Dynasty Compass

Six weeks in, it’s decision time for dynasty managers. Brian Hartman of Too Much Fantasy Football rejoins Jeff to answer one question: is it time to sell? From Matthew Golden’s hot streak to Marvin Harrison Jr.’s fresh start in Houston to Cam Ward's tepid performance, they separate the sell-high windows from the holds and the cut-bait moves.

💡 Key Takeaways

• When you sell, aim for first-round picks but be willing to accept other fair returns.
• Move fast, before other rebuilders flood the market with supply and dampen prices.
• Small trades compound: flipping waiver pickups for fourths and thirds, then tiering up, can turn into firsts by rookie draft season.
• Matthew Golden, Michael Wilson, and DK Metcalf look like sell-high windows, while Zay Flowers is producing right where he should be.
• Don’t sell at zero: Marvin Harrison Jr., Brian Thomas Jr., Cam Ward, and Omarion Hampton are worth more as holds than as dumps right now.

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – Mindset for Week 7: Relax
03:28 – How to Sell: Chasing Firsts and Stacking Small Trades
13:21 – Marvin Harrison Jr. and Brian Thomas Jr.
18:15 – Ladd McConkey and A.J. Brown
23:58 – Jerry Jeudy, Quentin Johnston, Chris Godwin
26:09 – Omar Cooper Jr., Luther Burden III, Germie Bernard
31:48 – Matthew Golden, Michael Wilson, DK Metcalf, Zay Flowers
38:24 – Chuba Hubbard, Bucky Irving, Bhayshul Tuten, Woody Marks
45:27 – Cam Skattebo, Omarion Hampton, and Aging Backs
50:44 – Bryce Young, Cam Ward, J.J. McCarthy, Jalen Hurts
01:00:24 – Jake Ferguson, Oronde Gadsden, T.J. Hockenson, Mark Andrews
01:06:31 – Final Advice and Where to Find Brian

🔗 Links Mentioned

• Too Much HQ: https://toomuchhq.com
• Too Much Fantasy Football on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TooMuchFF
• Follow Brian on Twitter/X: https://x.com/TooMuch_Brian
• Jeff’s Dynasty Rankings: https://www.footballguys.com/rankings/ranker/jeff-blaylock/duration/dynasty
• Follow Jeff on Twitter/X: https://x.com/jeffblaylock
• Footballguys: https://www.footballguys.com
• Dynasty Compass website: https://www.dynastycompass.com

👍 Support the Show

If you enjoy Dynasty Compass, please consider subscribing, leaving a five-star rating, and sharing the show with another dynasty manager. Reviews on Apple Podcasts help more dynasty players discover the show and help the Dynasty Compass community grow.

Visit https://www.dynastycompass.com to learn more about the show.

Five weeks into the season, Bryce Young is outscoring Justin Herbert by 11 fantasy points per game, Kenneth Walker is shattering expectations, and Kyle Pitts is, well, Kyle Pitts. Jeff Blaylock from Footballguys breaks down some of the recent changes he's made in his dynasty rankings and what dynasty managers can learn from his mistakes. He covers some of his biggest risers and fallers at every position and the reasoning behind each move, so you can apply the same thinking to your own player valuations.

💡 Key Takeaways

• Dynasty rankings should move when the assumptions behind them break, such as role, scheme, or surrounding talent, not on a few weeks of box scores.
• Bryce Young, Kenneth Walker, Parker Washington, and Isaiah Likely all earned big jumps with real changes in role and production.
• Assumptions about the Chargers have collapsed, dragging Justin Herbert, Omarion Hampton, and Oronde Gadsden down together.
• Malik Nabers is a rebuilder’s target: still regaining trust in his knee, but unlikely to fall below WR8.

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – Cold Open
00:31 – Welcome: How and Why Dynasty Rankings Move
05:01 – Quarterbacks: Drake Maye, Josh Allen, Caleb Williams
08:16 – Quarterbacks: Justin Herbert and Bryce Young
12:51 – Running Backs: Omarion Hampton, Chase Brown, Kenneth Walker
17:33 – Wide Receivers: Parker Washington and Brian Thomas Jr.
20:36 – Wide Receivers: Christian Watson and Matthew Golden
22:22 – Wide Receivers: Malik Nabers and Jaylen Waddle
28:05 – Tight Ends: Isaiah Likely, Oronde Gadsden, Kyle Pitts
34:52 – Wrap-Up and Dynasty Waivers of the Future

🔗 Links Mentioned

• Jeff’s Dynasty Rankings https://www.footballguys.com/rankings/ranker/jeff-blaylock/duration/dynasty?year=2026&userId=978336
• Follow Jeff on Twitter/X https://x.com/jeffblaylock
• Footballguys https://www.footballguys.com
• Dynasty Compass website https://www.dynastycompass.com

👍 Support the Show

If you enjoy Dynasty Compass, please consider subscribing, leaving a five-star rating, and sharing the show with another dynasty manager. Reviews on Apple Podcasts help more dynasty players discover the show and help the Dynasty Compass community grow.

Visit https://www.dynastycompass.com to learn more about the show.

We're three weeks in and some dynasty managers are down on stars they drafted like Drake Maye, De’Von Achane, and Marvin Harrison Jr. Grindberg (Mike Lindberg) from Fantasy Sports Advice Network joins Jeff to evaluate these falling stars through a buy-low lens, separating real windows of opportunity from traps across quarterback, running back, receiver, and tight end.

💡 Key Takeaways
• A veteran manager's "dip" isn't the same discount as a new dynasty player's. Read who you’re trading with before deciding on a price.
• De'Von Achane's torn ACL opens a real buy-low window for non-contenders.
• Marvin Harrison Jr. and Brian Thomas Jr. both look like change-of-scenery-or-bust cases right now.
• Tucker Kraft is a buy while he's being doubted. Green Bay will get him more involved once he’s fully healthy.
• The Chargers backfield and their crowded tight end room are both too muddled to pay up for anyone in either group right now.
• George Pickens is a buy even in a timeshare with CeeDee Lamb. The spike weeks and his pending free agency both add value.

⏱️ Chapters/Timestamps
00:00 – Buying the Dip Explained
04:44 – QB Dips: Drake Maye and Justin Herbert
12:43 – Bo Nix’s Week 3 Turnaround
15:43 – Omarion Hampton and TreVeyon Henderson
21:02 – Quinshon Judkins and Jadarian Price
28:02 – Injury Discounts: De’Von Achane and Malik Nabers
31:49 – WR Buy Windows: Jameson Williams and George Pickens
37:21 – Change-of-Scenery Cases: Brian Thomas Jr. and Marvin Harrison Jr.
43:33 – Carnell Tate’s Quarterback Problem
46:33 – Tight End Dips: Kyle Pitts, Tucker Kraft, and Oronde Gadsden
54:16 – Week 4 Advice and Where to Find Grindberg

🔗 Links Mentioned
• The Dynasty Pulse podcast: https://fsan.com/football/podcasts/the-dynasty-pulse
• Fantasy Sports Advice Network: https://fsan.com/home
• Follow Grindberg on X: https://x.com/FFCanuck99
• Jeff’s Dynasty Rankings: https://www.footballguys.com/rankings/ranker/jeff-blaylock/duration/dynasty
• Follow Jeff on Twitter/X: https://x.com/jeffblaylock
• Footballguys: https://www.footballguys.com
• Dynasty Compass website: https://www.dynastycompass.com

👍 Support the Show
If you enjoy Dynasty Compass, please consider subscribing, leaving a five-star rating, and sharing the show with another dynasty manager. Reviews on Apple Podcasts help more dynasty players discover the show and help the Dynasty Compass community grow.

Visit dynastycompass.com to learn more about the show.

Two weeks in, which player usage and performance signals are real and which are just noise? Nerdboi (Mike Lamoureux) returns to help sort the tells into sell windows on fading names like De’Von Achane and Marvin Harrison Jr., buy windows on ascending pieces like Jalen Coker and Chuba Hubbard, or holds like Drake Maye and the Chargers’ offense.

💡 Key Takeaways

• Full route or snap share without production is a signal to hold, not sell. The box score lags the role, it doesn't override it.
• Give a breakout or a bust three to four games before you trust it. Two-week samples flip in either direction.
• Attach to ascending offenses, not just talented players stuck on bad ones. Team context does more work than the individual profile.
• A new contract is a real signal worth following, but not an automatic verdict in either direction.
• Diagnose the problem before you diagnose the player. A structural issue doesn't get fixed quickly, but a new-scheme learning curve usually does.
• Before you write off a player, ask what your assumption is actually betting on, and who benefits if you're wrong.

⏱️ Chapters/Timestamps

00:00 – It's Just Two Weeks
05:26 – Bears WR Room & Bryce Young’s Breakout
12:37 – De’Von Achane’s Sinking Value in Miami
16:52 – Saints Backfield Timeshare: Alvin Kamara vs. Travis Etienne
20:51 – WR Disappointments: Emeka Egbuka, Ladd McConkey, Luther Burden
24:39 – Marvin Harrison Jr.’s Sabotage Drop and Trade Fit
29:03 – Surprise Top Offenses: Raiders, Panthers, Saints, Texans
37:12 – Diagnosing the Chargers’ Offense
40:53 – Drake Maye, Trevor Lawrence & Dynasty QB Rankings
50:28 – Buy Windows: Jalen Coker, Chuba Hubbard, Parker Washington
1:03:09 – Tight End Risers: Dalton Kincaid, Isaiah Likely, Dalton Schultz
1:12:43 – Week 3 Advice and Where to Find Nerdboi

🔗 Links Mentioned

Dynasty Degens at Dynatyze FF: https://www.youtube.com/@DynatyzeFF
Dynatyze: https://dynatyze.com
Jeff’s Dynasty Rankings: https://www.footballguys.com/rankings/ranker/jeff-blaylock/duration/dynasty
Follow Jeff on Twitter/X: https://x.com/jeffblaylock
Footballguys: https://www.footballguys.com
Dynasty Compass website: https://www.dynastycompass.com

👍 Support the Show

If you enjoy Dynasty Compass, please consider subscribing, leaving a five-star rating, and sharing the show with another dynasty manager. Reviews on Apple Podcasts help more dynasty players discover the show and help the Dynasty Compass community grow.

Week 1 is done, and dynasty managers everywhere are already reaching for the panic button. Jeff and Brian Hartman (Too Much Fantasy Football) sort through the real injury concerns, the disappointments that don't matter, and the hot performances that are actually buy-low or sell-high windows.

💡 Key Takeaways

• Don't overreact to Week 1. One game is a terrible sample size for any big roster decision.
• Injuries to Brock Bowers, A.J. Brown, and Zay Flowers create real buy-low windows, but the details of each injury matter more than the name.
• Disappointing stats from tight ends like Colston Loveland and Kyle Pitts are mostly noise at a famously volatile position.
• Hot performances from players like Jalen Coker and Isaiah Likely are sell-high opportunities more often than they're a new baseline.

⏱️ Chapters/Timestamps
00:00 – Don't Panic
04:11 – Injuries: Brock Bowers, A.J. Brown, Zay Flowers
09:46 – Ladd McConkey, Quarterbacks
14:54 – Buy Windows: Ja'Kobi Lane, Omar Cooper
18:31 – Disappointments: Colston Loveland, Jaylen Waddle
21:31 – Terry McLaurin, Ja'Marr Chase, George Kittle, Drake London
24:18 – Breakthrough or Outlier: Jalen Coker, Dallas Goedert, Isaiah Likely
30:10 – Devaughn Vele, Kalif Raymond, De'Zhaun Stribling
35:26 – Best Things Dynasty Managers Can Do Right Now

🔗 Links Mentioned

• Follow Brian Hartman on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/toomuch_brian
• Too Much Fantasy Football: https://www.youtube.com/@TooMuchFantasyFootball
• Too Much Movie Night: https://www.youtube.com/@TooMuchMovieNight
• Jeff's Dynasty Rankings: https://www.footballguys.com/rankings/ranker/jeff-blaylock/duration/dynasty
• Follow Jeff on Twitter/X: https://x.com/jeffblaylock
• Footballguys: https://www.footballguys.com
• Dynasty Compass website: https://www.dynastycompass.com

👍 Support the Show
If you enjoy Dynasty Compass, please consider subscribing, leaving a five-star rating, and sharing the show with another dynasty manager. Reviews on Apple Podcasts help more dynasty players discover the show and help the Dynasty Compass community grow.

Visit https://www.dynastycompass.com to learn more about the show.

Managing a fantasy football roster means decision overload: starts, sits, waivers, trades, IR moves, and more, all at once. Successful dynasty managers don't just smarter decisions. They smartly reduce their options first. Jeff breaks down the three habits that separate savvy dynasty managers from everyone else, so you spend less time buried in options and focus on making fewer moves that actually matter.

💡 Key Takeaways

• Know your roster needs before you shop the waiver wire, filtering by position and strategic direction first.
• Read the usage behind the stats before you acquire or drop a player.
• Match how far ahead you're looking to your compass direction; each strategy has its own unique timeframes.
• Reducing lesser options leads to fewer and smarter decisions. You're not constraining yourself—you're navigating better.

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – Make Fewer Decisions This Season
04:04 – Habit 1: Know What You Need Before You Shop
12:16 – Habit 2: Read the Usage, Not Just the Stats
18:25 – Habit 3: Look to Your Horizon
24:10 – Tying It All Together

🔗 Links Mentioned

• Jeff's Dynasty Rankings: https://www.footballguys.com/rankings/ranker/jeff-blaylock/duration/dynasty
• Follow Jeff on Twitter/X: https://x.com/jeffblaylock
• Footballguys: https://www.footballguys.com
• Dynasty Compass website: https://www.dynastycompass.com

👍 Support the Show

If you enjoy Dynasty Compass, please consider subscribing, leaving a five-star rating, and sharing the show with another dynasty manager. Reviews on Apple Podcasts help more dynasty players discover the show and help the Dynasty Compass community grow.

Visit dynastycompass.com to learn more about the show.

Dynasty managers need to look deeper than trade calculators to understand the hidden costs of trades. Jeff Blaylock breaks down the choice between paying up for an elite producer and playing for value instead, using a single hypothetical trade for Ja'Marr Chase to show how the right call depends entirely on your team's strategic direction. Failing to account for collateral damage and opportunity cost can lead to a trade you'll regret in a year.

💡 Key Takeaways

• Paying up means acquiring a true difference-maker at full market cost; playing for value means accepting a smaller upgrade at a much lower price.
• Your Dynasty Compass direction should decide which path fits: West pays up, South plays value, and North and East face a harder balancing act.
• Trade calculators work as a check on your own valuation and a window into your trade partner's thinking, but they shouldn't make the decision for you.
• Collateral damage, the value lost from the player your addition bumps out of the lineup or off the roster, is easy to calculate but often ignored.
• Opportunity cost—alternative uses of an asset in a trade—is harder to quantify and grows larger the longer your timeline stretches.
• A single hypothetical trade for Ja'Marr Chase plays out four different ways depending on whether a roster is heading West, South, North, or East.
• Playing for value doesn't have to mean settling for less and might be a better net addition.
• Competing for a playoff spot and contending for a championship are different things, but many managers think of them as being the same.
• Conviction in your own valuation is the final ingredient; without it, even a well-reasoned choice between paying up and playing value falls apart.

⏱️ Chapters/Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome & Setting Up Today's Question
02:31 – The Four Directions Refresher
08:21 – Defining Pay Up or Play Value
11:23 – Applying the Compass: Easy Calls and Hard Ones
15:31 – Trade Calculators Fall Short
19:36 – Two Hidden Value Killers: Collateral Damage and Opportunity Cost
26:06 – Considerations for the West and South
33:04 – Considerations for teams in the North
38:31 – Considerations for Teams Headed East
43:22 – Conviction and Wrap-Up

🔗 Links Mentioned

• Jeff's Dynasty Rankings: https://www.footballguys.com/rankings/ranker/jeff-blaylock/duration/dynasty
• Follow Jeff on Twitter/X: https://x.com/jeffblaylock
• Footballguys: https://www.footballguys.com
• Dynasty Compass website https://www.dynastycompass.com

👍 Support the Show

If you enjoy Dynasty Compass, please consider subscribing, leaving a five-star rating, and sharing the show with another dynasty manager. Reviews on Apple Podcasts help more dynasty players discover the show and help the Dynasty Compass community grow.

Visit dynastycompass.com to learn more about the show.

Rosters are set. Now it's time to prepare the manager. Jeff sits down with longtime friend and Footballguys colleague Sigmund Bloom for an unscripted conversation about the mindset side of dynasty: embracing mistakes, navigating obstacles, receiving outcomes instead of fighting them, and separating the finite game of winning from the infinite game of playing. Knowing how to make peace with what you can't control is what keeps you making good decisions when the season doesn't go to plan. The conversation ranges from Sig's zero-RB startup draft to a recent trip to Navajo Nation and what it taught him about permanence and impermanence. This episode is the key to getting your mind right before the season starts.

💡 Key Takeaways

• Getting ready for the season means having clarity on your dynasty buys and sells before Week 1 changes the picture entirely.
• Sig's mantra for managing the unknown: "Don't argue with what is about to happen. Receive it."
• How you navigate around an obstacle speaks volumes about how you act more than how you think.
• The heartache isn't making a mistake; it's not learning from it and making it again.
• The "oblong ball factor" means the game is genuinely unpredictable, so a good process can still produce a bad outcome.
• Sig took a zero-RB Superflex startup draft to an extreme this year as a deliberate bet that running backs are depreciating assets.
• Don't get hung up on winning or losing a trade at the margin. What matters is acting on conviction.
• Scaling to 20+ leagues means knowing your limits before the hobby stops being fun.
• A recent trip to the Navajo Nation left Sig thinking about permanence, impermanence, and not standing too long on any one notion.

⏱️ Chapters/Timestamps

0:00 – Welcome & the Dynasty Compass Metaphor
6:50 – Pre-Season Prep: Clarity on Buys, Sells, and Receiving What Comes
13:57 – Injuries as Obstacles: The Lake in the Way
19:08 – What Winning Looks Like: Dynasty vs. Redraft
26:58 – The Oblong Ball Factor and the Quantum Uncertainty of Fantasy Football
32:07 – Peeking Through Keyholes: Insiders, Cycles, and the Zero-RB Experiment
43:05 – Finding Peace with Undetermined Outcomes
47:20 – Luck, Preparation, and the Infinite Game
52:37 – Having a Plan Without Marrying It
58:48 – Improvisation, Sunk Costs, and Letting Go of Trade Math
1:06:19 – Scaling Leagues, Self-Discovery, and the Impermanence of It All

🔗 Links Mentioned

• The Audible podcast
• On the Couch with Sigmund Bloom
• Follow Sig on Twitter/X
• Footballguys
• Jeff's Dynasty Rankings on Footballguys
• Follow Jeff on Twitter/X

👍 Support the Show

If you enjoy Dynasty Compass, please consider subscribing, leaving a five-star rating, and sharing the show with another dynasty manager. Reviews on Apple Podcasts help more dynasty players discover the show and help the Dynasty Compass community grow.

Visit https://www.dynastycompass.com to learn more about the show.

Many dynasty trading mistakes trace back to one lie you tell yourself: thinking you're a contender when you're not. Jeff Blaylock sits down with Frank Neill, better known as Frank in the Chat and co-host of the Trade Addicts Podcast, to break down the habits costing dynasty managers value in every trade. Knowing these patterns lets you avoid them in your own trades and spot them in your league mates before they do. From boredom trades and safe floors to over-reliance on trade calculators, they cover how to avoid making them and how to use others' mistakes to your advantage.

💡 Key Takeaways

• Misreading your own roster is the root cause behind many trading mistakes on this list.
• Know your team's honest direction — contending, rebuilding, or stuck — before you trade.
• Research what the other manager needs right now, not just their past trading habits.
• Explaining an offer usually works better than sending it "over the transom" with no context.
• Instant acceptance often means you overpaid. Getting some pushback on a big trade is a healthy sign.
• Trade calculators are sanity checks, not checkbooks to balance.
• Knowing which one your league mates trust tells you how to negotiate with them.
• Most rookie picks are worth the most when it's on the clock, because certainty has real value.
• Giving yourself permission to make bad trades is how you learn to make good ones.

⏱️ Chapters/Timestamps

00:00 – Intro and Welcome
02:22 – Building the Perfect Trade Offer: Direction, Need & Research
06:24 – Framing Offers, Wanting Pushback & Reading Rejections
13:59 – Boredom Trades & No Strategic Goal
19:33 – Misreading Your Own Roster
22:13 – Chasing Safe Floors Over Ceiling
27:27 – Patio Furniture Trades & Misvaluing Draft Capital
36:18 – The Pick-on-the-Clock Debate & Kicking Capital Down the Road
44:46 – Over-Reliance on Trade Calculators
51:04 – Knee-Jerk Trades & Stagnation
1:00:41 – Bad Communication & Being a Jerk
1:09:43 – Exploiting Others' Mistakes

🔗 Links Mentioned

• Trade Addicts Podcast
• Follow Frank on Twitter/X
• Keep Trade Cut
• Footballguys
• Jeff's Dynasty Rankings
• Follow Jeff on Twitter/X

👍 Support the Show

If you enjoy Dynasty Compass, please consider subscribing, leaving a five-star rating, and sharing the show with another dynasty manager. Reviews on Apple Podcasts help more dynasty players discover the show and help the Dynasty Compass community grow.

Visit https://www.dynastycompass.com to learn more about the show.

Jeff Bell from Footballguys returns for the show's 50th episode to break down how to build and rebuild a winning dynasty wide receiver room. They cover league-format math; the differences between hero, bully, and zero WR strategies; and what actually makes an ideal WR3. Knowing where the value gaps are lets you build a room that delivers week-winning value. They close by tackling the toughest scenario: a WR room full of "meh" and the biggest mistake managers make trying to fix it.

💡 Key Takeaways

• WR value comes from replaceability, not fragility.
• Hero, bully, and zero WR should be reactions to the draft board, not pre-set plans.
• The WR value cliff means locking in your starters early.
• The ideal WR3 is a market-undervalued player with real WR1 upside.
• Rebuilding a "meh" WR room means embracing risk other managers are avoiding.

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – The State of the WR Position
06:50 – The WR3 Trap
11:27 – Does League Configuration Change WR Strategy?
18:06 – Bully WR: How You Drive the Draft Board
25:03 – WR Build Strategies Aren't Pre-set Plans
30:53 – What an Ideal WR Room Looks Like
43:22 – Embracing Volatility Over Floor
51:16 – Rebuilding a WR Room Full of "Meh"
1:00:02 – Fixing a Steep Drop-Off
1:12:04 – Biggest Mistakes and the One Thing to Take Away

🔗 Links Mentioned

• Follow Jeff Bell on Twitter/X
• Jeff Bell's Dynasty Rankings
• Jeff Blaylock's Dynasty Rankings
• Follow Jeff Blaylock on Twitter/X
• Footballguys

👍 Support the Show

If you enjoy Dynasty Compass, please consider subscribing, leaving a five-star rating, and sharing the show with another dynasty manager. Reviews on Apple Podcasts help more dynasty players discover the show and help the Dynasty Compass community grow.

Visit https://www.dynastycompass.com to learn more about the show.

Jeff sits down with Luke "the BOAT Commish," one of the fantasy space's favorite commissioner-content creators, to talk about what actually keeps a dynasty league running for years. Knowing which rules to lock in before you ever recruit a manager saves you from the trade disputes, payment fights, and mid-season crises that sink most leagues. They cover bylaws, vetoes, trade deadlines, lottery-based draft order, and the jersey-selling manager who couldn't pay his entry fee. If you're a commissioner, or you want to start a league the right way, this conversation is your blueprint.

💡 Key Takeaways

• League bylaws are Luke's non-negotiable number one rule for any dynasty league. He won't join a league that doesn't have them.
• In-season rule changes should require unanimous manager approval, not a simple majority.
• Luke enforces league dues on traded draft capital with a 24-hour commissioner-approval hold.
• Use max points for to determine draft order.
• Luke is firmly against trade vetoes and trade deadlines in dynasty leagues.
• Divisions, taxi stealing and draft lotteries are great ways to refresh a league.
• Conditional trades add creative flexibility but require careful commissioner tracking.
• Vetting new managers before they join a league matters more than filling a roster spot quickly.

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – The Origin of "The BOAT" Brand
04:20 – Rookie Commish Lessons: The Jersey Payment Fiasco
07:56 – From First League to Full-Time Commissioner Content
10:22 – The Four Golden Rules & Building Your Bylaws
18:07 – Handling the Unexpected: COVID, Damar Hamlin & Mid-Season Rule Changes
21:38 – Enforcing Dues, Draft Order & the Bingo-Cage Lottery
27:49 – Thou Shalt Nots: Vetoes, No Trade Deadlines & Bad Trades vs. Collusion
35:01 – Building the Ideal League: Divisions, Scoring & Taxi Stealing
41:14 – Conditional Trades, Scoring Philosophy & Non-Starter Rules
53:45 – Changing Rules the Right Way
1:06:09 – Final Advice & Where to Find Luke

🔗 Links Mentioned

• Example Bylaws
• Follow Luke on Twitter/X
• Dynatyze
• Leaguesafe
• Fancred
• Jeff's Dynasty Rankings
• Follow Jeff on Twitter/X
• Footballguys

👍 Support the Show

If you enjoy Dynasty Compass, please consider subscribing, leaving a five-star rating, and sharing the show with another dynasty manager. Reviews on Apple Podcasts help more dynasty players discover the show and help the Dynasty Compass community grow.

Visit https://www.dynastycompass.com to learn more about the show.

Training camps are opening, which means a wave of information, misinformation, and takes that don't hold up. Dave Kluge (Footballguys, SiriusXM's High Stakes Advantage) is back for his second visit to Dynasty Compass to discuss which camp reports actually move the needle lets you buy discounted value before the market catches up and avoid overpaying for hype that fades by Week 1.

Dave and Jeff break down how to read coach-speak, which beat reporters and resources are worth trusting, and the storyline archetypes — the Day 3 rookie, the injury-return prospect, the new-coaching-staff shakeup — that show up every summer. Then they go team by team through this year's biggest questions: Chicago, Philadelphia, the Rams, and backfields in Jacksonville, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Seattle, Arizona, and Tennessee.

💡 Key Takeaways

• Context beats headlines. Look up the question a coach was actually asked before reacting to the quote.
• Negative news is the real signal. Coaches have every incentive to praise players in July — it's when something negative leaks out that you should pay attention.
• New coaching staffs reset the depth chart. A regime with no history with a player is exactly where roles can shift fastest.
• Day 3 rookies are a low-probability, high-reward bet. Look for one transferable, specialized skill rather than "good at everything."
• Buy the injury discount. Players like Malik Nabers get priced down twice for the same known injury — that's a buying window, not new information.
• Set a price ceiling for camp hype. Decide in advance how far you'll chase a riser before you stop.

⏱️ Chapters/Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome back, Dave Kluge
05:46 – Reading coach speak, ignoring fluff, and learning who to trust
13:29 – Dave's 2026 Footballguys training camp reports
20:46 – Dave's own camp-hype fail: the Velus Jones lesson
23:28 – Archetypal storylines: Day 3 rookies, injury-return hype, and what gets a player on the field
34:23 – Training camp injuries, new coaching staffs & the Eagles and Rams tight end rooms
48:53 – Bears storyline: Caleb Williams' completion percentage under Ben Johnson
59:33 – Backfield roulette: Jacksonville, Indianapolis, and Kansas City
1:07:19 – More backfields: Tennessee, Seattle, and Arizona
1:13:14 – Having conviction, value shifts to watch, and where to find Dave

🔗 Links Mentioned

• Footballguys https://www.footballguys.com
• Footballguys Fantasy Football Show https://youtube.com/@footballguysfantasy
• Follow Dave on Twitter/X https://x.com/DaveKluge
• Dave's Dynasty Rankings https://www.footballguys.com/rankings/ranker/dave-kluge/duration/dynasty
• Jeff's Dynasty Rankings https://www.footballguys.com/rankings/ranker/jeff-blaylock/duration/dynasty
• Follow Jeff on Twitter/X https://x.com/jeffblaylock
• The Coachspeak Index https://www.thecoachspeakindex.com

👍 Support the Show

If you enjoy Dynasty Compass, please consider subscribing, leaving a five-star rating, and sharing the show with another dynasty manager. Reviews on Apple Podcasts help more dynasty players discover the show and help the Dynasty Compass community grow.

Visit https://www.dynastycompass.com to learn more about the show.

AI expert Ronnie Evans, founder of Goodguy.ai, joins Jeff to talk about how dynasty managers can actually use AI without handing over the decisions that still belong to them. Knowing where AI saves real time, and where it doesn't, keeps you from wasting money on the wrong tools or falling behind managers who've already figured it out. They also cover what league commissioners can automate, how content creators should and shouldn't use AI, and where the industry is headed next.

💡 Key Takeaways

• Pay for AI tools. Free versions are outdated technology, but $20 a month buys real power.
• Prompt AI like a professional analyst, not a chatbot.
• Use AI for coding, busywork like building spreadsheets and research. Don't rely on it for final decisions.
• Non-coders can now build their own dynasty tools with AI.
• Vet the builder before trusting an AI-powered tool.
• Commissioners can automate league questions and engagement tracking.
• Responsible use means disclosing your sources.

⏱️ Chapters/Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction & How AI Entered Fantasy Football
09:19 – How Fast Is AI Actually Moving?
15:23 – Building the Expo's AI Panel
18:45 – How Dynasty Managers Can Start Using AI
24:19 – Where AI Actually Saves You Time (and Where Credit Is Due)
30:10 – Building Your Own Tools With AI
35:38 – Inside the Scott Fish Bowl Tool Demo
43:18 – Evaluating the Flood of AI Tools
49:19 – AI for League Commissioners
56:16 – Defining Responsible Use of AI
1:02:12 – Where to Draw the Line (and the AI Arms Race)
1:08:13 – Wrap-Up: Takeaways, What's Next, Where to Find Ronnie

🔗 Links Mentioned

• Follow Ronnie on Twitter/X https://x.com/RonnieAEvans
• Follow Goodguy.ai on X https://x.com/goodguyai
• https://www.goodguy.ai/ https://www.goodguy.ai/
• Fantasy Football Expo https://thefantasyfootballexpo.com/
• Follow Jeff on Twitter/X https://x.com/jeffblaylock
• Jeff's Dynasty Rankings https://www.footballguys.com/rankings/ranker/jeff-blaylock/duration/dynasty
• Footballguys https://www.footballguys.com

👍 Support the Show

If you enjoy Dynasty Compass, please consider subscribing, leaving a five-star rating, and sharing the show with another dynasty manager. Reviews on Apple Podcasts help more dynasty players discover the show and help the Dynasty Compass community grow.

Visit https://www.dynastycompass.com to learn more about the show.

JSN, Trey McBride, and De'Von Achane are locked in as first-round dynasty assets, primed to finish as a top producer at their position this year. Knowing when their value has actually peaked lets you sell before the market catches up. Dynasty Degens' Mike "NerdBoi" Lamoureux joins Jeff to discuss tiering down, a repeatable framework for building insulated trades where you send top-tier producers for rising assets plus draft capital. The strategy builds value whether you're rebuilding or trying to extend a championship window. The two also dig into specific tier-down targets at every position heading into the 2026 season.

💡 Key Takeaways

• Tiering down means trading a top-tier producer for a slightly lower-tier asset plus extra value.
• These draft picks or additional players on top of a lateral swap "insulate" the trade, reducing the risk that it doesn't work out.
• Selling a player right after his best season feels like giving up value, but that fear fades once you focus on what you're getting back rather than what you're giving up.
• Contract timelines are a key signal, since a player's second contract can mark the start of a decline in tradeable value.
• Wide receiver is the easiest position to tier down from, since production is more linear than at running back.
• A tiering-down strategy fits perennial contenders looking to extend their window, not just rebuilders trying to start over.
• Timing matters more than the asset itself, since waiting too long to sell can cost more value than the framework can recover.
• Specific 2026 targets span every position, from Emeka Egbuka and Zay Flowers at receiver to Tyler Warren and Kenyon Sadiq at tight end.

⏱️ Chapters/Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction
02:03 – What Is Tiering Down?
09:13 – Positional vs. Cross-Positional Trades
13:47 – Overcoming the Fear of Selling High
18:26 – Reading the Contract Clock
22:50 – A Strategy for Contenders, Not Just Rebuilders
29:55 – Timing Your Window and Learning From Misses
35:30 – Wide Receiver Targets
41:48 – Running Back Targets
48:52 – Tight End Targets
54:13 – Quarterback Targets
58:06 – Final Advice and Where to Find Mike

🔗 Links Mentioned

• Follow Mike on Twitter/X
• Follow Dynasty Degens on Twitter/X
• Dynasty Rewind YouTube Channel
• Jeff's Dynasty Rankings on Footballguys
• Follow Jeff on Twitter/X
• Footballguys

👍 Support the Show
If you enjoy Dynasty Compass, please consider subscribing, leaving a five-star rating, and sharing the show with another dynasty manager. Reviews on Apple Podcasts help more dynasty players discover the show and help the Dynasty Compass community grow.

Visit https://www.dynastycompass.com to learn more about the show.

IDP ("individual defensive players") has always been the side of fantasy football most dynasty managers skip, and Footballguys' Matt Montgomery says that's exactly where an edge is hiding. Understanding which defensive players to draft, how IDP scoring works, and how to introduce it to your league without chaos is what separates managers who dabble from those who dominate. In this episode, Jeff sits down with Matt for an IDP 101 conversation covering everything from the basics of defensive positions to startup draft strategy to the IDP Stock Market framework Matt uses to find risers and fallers every week.

💡 Key Takeaways

• IDP changes how you watch football because it unlocks the half of the game you've been ignoring.
• Start with "oatmeal" IDP scoring, 3-2-1 (sacks, big plays, tackles), as a starting point.
• Snap counts are the single best IDP research tool: 80–90% snap share means the stats will come.
• Linebackers are the RBs of your defense: consistent volume with upside.
• Add IDP gradually and build from there to keep your league fun.
• Go big-game hunting early in drafts, then manage conservatively through trades and waivers.
• IDP rookie drafts run 3–4 rounds deeper, and NFL draft capital is a reliable early-round signal.
• The biggest mistake IDP managers make is focusing only on the players with the best PR.

⏱️ Chapters / Timestamps
00:00 – What is IDP?
09:40 – How IDP scoring works (Matt's 3-2-1 explained)
16:14 – How IDP affects roster construction and pick value
24:02 – When to add IDP to an existing league vs. starting fresh
34:29 – Commissioner mistakes and how to avoid them
41:43 – Golden rules for IDP in an offense-first league
48:59 – Draft aggressive, manage conservative
54:09 – The IDP Stock Market series explained
01:00:20 – The biggest mistake IDP managers make & Matt's best advice
01:04:23 – Where to find Matt Montgomery

🔗 Links Mentioned

• Matt's articles on Footballguys
• Footballguys snap counts tool
• Footballguys
• Follow Matt on Twitter/X
• Dynasty Degens on YouTube
• Jeff's Dynasty Rankings on Footballguys:
• Follow Jeff on Twitter/X

👍 Support the Show

If you enjoy Dynasty Compass, please consider subscribing, leaving a five-star rating, and sharing the show with another dynasty manager. Reviews on Apple Podcasts help more dynasty players discover the show and help the Dynasty Compass community grow.

Visit https://www.dynastycompass.com to learn more about the show.

JJ Zachariason of Late Round QB joins Dynasty Compass to break down how he identifies Year 2 and Year 3 breakout candidates before the market catches on. Knowing which players are undervalued by the market is one of the most reliable edges you can have in dynasty, whether you're contending, rebuilding, or somewhere in between. JJ covers his ZAP Model, his new Market Score metric, and the specific players he's targeting right now heading into 2026. He also highlights that "too late" is earlier than we think.

💡 Key Takeaways

• How JJ defines a breakout analytically using ADP expectation, not just raw production
• What the ZAP Model predicts and why it's built around a player's first three NFL seasons
• How his new Market Score works and how dynasty managers can use it to find undervalued players
• Why dynasty managers are often too impatient with rookies, and when impatience is actually correct
• The signals JJ looks for at each position: mobility at QB, pass-catching at RB, per-route efficiency at WR and athleticism at TE
• How injuries factor into breakout evaluation, and why cost is the real variable
• JJ's 2026 breakout candidates at RB, WR, and TE, and when the buying window closes
• Why "too late" arrives earlier than most managers think
• The two pillars of dynasty success: production and market value

⏱️ Chapters/Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome and Introduction
04:23 – The A-ha Moment in a Target Parking Lot
10:07 – Defining a Breakout
17:13 – Archetypes, Comps, and What the Market Misses
20:58 – Market Score: JJ's New Tool
28:17 – Cost Is Everything: Buying for Value, Not Ceiling
36:29 – Breakout Signals by Position
46:59 – Talent vs. Situation: What JJ Weighs More
54:58 – 2026 Breakout Candidates
01:09:04 – When to Buy, When to Sell
01:13:23 – The Most Common Mistake

🔗 Links Mentioned

• Late Round QB
• Follow JJ on Twitter/X
• Late Round QB on YouTube
• Jeff's Dynasty Rankings
• Follow Jeff on Twitter/X
• Footballguys

👍 Support the Show

If you enjoy Dynasty Compass, please consider subscribing, leaving a five-star rating, and sharing the show with another dynasty manager. Reviews on Apple Podcasts help more dynasty players discover the show and help the Dynasty Compass community grow

Visit https://www.dynastycompass.com to learn more about the show.

Pat Fitzmaurice from FantasyPros joins Jeff Blaylock to break down how to approach a dynasty startup draft. First of all, have a real strategic plan before you go on the clock, and then stick to it. Jeff and Fitz cover positional priority, Superflex quarterback timing, TE premium math, and how to use in-draft trading to get your guys and avoid players you don't believe in.

💡 Key Takeaways

• Three strategic paths — Win now, year two, productive struggle — and how they shape every pick.
• Why dynasty-optimal value drives the first four to five rounds regardless of strategy.
• TE premium: the actual math on how much (or little) it boosts tight end value (hint: it's not 1.5x).
• Superflex QB timing: when to take your first and second quarterback and what happens when you wait too long.
• How to structure an in-draft trade, both moving up for a target and moving down when the board is flat.
• Why the biggest startup mistake is an incoherent roster.
• Fitz's Golden Rule: draft players you believe in.

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – Introduction
03:52 – Startup draft mindset & prep
06:24 – The three strategic paths explained
10:03 – How strategy changes your picks by round
15:33 – Positional priorities in early rounds
22:08 – League settings' impacts on roster construction
28:28 – When to take quarterbacks, 1QB & Superflex
30:26 – TE premium: the math behind the myth
38:05 – Running backs: talent vs. opportunity
47:32 – In-draft trading: moving up, down, and why
01:00:03 – Golden rule: draft players you believe in

🔗 Links Mentioned

• FantasyPros Dynasty Football podcast
• Follow Pat Fitzmaurice on Twitter/X
• FantasyPros
• Jeff's Dynasty Rankings on Footballguys
• Follow Jeff on Twitter/X
• Footballguys

👍 Support the Show

If you enjoy Dynasty Compass, please consider subscribing, leaving a five-star rating, and sharing the show with another dynasty manager. Reviews on Apple Podcasts help more dynasty players discover the show and help the Dynasty Compass community grow.

Visit https://www.dynastycompass.com to learn more about the show.

The murkiest running back, wide receiver, and tight end rooms offer big dynasty value, if you know how to read them. Knowing how to evaluate a room instead of just a player lets you find value where others see noise, and avoid the moves that dynasty managers regret every season. Brian Hartman of Too Much Fantasy Football joins Jeff Blaylock to walk through his framework for murky situations and then get into the rooms themselves, from Pittsburgh's backfield to the Rams' TE depth chart to Chicago's WR room, where nobody is sure who is The One.

💡 Key Takeaways

• Evaluating a room, not just an individual player, can change which dynasty assets look cheap and which look like traps.
• The Pittsburgh backfield is one of the murkiest in the league. Brian gives Rico Dowdle a slight edge over Jaylen Warren in dynasty because of his ceiling.
• The Seattle situation with Jadarian Price is a cautionary tale about spending first-round picks on short-term situations, not the player's long-term value.
• The Washington Commanders have five running backs. None of them are must-owns, but Rachaad White may be the most interesting piece to acquire cheaply.
• Looking at the Bears' WR room, Brian would rather sell whichever of Luther Burden or Rome Odunze he can get the most value for, but not keep both.
• If he misses out on the elite TE options, Brian's spending his startup capital elsewhere and taking advantage of rookie values later.
• Terrance Ferguson is a dynasty buy right now despite the crowded Rams' TE room. His path to volume is clearer than his ADP suggests.
• Know your league before anything else: the murky situations that hurt you in a vacuum might be exactly the bet your specific league rewards.

⏱️ Chapters/Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction: Rooms, Not Players
06:16 – Pittsburgh: Warren vs. Dowdle
13:13 – Cleveland: Judkins, Sampson and the QB Problem
22:28 – Seattle: Should You Pay for Jadarian Price?
26:59 – Houston: The Texans' Run Game Doesn't Excite Anyone
29:58 – Washington: Five Running Backs, No Clear Answer
34:36 – Wide Receivers: The Tier 2.5 Problem
40:26 – Chicago: Burden vs. Odunze
49:01 – Buffalo: DJ Moore's Value with Josh Allen
53:53 – Tight Ends: Punt the Position or Pay Up?
01:03:37 – The Rams' TE Room: Buy Terrance Ferguson
01:18:28 – Quarterbacks: Cleveland's Unsolvable Problem
01:27:51 – Overarching Advice for Murky Situations

🔗 Links Mentioned on the Show

• Too Much Fantasy Football on YouTube
• Too Much Movie Night on YouTube
• Follow Brian on Twitter/X
• Jeff's Dynasty Rankings, exclusively on Footballguys
• Follow Jeff on Twitter/X
• Footballguys

👍 Support the Show

If you enjoy Dynasty Compass, please consider subscribing, leaving a five-star rating, and sharing the show with another dynasty manager. Reviews on Apple Podcasts help more dynasty players discover the show and help the Dynasty Compass community grow.

Visit https://www.dynastycompass.com to learn more about the show.

Fantasy analysts don't love admitting they got it wrong, but owning your misses is how you get better. Addison Hayes from Dynasty League Football walks through the players who scored highly in his Marker System but still busted in the NFL, breaking down what his model caught, what it missed, and what he's still learning. Jeff adds a few of his own misses, including that one trade he still regrets.

💡 Key Takeaways

• How the Marker System uses production, athleticism, and draft capital checkboxes to grade college prospects
• Corey Davis is the archetype for why small school production remains a persistent source of model error
• The N'Keal Harry List: what it is, why it exists, and who's on it in 2026
• The Ladd McConkey List: the positive flip side, and why Makai Lemon is the only 2026 wide receiver on it
• Why Cam Akers and J.K. Dobbins are injury misses, not model failures
• Jeff's personal misses: Jalen Reagor, Zach Wilson, Henry Ruggs, and that Puka Nacua trade
• What the 2026 class's historically low average grade should tell dynasty managers heading into rookie drafts

⏱️ Chapters/Timestamps

00:00 – Why we need to talk about our misses
07:33 – Markers: production, athleticism & draft capital
16:41 – Adjustments to raw production that tell the real story
24:11 – Corey Davis and the small school problem
26:34 – N'Keal Harry and the advanced marker gap
28:55 – Cam Akers, J.K. Dobbins, and the injury caveat
33:23 – Jadarian Price and the CEH comparison
44:11 – Small school patterns and the zone-coverage signal
47:07 – Analytics vs. film: where each approach has blind spots
51:49 – Jeff's misses: Reagor, Darnold, Wilson, Ruggs, and Puka Nacua
57:51 – Lessons for dynasty managers and a warning for 2026
1:13:17 – Where to find Addison's work

🔗 Links Mentioned

• https://www.themarkersystem.com
• Dynasty League Football
• DLF YouTube Channel
• Follow Addison on Twitter/X
• Jeff's Dynasty Rankings on Footballguys
• Footballguys
• Follow Jeff on Twitter/X
• Dynasty Compass website

👍 Support the Show

If you enjoy Dynasty Compass, please consider subscribing, leaving a five-star rating, and sharing the show with another dynasty manager. Reviews on Apple Podcasts help more dynasty players discover the show and help the Dynasty Compass community grow.

Visit https://www.dynastycompass.com to learn more about the show.

Rookie drafts aren't the only way to improve your dynasty roster this offseason. Theo Gremminger from Fantasy Points joins Jeff to survey the dynasty trade landscape right now: who to target, what to pay, who to move, and which players are worth holding a little longer. Knowing where the value gaps are lets you trade with conviction and avoid the traps the market hasn't priced in, yet. Theo covers rookie landing spot winners and losers, veteran buy targets for contenders, the rebuild playbook, players he'd be selling today, and why the biggest mistake managers make in May has nothing to do with individual players.

💡 Key Takeaways

• Carnell Tate's landing spot is better than the market appreciates — Brian Daboll's track record with first-season receivers is a real edge.
• David Montgomery and Terry McLaurin are win-now targets available at an age discount that won't last.
• Year-two players are being overpriced; the Garrett Wilson and Ladd McConkey cautionary tales apply to some big names right now.
• Bucky Irving is a sell: injuries, the Kenneth Gainwell signing, and off-field concerns combine for a souring outlook.
• For rebuilders, 2027 seconds may be more valuable than many managers realize given the projected class and easier to obtain than first-rounders.
• Tight end upside at a deep discount is offered by Eli Raridon, Oscar Delp, Max Klare and Terrance Ferguson.
• Don't feel pressure to fill out your roster in May. You're not setting a lineup until September Acquire value and make the right moves in July and August.

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – Introduction
00:49 – Rookie landing spot winners: Carnell Tate, Jordyn Tyson, Jadarian Price, Kenyon Sadiq
04:33 – Rookie landing spot losers: Omar Cooper, Day 2 & 3 running backs
06:59 – The buy side: David Montgomery, Terry McLaurin, Christian Watson, Zay Flowers
12:00 – What to pay: going rates and trade philosophy
15:05 – The rebuild side: handcuffs, Ty Simpson, Carson Beck, 2027 picks
19:15 – The sell side: Bucky Irving, George Kittle, and the "no untouchables" rule
21:33 – Contenders: tiering up, two-for-ones, and year-two traps
30:43 – Depth targets: Jordan Addison, Parker Washington, rookie stashes
33:34 – The tight end evolution: Rams TE room, Eli Raridon, Oscar Delp
41:09 – The hold side: A.J. Brown, Jayden Reed, Chris Godwin, Jonathan Brooks
46:00 – Biggest mistake dynasty managers make this time of year

🔗 Links Mentioned

• Fantasy Points
• Fantasy Points Fantasy Football YouTube
• Fantasy Points Dynasty YouTube
• Follow Theo on Twitter/X
• Jeff's Dynasty Rankings
• Follow Jeff on Twitter/X
• Footballguys

👍 Support the Show

If you enjoy Dynasty Compass, please consider subscribing, leaving a five-star rating, and sharing the show with another dynasty manager. Reviews on Apple Podcasts help more dynasty players discover the show and help the Dynasty Compass community grow.

Visit https://www.dynastycompass.com to learn more about the show.