Shawn Siegele and Sam Wallace flex their dynasty draft muscles in a friendly competition to select the best 2021 superflex startup rosters.
With the 2020 regular season completed, dynasty startup season is just around the corner. In the Dynasty Draft-Off series, Shawn Siegele and I have created a fun exercise to see who can create the best lineups. We’ll alternate picks. Shawn has the six teams with even picks in Round 1. I have the odds. We’re not just focusing on the best picks but trying to create the best teams.
This exercise was supremely enjoyable and engaging as it allowed me the opportunity to craft six separate teams in their own unique fashion. I did my best not to let certain players slide to my later teams, but instead focused on drafting the best team I could from each draft position. Through the first two rounds, it’s clear to see how critical the early picks are to unlock your roster’s potential later in the draft.
Throughout the mock, we’ll debate our picks, make the case for our selections, analyze draft tactics, and discuss team construction. In the process, we’ll attack the key dynasty questions for the 2021 offseason.
- After a good season for young quarterbacks and the increased attention on hybrid QBs in fantasy, how many signal-callers will join Round 1? Where will the second tier start to come off the board, and what will owners need to do to protect themselves at this all-important position.
- Alvin Kamara enjoyed the third-best win rate among first-round RBs in the last four years. Christian McCaffrey and Saquon Barkley spent most of the year injured. Barkley is the youngest. McCaffrey still has the most upside. Who will be the top RB in 2021?
- Davante Adams, fresh from a historic campaign, looks to rise to No. 1 at the WR position at age 28. Can he hold off the young guns looking to take the throne?
- Derrick Henry joined a select group of RBs to rush for 2,000 yards, but the lack of receptions still limited his upside. At age 27, he’s well into the range where RB trade values tend to collapse. Just how far will he fall in dynasty?
- The WR position dominated in 2020 with the RB Dead Zone creating zombie rosters for RB-heavy squads. How will the early rounds play out at the two positions?
- Travis Kelce posted one of the best win rates ever at the tight end position, and rostering an elite TE was often the difference between winning and losing in 2020. The combination of stud QBs and elite TEs acted as rocket fuel in 2020 and a new type of Zero RB drafter reaped the rewards. How crucial is this position to dynasty team construction, and how should drafters balance upside and age in startups?
Join us as we debate players and discuss tactics in the 2021 Dynasty Draft-Off. As always, our dynasty content is geared to helping you create the Permanent Championship Window.
2021 Dynasty Draft-Off – Create Your Championship Foundation
Today we begin with a look at my picks from the first two rounds. How much will last year’s elite rookie class impact the opening stanzas?
For context, use the Dynasty ADP tool to cross reference 2020 FFPC Superflex startup ADP.
Shawn and I won’t include 2021 rookies in this startup, but the world famous Dynasty Command Center Rookie Guide goes deeper than any other fantasy source.
1st Round
1.01 – Patrick Mahomes
The first pick in any Superflex draft shouldn’t be surprising. Patrick Mahomes has already won league MVP and Offensive Player of the Year awards and is also a Super Bowl Champion, Super Bowl MVP, and the recipient of a contract worth just over half a billion dollars. Oh, and he’s only 25 years old, playing for one of the league’s greatest head coaches. This was probably the easiest pick I made during this mock draft, and anyone who lands the 1.01 in a draft of this format should strongly consider making the same decision. However, a case could be made for trading back and collecting additional picks if you can still land an elite quarterback in the first round.
1.02 – Kyler Murray
1.03 – Deshaun Watson
The early portions of the first round in this format are about getting an elite, high-end quarterback. After Murray went at 1.02, I went with my favorite option on the board. Deshaun Watson has made the case to slide up to QB2 in dynasty rankings after another impressive season with a less than stellar supporting cast around him. After the Houston Texans gave away elite wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins before this season, Watson left with longtime teammate Will Fuller as his defacto WR1. Before Fuller’s suspension, Watson was averaging just over 26 fantasy points/game. In the five games following Fuller’s suspension, Watson averaged…26 fantasy points/game. Watson appears to be out of Houston, and whichever team lands him likely becomes an immediate contender. Watson is an elite talent and a high-end pick in this format.
