Dynasty Reset: How to Build an Offseason Trade Map

Dynasty championships are rarely won on Sundays in December.
They’re built quietly — in the offseason, through preparation, discipline, and timing.

While most managers wait for the market to come to them, elite dynasty players operate with a plan. They audit their roster honestly, understand market seasonality, and execute trades that align with a long-term vision.

That plan is your Dynasty Reset — an offseason trade map designed to turn uncertainty into leverage.

This guide walks you through how to:

• Audit your roster objectively

• Time the dynasty market correctly

• Target the right players and picks

• Execute trades with confidence

By the end, you won’t just be managing a roster — you’ll be running a dynasty operation built for sustained success.

Step 1: The Honest Audit

You cannot map a route without knowing your starting point.

The Dynasty Reset begins with a ruthless self-assessment. Every team fits into one of four buckets:

• Juggernaut – Elite across positions, built to dominate now

• Contender – Strong core, but vulnerable to injuries or depth issues

• Wildcard – Competitive, but lacking true difference-makers

• Rebuilder – Asset-driven, focused on future value

This isn’t about optimism.
It’s about evidence.

The 2–3 Year Window

Next, apply the 2–3 Year Window to every meaningful asset.

Ask one question:

Will this player be a core starter for me in 2028?

If the answer is no, that player is a trade candidate, not a cornerstone.

Tier-Based Valuation

Now bring in your primary tool: player tier charts.

Tier charts provide:

• A league-wide value baseline

• Context for positional scarcity

• A reference point for negotiations

But remember:
A quarterback and a wide receiver in the same tier are not equal assets. Your job is to refine tier values based on:

• Your roster construction

• Your league’s scoring and trade tendencies

This process creates your first map layer:
Keep, Move, and Acquire.

Step 2: Mapping the Market

A trade map without a timeline is useless.

Dynasty value is seasonal. Timing is the cheat code.

Early Offseason (Right Now)

• Veteran values are depressed

• Draft picks — especially future picks — are at their lowest

This is the window to:

• Buy established veterans from impatient managers

• Acquire future draft capital cheaply

A core dynasty principle:

Buy picks during the season.
Sell picks around the draft.

The offseason acts as an extension of the buying window.

Approaching the NFL Draft

• Pick values skyrocket

• Veteran values get overshadowed by rookie hype

This is the time to:

• Sell picks for proven production if you’re contending

• Flip rookie hype before roles are defined

Training Camp & Preseason

Hype becomes irrational.

This is your window to:

• Sell “camp darlings”

• Move depth players for future picks

• Let other managers pay for uncertainty

Dynasty Psychology Matters

Crowd-sourced rankings are conversation starters — not rules.

Managers:

• Overvalue mid-tier veterans

• Fear “losing” trades even when they’re beneficial

• Anchor to names instead of roles

Your trade map must account for human bias, not just player value.

Step 3: Drawing the Routes (Position by Position)

With your roster audited and the market mapped, it’s time to draw routes.
The 2–3 Year Window is your compass.

Quarterback

Elite dynasty QBs typically fall within the 21–30 age window.

Core targets include:

• Drake Maye – Long-term QB1 stability

• Justin Herbert – Proven elite production with longevity

• Jayden Daniels – Pro-ready and already elite

Contenders:
Target undervalued QB2s.

• Matthew Stafford finished 2025 with 42 touchdowns and 4,448 yards, yet remains priced as a low-end QB2.

• Baker Mayfield provides a high floor and consistent production, often below market value.

Running Back

Running backs have the shortest shelf life.

Contenders:
Buy volume.

• Derrick Henry remains elite even at age 31.

• Isiah Pacheco offers volume, though snap volatility late in 2025 must be monitored.

Rebuilders:
Flip every RB over 26 for picks.

• Target younger backs like Trey Benson, whose role should expand as veteran competition ages out.

Wide Receiver

This is the position of consolidation.

Contenders:
Package upside + picks to tier up.

• Nico Collins solidified himself as Houston’s WR1 and is worth paying for.

Rebuilders:
Target high-variance upside.

• Jameson Williams remains volatile, but has a clear path to increased targets.

Tight End

The position has bifurcated.

• Trey McBride ended 2025 as the overall TE1 with 105 receptions and 1,075 yards.

• Brock Bowers remains a foundational asset despite injury.

Strategy:
Pay up for elite anchors or accumulate cheap lottery tickets.
Avoid the dead middle.

Step 4: Valuing Rookie Classes — 2026 vs. 2027

Draft capital is not static.

2026 Class

• Top-heavy

• Elite QB talent like Dante Moore and LaNorris Sellers

• Lacks depth in alpha receivers

2027 “Superclass”

• Deeper across positions

• Generational prospects like Jeremiah Smith and Ryan Williams

Savvy managers are buying 2027 picks now, before rookie fever peaks.

The Final Layer: Execution

A map is useless if you don’t drive.

Trade paralysis kills dynasty teams.

How to Execute

• Initiate. Make the first offer.

• Anchor to your framework.

  “I’m evaluating this through a 2–3 year window.”

• Liquidate bench cloggers.

Examples:

• Calvin Austin III finished 2025 with minimal relevance. Convert him into a pick.

• Kaleb Johnson saw just a 3% snap share. Flip name value before it evaporates.

The hit rate on third-round WRs sits below 17%.
Liquidity beats hope.

Your Offseason Challenge

Open a spreadsheet.

Create three columns:
Keep. Move. Acquire.

1. List your roster.

2. Apply the 2–3 Year Window.

3. Assign ideal trade windows.

4. Identify 3–5 realistic targets.

You are no longer just a manager.

You are a strategist.

With your offseason trade map in hand, dynasty value becomes predictable, market timing becomes leverage, and execution becomes routine.

Reset your roster.
Control the market.
Build a dynasty.