Part of the fun of fantasy football is making trades. And the philosophy of any owner considering offering or accepting one is "buy low, sell high." But you have to ask yourself: Are you buying low, or are they selling high?
This is an interesting week psychologically. The "don't panic" mantra after week 1 is long gone, and teams are staring at records they didn't expect in July. They're also seeing disappointing statistics, injury reports and committee backfields that make Sundays something less than the celebration they expected after draft day.
At the same time, they're also optimistic enough to know it isn't over. If they can right the ship, the playoffs are well within reach. So they're calm enough to see the big picture, but rattled enough to destroy it by trading away their players. Enter the shrewd entrepreneur/mogul/fantasy owner.
All you have to do is scoop up the offending player for a song, then sing your way to a title when they come around. I've done that before. I've made great moves that netted me a difference-maker, and in the end I won the title. I'm a genius!
Oh, yeah. There are times when I bought a dud, gutted my depth and fell to the bottom of the standings. I'm an idiot!
In reality, I'm neither (or maybe both). Trades don't always work out, of course. That's part of the game. But sometimes I convince myself there's a good deal out there because I want to be the guy who bought low. I'm trying to create a scenario that might not exist. You can't buy a diamond in the rough if it's not really a diamond.
So if you smell the blood in the water and want to go bargain-hunting, be careful. Is there really a deal out there, or do you simply want there to be one? You see the C.J. Anderson owner panicking. You can probably get him very reasonably. Or can you? Is he worth what it will take to get him? Do you see Anderson turning things around, fending off Ronnie Hillman and becoming a reliable starter? Or is he last year's half-season wonder who took advantage of injuries to become a fantasy powerhouse? What do you want to see?
How about Alshon Jeffery? When he heals, will be bolster your receiving corps and carry you to fantasy glory, making circus catches and winning positional battles on fade routes in the end zone? Or will he just be the best option on a sinking ship with Jimmy Clausen behind center? Do you want it to be one way or the other?
When you make trades, it would be ideal it as an objective party. In a perfect world, you wouldn't necessarily want Anderson or Jeffery. You wouldn't care one way or the other. You'd either see an undervalued player, or someone to avoid. That's it. If they're worth more than what you have to offer, you move forward. If they're not (maybe the owner is stubborn and wants week 1 value for a week 3 underperformer) you move on. Easy, right?
Sure. And you know all that. But here's the thing: You're not objective. You have a team of your own, and you either have a need at a certain position, or an abundance of talent at another. Or you like trading. Any of those characteristics could nudge you toward a deal you might not make otherwise. You need a better wideout, so you want one to be available cheap. You have more effective quarterbacks than you can start, so you want to trade one for something you can actually use.
And that's how you get yourself into trouble. I'm not saying there aren't good deals out there, but consider this your friendly warning: Before you go try to buy low, make sure the other owner isn't really selling high. Maybe avoiding that headache is the best move you can make. The other owner might be making a move too early, but if you accept the trade, aren't you also making a move early? Something to consider over your trade e-mail and texts. Good luck this week.
Are you hunting for bargains? Have you pulled the trigger on any interesting deals? Share your stories below.
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