First time doing dynasty, we've got a start-up auction... any tips or pointers?

[Mr. Wizard]

I've got my first ever dynasty start-up coming in a couple weeks. We're doing it on RealitySportsOnline, which has a salary cap of $167m like the actual NFL. We did a rookie draft already, and since we're transferring over from a keeper league, I'm bringing Melvin Gordon with me. For those who really wanna get nitty-gritty, in each auction we can offer up to one four-year deal, two three-year deals, and three two-year deals.

Some other details:
-20 man rosters, standard starting lineup (QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, TE, FLX, DST, K)
-10 man league
-0.5 PPR
-tight ends can be flexed
-the other team's keepers are Bell, DJ, Demarco Murray, Rodgers, Cooks, Howard, Freeman, Ajayi, and Zeke

My team, with my keeper and my rookies, is so far comprised of
QB: Mitch Trubisky
HB: Melvin Gordon, Kareem Hunt
TE: David Njoku

So, I'm not necessarily looking for someone to be a super-hero and hold my hand for me, but as a first-timer, I'm wondering if anyone has some pointers for where I might want to invest most of my auction money. My current rough draft plan is to go balls out for wide receivers, since they're all going to be available except Cooks. Runningback... I'm considering taking a pass on that unless the guys I'm playing with undervalue Gurley or something, maybe trying to snag guys like Spencer Ware to complement my Kareem Hunt pick.

Do you think it's a sound decision to go hard and spend a large chunk of my cap room to try to lock up guys like OBJ, Evans, and Antonio Brown for multiple year deals, or should I be more level-headed and try to spread the wealth? So many runningbacks are already spoken for from our previous keeper league that it seems like maybe my best bet is being hyper-aggressive to lock up some elite wides and hope to solidify RB through bargains and future draft picks.

What do you think? I'd appreciate any feedback, whether it's very general strategy tips or specific guys you think would be smart to target. Thanks!

EDIT: I should specify with the way the league works, I've got control of Gordon for three years, and Trubisky/Hunt/Njoku for four years.

[Lordchay]

Based on the starting requirements and the 0.5 PPR, I would definitely go balls-out for elite WRs and try to target undervalued ppr RBs like Riddick, Coleman, Duke Johnson later on to put with Gordon.

If you could end up with the ability to start 3 of the top 15 WRs in a 10 team league would be awesome.

You guys got any openings? Always wanted to do a league like this.

[Fantasy>>>Reality]

dont overpay for youth, but get some talented youth.

[Mr. Wizard]

Based on the starting requirements and the 0.5 PPR, I would definitely go balls-out for elite WRs and try to target undervalued ppr RBs like Riddick, Coleman, Duke Johnson later on to put with Gordon.

If you could end up with the ability to start 3 of the top 15 WRs in a 10 team league would be awesome.

You guys got any openings? Always wanted to do a league like this.

Unfortunately no openings, but yes I'm excited! We've been thinking of taking it this way for ages, so it'll be fun.

I appreciate the tip; the more I ponder, I think my dream scenario is to go balls-to-the-wall and see if I can lock up OBJ and Evans, then get one other top WR as my 4yr and two 3yr deals. It's a big dream and it might not pan out that way, but I'm thinking that if I roll out Gordon at RB1 and then can start three dynamite receivers every week... in half-PPR, I could probably get away with just having "a guy" at QB/RB2/TE. I'm crossing my fingers that maybe my league will be going in thinking about trying to be frugal and I can blow the gates off in the first couple minutes. I don't really care if I blow like 60% of my cap on them if I can then have a ridiculous slate of WRs locked up for a few years each, right? I figure if I've got Gordon and three top 10 WRs out there, I'm probably gonna win some games no matter what lower-tier stuff I'm rolling out at other positions. Bargain hunt the rest of the way. Then if I draft well and can get another solid RB at some point (maybe my boy Kareem Hunt could even do the trick), that'd be an incredible place to start.

A few years ago in a redraft league, I picked Antonio Brown in the late 2nd (it was right before he really took over) and got OBJ off waivers in his rookie year. I won the championship, needless to say. I want to get back to that.

[Mr. Wizard]

Separate but related question... could always make a different topic for it but I'll ask here first.

OBJ and Mike Evans seems to be pretty easily the top two WRs you wanna splurge on for multi-year deals in a startup. Young, incredibly talented, great fantasy production. However, looking at the next handful, would you rather have Antonio Brown or Amari Cooper for the next three years or so? Trying to figure out how I'd prioritize these top dudes.

[MockGM]

Sounds like I'm in a relatively similar league. We don't have contracts, but player salaries go up every year.

I'd personally go balls out for Evans or OBJ and lock them up for 4 years. Presumably, you won't be the only person doing this and from my experience, the first guy on the board goes for less as panic ensues for the second guy.

For other spots, just search for value or guys you think may break out. I agree Amari could be one of those guys, but not sure because of his age and talent you will be able to get him for value. In my league QB's are kinda neglected and if you can get ARog for cheap and put him on a 3 year deal, a squad with a base of ARog, Evans/OBJ and Melvin sounds pretty scary.

[Mr. Wizard]

Rodgers is one guy's keeper, unfortunately, but maybe Trubisky will turn out to be the real deal?.. haha. In the meantime, though, yeah, I'll probably gun for a two year deal on a guy like Matt Ryan or a one year deal for Brady or something. It'd be tempting to splurge on Luck, Mariota, Winston, Carr, etc., but I don't really think that's where I want to spend my money.

I'm hoping I can go guns blazing and get two of the absolute tip-top receivers but I wouldn't be surprised if I'm not the only one thinking that. We'll see how it plays out and how much of my cap I'm comfortable spending.