My Fantasy Draft Update – It’s Trading Time

The season has yet to begin, but the only thing I love more than the draft in head to head league format is the ability to trade.  I think trading is an art and takes much more precision than the draft itself.  The problem with trading within Fantasy sports is that I have found many people just can’t appreciate the intricacies of making a really good trade.  My thoughts on Fantasy trades is this, if you are going to trade with someone make sure your team gets better but theirs does not.  If not, what is the point it then becomes counter productive.

I have seen many times on message boards after a deal has been completed, “good deal for both” or “the benefits both sides.”  Many times I wonder what deal they are looking at as one team clearly got better.  But for our sake we will discuss the “even” trades.  If no side get’s significantly better, then why make the deal?  Also, if each side does get significantly better, why make the deal?  I’m still amazed that teams are all very willing to deal with me.  I will not make a deal unless I know two things will happen:

1.  I get better

2.  The other team gets worse – it is not enough for me to know that I got better the other team must get worse.

I will always maintain, it is not how you draft that wins Fantasy games rather what you do with what you draft that decides every season.  I will use my current Fantasy season as an example as I have already made two trades.  My first deal I wanted to have some Bills representation on my team.  I went out and made an offer to a Dolphins fan.  After much negotiations we finalized a deal sending me Terrell Owens and Lee Evans and Joseph Addai.  In return I sent the Dolphins fan Willie Parker and Thomas Jones.  This left me searching for a running back as I was not comfortable with Addai to go along with Michael Turner.  I let a week go by and Dolphins fan decided he wanted to make another deal.  He offered me a deal for Jay Cutler and Anthony Gonzalez.  I call this the beginning of the end.  It’s always important to know what the other GM’s focus is on in order to slowly maneuver them away from what they want and into the realm of what you want.

I needed a running back because of my previous dealings with him.  He had the one thing I wanted… Adrian Peterson.  But, the one thing standing in our way was the fact that I had Michael Turner.  Who in their right mind would allow me to have both?  I decided to throw out a feeler offer.  The purpose of this is much like putting an offer on a house.  Too low and the other GM will not counter the trade.  Too high and you end up paying more than you really needed to and may end up hurting your team in the end.  Although it would be nice if they accept the initial deal, the real goal of this offer is to get a counter.

I offered Cutler and Calvin Johnson for Adrian Peterson.  The reason for this is he already had two QB’s a third does him no good and by acquiring his top two receivers already in Evans and Owens, Johnson is more of a luxury (also have Steve Smith…the good one!).  I got my counter.  Calvin Johnson, Anthony Gonzalez and Joseph Addai for Adrian Peterson, Isaac Bruce and Kevin Walter.  Done and Done.  Joseph Addai is no loss, and as I already sent him Willie Parker he will now have an injury risk with 2 out of his 3 running backs.  Although Johnson will be missed I look at this deal as a solidifying deal.  Turner and Peterson will always be must starts.  16 weeks out of a possible 17 weeks I will have my running backs set and only need to worry about their bye weeks.  Although I lose Calvin Johnson, being able to solidify the running backs while still being able to start Smith, Evans and Owens and have Walter backing it up is a plus.

As a side note, Dolphins also ended up with too many team defences and dropped San Diego’s.  I quickly picked it up as well.  Now I don’t feel as bad for only having Miami’s team defence.

Remember, it’s all about the counter.  Most trades are never accepted right off the bat so don’t be afraid to consistently send out feeler offers.  The only way you can catch fish is if you actually have the line go into the water.  Always understand that it is not your responsibility to make the other team better, just your own.  Too often a GM will say to me “what do I get out of this deal you offered me,” to which I typically respond “I don’t care, my job is to win and make my team better not yours.”

Tags: Adrian Peterson, Anthony Gonzalez, Buffalo Bills, Calvin Johnson, Fantasy Football, Isaac Bruce, Jay Cutler, Joseph Addai, Kevin Walter, Lee Evans, Miami, Michael Turner, Sand Diego, Terrell Owens, Thomas Jones, Willie Parker