So you’ve committed to rebuilding your squad, but things are moving a little slower than you wanted. No worries! We can help fix that. The first step, as they say, is admitting the problem.

I’ve said before that a solid rebuild should take two seasons or less, as long as you act thoughtfully and efficiently.

So let’s take your team name from “Rebuild Me Up Buttercup” to “Rebuilt This Pretty” in as little time as possible (if you’re too young to get those references, I’m sorry. Replace them with “Do You Want to Rebuild a Snowman” and … some other youthful thing).

Anyways, here’s how to speed up the process:

Carefully Trim Your Roster

Picture your roster as a tomato plant. C’mon, don’t make this weird(er), just do it. If you want to turn those pulpy little fruits into some tasty salsa later on, you’ll need to prune them. Constantly. That means saying goodbye to players who are wilting or weighing you down.

Trade away any and all overperformers, veterans in the twilight of their careers and even just solid players that likely hit their peak. Basic rule: If they’re unlikely to help win a championship a year from now, prune ‘em. 

But this comes with a major caveat: Don’t trade away every young stud for future rookie picks …

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Don’t Overvalue Rookies

Naturally, if you’re rebuilding, you want youth. But it can be tempting to go too far with that idea.

I’ve seen people completely halt a solid rebuild attempt by sending away the next Randy Moss for the chance to draft another Randy Miss (no, that's not a typo. I’m saying it’s hard to hit on rookie picks). 

I get why some people do this. They don't want players dropping a lot of fantasy points in their lineups, thus making their team just good enough to ruin their shot at next year’s 1.01. So instead, they ship those points off to another team and ask for a bunch more bites at the apple in return.

But that’s how you can end up prematurely sending Puka Nacua out the door for much less than he’s worth. And that, my friends, is how you end up sad.

Remember that old saying: “A bird in the hand is worth more than two random rookie picks.”

Embrace High-Variance Players

Playing it safe in a rebuild is a really effective way to get stuck in the middle again. The best teams embrace some risk. They take chances on players that are undervalued by the rest of the community.

Mostly because those players can be acquired for a discount and then (hopefully) traded away for more once they hit a peak.

Think of it this way: Would you rather have four players who all consistently average 10 fantasy points per game, or four players who oscillate between 25 points and two points?

When you’re actually ready to contend, the answer might be different. But during a rebuild, that second group has the potential to net you a much bigger return in trades when they hit a hot streak.

Time Your Moves Wisely

You might think that “accelerating” your rebuild means doing all of these steps I’ve outlined RIGHT NOW. Please don’t. Trying to take your team from zero to hero in the span of a couple of weeks can actually hurt more than it helps.

For instance, there’s no reason to trade away an old guy in January. At least give your leaguemates time to completely disregard their New Year’s resolutions before you start trying to pawn off that 31-year-old receiver. You’d be lucky to get half of what they’re worth.

Instead, wait until the season rolls around and your contending leaguemates need to fill some holes in their rosters. That's when you can start.

But a random overperformer? Get ‘em outta there pronto while optimism is still high, and the NFL Draft/free agency hasn’t yet burst those balloons. In this case, the longer you wait, the more likely you’ll get caught holding the scraps of a one-year wonder.

During the season, focus on acquiring three types of value:

1. Rookie picks. They’ll never be cheaper than they are in-season. And the further out the pick is, the cheaper it tends to be. On the flip side, trade rookie picks away as close to your league’s rookie draft as possible. On the day, if possible. That mid-second-round pick may not appeal to many managers until the pick is on the clock and one of “their guys” is still available.
2. Injured studs. Scooping up Garrett Wilson is much easier to do when he’s on IR. And a contender who just lost Wilson should be more open to offering him at a slight discount IF you can return some legit win-now pieces. Just because a guy’s hurt doesn’t mean you should expect to get him for peanuts.
3. Handcuffs. Your team should feature more handcuffs than a 50 Shades of Grey box set. No one’s value spikes quicker than a running back who’s been called into starting action. If you have any room in your bench, make these guys the priority.

Hoard Overall Value

If you take just one thing away from this article, please let it be this: Don’t worry about things like depth or starters until you’re ready to completely flip the switch from rebuilder to contender. 

The most wonderful part of rebuilding is that you’re not locked into the normal guidelines of fantasy football! You don’t have to field a respectable starting lineup! You can roster 15 tight ends if you think those are the most valuable players in the league! (They’re not. And if you believe otherwise, you should probably seek counseling.)

The point is, the time to reap will come soon enough. For now, sow like your (dynasty) life depends on it. Then, when the time comes, you’ll have enough overall value to trade your way into a great starting lineup.

General Do’s (And One Don’t):

• DO: Be a good trade partner. This probably seems obvious, but it’s often overlooked. Every burnt bridge—whether from trying to “win” every trade or by using smarmy sales tactics—is one less source available to make your team better. I have no issues “losing” a trade now and then to keep those bridges intact.
• DO: Turn over every rock looking for value others might’ve missed. Waiver wire scrounging is an underrated aspect of rebuilding.
• DO: Make trades out of boredom. A lot of people will disagree with this, and that’s OK. But fantasy football should be fun, and trading IS fun! So if you get the itch to trade, just try to be smart about it.
• DO: Keep tabs on our dynasty content for more strategy and player-specific advice. Shameless plug? No. Prideful call to action! 
• DON’T: Get too caught up in competing for the title of Sexiest Team Alive. That’s not a real thing, and even if it was, your goal is to win a championship, not get the most likes on the screenshot you share to social media.

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