be inclined to trade for more high-end picks in the rookie draft to help build their team out for the years beyond. As we saw from the example above, getting multiple first-round picks can be franchise-altering. 

Offseason moves in dynasty 

One of the best aspects of a dynasty league is the fact they allow for year-round team management and the ability to make roster moves in almost any month of the year. How your league sets up its offseason preference can be a league-by-league decision, but in most leagues, you will be able to add and drop free agents as you please after the season ends. 

One other way to manage a dynasty league is to lock roster movement until after the NFL draft, or the league’s rookie draft is complete. That allows everyone to take a break and not have to react to breaking news for the slower parts of the off-season.

Since rosters never fully reset, trading can also be huge in the off-season of dynasty leagues. Teams often have extra time to evaluate rosters, and draft picks from the upcoming rookie draft can be used as assets. A team that feels like it's close to putting together a winning team may decide to go all-in and go after riskier assets while trading away draft capital.

On the flip side, teams without good depth or enough high-end talent may decide to blow things up and go after younger players and extra draft picks.

Regardless of how your dynasty league operates, the off-season is a great time to assess your team’s needs and make some business decisions about the outlook of your squad for the new season. 

Nov 7, 2021; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

What is a dynasty fantasy football taxi squad?

One extra feature of dynasty league rosters is the taxi squad feature. Nearly all dynasty leagues will feature this aspect of roster management in some way, shape, or form. The taxi squad is essentially a way for you to store extra players on your team who aren’t good enough to be starting but may develop into something in the future. 

Taxi squads can vary dramatically in size, shape, and rules, but typically they will allow you to carry around three to five extra players on your roster. Most taxi squads operate with the idea that these spots should be used for rookies or second-year players, so many will have rules around usage and who can and can’t be stored there. The main hitch with taxi squads is that any player who is currently on a taxi squad cannot be used in actual gameplay until they are moved onto the active roster or bench.

Most dynasty leagues will have rules around taxi squads that state once a player is moved from the taxi squad to the active roster, he can no longer go back to the taxi squad. This makes the taxi squad a true feeder system. It allows owners to speculate on players and keeps it from being abused as an extension of your bench. The taxi squad is an emerging and great addition to dynasty leagues, but managers need to ensure the rules and settings are enabled properly to take full advantage of its features. 

How do you start a new fantasy football dynasty league?

The first thing you will need is committed players. While that may seem obvious, playing in dynasty leagues requires year-over-year commitment and a true interest in the NFL that goes beyond just watching a couple of games every Sunday. Your dynasty league will function much better if you have 12 people who both understand the basics of fantasy football but also have an interest in learning more about the talent bases in the NFL. 

Dynasty leagues also require relatively year round commitments. Players who only follow the NFL, in-season, will potentially miss out on important opportunities for trades or roster adjustment and will end up behind the proverbial 8-ball when the season starts each year. 

Managers for dynasty leagues will also need to be flexible. Keeping the rest of the league interested by using taxi squads and allowing for the trading of draft picks is critical. 

How managers set up league dues in a dynasty league is also of importance. Some dynasty leagues will require you to pay an extra fee upfront. This extra fee is to compensate the league if you were to abandon your team before a set period of time. Finding replacement owners for a dynasty league can be troublesome, especially when the teams available aren’t very good. 

Finally, any manager or new dynasty league will also have to decide where to host said league online. Luckily, dynasty leagues now have a few different options to choose from, with several sites offering much more attractive options than what was available in the dynasty league hosting space even just a few years ago. 

What platform can you host dynasty fantasy football leagues on?

Sleeper fantasy

Sleeper fantasy is a mobile fantasy football platform that allows its users to create redraft, dynasty, and keeper leagues on their site and app. Sleeper used to be entirely app-based and is available for use on Ipad, IOS, and Android operating systems. However, they now have a revamped website which makes it perfect for dynasty hosting. 

Sleeper allows commissioners to adjust settings and implement a ton of dynasty-only features. Features like rookie-only drafts setting up a taxi squad and maxing out rosters to include 25 or more spots are all available to build out when setting up a league. 

One more advanced feature that dynasty leagues being hosted on Sleeper will enjoy is the ability to trade draft picks on the website and app. This makes trading rookie draft picks very easy at any point in the season and generally will make trading a better experience overall.  

Sleeper is an emerging site in the fantasy football space and is continually updating its offerings. They have a very modern interface, good customer support and should be one of the first sites you check out for dynasty fantasy football league hosting. 

Sign up for Sleeper and check out their Dynasty and other Fantasy offerings here. 

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Use Promo Code FANTASYLIFE and claim your $100 below.

FFPC

FFPC stands for the Fantasy Football Players Championship. The FFPC is a fantasy football site that offers a wide range of leagues to join, including dynasty leagues where you can take over orphan teams. 

As you can see from above, FFPC is unique in that it offers players interested in dynasty leagues a huge range of selections. Buy-ins range from $77.00 up $5,000 on their most popular dynasty formats. However, there’s truly something for everyone as dynasty best ball and superflex (qb/te/wr/rb) leagues can also be found on the site.  

If you are joining one of the leagues (either as a startup or taking over an orphan team), you will have to abide by the league rules and settings on the site. However, while you may not have the flexibility to adjust rules, there is really no better place to get involved quickly in a dynasty league than FFPC. The variety of buy-ins and the ability to either join a start-up league or take over an orphan team is unparalleled and makes it one of the best spots to play dynasty fantasy football. 

If you're a new user of FFPC, we have a great introductory offer for you. Sign up using our link, and you'll automatically get a $25-off promo credited to your first entry of $35 or more!

What is a good strategy for a dynasty fantasy football league?

When you are approaching a new dynasty league startup, there are two major elements to consider. One is the need to win the league, as winning is truly what fantasy football is about, and, in the end, winning is what brings us the most profit. The other is the need to build a team that will last and stay competitive for more than just one season. 

Since dynasty leagues require you to carry over your roster every season, looking into the future when making your roster decisions can mean more wins in the long run and also a more profitable team that will allow you to win multiple championships. 

The win now approach 

One benefit of taking a win-now approach is that often dynasty league players tend to be very focused on potential and overlook sustained and current production. Thus, acquiring players (through trades, the draft, or waivers) who are already established can often be done easier than in redraft leagues. 

The downside to this approach is that if you are too aggressive and miss your window to win, you can have multiple players either regress, retire or simply fall out of the league, all at once and crater your team for multiple years. 

If you are thinking of using a win-now approach and trading away rookie draft picks or young players about to hit their prime, your team should already be quite strong. Making sure you are honest with your potential is key in deciding to shift gears to this approach. 

A win-now approach in dynasty fantasy football leagues includes:

• Comparing your team to other squads and ensuring your team is strong enough to compete for a top finish
• Using rookie draft picks or other assets to acquire players who are already established fantasy producers
• Taking a short-term outlook on player production vs. a long-term outlook
  • E.g., not worrying about age or how many years of productivity a player has left
  • Playing for the now vs. next year and beyond
  • Taking advantage of poor teams who are trying to build out with young players and acquire established players for cheap

The building for the future approach

The build for the future approach is easier said than done. While many veteran dynasty league players will have no trouble discussing the approach, it’s still hard to put into practice. Building for the future means putting a large emphasis on a player’s “potential” and ignoring the fact that certain young players may not be very fantasy viable in the short term. If you are truly building for the future, the start-up draft will involve many difficult decisions. Bypassing already established players for rookie or second-year players without well-defined roles will be key. 

A great example from 2022 of a player with high dynasty potential, and a player who you could potentially target in a trade or startup draft for a “build for the future” approach, is running back  Javonte Williams of the Denver Broncos. Javonte Williams

Oct 17, 2021; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams (33) runs the ball in the fourth quarter against the Las Vegas Raiders at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

While Williams is slated to share duties with Melvin Gordon for 2022, Gordon seems unlikely to be in Denver for much longer, and Williams would likely inherit the backfield to himself in 2023 and potentially beyond. Given his age (22 years as of 2022), drafting him over players like Nick Chubb or Alvin Kamara (both 26) in a “build for the future” approach would make a ton of sense given the fact Williams figures to have multiple more high-end seasons left in his career than the two aforementioned RBs. 

A build for the future in dynasty fantasy football leagues includes:

• Being realistic about your position and chances for the upcoming season
  • If you don’t compare well to the top teams, this approach will make a lot more sense
• Looking for opportunities to acquire younger players who may not be helpful for your roster this year but have stud potential in upcoming seasons
• Identifying other teams who might have an interest in acquiring your best veteran players
• Loading up on picks for the next rookie draft

The Balanced approach

The middle-of-the-road strategy likely isn’t a place you want to find yourself in for too long. While it’s OK to sit back and remain balanced as things play out, bypassing opportunities to build a future powerhouse or going for the outright win this season means a potential loss of opportunity. 

A balanced build should likely be used when there aren’t clear advantages or reasons to be using one of the more extreme approaches. Perhaps you’re waiting to see if a player comes back from injury or are waiting to see how the stronger teams in your league fare early on. 

Middle of the road may look good on paper, but if you are not putting all your resources into winning, then often a better approach is to start accumulating as much young talent and rookie draft capital for the upcoming season as possible. 

A balanced approach in dynasty fantasy football leagues includes:

• Being realistic about your chances of winning but recognizing that you aren’t that far off from being one of the best teams, either
• Not mortgaging the future for a single player but also taking opportunities if they arise
• Hanging onto your best rookie draft picks and young player capital, so your feeder system doesn’t dry up

Dynasty FAQ's

How can you join a dynasty league?

In general, there are two different ways to join a dynasty fantasy football league.

Join a startup league

• Pros 
  • Can adjust settings to league preference
  • Often will be playing with people you know and trust, which will make the experience more personal.
  • You can also join startup leagues at places like FPPC where the settings and rules are already decided.
  • You can start your team from scratch and can build from the league startup draft with whichever method or approach you prefer
• Cons
  • If you are starting the league, finding 11 committed players can be hard
  • The league will have to set up rules for players abandoning teams and agree on waiver wire blackout periods, trading of draft picks, and when to have the rookie draft
    • Ensuring the league has a rule in place and a way to help new owners for orphaned teams (e.g. free or reduced dues for a year) is key in the setup process

Jan 2, 2022; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance (5) warms up before the game against the Houston Texans at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

Take over an existing team

• Pros
  • The league is already functional, and you will just be joining in on the run, so no decision-making about setup will be required
  • Often there are incentives for new players taking over orphaned teams, like free or reduced league dues for a year
  • You can shop around and see if there are stronger teams you’d rather take
    • If you are taking on an existing team, looking for potential young talent or extra rookie draft picks already stashed on the roster is key (the deeper the talent pool, the better)
    • Taking the long-term approach will be key in taking over orphaned teams as most will not be in a position to be competitive out of the gates
• Cons
  • Taking over orphaned teams generally means taking over a bad team
    • Most teams are abandoned because they are not good, and the owner is tired of not being competitive
  • You don’t have the ability to start your team out as you’d like in a start-up draft
    • You will have to rely on trades and rookie drafts to build out your tea

What is the difference between a dynasty league and a redraft league?

Dynasty fantasy football leagues have no hard resets. You retain 100% of the players that are on your roster at the end of the season, year-over-year. In dynasty leagues, the only way to change your roster after the draft is by adding or dropping players in free agency, trades, or through the rookie supplemental draft every season. 

In redraft fantasy football leagues, teams start fresh every season with no players on their roster. There are no carry-over requirements year-over-year. 

What is the difference between a dynasty league and a Keeper league?

Keeper fantasy football leagues mostly function like redraft leagues but will have rules in place that allow for owners to “Keep” a certain number of players from their roster into the next season. Many keeper leagues allow up to three keepers, but the number can vary depending on the league setup. 

In keeper leagues, when you decide to keep a player, you also must forfeit a draft pick from the upcoming season in order to keep the said player. Generally, the draft pick you will give up correlates with where you took the player last season. So if you took Alvin Kamara in the third round in 2021 and wanted to keep him into 2022, you would have no third-round draft pick for the 2022 draft in your league.  

There are also often time limits on keepers where players will only be able to be used as keepers for a set number of years before they are forced to be thrown back into the general player pool. This also differs drastically from dynasty formats, where there are no time limits at all on how long a team can hold onto a player once they acquire them.