Gang Grit Sports: A Dynasty Start-Up Yarn 
This is my draft story from The Varsity Dynasty League Start-Up Draft, shared for your entertainment, like it/love it/hate it, take your shots!
I draft to win, BUT with an emphasis on players I enjoy watching & rooting for. For instance, you won’t see me adding a certain tiny QB who is going from cardinal red to purple… no matter what, Sonny Weaver Jr.
Before The Varsity draft ever began, I made a splash trade: gave up 1.02, 3.02, 7.02, & 11.02 for 1.10, 2.01, 6.01, & 11.10.
My idea going in was to nab one or two QBs at the flip & add the best skill player available at 2.09. However, when only Josh & Drake were chosen from the QB pool leading up to my first two choices, I went St Brown & Hampton, both in my personal Top 5 at their positions for Dynasty. QB could be addressed at 2.09.
Except I didn’t.
When Caleb was the only QB chosen prior to the 2.09, I traded that pick along with 4.09 & 8.09 for 3.04, 4.05, & 8.05, & then made a crazy deal sending 6.01, 11.10, & my ‘27-2 for 3.07 & 12.04.
Though there were many skill position players (SP from here) available, but with the QB run soon to begin, I passed on Lamar & Burrow & added to my Chargers’ O plan by selecting Justin Herbert.
Jackson & Joey went next, & though many SP’s were there for me I added Bo to shore up my Superflex at 3.07, assuming I could add quality at 4.05 & 5.02.
As things fell, James Cook was the only SP I would have chosen at 3.07 that was picked before my next turn came around, but even if Bo hadn’t been there, which he could have been, there were other QBs I could have added had I passed on Bo for Cook.
Trevor, PATRICK, Purdy, & Dak, all fantasy producers, were there at 4.05.
Oh WELL!
I grabbed TreV at that 4.05 & left Hall, Brown, Q, & KW3 in the pool.
Now sitting with ARSB, Hampton, Herbert, Bo, & TreV with 5.02, 6.04, & 6.09 upcoming, I felt it wise to go WR heavy w these selections.
At 5.02 I continued my Chargers’ pursuit by adding Ladd.
BUT the Rookie WRs started going just prior with Tate going at 5.01. And after Luther & Nico were taken before my 6.04, I came down with a case of Rookie Fever & took Jordyn Tyson.
As I am SUPER HIGH on Devonta Smith now that AJ is gone, my nerves went into overdrive as to how I would rebound.
Fortunately, no one else was as high on Smith as I was & I was still able to add him at 6.09.
In this SF, 2TE, PPR league, I was now had:
WR St Brown
RB Hampton
QB Herbert
QB Nix
WR McConkey
WR Tyson
WR D Smith
This lineup isn’t going to scare anyone, but it’s a competitive start filled with players I like.
The only starters I’m missing are at TE, & I was angsty about that & knew I needed to add TEs & depth with my next seven selections from 8.05 to 12.09.
I had passed on TE to get Smith after almost whiffing on him earlier, & though only two TEs were chosen between 6.09 & 8.05, one of them was Gadsden at the 8.01, I missed that stack, & with no veterans who I trusted a whole lot more Dynasty-wise, I leapt at the chance to grab Kenyon Sadiq as my first TE.
What followed was a menagerie of values & reaches to give me a solid core after twelve rounds adding the following including Sadiq:
8.05 Sadiq
9.02 Derrick Henry (RB24 in this draft, great value there)
10.09 D’Andre Swift
10.10 Chig
11.01 Nick Singleton (10th Rookie chosen, someone was gonna grab him, I wanted that someone to be me)
12.04 Michael Pittman
12.09 Courtland Sutton (stack)
I had 13.02 three picks later, then 14.09 after that before a huge break to 17.02, so I wanted to go after some depth at positions that had waning availability.
At 13.02, with Charbonnet & Brooks available, I chose to make another leap of faith by grabbing Jacory Croskey-Merritt, & then happily added Gunner Helm to my TE Room when he fell to the 14.09.
I had a pretty good idea of who would still be available at 17.02, & I had an inkling of a plan, but it was dicey.
I wanted Drew Allar, gamble or not. So I took him at the 17.02. Probably could have gotten him at 18.09, & I missed on Kaytron Allen choosing Allar now, but my next pick was 20.09 & I still needed three starting QBs to cover SF on bye weeks.
By my logic, Aaron Rodgers was the GET, now that I had Allar who could then safely sit on my Taxi while Aaron covered my QB3.
I got Rodgers with the 18.09 to complete my plan, then watched my queue of depth players get chosen one after the other until that 20.09 came around.
Here’s the rest of my team, keeping in mind I needed three more Taxi players to join Allar:
20.09 Dalton Schultz
21.02 Jalen Nailor
22.09 Zavion Thomas
23.02 Isiah Pacheco
23.07 Tanner Koziol
24.09 Darnell Mooney
25.02 Kimani Vidal (handcuff)
When I dreamed up The Varsity Dynasty League, I envisioned finding a group of experienced dynasty ffballers who were into a fun, lively league, knowing full well I would use it for content… & be excited about that.
I drew the 1.02, & though I’m certain that I could have selected a good, fun fantasy team from there, the eight asset trade between Mike Nadolsky & I set a precedent for a great draft experience with TEN separate trades involving SIX of our ten teams!
Here’s my final roster:
QBs – Herbert, Nix, Rodgers, & Allar (T)
RBs – Hampton, Henry, Henderson, Swift, Singleton (T), JCM, Pacheco, & Vidal
WRs – St Brown, McConkey, Tyson, D Smith, Pittman, Sutton, Nailor, Mooney, & Z Thomas (T)
TEs – Sadiq, Chig, Helm, Schultz, & Kozial (T)
I began with an idea to go QB Heavy early, & after a top WR & a top RB fell in my lap, I did address QB with my third & fourth choices.
I fought Rookie Fever despite possible reaches for Tyson, Singleton, & Allar. I may have fought too hard as Zavion Thomas & Tanner Kozial were my only other rookies, thus Singleton currently on Taxi.
Though some of my league mates follow along, I’m not afraid to share to all that I’ll be comping Nailor & Mooney throughout, & when one falls decidedly lower (or ANYONE goes on IR), I’ll be adding another Rookie for the Taxi spot Singleton now occupies, & for better or worse he’ll be on the active roster.
In the end, Fantasy Pros rates both my Draft & Dynasty ‘Power Rankings’ at #6 out of our 10 teams.
I’ll be bookmarking that for when my Chargers’ stack leads me to the title.
In summary, this was a tremendous experience. The other nine members of the league made it a great experience. If your league start-up draft wasn’t a great experience, I pray you find a group like The Varsity with the next league you join!
Gang Grit Sports is a ground floor, grass roots Dynasty Fantasy Football effort, & we’ll be attending the the Fantasy Football Expo as a VIP Exhibitor (BOOTH 5) & taking part in the Start-Up Showcase!!!