Dynasty Drafts - The Obsession With the Running Back

[Mike]

This topic is geared toward leagues that use IDP.

Why are running backs coveted so heavily? I am not talking about the cream of the crop rookie running backs, but all the major reaches that take place in virtually every rookie draft.

A big portion of the leagues I participate in these days are dynasty leagues, mainly because I like the ability to draft players and see them develop. The teams I have owned up to this point have always been teams that I adopted, basically taking crap teams that had been abandoned.

Generally, the first thing I do is unload multiple running backs who have no chance at ever doing anything in the NFL. With these open roster spots, I will obviously take key talent on the offensive side if I have a very high draft pick, but after that, you will see me quickly picking from the top fantasy IDP prospects.

For me, I have found this is one of the best ways to turn a bottom feeding team into a playoff contender. While other people reach on very deep offensive prospects, you can be sucking up all the top defensive talent, and scratching out wins via you defensive players.

How early do you start targeting defensive players in an Dynasty IDP league?

 

[Cooley Cadets]

Why are running backs coveted so heavily?

How early do you start targeting defensive players in an Dynasty IDP league?

I think the general rule (changing with the return of so many teams to RBBC) is that there are fewer of them so if you can grab a player that may have potential if a starter goes down you're sitting pretty well.

It depends on who is flying off the boards. Once you are pretty well set with starters on offense I think you have to immediately start looking at the top ranked defensive players. Not that I tend to lead the charge on shifting over but if there is a player I covet I would not let the fact that others have not shifted their attention yet stop me.

For a rookie draft it depends where I am drafting from. There ALWAYS seems to be an offensive player for the 1st round but the later in the 2nd you go the greater value the top D players have.

 

[Orgazmo]

It depends on scoring. Zealot leagues, for example, allow you to start 3 running backs while the defensive player scoring is nerfed to the point where there is no rush to draft them.

 

[Miller]

Agree with O, scoring and roster requirements have a lot to do with it. If you can start 3 RB's, everyone rushes to them. Also, the short life span of an NFL RB leads to constant turn-over and keeps guys scrambling for the next hidden gem to replace their RB depth.

 

[chrisslabaugh]

Zealots is goofy. They have guys like Rashad Jennings going in the 1st rd.

 

[Orgazmo]

Zealots is goofy. They have guys like Rashad Jennings going in the 1st rd.

Yes, they're strange but also plentiful. I guess it would help ADP type questions to know what leagues/scoring/requirements are composing said ADP, and if they include Zealots.

 

[RUBBER DUCKIE]

I took over a horrible dynasty team last year and seen a lot of them taken over. I love the challenge to take the team that was once the push over team that has basically nothing to offer and convert it into a team that will eventually punish all those who got a bye week win from a much less experienced owners or received better draft talent because of back picks by reach picks.

The teams that go abandoned are typically bad teams left over from bad managers. From what I've seen, people who get involved in dynasty who aren't mentally geared towards dynasty play. They drive the team into the ground by taking bad picks and taking bad trades, until the team is horrible. Many take prayer picks at RB's that in reality have no shot at making in the NFL. They are trying to get that guy who comes from no where to improve their team, but in reality they are making their team worse by not taking a player at another position who actually has the skills to be productive in the NFL.

The first thing I do is commit to a total rebuild by ditching all the prayer pick RBs and getting rid of all the old veterns who are in the decline of their career. I pick up every young player with upside from the WW and see what happens. It is amazing how fast you can turn a Def around. Having a bad def in a FF IDP league is a sign of a bad manager or roster limits that are way too high. Offense takes a little longer because there are less players and other owners focus on the QB/RB/WR much more the Def. The team I took over after week 2 last year had a 30 man roster and only 8 of them stayed on the team. 20 new players from the WW and 2 new players traded for is a sign of a horrible team, but my rebuilt def got me to 3 wins somehow.

Part of the issue with having no-talent RB's on rosters is that some leagues have roster limits that are just way too large.

 

[Phicinfan]

I think alot of the push for Rbs is due to scoring, but ALSO due to the RBBC most teams are using now.

In a league that rewards ppr and a team that uses the RB as a receiver this is even greater.

Why? Opportunity. Most realize almost all teams are going to multiple back sets. So they will take every back in a system that uses multiple backs in the hope of getting the next big thing. In the past, you knew there were at best 32 backs to grab...and maybe a few more. But that was it. So if they were gone you would instead focus on IDP or Wr or Qb. Now though..you hope for about 45-55 rbs that are viable...and get you points...so you see the rush.

This year as an example: Ringer in Tenn....he was a late round draft pick...but everyone knows that White is a bid dinner away from being gone....and Ringer would be a great change of pace for C.J.
Rashad Jennings - is he the next Fred Taylor? Could be.
Who replaces Ward in the two back system in NYG?
Is McCoy the next coming for Westbrook?
Brown in Indy....is he Addai replacement...or next Mike Hart?

So I think folks just don't want to give up the fact that Rbs are key in offense. Although...I have found in a ppr system I prefer to focus on the next top Wr and just as important TE.

 

[derringer007]

The dynasty league i'm in is in the middle of the draft right now, i had 1.02 and wanted K.Moreno he went 1.01 so i stuck to my guns and chose H.Nicks which i really wanted and think will be an immediate starter for the G-Men, others gave me a little flack from some of the other owners for my picking Nicks and not a RB. I could have had Crab but dont like the QB situation in frisco, as with Nicks getting thrown to via Manning is a much better fit IMO.

 

[ExperiencedRookie]

This year as an example: Ringer in Tenn....he was a late round draft pick...but everyone knows that White is a bid dinner away from being gone....and Ringer would be a great change of pace for C.J.
Rashad Jennings - is he the next Fred Taylor? Could be.
Who replaces Ward in the two back system in NYG?
Is McCoy the next coming for Westbrook?
Brown in Indy....is he Addai replacement...or next Mike Hart?

If you could please look into the future and answer all those questions correctly for me I would really appreciate it.

 

[Phicinfan]

If you could please look into the future and answer all those questions correctly for me I would really appreciate it.

Hmmm....time to pull out my jars underneath Funk and Wagnel's front porch again.....