Introduction
Trading in fantasy football is super exciting and one of the best ways to shake things up with your team. It gives you the chance to fill in any gaps, deal with injuries, or just get rid of players you’re not feeling anymore. It’s like a whole new game after the draft. But a lot of people mess it up and end up not getting any trades to happen. This article is going to spill the secrets on how to actually make trades without messing up your team.
The Secrets to Making Trades
What Makes a Good Trade?
First things first, a lot of fantasy managers seem to miss the point that a trade has to be attractive to the other side for it to go through. I mean, if you’re offering your junk for their gold, why would they even consider it? Before proposing a trade, you’ve got to think from the other player’s perspective. Will this trade benefit their team? Does it offer them any value? Would you accept it if you were in their shoes? If you can come up with trades that genuinely help the other player, I bet you’ll see more of your trades closing the deal.
The Benefits of Building Trust
If you’re always trying to talk up your trades like “this guy’s going to blow up” or “your player isn’t even that good this year”, and then your trades keep falling flat, you’re going to lose the trust of your fellow league members. Remember, if your league sees you winning every trade and constantly trying to sweet talk others into iffy deals, they’re going to stop wanting to trade with you, even if the trade is actually fair. Trust is key in trading. If you offer up decent trades that benefit both sides, more people will be keen to trade with you. Build that trust and you might even get away with a few lopsided trades without anyone batting an eye.
The Use of Trade Analyzers
There are so many trade analyzers out there these days. Just Google “fantasy football trade analyzer,” and you’ll find tons of results. But keep in mind, all these analyzers will give you different answers, so take it with a grain of salt. Don’t be that guy who sends a trade offer and only relies on some random trade analyzer for their reasoning. These analyzers might suggest that two low-end wide receivers are worth one of the top running backs in the league, but that wouldn’t actually be the case in real life.
Below, we’ve got responses from different trade analyzers that clearly show just how much they can differ and how off from reality they can be. So, in this trade, one team is offering up Christian McCaffery, the best running back in fantasy football, in exchange for Tony Pollard and Najee Harris, who are more like mid-to-low end RB2s. You’d think this trade would heavily favor the team getting CMC, right? But the trade analyzers disagree. Last season, Tony Pollard was putting up RB2 numbers, and Najee Harris spent a good chunk of the season warming the benches in fantasy leagues. So, in reality, the team giving away CMC is basically just downgrading at running back. But the trade analyzers are showing a completely different story.
Now, some trade analyzers actually nailed this specific trade by saying the team with CMC should keep him. But this just goes to show that each trade analyzer can say something different, and they shouldn’t have the “final say” in any trade.
The Keys to Crafting a Good Trade
When you’re looking to make a trade, think of these three things…
- Where does my team need to improve?
- Where does their team need to improve?
- Would I accept my trade offer if I was them?
Say you’re looking to step up your game at wide receiver while the other team needs to amp up their running back position. You could propose a trade where you offer a decent running back for a similar level wide receiver straight up. Another option is to sweeten the deal by offering two middle-of-the-pack running backs for a top-notch wide receiver, especially if the other team is really struggling with their running back lineup. The key is to make sure the trade works out well for both sides, increasing the chances of it actually happening.
Final Thoughts
In the end, trading doesn’t have to be super complicated. As long as you’re not constantly trying to outsmart others, you can make as many trades as you want. Just keep in mind that establishing trust with your fellow league mates is crucial. Trades should be somewhat fair, so make an effort to create a good one.
Comment Below: What is your biggest tip for making more trades?
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