Making the Case

• Target Elite QB’s
• BUY Injury/Situational Discounts
• WR-Heavy Approach
• Zero-RB
• Acquire Future Draft Capital
• Studs > Depth
• Use Your Leverage

A “productive struggle” can position you to win YR2, YR3, YR4, & YR5 after “tanking” YR1 (in order to secure the following year’s rookie 1.01).

Here’s how to do it:

• Target Elite QB’s

Elite QB’s are the most stable assets (in production/valuation). They’re the most insulated from injury & have the longest shelf-lives. QB’s with top-24 startup ADP’s maintain that value year-over-year at over an 80% rate. Drafting at least 1 elite QB is a MUST.

• Buy Injury/Situational Discounts

You should also focus on buying players who will hold a high valuation year-over-year while not necessarily providing plus-production YR1. This includes injured players & situationally-depressed players.

Adding “building blocks” that will pay off more in the long-term than the short-term should be a main priority when crafting a “productive struggle” roster.

This doesn’t necessarily all have to be accomplished in the off-season either. Continue to focus on buying injured players in-season.

Trading healthy assets for equal (but injured) assets + picks is a great way to both get points off your roster (in order to secure a high rookie pick) while simultaneously accruing long-term value.

An example of this would’ve been trading Justin Herbert for Lamar Jackson + picks (when Lamar was injured during the fantasy playoffs).

Trading healthy players for injured players = less points scored = higher rookie draft pick.

+ extra future draft capital = value accrual.

Mission Accomplished.

• WR-Heavy Approach

The core of any tanking roster should be built on WR’s.

They have a longer-shelf life & lower injury-risk than RB’s.

Which gives us a better chance at carrying their value through YR1 into YR2, YR3, YR4, & YR5.

• Zero-RB

By avoiding investing in higher-priced RB’s, we avoid additional risk.

More importantly, it allows us to “manipulate” our lineups to score less points, resulting in a higher rookie draft pick (hopefully the following year’s 1.01).

We don’t necessarily have to draft zero RB’s, but we should be trading away the RB’s who start to produce in-season (to upgrade our QB’s, WR’s, TE, or add future draft capital).

It’s much easier to construct a sustainable zero-RB roster than zero-WR roster when “manipulating” our lineups to score less points YR1.

Sometimes you can get away with holding 1 RB who’s scoring points, but it’s important that your RB2 slot yields you *0* points on a weekly basis (or close to it).

This lineup “manipulation” will “tank” your points scored/max PF/record, & help secure the following year’s 1.01 – even if your QB’s & WR’s & TE are scoring relatively well.

Getting 0’s (or close to it) from *both* RB slots (typically 2/10 starters) can close to guarantee the 1.01.

• Acquire Future Draft Capital

Trading our RB’s (& bench depth) for future draft capital accomplishes 2 things:

1) It manipulates our lineup to score less points, win less games, and get a higher draft pick.

2) It “banks” that roster value so it can’t be lost. Future picks can’t get hurt or lose their jobs/value. RB’s & bench players can.

Trading back in startup drafts to acquire more future capital is recommended, but sometimes everyone wants to do so, & it can pay to go the other way & zig while everyone zags.

You don’t necessarily have to trade back.

• Studs > Depth

As long as you keep your own future 1’s, it can pay to trade up – even in a productive struggle.

For example, trading a RD4 & RD5 startup pick + a future 2 to move up into RD2 to draft a WR like CeeDee Lamb or Garrett Wilson, or a stud TE like Mark Andrews.

Adding studs while leaving one or two flex spots “empty” (with near-zero producers) can help with that lineup manipulation (lowering your points scored/max PF/record), while still allowing you to collect high-value pieces.

The more studs you add at QB/WR/TE in YR1, the easier it is to flip into “contender mode” in YR2 by adding RB’s/flexes (whether adding high-level producers with your recently-secured 1.01, or even just replacement-level non-zero producers).

You can always buy cheap productive veteran RB’s after a year (or two), when the proper time comes.

• Use Your Leverage

Contenders & Rebuilders both have leverage over each other in dynasty trade negotiations.

Contenders know that rebuilders want to: get younger, keep their max PF down (to get a better 1st round rookie pick the following year), sell their RB’s, & add future draft capital.

Rebuilders know contenders “need” points in order to win the $$$.

Push back & use your leverage no matter which side you’re on.

There should be a future tax on all contending teams; where non-producing future value is swapped for lesser-valued current production.

If you’re a rebuilding team, insist on a clear long-term value-win, otherwise why are you bailing out a contender “for free?”

TO SUMMARIZE:

Don’t over-prioritize youth when building a productive-struggle roster in the off-season.

& don’t feel the need to avoid RB completely.

There will be a market in-season to sell productive older WR’s for younger (often injured) WR’s+

& there will be a market in-season to sell RB’s when they’re scoring points.

Focus on adding high-value players at QB, WR, & TE.

Don’t over-invest in RB. But you don’t have to avoid them completely.

Swap out healthy players for injured players+ in-season.

Add future draft capital where possible.

& insist on value-wins as payment for providing contenders with points.

That’s how you perfect the “productive struggle.”

EXAMPLES:

Some examples of my more successful productive struggle teams that (purposefully) “tanked” in YR1, secured a high rookie pick (if not 1.01), & are now positioned to win YR2, YR3, YR4, & YR5.

Team 1

Traded T-Law, Jeudy, future 2 for Hurts, Deebo, future 1 when Hurts got hurt.

Traded Herbert for Lamar+ when Lamar got hurt.

Traded Saquon for Jacobs+ when Jacobs got hurt.

Buying those 3 “identical but injured” players + future draft capital BOTH lowered my PF/Max PF AND increased the value in my “iron bank” of draft picks.

I “earned” the rookie 1.01 (Bijan), then traded it for Garrett Wilson + 2.04.

& have multiple future 1’s still.

Team 2

Team ran hot despite Gainwell, Perine, McKinnon at RB, made playoffs.

Acquired a bunch of extra 2’s in startup draft trade-backs, used them to acquire RB’s this off-season.

2.01 + Juju for Derrick Henry.

T-Law + 2024 2 for Dak + Rhamondre.

Dak + two 2’s for Lamar + Pollard.

2024 1 for Chubb.

Team 3

Started WR in the Superflex most of the year with Watson suspended.

White + Gainwell & nothing else at RB.

Drafted mostly WR’s.

Bought-low on Ridley suspension (RD10 startup pick).

“Earned” 1.02, drafted Anthony Richardson.

Need RB’s still, can buy with extra picks.