1.01 - You Are On The Clock

The fantasy season is officially over and if you play in a dynasty league and own the 1.01 for your rookie draft, congratulations. You currently hold one of the most sought after pieces each offseason in dynasty leagues.

If you don’t own the 1.01 though, you may be looking to get your hands on it. Either way, we need to talk strategy because striking at the right moment is critical whether you want to trade for or trade the 1.01.

In 2020, the 1.01 may not hold as much value, or maybe dynasty owners will try to tell you that, because of how deep this rookie draft is. That wont matter though depending on the time of the year. At one point this offseason, we are going to be drooling over a couple of names and the only way you get your shot at the top choice on your draft board, is to own the first overall pick.

So, you want to trade the 1.01?

 Looking to move the 1.01 can be very tempting, especially if you play in a league with over zealous owners who fall in love with rookies each year. Honestly, as you read this article, you are already thinking of one or two individuals that you know would give you a haul for this pick. Right now, is not the time though. Things have started to calm down in the fantasy world. Even though dynasty owners have no offseason, many owners are focused on taking a short break and focusing on enjoying the playoffs. College players are out of sight right now since bowl games have concluded outside of the national championship. The time will come though, and you will have two windows to sell at the highest peak.

Your first window will open during the NFL combine, which will take place in Indianapolis the last weekend in February. The Fantasy Headliners will be there, in person, watching your favorite targets live and will have tons of information for you, so make sure to stayed tuned for all our rookie content. There is something about watching grown men run and jump around in short shorts and tight shirts that excite dynasty owners. It happens every year though. Owners see a blazing fast 40-yard-dash or an insane leap in the broad jump and it’s time to buy, buy, buy. Start floating the idea of trading the 1.01 at that time. You should get plenty of offers, but do not sell low.

What would be selling low?

For the love of fantasy football, do not trade the 1.01 for another first round pick and a bunch of filler picks to go with it. We need players people, young players with lots of upside. If you own the 1.01, you probably are in the middle of a rebuild or need to reinforce your roster with young talent. I also aim for multiple positions as well. Maybe you could get a couple of players such as Darius Slayton and Derrius Guice, plus moving back in the first. As I mentioned earlier, this draft is going to be extremely deep. The difference between the 1.01 and a mid-round first likely won’t be much.

The Main Event

Your second window opens right after the NFL Draft begins. This is when things will really pick up and there are pros and cons till waiting for the draft to make the trade. Landing spots can be crucial for short term success. We saw it this season with D.K. Metcalf. Many owners were scared away by some combine drills, but his landing spot was excellent. Does anyone throw a prettier deep ball than Russell Wilson? Ex-college teammate AJ Brown was the opposite. Owners loved his tremendous upside, but when he landed with the Marcus Mariota led Tennessee Titans, who had just spent draft capital on Corey Davis in 2017, it was an issue. Good news is that things worked out well for both in 2019.

More than likely you will not be able to wait much longer than the draft. Most rookie drafts will take place prior to training camps when more news will be fresh to make decisions with. If you wait during the weeks after the draft, the excitement of a players landing spot can wear off. The more time dynasty owners have to think and second guess landing spots, the more hesitant they will be to make deals. Strike while the iron is hot.

Landing spot will play the biggest factor in perceived value this season because of how deep the draft is. With the amount of talent in this draft, owners will know the player pool is deep, but for owners who are looking for a quick fix in their lineup, the 1.01 becomes even more important. Especially if you want quick returns on running backs. Not only is the draft loaded with talented backs, but there will be a few running backs available in free agency that can make an impact on a team. Those two facts along with a shortage of teams that really need help at running back, means several rookies could land in spots that will take a while to produce. You will need a high pick to grab the player in the best spot.

What if I don’t want to trade the 1.01?

Then don’t. You are going to see a lot of chatter about how rookie picks are never a guarantee and if you get a chance to trade them for proven commodities, you should. While that is somewhat true, it can be well overblown, and it depends on what the 1.01 is worth to other owners in your league. Fantasy football is a risk at every turn. You could trade the 1.01 in a package for Michael Thomas and Thomas could go down with an injury next year. Everything is a risk, so it’s all about being calculated with your moves.

Even if you have an eye on a player and have no thoughts on trading the 1.01, don’t tell people that and DO NOT TELL YOUR LEAGUE WHO YOU PLAN ON DRAFTING! You wouldn’t think I need to write that in all caps, but I feel the need to reinforce that thought. Still float the idea of trading the 1.01 and let your league know you may want to deal it. Someone could come in with an offer you cannot refuse. If that happens and it allows you to move back in the first round, keeping your pick a secret could allow him to still fall to you. Always be open to trade discussions.

Even though our focus here was on the 1.01, you can still use this thought process for other high draft picks. You can bet owners are going to want to move up this season in rookie drafts. The class of 2020 is way too exciting with far too much upside for owners to not get over excited this season. Remember to time your trade talks correctly and be open to having discussions. That will be key to getting the best deal possible. If you don’t want to trade the pick, that works as well. Go with your gut and get your guy. Don’t disregard trade talks though because of that, you never know what opportunity you could miss out on. You should be setting yourself up for long-term success in dynasty fantasy football, and the first overall pick can be a great asset for that regardless of what you do with it.