How to Trade in Fantasy Football and Build Your Dream
August 7, 2023
Trading in fantasy football can be a great way to improve your team and build relationships with fellow owners. However, it’s also important to understand your limits and how to properly negotiate a trade.
The key to successful trading is to be respectful and diplomatic. If you’re not, your league-mates may want to avoid trading with you.
Know What You Want
Knowing what you want is an important component of trading in fantasy football. It will help you determine what your limits are and make sure that you are not overextending yourself or getting ripped off.
One of the first things you should do before negotiating a trade is to know your opponent’s roster and their goals for the season. This will help you identify any positions where you might have a surplus and identify which teams are weak at those positions. You can then target these owners with offers that fit their needs and get them to take you on.
Another thing to do is identify your own strengths and weaknesses at a certain position. For example, if you have a strong team at wide receiver but are weak at quarterback, you can offer to trade a top quarterback to the owner with a struggling receiver. This is an effective way to improve your team and also give the other owner a better player for their team.
You can also look for red hot players that are about to start regressing and try to acquire them before they hit the market. This will help you avoid a situation where you could be paying a high price for a player who may drop off soon after.
This is especially helpful if you are playing against someone with a strong defense, since they might not be interested in acquiring a strong running back or wide receiver who has been struggling this year. They might be willing to let you walk away with a solid player for an up-and-coming quarterback or a good defensive player.
Know What You Are Worth
Trading in fantasy football is a key part of making your team stronger and better. However, there are some things that you should keep in mind when trading to make sure that you are not being taken advantage of and that you are getting what you are worth.
Knowing what you are worth is important when trading in fantasy football because it will help you determine how much you should ask for and what you should be willing to give up. If you know what players you are worth, it will be easier to negotiate with owners and get them to accept a trade that benefits both of you.
One way to know what you are worth is by using a tool such as Pro Football Reference’s value chart. This tool helps you assess the value of different players at various positions. It also helps you decide if a player is worth trading for or not.
Another thing to keep in mind when you are looking at the value of a player is how much they have been contributing in comparison to other players in the league. If a player is consistently producing high points in the league, they are probably a great buy low candidate. On the other hand, if a player is consistently averaging fewer points than the other players on their team, they are most likely a great sell high candidate.
It is not uncommon for players to produce record numbers in the early part of the season and then start to drop off in production as the season progresses. This is a sign that they are coming down in value, and that an owner will be seeking a trade for them.
Know When To Sell
Whether you’re a fantasy football manager or a trader, knowing when to sell your players is important for success. It can be difficult to know when to unload a player that’s been struggling or acquire a diamond in the rough, but by taking the time to think through your strategy and the best way to pull off the deal, you can improve your team in the long run.
The best time to start a trading discussion is weeks in advance of your desired move. You can use this time to scout potential deals, determining which ones are worth pursuing and which owners might be looking to move on from your roster.
You should also be on the lookout for red-hot players who are putting up high numbers at the moment and may soon fade. For example, DeSean Jackson was an elite fantasy player for a while, but he is currently on a slide and could fall back to earth over the next few weeks.
These types of players are not only valuable to other teams, but they can also be great pickups for your own team. As you go about negotiating trades, be sure to make a case for why your offer is a good one.
Aside from the obvious, you should also take the time to show your prospective partners that you’re a smart trader and have done your research. That might include showing them the best trade targets for your roster, or giving them a brief overview of what you have to offer.