Like every good owner, you evaluate the talent on your bench regularly and scour the waiver wire each week. Even if you don't need someone to start immediately, it only makes sense to see what's available, and make upgrades when possible.
You probably look at your opponents' rosters, too. Maybe you have a couple of guys you want to target, and you'll make an offer sometime before the deadline. If you're planning to buy -- or sell -- a player, I encourage you to do it now, and not wait for your league's actual deadline.
No matter how much time you plan to get a trade done, it probably won't be long enough. Some owners like to take their time and consider offers; I mean a lot of time. What should take a day or so could stretch into weeks as you field counter-proposals and wait for them to lull over your latest offer. Some owners will actively shop that same player to other owners, trying to get the best possible deal. Nothing really wrong with that, but then you have to wait for them to respond and either decline or start their own negotiations. Then, once you actually get a deal in place, most leagues have a waiting period before a trade actually goes through. That could tack on a few extra days while the commissioner considers the trade or (unfortunately) the league gets to vote on whether a trade should go through. Assuming nobody involved in the trade gets hurt (which would send everybody back to the drawing board) you'll finally have your new players. But are you sure you can get all that done in a week or two?
Your trade deadline should still be weeks away, but I suggest you make your moves this week. If you want a player, make the offers now. If you want to ship someone out, start making your inquiries. And that doesn't mean using a "trading block" feature if your league website has it. I mean actual one-on-one contact with individual owners. You'll have plenty of time to get a deal done and you'll have less competition from the last-minute buyers and sellers who will make contact three days before the deadline.
Oh, there's another reason: Week 7 was brutal with regard to injuries. Jay Cutler, Doug Martin, Jermichael Finley and Reggie Wayne are just a few names that impacted fantasy teams. Other players like Nick Foles and Sam Bradford might not have been starters, but they probably provided important depth on rosters. And we don't really know about Arian Foster or Ben Tate. Throw in question marks for James Jones, Roddy White and Jimmy Graham, and this might be a really good time to go shopping for players or shop difference-makers from your roster.
Nothing is guaranteed, of course. You could spend a month trying to make a deal only to leave empty-handed. But so what? Having more time is better than less time. While other owners are scrambling to the waiver wire and calling it a week, you should be at the waiver wire and your e-mail account, making waiver requests and trade proposals.
You already know to find a player you want and try to craft a deal that makes sense to your potential trading partner. You have plenty of experience finding problems with other teams and presenting your own guys as a solution. All I'm saying is you should ramp up your efforts well before your trade deadline. Even if you've been putting out offers for weeks, redouble your efforts now. Giving yourself extra time could really pay off in a couple of months. Good luck this week.
How do you deal with trade headaches, and when do you make your final push for players? Share your thoughts below.