According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of addiction is: a strong and harmful need to regularly have something (such as a drug) or do something (such as gamble). I tell you this because admitting you have a problem is the first step and I am here to say, I have a problem.
True life: I’m addicted to fantasy football trades.
I am constantly looking for ways to improve my team and typically the only way to do that is through trades once the season starts. If you are in a competitive league with people who know what they are doing, the waiver wire is probably pretty bare. In my 10+ years of having an addiction, I like to put people into 2 buckets. People who know how to trade, and those who don’t.
First, let’s talk about people who don’t, because I hate them. I hate them like I hate people who put their hazards on when it’s raining out. Thanks for the heads up lady (I assume)! Without your hazards on, I would never have realized all the shit falling from the sky. I digress. People who don’t know how to trade are the worst. You know exactly who I’m talking about; the guy who doesn’t even text you first and sends over Blake Bortles for Gronk, Julio Jones, and David Johnson. The best way to handle a clown like this, is don’t respond and let the trade sit there.
People who don’t know how to trade is not what this post is about, though. So let’s talk about how to get a fantasy football trade done. Executing a trade is a lot like dating, you can’t get it in without a little wining and dining first.
Below are my three tips to making magic in the form of a fantasy football trade:
Tip 1
First and foremost, do your fucking research. Do you think someone is going to trade for Drew Brees when they have Andrew Luck starting? “But Brees is a top 5 QB?!?!” It’s all about need and sometimes trades just don’t work. I personally like to overdraft at a position knowing that it will be a need for someone at some point in the season. In the NFL, injuries aren’t probable, they are guaranteed, and they can quickly derail a fantasy season. They can also present an opportunity for someone who drafted properly to take advantage of desperation if they do their research first.
Tip 2
Open up a dialogue. It’s 2016, pre-schoolers have iPhones and I’m assuming everyone in your league has one too. You no longer have to rely on the pony express to tell your brother that Uncle Paul died 3 months ago from Dysentery during the war. I just timed myself. It took 10 seconds to send a text and I was moving slowly. Talk about what your trade partner wants. Where on their roster are they looking to improve? Who is unmovable? Those types of questions will go a long way in speeding up a deal and getting it done.
Tip 3
Fill the need. I’m building a car from scratch and I have 4 tires but no steering wheel. Do you think I give a shit if you are looking to sell tires right now, I need a wheel! Perfect example, you’re in a league with someone who drafted Keenan Allen and another top tier receiver. They then ignored that position in the draft until they got someone who should never start. Now you can swoop in and be the hero but don’t start by offering a QB. They NEED a WR and the best part is you know it. This is a great opportunity for you swoop in with two above average players and snipe a better talent at a position like running back or QB if you have the depth.
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Now take these tips and go out there and make some deals.
