Part of what makes a Dynasty league so satisfying is that not every team has the same agenda. Depending on where you are in the contention/rebuild cycle, you can feel like your season was a success even if you don’t win.
But the ultimate goal is still to win, even if not this year, and to do that, you’ll need to do more than hoard prospects. At some point, they’ll need to become fully-formed contributors to your success.
The league-winners aren’t actually the prospects, then, but the core players — early-to-mid 20s, putting up stud numbers, no end to their greatness in sight. That’s what you’re hoping the prospects become.
But what about those that are a little long in the tooth, still early-rounders in redraft leagues but with, indeed, the end of their greatness in sight? How do they measure up against prospects or other up-and-comers who may fall a little short of studliness?
The answer goes back to that contention/rebuild cycle. A rebuilding team will likely value the prospect more, while the contender might value the aging stud more. In order to have a rank list that’s one-size-fits-all, then, I’ve had to get a little crafty, devising a rating system intended to weigh the short-term against the long-term. Basically, I’ve assigned each player a score (with one being the lowest and five the highest) for each of these three factors:
Present value:Â What a player is expected to be in 2026Future value:Â What his peak looks like and how much peak he has left
Confidence rating:Â How confident I am in him meeting his present and future value
Add the three numbers, adjust for age and preference, and lo and behold, rankings.
Top 150 for dynasty leagues