Eight Tips to Become a Great Fantasy Trader.

[madd futher mucker 36]

Here are some tips I sprinkled into my last year's fantasy football blog on fftoday that I turned into an article. Believe me, these ideas DO work.

 

“Eight Tips to Become a Great Fantasy Trader”.

 

1. Communication is the key. Get to know the other owners as PEOPLE, and you will have much more success in trading with them. Then start kicking around trade possibilities, even if you are not targeting any specific player. I’m an old school guy who likes to pick up the phone and get to know the other owners in my leagues. Get to know who likes to talk football, who like to text, who prefers email….then just talk football. Guys just don’t work the trade lines enough. I‘ve found that it pays sometimes to ask directly what would it take to pick up a Crabtree? Sometimes it starts an offer/counter-offer dialog that ends in a trade. And occasionally their response is less than what you were prepared to offer.

 

2. Be persistent. Send out offers constantly, even if only as ‘feelers‘. I try to put out at least a new trade a week in every one of my leagues. You never know what trade is just around the corner. And remember to have patience. About one out of every 8 trade offers I make end up in a trade.

 

3. Spreadsheet and update every roster in each of your leagues with bye weeks noted. It is vital to think about the needs of the other team and to try to help upgrade that team when trading. Spreadsheeting makes it easier to see and appreciate the other teams’ needs.

 

4. Constantly remind yourself that player valuation is extremely fluid and inexact. Owners place significantly different valuations on players. We are all guilty of not making an offer because we don't think the owner will be interested. Always error on the side of making that offer - you will often be surprised. Some trades only make sense if viewed through the unique prism of those owners involved in the trade. I have seen trades that appeared on the surface to make no sense for an owner, but keep in mind that each owner has their own plan for their team. By definition, “fair” trades only happen when BOTH OWNERS BELIEVE that the value of the players received has more benefit to THEIR team than the players they gave up.

 

5. Don't be afraid to "lose" a trade by giving up too much once in a while. Become the owner that everyone looks to first because of your reputation for trading fairly. But in particular, don't be afraid to "overpay" for a stud. I think all of us sometimes find that hard to do, but in the long run, you will probably have gotten a bargain. Remember, studs should cost a lot because they win you championships.

 

6. There is nothing wrong with “winning” a trade every once in a while either. When proposing a trade, it is often best (and this depends on the situation) to begin with a starting point that favors your team - you need to start somewhere with trade offers, and occasionally you may be pleasantly surprised when your original offer is accepted. However, starting with an extremely lopsided trade offer often will often ruin your credibility with your potential trading partner.

 

7. Conversely, don't get offended by any offer made to you. Instead, keep your cool and the lines of communication open. I used to be guilty of dismissing ridiculous trade offers with sarcasm. I still need to constantly remind myself to simply comment that “I don’t think we are close enough on value to continue this.“ Because (rarely) (a) the owner will send me a counter that is a lot closer and a deal sometimes gets done, and (b ) if I respond with sarcasm, chances are that my future opportunities to trade with that owner will be lost. It just doesn't make sense to eliminate any potential trade partner just because he made an insulting offer.

 

8. When it comes to trading, maintaining your integrity and taking the high road pays off. Become the owner that everyone looks to first because of your reputation for trading fairly.

 

 

Feel free to comment on these 8 tips or even add to them!

[Super Cubs 132]

I agree 100% with #5. A great rule for dynasty and keeper leagues.

[WhiteWonder 2,172]

#9 pick on the guys with trading addictions

[Cara 0]

I agree 100% about not getting offended by any trade offer. I've had rookie fantasy owners send me some of the most horrible offers. In the past, I would list all the reasons why they are a horrible owner in my reply. It doesn't take long for the trade offers to stop when you do that. Now, I will simply reject the trade or counter with something I consider fair. At least this way, I still receive offers in the future.

[420allstars 13]

Its takes soo much out of me not to put guys in there place when I get those brutal offers! I have taken the high road most of the time and I do agree that is the best way from a realationshilp building standpoint!

 

tx for sharing MFM

[WhiteWonder 2,172]

i will usually kindly explain why a trade is not good for my team. Sometimes i feel it should be blatantly obvious why I wouldn't do a certain deal but i try not to be mean about it.

 

sometimes i get a good trade but i simply don't want to do it because i favor my player more. so i simply reply that its a fair offer but it doesn't interest me. I don't trade for the sake of trading.