Trading is as much a science as it is an art. There are trade calculators you can use that make it less emotional and more analytical if that’s your cup of tea. There are even some on FantasyPros.com that you can use. Ultimately, it all comes down to your gut though. But where do you begin? Whether you’re new to fantasy football or a veteran at the game, here are some tips on how to make a trade in your own league.
Step 1: Determine your strengths and weaknesses
The first thing I tell people is to trade away whatever you have the most of. I know, I can hear you groaning already, but it needs to be said for those that may be brand new here. If you have a lot of WRs then that’s probably where you should start looking for players on your own team to trade away.
Obviously, you want to find someone on your team that you won’t miss if you lose them. Generally, when making a trade, I start looking at who is on my bench that I’m not all that fond of or who I’m not certain will grow in value in a year. Sometimes you might even look at your top players and decide that they’re descending assets. Maybe they’d be a good trade-away candidate as well. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide who you will offer to another manager in return for someone you might like more.
After you find where you’re strongest, look for where you’re weakest. If you’re light at RB but heavy at WR, then look for a trade where you send a WR in return for an RB. In each case, no matter the position, it’s always best to try to predict where the players’ value will be in a year or two. If possible, you want to send one of your stronger players who’s a descending asset in exchange for an ascending player at your weakest position. If you make this kind of upgrade over and over, you’ll find your own team will get stronger very quickly, so keep that in mind.
Step 2: Find your trade partner
Once you’ve evaluated your own roster and figured out who you want to send away, look at the other rosters in your league and see who might need that player most. If you want to send a WR, find a trade partner who is light at WR. It’s not rocket science, but again, it needs to be said for clarity.
While looking for a partner, focus on players that you like on other rosters. If you think a particular RB is going to have a great year, but you know that the league and community at large are lower on him than you are, then maybe you send an offer for them below what you think they’re worth. You might as well. Sending offers like this can be tricky, and doing so too often can cause your league-mates to get upset, but it can also be a way to find an edge for your team.
You might actually find a few options in your league that could use the piece you want to send. There’s no rule that says you have to send trades one at a time, so don’t hesitate to send multiple offers to multiple managers. All you’re doing with these first offers is letting the other team know what you’re offering. This doesn’t necessarily mean that this is where you’ll finish, but it’s a good start.
Also, for more guidance on dynasty trades, specifically the kinds of offers you should send and what kinds of trades are best depending on your place in the league, check out my article on trading in my Dynasty Roster Renovation series where I reviewed the three main types of trades. The only wrong trade is the one not agreed upon, but some trades are definitely better than others.
Step 3: Let the counters begin
In most trade scenarios, there will be a counteroffer or two. This is where the other manager will see your offer and usually ask for more. In many cases, they might see your offer and have no interest in it at all. Trades don’t always require a counter; don’t get upset if you don’t always get one. It’s just not the way it works.
Counters are where the true dance of the trade plays out. Some trades are accepted within a single volley of offers. Some trades take weeks and dozens of combinations to finally get done. In the end, this is the part of trading that a lot of people, myself included, find to be the most fun. How you value players will be different from how your trade partner values players. This isn’t a bad thing. In fact, it’s the opposite. This is what makes trading so much fun. If everyone valued players the same, then trades would be much harder to do.
Like I said at the start, trust your gut, but don’t be afraid to check the values on a trade calculator. There have been a few times where my gut likes a counter but a calculator shows me that it’s a bit light on my side. In most of these scenarios, I’ve been able to get another piece added to my side that I wouldn’t have gotten if I had just accepted the trade as is. These little pieces add up. A future third-round pick here, a depth piece there — all of it helps in the long run, so keep that in mind.
Step 4: Accepting the trade
Once you get to a good place and both sides agree, the trade should be processed on the league site immediately. Some trade talks are done entirely through DMs or chat apps. That’s fine, but it’s not official until it’s accepted on the site. Don’t wait to accept if you’ve agreed verbally; that’s just bad form. And don’t complain about it after the fact if others in your group chat complain. You and the other manager agreed to terms; there’s no going back once it’s accepted on the site.
Last but not least, accepting a trade doesn’t mean you’re done trading. In many cases, I’ve accepted a trade and immediately turned around and offered that player to someone else. The best way to build your team is to keep making moves that you feel improve your chances, in whatever form that may be. The only thing that feels better than getting a trade accepted is getting another trade accepted, so don’t sit on your hands. Go make another trade, and see how much better your team can be for it!
If you want to dive deeper into fantasy football, check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you navigate your season. From our Start/Sit Assistant – which provides your optimal lineup based on accurate consensus projections – to our Waiver Wire Assistant, which allows you to quickly see which available players will improve your team and how much – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football season.
Andrew Hall is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Andrew, check out his profile and follow him @AndrewHallFF.
