🏀🏆 The Battle For Basketball’s Ultimate Prize Is On

And BetMGM is here to take the excitement of the NBA Playoffs to the next level!

Don’t miss out on their amazing First Bet Offer to make every shot, dunk, and buzzer-beater even more intense! Sign up now and take your game to the next level with BetMGM's unbeatable offer! That’s right, place your first bet, and if it doesn’t hit, BetMGM will cover you with up to $1,500 in bonus bets. Sign up for BetMGM TODAY!

Identify Your Tiers

Dynasty managers know which specific picks they have, and we now know landing spots for the incoming class of rookies.

The question that now begins to surface is this: Where are the tier breaks?

Savvy managers are constantly looking to exploit tiers and gain value wherever they can. If you're new to the idea of tier-based ranking (or drafting, for that matter), here's the general premise: Traditional linear rankings don't matter.

If you have a ranked list of 10 players and you view players 7-10 as more or less the same value, you should feel pretty good about getting any of them. That means if you have the seventh pick, you could theoretically trade back to the 10th pick, gain a future draft pick, and still draft someone from your tier.

For this rookie class, here's what stands out to me, assuming Superflex format:

• Tier 1 - Ashton Jeanty

• Tier 2 - Cam Ward, Omarion Hampton, Travis Hunter, Tetairoa McMillan

• Tier 3 - Quinshon Judkins, TreVeyon Henderson, Colston Loveland

Essentially, I view the 1.02-1.05 as being one tier. Assuming your roster doesn't have any major holes at any one position, I would feel great about getting any of these guys on my squad.

Besides specific roster needs, another variable that could bump up a player would be a unique scoring setting. If you play in a TEP (tight end premium) league that gives a reception bonus to the TE position, Loveland and Tyler Warren would each bump a tier, respectively.

At the end of the day, have fun and go get your guys. It's supposed to be enjoyable, and I want you to actually like having these guys on your roster for the long haul.

Identify your tiers, know your leaguemates, and go dominate your rookie draft.

For more intel, check out our 2025 Dynasty Rookie Rankings.

Veteran Players To Trade For

Another common theme throughout the Reddit thread had to do with identifying veteran players who could help win-now teams get that much closer to securing a championship this season.

It's a great question, and one that I really enjoy diving into each offseason.

The dynasty calendar year is uniquely its own, and managers must be aware of the ebbs and flows of player vs. pick values fluctuating over several months.

With the NFL Draft behind us and rookie/startup drafts ahead, the general focus of the masses is squarely on the shiny new toys that are the rookies. We're always projecting forward, looking for that next franchise-altering player or generational talent.

In doing so, we overlook established veterans who can still contribute in a one/two-year window and can be acquired for a relatively cheap price.

I recently wrote an article on this exact idea: Veteran RBs To Target For Win-Now Teams.

In this piece, I break down five veteran RBs who can bolster your lineup in the short term, as well as suggest trade ideas to get the job done. Each of them has much more value in 2025 (and maybe 2026) than in traditional dynasty formats, so take advantage of the market inconsistency and go win that championship.

Around the Watercooler

The latest fantasy nuggets, silliness, and NFL gossip from our merry band of football nerds.

🚀 Two rookies who are skyrocketing up the rankings. The time to buy is now.

🏟️ Everyone loves a Dome Game. Which teams have the most?

🤔 Are you smarter than a fifth grader cooterdoodle? Find out here.

💪 The schedule release gave some DST streamers a nice boost. Here are the best.

🏆 This is my year! Walton Goggins is pumped about his dynasty team.

🧀 How often will the Eagles use the tush push against the Packers in Week 10?