2013 Fantasy Football Strategies: 8 Tips On Making Trades

Making Trades: 2013 Fantasy Football Strategies

More often than not, when a fantasy owner needs to boost their team, they turn to the waiver wire. Owners love it because they essentially choose who to cut and who they are replacing the cut player with. The only negotiation is in their heads, and there is no haggling. While there might be a gem or two on the waiver wire each season, it is hard to come by elite talent on the wire. Sometimes, the only way to improve your team is to make a trade.

For some reason, some owners seem reluctant to wheel and deal. Maybe there is a fear of getting the wool pulled over their eyes by another owner. Maybe it is due to some emotional attachment to a player on their roster. Maybe they think their team is stacked and there is no reason to try to improve it. You are not going undefeated. I have never heard of an undefeated team in fantasy football. If you’ve done it, you probably need to find better competition. The point is your team could always get better.

I don’t know what it is about it, but I love making trades. I draft well and I usually have my team established on draft day, but I love making a trade. Even though I may have a top tier player, I like to trust my gut and switch things up. I love grabbing players who may not be performing at their best right before they heat up.

Don’t be afraid to make trades. You might see a stretch of schedule you think you could take advantage of and is worth moving one of your players for. Your team can always get better. I offer eight tips on how to pull off a successful trade.

Dustin Manko is a contributing writer at Rant Sports.com. Follow him on Twitter @DustinManko, ”Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google

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Trade After The Big Game

Your player will be at their most valuable after a huge game. Ask yourself if that game was the norm or the ceiling. If that is the ceiling, trade right now while the player is at peak value. If your player just had a career game, now could be the best time to trade.

Be Flexible

Start with a fair offer, but be prepared to get a counter offer. Don’t be offended if the other owner makes a counter offer. Be ready to adjust.

Don’t Inflate Value

Let’s just say you love the Kansas City Chiefs and you have Dwayne Bowe on your team. Just because you love Bowe doesn’t mean that he has the same value as Calvin Johnson. Owners tend to value a player that is on their roster more than they are actually worth just because said player is on their roster. Remember that a guy is not worth 20 percent above market value just because he is on your team and you love his real-life team.

Offer A Fair Deal

To get, you have to give. Nobody in their right mind is going to give you Adrian Peterson in exchange for Peyton Hillis. If you want a top-tier player, be prepared to offer something significant in return.

Target Teams With a Need

If you have eight quality running backs on your roster but only one quality wide receiver, you obviously need another receiver. Look for the team that has a surplus of receivers that might need an upgrade at running back. Offer a solid receiver for a solid running back. Find a trade that works for both teams.

Don’t Try to Fleece During the Trade

Odds are you play in a league with some friends, family and/or coworkers. Odds are you will probably be playing in this league for more than just this season. If you pull off some trade where you give very little and get a huge return, sooner or later the person you fleeced will figure it out. The other owners will figure it out too. Now nobody will trade with you because even if you make a fair offer, they will think you’re trying to fleece them.

Don’t Be Pushy

Offer the trade and give the owner your pitch on why the trade would work for both teams. Then back off. Nothing kills a trade more than being pushy. Think of it like a used car lot -- nobody likes it when the salesperson is on you like white on rice from the second you step foot on the lot until you leave. Make your pitch, and then give them a little time to mull it over.

Don’t Be Afraid To Pull The Offer

Act now, supplies limited! No, they aren’t. The reason businesses do that is called “fear of loss.” If you think you are about to lose out on something, you are more likely to buy. The same strategy applies to trades. If the owner you offered the trade to is dragging their feet, don’t be afraid to pull the deal off the table. If they come back to you, you have the advantage. If not, you were more than likely wasting your efforts there.