Dynasty Compass
Dynasty Compass is your guide to building a fantasy football team that lasts. Hosted by Jeff Blaylock—fantasy analyst, Footballguys contributor, and dynasty strategist—this show helps you find direction in a noisy fantasy football world.Each episode delivers short, actionable advice for dynasty managers: trade strategy, rookie draft tactics, roster-building frameworks, and more. Whether you’re contending now or rebuilding for the future, Dynasty Compass helps you orient your team toward long-term success.🎧 New episodes weekly during the NFL season 🧭 Because in dynasty, you don’t need a GPS—you need a compass.
Buying Breakouts Before They Break Out with JJ Zachariason
JJ Zachariason of Late Round QB joins Dynasty Compass to break down how he identifies Year 2 and Year 3 breakout candidates before the market catches on. Knowing which players are undervalued by the market is one of the most reliable edges you can have in dynasty, whether you're contending, rebuilding, or somewhere in between. JJ covers his ZAP Model, his new Market Score metric, and the specific players he's targeting right now heading into 2026. He also highlights that "too late" is earlier than we think.
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Win Your Startup Draft with Pat Fitzmaurice
Pat Fitzmaurice from FantasyPros joins Jeff Blaylock to break down how to approach a dynasty startup draft. First of all, have a real strategic plan before you go on the clock, and then stick to it. Jeff and Fitz cover positional priority, Superflex quarterback timing, TE premium math, and how to use in-draft trading to get your guys and avoid players you don't believe in.
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Which One Is the 1? Finding Value When Nobody Can Read the Room
The murkiest running back, wide receiver, and tight end rooms offer big dynasty value, if you know how to read them. Knowing how to evaluate a room instead of just a player lets you find value where others see noise, and avoid the moves that dynasty managers regret every season. Brian Hartman of Too Much Fantasy Football joins Jeff Blaylock to walk through his framework for murky situations and then get into the rooms themselves, from Pittsburgh's backfield to the Rams' TE depth chart to Chicago's WR room, where nobody is sure who is The One.
💡 Key...
The Rookies We Got Wrong with Addison Hayes
Fantasy analysts don't love admitting they got it wrong, but owning your misses is how you get better. Addison Hayes from Dynasty League Football walks through the players who scored highly in his Marker System but still busted in the NFL, breaking down what his model caught, what it missed, and what he's still learning. Jeff adds a few of his own misses, including that one trade he still regrets.
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Buy, Sell, or Hold? Navigating the Dynasty Trade Market with Theo Gremminger
Rookie drafts aren't the only way to improve your dynasty roster this offseason. Theo Gremminger from Fantasy Points joins Jeff to survey the dynasty trade landscape right now: who to target, what to pay, who to move, and which players are worth holding a little longer. Knowing where the value gaps are lets you trade with conviction and avoid the traps the market hasn't priced in, yet. Theo covers rookie landing spot winners and losers, veteran buy targets for contenders, the rebuild playbook, players he'd be selling today, and why the biggest mistake managers make...
Don't Let These Rookies Fall with Derek Brown
Can you believe drafters are sleeping on these guys?
Knowing which rookies have a realistic path to playing time can turn a late-round pick or a waiver claim into real dynasty equity. Yet, many managers are letting these guys fall down the draft board. After this episode, you'll know exactly which 2026 rookies to grab before your leaguemates figure it out. Derek Brown, senior analyst at FantasyPros, joins Jeff Blaylock to dive deep into the 2026 rookie class and surface the late-round rookie picks dynasty managers should be drafting while their league mates draft less impactful players...
The Art & Science of Dynasty Rankings with Jake Ciely
Jake Ciely of The Athletic has been doing fantasy football rankings for 15 years, and one of his most honest admissions is that he kind of hates them. Not because they aren't useful, but because a ranked list can't convey everything a manager actually needs to know. Understanding what rankings can and can't tell you changes how you use them. In this episode, Jeff and Jake walk through how dynasty rankings get built, why the current season deserves more weight than most dynasty managers give it, and what question you should be asking yourself every time you open a rankings...
Injury Myths Are Costing You Dynasty Value with Adam Hutchison
Dynasty managers misvalue injured players — and most of the time, it's because the conventional wisdom is wrong. Footballguys injury expert Adam Hutchison has tracked more than 2,000 injuries across nine seasons, and the data pushes back on some of the most common assumptions: about ACL recovery, about age and athleticism, about which injuries actually linger and which ones don't. Knowing where the myths break down lets you buy low when others are running scared — and avoid the traps that look like value but aren't. Adam also shares which injured dynasty assets he's buying and selling right now, and closes with a th...
Best, Worst & 'Huh?' Rookie Landing Spots with Andrew Cooper
The 2026 NFL Draft is over. Now the real dynasty work begins. Andrew Cooper of Fantasy Alarm joins Jeff to separate the winners from the losers, highlight the dream landing spots and the fantasy nightmares, and decode the biggest reaches and strangest picks. From Jeremiyah Love's arrival to a crowded RB room to the Jets' bumper crop of slot weapons to the best snipe in NFL draft history, Coop has the intel and strategy you need to win your rookie drafts.
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On the Clock? When to Trade That Rookie Draft Pick with Pete Nova
Your rookie pick is never more valuable than when it's on the clock, and the trade window is open. Should you make the pick, trade down, or trade out? Jeff Blaylock sits down with Pete Nova of PlayerProfiler to break down the strategy behind trading picks during your live rookie draft. Knowing when to sell, when to hold, and what to ask for can be the difference between winning and spinning your wheels. Whether you're sitting at the 1.01 or staring at a late third you're not excited about, there's a strategy for every spot on the board.
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What the Metrics Say About the 2026 Rookie Class with Ryan Heath
Every incoming rookie gets defined by a blizzard of metrics, but which ones matter for predicting dynasty success? Ryan Heath of Fantasy Points joins Dynasty Compass to walk through the analytical models he built to rank rookies at wide receiver, tight end, and running back. He explains the specific metrics that predict early career fantasy success, which players in the 2026 class those metrics love, which ones concern him, and why. Ryan drops tons of insights on Jordyn Tyson, Jonah Coleman, Elijah Sarratt, Max Klare, Michael Trigg, Tanner Koziol, Zachariah Branch, and many more.
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Run Leagues No One Wants to Leave with Joey Wright
Most commissioners think their job is merely administrative. They collect dues, schedule drafts, manage league settings and move on. Footballguys' community engagement leader Joey Wright thinks that's only the beginning. In this episode, Joey joins Jeff Blaylock to talk about what it actually takes to build a dynasty league that people never want to leave, from the three roles every commissioner plays to the tools and traditions that keep a league alive year-round to what separates a good commissioner from a great one. Whether you're a veteran commissioner or thinking about launching your first league, this conversation will change...
Dynasty Orphans: What to Expect When You're Expecting
Orphan leagues are often the easiest entry into dynasty, and adopting one comes with a learning curve that nobody warns you about. FFToday's Dustin Ludke joins Jeff Blaylock to walk through the full orphan experience: how to evaluate a roster before you commit, what to expect from your new league mates, and how to rebuild from the worst team in the league into a contender. Knowing what's actually coming — from early lowball offers to the energy drain of managing a rebuild — can be the difference between a frustrating experience and a future championship run.
Topics Include:<...
Finding Rookie Sleepers Before the Draft with Alfredo Brown
Alfredo Brown of the Pretend GM joins Jeff Blaylock to dig into the 2026 rookie class — not the names everyone already knows, but the players worth targeting in rounds 2, 3, and beyond. Knowing which late-round prospects have real upside versus which ones are just names on a sheet can mean the difference between a dynasty-winning stash and wasted roster space. Alfredo walks through his proprietary PGM Score, his Low/Median/High player comp framework, and what he took away from watching prospects in person at the NFL Combine. A must-listen before your rookie draft.
Topics In...
Free Agency Fallout: Buy/Sell/Hold with Alan Seslowsky
Jeff Blaylock and RotoWire's Alan Seslowsky return for Part II of their conversation, working through every significant free agency mover and what it means for your dynasty roster before the NFL Draft arrives. Knowing which players to buy now, which to hold, and which to trade away before the market catches up is the difference between a dynasty offseason well-spent and one you'll regret. They close with a look at which veteran players are about to get kneecapped by the incoming rookie class — and how both hosts are planning to use their picks in the degenerate four-quarterback league they sh...
Pre-Draft Dynasty Trade Strategy with Alan Seslowsky
The window between free agency and the NFL Draft may be the most underrated trade market of the dynasty calendar, and most managers are either frozen or making the wrong moves. Jeff Blaylock sits down with RotoWire's Alan Seslowsky to break down how to think about this moment and shares his philosophy of running into the burning building.
In Part 1 of this two-episode series, Jeff and Alan discuss who to target before the market catches up and why waiting for the draft usually costs you more than it saves. They also dig into the 2027 pick hype, the A...
The Rookie Draft Pick Where Everything Changes
Dynasty rookie draft picks look sequential — but they are not created equal. Knowing where the gaps are located lets you trade for value and avoid traps.
In this episode of Dynasty Compass, Jeff Blaylock breaks down the hidden value cliffs that divide rookie drafts into distinct probability bands.
Using nine years of ADP data and rookie performance outcomes, Jeff explains why the 1.01 stands alone, how much value the first 16 picks historically produce, how likely you'll draft a fantasy starter, and why the largest value cliff in th...
Dynasty Winners & Losers: Free Agency Preview with Marc Gartenberg
NFL free agency can reshape the dynasty landscape overnight.
In this episode of Dynasty Compass, Jeff Blaylock is joined by Marc Gartenberg to break down the players and teams dynasty managers should be watching as the free agency signing period begins.
They discuss possible landing spots for Kenneth Walker, Travis Etienne, Tyreek Hill, Kyler Murray, and Malik Willis, along with the teams that could dramatically shift fantasy outcomes depending on how aggressively they attack the market.
For dynasty managers, free agency is often the moment when player values rise — or...
Dynasty Trade Strategy for Free Agency Season with Tipp Major
NFL free agency is one of the most volatile periods of the dynasty calendar — and the best dynasty managers know how to trade through the uncertainty.
In Episode 26 of Dynasty Compass, Jeff Blaylock (The Other Jeff B) is joined by Footballguys colleague Tipp Major to break down how smart dynasty managers approach trades during the free agency window.
They discuss how to evaluate trade offers when landing spots are unknown, when to buy or sell veterans, how franchise tags affect dynasty value, and why patience can be both your best and worst trading habit.
Draft or Trade? 1-Round Pre-Combine Rookie Mock with Heath Cummings
The NFL Combine is almost here — and dynasty rookie values are about to move.
In Episode 25 of Dynasty Compass, Jeff Blaylock is joined by CBS Sports’ Heath Cummings for a full 1-round rookie mock draft — with a twist: at every pick, we ask the real question:
Draft the rookie… or trade the pick?
From early 1.01 decisions to late-first dart throws, this episode is about draft strategy, roster direction and maximizing value.
If you’re holding a 1st-round rookie pick, this is required listening before you're on the clock.
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16 New Playcallers: What It Means for Dynasty with Bob Harris
The NFL coaching carousel has nearly stopped spinning — and half the league has new offensive playcallers. There's potential for chaos, but there are also opportunities for savvy dynasty managers.
Fantasy Sports Hall of Famer Bob Harris joins Jeff Blaylock to break down all 16 new playcallers and what they mean for dynasty. From first-time play callers in Baltimore and Washington to veteran hires in Pittsburgh and New York, we examine where potential value exists and where caution is warranted.
If you want to find dynasty leverage before the market adjusts, this episode is your roadmap.
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Is There a WR1? Scouting 2026 Rookie WRs with Jeff Bell
Is there a true WR1 in the 2026 rookie class?
While Fernando Mendoza, Jeremiah Love, and Kenyon Sadiq have separated at their positions, the wide receiver group feels murkier. Is that a weakness — or an opportunity?
Jeff Bell of Footballguys joins Dynasty Compass to break down the 2026 rookie wide receiver class, from the top tier (Makai Lemon, Carnell Tate, Jordyn Tyson) to late-round dynasty dart throws to the feel-good story of the draft.
We also discuss rookie draft tiers, landing spot volatility, positional evolution in the NFL, and how dynasty managers should approach mid-first-round pi...
Scouting Rookie QBs & TEs | Dynasty Draft Strategy
Dynasty rookie season is here. Jeff Blaylock welcomes Footballguys analyst Mike Kashuba to scout the 2026 rookie quarterback and tight end classes. From Fernando Mendoza at QB1 to late-round sleepers who could rise quickly, this episode digs into evaluation process, red flags, landing spots, and how dynasty managers should approach rookie drafts—especially in Superflex formats.
Topics Include
Quarterback scouting fundamentalsTight end evaluation trendsRookie draft strategy for dynastySuperflex QB planningLate-round rookie sleepersTimestamps
0:00 – Welcome to Dynasty Compass
1:00 – Mike Kashuba joins the show
2:10 – Inside t...
Scouting Rookie RBs: Who’s Real in the 2026 Class? with Dave Kluge
The rookie scouting season is officially underway.
Jeff Blaylock is joined by Footballguys analyst Dave Kluge for a wide-ranging conversation on scouting rookie running backs and navigating the 2026 dynasty rookie class. They discuss which traits actually translate to the NFL, key red flags every dynasty manager should be wary of, and how dynasty managers should approach a class that lacks elite depth beyond the top tier.
This episode focuses on process, not just rankings — helping dynasty managers think clearly about rookie RB evaluation.
Topics Include
How Dave Kluge scouts rookie RBsIdentifying elite vs...Dynasty Compass | Your Dynasty Offseason Planner
There is no offseason in dynasty — but there is a right way to use it.
In this Season 1 finale of Dynasty Compass, Jeff Blaylock builds a practical offseason planner from January through kickoff, breaking down what matters most at each stage of the NFL calendar and how Casual, Competitive, and Pro-level dynasty managers should approach the offseason based on their effort and time commitments.
This episode isn’t about doing more — it’s about aligning your effort, attention, and expectations so you enter the season prepared without burning out but read...
Dynasty Compass | Is Dynasty For You?
Is dynasty fantasy football right for you?
As the fantasy season winds down, many managers start asking themselves, "Do I want to wait until August for next season to begin? Or do I want it to start right now?" In this episode of Dynasty Compass, Jeff Blaylock explains what dynasty fantasy football really is, how it differs from redraft and keeper leagues, who should (and shouldn’t) play dynasty, and the best ways to get started.
If you’re looking for a deeper challenge, year-round engagement, a stronger sense of community and...
Dynasty Compass | Escape from Purgatory
Are you stuck in Dynasty Purgatory — never good enough to win, never bad enough to rebuild, and constantly tinkering without making real progress?
In Episode 18, Jeff Blaylock delivers the cure. After diagnosing Purgatory in Episode 17, we chart the escape route this week.
Jeff breaks down the four universal laws that apply no matter what path you take, then walks through all four dynasty directions — South, West, North, and East — and shows you exactly when and how to execute each one. This episode gives you the tools to pick a direction, commit to it, and build real momentu...
Dynasty Compass | Why Your Team Stays Stuck
Are you trapped in Dynasty Purgatory — the endless cycle of 6–8, 7–7, or 8–6 seasons where nothing you do seems to matter? This week, Jeff breaks down the real reasons rosters get stuck in mediocrity and introduces four diagnostic questions that will reveal why your team can’t break through.
We’ll examine internal reinforcements that never deliver, the hidden role of luck, players who fall short of expectations, and the reasoning traps dynasty managers fall into year after year.
This episode is Part 1 of a two-episode arc: Diagnosis today. Escape route next week.
Topics Include<...
Dynasty Compass | The Strategic Suck: How to Rebuild Without Tanking
Not every dynasty team can contend every year. Sometimes the smartest path forward is choosing to lose—strategically. In this episode, Jeff explains “the Strategic Suck,” a rebuild approach where you intentionally lower your short-term ceiling to maximize your long-term success.
Topics include:
• What South represents in the Dynasty Compass
• Why losing without a plan is just losing, but losing with a plan is rebuilding
• The difference between a Strategic Suck and tanking
• How to set legal, defensible lineups while avoiding accidental wins
• Roster management hacks that reduce this week’s points and boost next year’...
Dynasty Compass | The Island of Broken Toys
Injuries derail seasons — but for dynasty managers, they can also open a window of opportunity. In this episode, Jeff Blaylock explores The Island of Broken Toys: a place where productive but injured players lose short-term value but retain long-term potential.
Jeff outlines how to identify real broken-toy opportunities, calculate appropriate trade discounts, and avoid the emotional traps that make other managers sell too low. He also breaks down Adam Hutchison’s injury research, explains which positions are most likely to bounce back, and offers guidance for fitting these moves into your team’s strategic direction.
Time...
Dynasty Compass | Trade Deadline Strategies
Episode 14: Preparing for the Trade Deadline (North/South/East)
Big Idea: The deadline compresses time. Bad, strategy-less moves harden into months of regret. Know your direction first, then act.
North – Perennial Contenders
Goal: Fine-tune, not overhaul.Questions:Which marginal improvements will help the most?Does the move help now and next year? (prefer both)Am I getting enough value to make this move now?Tactics: patch weak spots; keep at least a 1st or 2nd in each of...Dynasty Compass | Boosting Your Win-now Lineup
Using our compass metaphor, the West is home to Win-now teams. Jeff offers some strategies for dynasty managers looking for late-season boosts to their lineups.
🧩 Key Takeaways
Win Now = Controlled Aggression. Smart upgrades to starting lineups lead to championships.
Dynasty Compass | The Currency of Dynasty
Rookie draft picks are possibilities, not performance. In this midseason guide, Jeff shows how to price picks vs. players, when flexibility earns you value, and how to decide between possibilities or points based on your team’s direction. Quick reality check on pick outcomes, a practical exchange-rate for common trades, and a reminder: direction before transaction.
🧩 Key Takeaways
Picks are possibilities, not performance.Flexibility creates value; certainty charges a premium.Choose: possibilities or points—based on your direction.Direction before transaction.Manage strategically, not emotionally.🔗 Related Links
Jeff's d...Dynasty Compass | Are They Who We Thought They Were?
Six weeks in, it’s time for a midseason bearings check. Jeff Blaylock breaks down six questions to decide whether your dynasty roster should stay the course or change direction.
Key Takeaways
Dynasty Compass | Welcome to Dumpsville
Saying goodbye is hard — but necessary.
In this episode, Jeff Blaylock (The Other Jeff B) walks through how to decide when to drop or move on from underperforming players in dynasty.
We’ll look at the three traps that keep managers holding too long — sunk cost, wishcasting, and false insurance — and how to replace emotion with forecasting.
Jeff also shares the key draft capital and opportunity trends that predict when a player’s window is closing.
In this episode:
When to let go and whyHow draft pedigree shapes opportunityRecognizing when “the dream is o...Dynasty Compass | Navigating Bye Weeks
Death, taxes, and bye weeks — three certainties, but only one we can actually plan for. This week on Dynasty Compass, Jeff Blaylock (The Other Jeff B) tackles the challenge of bye-week management.
In this episode, you'll learn
Bye weeks don’t have to derail your season. Think ahead, act earl...
Dynasty Compass | Trade Winds, Part II
Description:
Knowing how to value trades is only half the battle. This week, we move from studying the map to sailing the seas — actually making dynasty trades.
Topics include:
The Three Fs of trading: Fairness, Flexibility, and Fitness
Building a reputation as a good trade partner
Identifying mismatched needs and finding the right partners
How to make offers that get accepted without burning bridges
The best trades are win-win. Both teams improve, and both managers walk away happy. That’s how you sail the trade winds.
Dynasty Compass | Trade Winds, Part I
Description:
Who won this trade? That’s the question social media always demands an answer to. But in dynasty, the only correct answer is both.
In this episode of Dynasty Compass, we study the map before we sail the trade winds. Topics include:
Why context matters more than consensus rankingsDraft picks as the true “currency of the realm”Learning from rejected, countered, and accepted tradesSpotting timing and arbitrage opportunitiesTrade value isn’t about charts or calculators — it’s about positioning your roster to catch the winds that move you closer to your chosen...
Dynasty Compass | The FAAB Four
Most dynasty managers approach waivers with two questions:
How much should I bid on this player?Should I spend early or save for later?Both are the wrong starting point.
In this episode of Dynasty Compass, Jeff Blaylock walks through the FAAB Four — the four fundamentals that will help you stop wasting FAAB and start making sharper, more strategic bids:
What problem am I trying to solve?What kind of player is this?When do I expect value?What am I giving up if I win this bid?Along the way, Je...
Dynasty Compass | Your Weekly Planner
The NFL season is here! That means it’s time to move from offseason building into in-season roster management. In this episode, Jeff shares a repeatable weekly schedule that will keep you on top of your dynasty team without burning out.
In this episode:
What to do each day of the week during the NFL seasonThe three levels of effort: Essential, Competitive, and ProHow to manage your roster effectively if you only have an hour per weekWhen to focus on waivers, trades, lineup setting, contingency plans, and ob...