If you did everything correctly, you should have left your fantasy baseball draft thinking that you have a shot at winning the championship. Sure, it will take some injury luck and perhaps one or more of your sleepers to have a breakout season. But you should feel like you have a contender.
But even so, that does not mean you should rest on your laurels. Championships are often decided by inches, and even the slightest edge you can potentially gain is worth pursuing. So, looking to the trade market early and often, even just to evaluate your options, is one of a fantasy manager’s most brilliant moves.
To help craft the perfect trade, consult our fantasy baseball trade value chart. If you’ve followed our fantasy baseball, fantasy football, or dynasty coverage over the last several seasons, you’re familiar with how these work. The values assigned to each player are not meant to be tangible, and they’re not FAAB dollars or anything of the sort. They’re simply a weight assigned to each player’s value – take both sides of a proposed trade, add up the values, and see which side comes out ahead. That’s all there is to it.
As I note every year, unless you’re a loyal and avid reader, I know you have at least four questions. So, to help you out, here are your answers:
This is only for rotisserie formats, and it’s based on a standard 12-team league. Please do not rely on them for head-to-head points or categories leagues (Well, you can in the latter, really. Differences would be minor). They’re a good overall barometer for players’ value, regardless of the format.
No, it doesn’t work if you add up the value of eight players in a trade for one player. That’s just silly.
No, these are not meant to be firm rules. Like the pirate’s code, they’re more like guidelines.
Finally, whoops, sorry for forgetting to include [insert name of your favorite player] or giving [insert name of your second-favorite player] too low of a value. Sure, you can yell at me about it on Twitter, and then we can hash it out and become best friends!
Ok, that should take care of it, yes? Not to worry, I’ll be updating this bad boy every week while noting and discussing any significant movers. Enjoy!
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If you want to dive deeper into fantasy baseball, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Baseball Tools as you navigate your season. From our Lineup Assistant – which provides your optimal lineup, based on accurate consensus projections – to our Waiver Wire Assistant – that allows you to quickly see which available players will improve your team, and by how much – we’ve got you covered this fantasy baseball season.
Dan Harris is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Dan, check out his archive or follow him on Twitter @danharris80.
