My 2013 startup DFWC teams have had a promising start to 2014. After 5 weeks in the books, the team I’ve previously dubbed as having the “potential” to be the best dynasty team ever (my DFWC League 5 Team) is sitting at #1 overall. My team in DFWC League 8 is sitting nicely in 7th overall. Finally, my team in DFWC League 1 is at #10 overall. Three teams in the Top 10 out of 288 teams feels pretty good.

Still, its early in the season, and the overall standings are sure to fluctuate week to week. Besides, these overall point totals won’t really come into play until the end of Year 3 (for my DFWC League 8 team) and Years 4 and beyond for the other two, when the 3-year Dynasty King titles (and $2,000 per year) start getting awarded.

Here’s a status check on each of these teams, all of which are very good.

DFWC League #5:

If you asked me at the beginning of the year, I would have said that this team would be the least likely of the three to be at #1. I mean, I started the year with Robert Turbin and Bishop Sankey at my 2 RB slots (combining for a grand total of 5.2 points in Week 1) and Ryan Tannehill at QB. With the vast resources this team had at WR (possibly already the best ever), I could have easily traded for a stud RB and QB over the summer, but I decided to stand pat in order to maximize my chances at building the best team ever. At Week 1, this team had Calvin, Julio, Dez, Antonio Brown, Josh Gordon, Percy Harvin, Cordarrelle Patterson, Sammy Watkins and Mike Evans at WR (and can only start 5 in any week).

After Week 3, I did decide to consolidate value, but not at RB where I really needed it. I traded away Mike Evans and Bishop Sankey (my BEST RB) along with a late 2015 2nd to upgrade again at WR, landing Alshon Jeffery. I regret the trade now, but you don’t get many opportunities to land an elite player like Jeffery so its not a terrible trade by any means.

At QB, I’m still in search for a viable starter but for now, I’ve got Eli Manning (cheap pickup, although no guaranty of being any better than Tannehill). At RB, I decided to mine free agency for some short term help, and I found some in Justin Forsett, Chris Ivory and Bobby Rainey for a combined $388. I spent another $155 on Denard Robinson 2 weeks later, and that is looking like a poorly spent $155. This team is now down to $261, and in this format, once you run out, you’re done with picking up players the rest of the year. As decent as Ivory and Forsett have been, its looking like I just might have to dip into the WR resource pool in order to acquire a RB by trade and compete for the 2014 title.

Here is the #1 team in the DFWC after 5 weeks (from DFWC League #5):

Eli Manning

Justin Forsett
Chris Ivory
Bobby Rainey
Denard Robinson
Christine Michael

Calvin Johnson
Julio Jones
Dez Bryant
Alshon Jeffery
Antonio Brown
Josh Gordon
Sammy Watkins
Percy Harvin
Cordarrelle Patterson

Jimmy Graham
Jared Cook
Austin Seferian Jenkins

Dan Bailey

Philly Defense

With this roster and lineup requirements of QB 2RB 3WR TE 2Flex, I won’t necessarily need a stud RB. But I do need a couple of at least mediocre options at RB that can score 10ish points per week. Ivory and Forsett fit that description, for now.

As for being #1, the odds are against this team staying there for long (with Josh Gordon out, Calvin looking mortal and now Jimmy Graham going down with injury), but for now, I am enjoying the view.


DFWC League #1:

Not much to report on this team. At the beginning of the year, I thought this team was my best chance at 2014, and it still looks that way. It is strong at QB, very deep at RB and elite at WR and TE. With Josh Gordon coming back before playoffs, this team is possibly the top threat to win it all in 2014 (as unlikely as that is for any team against the field of 96 in the overall playoffs). This team has an excellent shot at the 2016 Dynasty King title covering years 2014-2016.

Here it is:

Philip Rivers, Jay Cutler

Alfred Morris, Trent Richardson, Shane Vereen, Ahmad Bradshaw, Mark Ingram, Antone Smith, Latavius Murray

Julio Jones, AJ Green, Demaryius Thomas, Alshon Jeffery, Josh Gordon, Cordarrelle Patterson, Harry Douglas

Jimmy Graham, Owen Daniels

Justin Tucker

Cincy Defense


DFWC League #8

This is the team that would have won its league and taken 2nd place overall last year (for a take home of $2,000+) if only I had LOST in Week 13. It turned out, that winning in Week 13 knocked my team out of the playoffs. Its complicated, but I found my team in this peculiar situation midway through the Sunday games of Week 13, and thought about replacing my remaining players with bench fillers. Instead, I decided against it and let the chips fall where they may.

Suffice it to say, I was pulling my hair out and kicking myself (all at the same time) during last year’s overall playoffs, particularly during a moment where my team was briefly sitting at #1 during Week 16. I am thankful I would have only gotten 2nd when it was all said and done (sparing that additional heartache), and I did at least get a free entry into 2014 having won the consolation overall playoffs.

Anyway, I drafted this team in 2013 to “win now” and to potentially compete for the first Dynasty King title in 2015. It is my only team that has a chance at that title in 2015. Rather than go WR heavy, I drafted for value and landed a bunch of RBs, and those RBs should serve this team very well in 2014. With the versatility this team has at QB, RB and WR, it is safe to say that this team will not be in the consolation playoffs in 2014.

Here it is:

Philip Rivers, Nick Foles

Eddie Lacy, Demarco Murray, Ryan Mathews, Rashad Jennings, Justin Forsett, Knowshon Moreno, Tre Mason

Dez Bryant, Demaryius Thomas, Randall Cobb, Mike Wallace, Percy Harvin, Tavon Austin

Delanie Walker, Dwayne Allen

Nick Novak

Philly Defense