Trade Talks: An Analysis of Trading Personalities

Welcome to Week 1 of the National Football League, friends.

Analysis of average draft position has now turned to the all-important sit/start debates and waiver wire pickups.  You can stop talking about whom you drafted where. Don’t even think about it. A player’s draft value means nothing going forward. All that matters now is what that guy does on the field.

I’ll have specific thoughts on trends and players as the season goes on. However, in this installment of Fantasy Musings, I thought it might be appropriate to talk trades.  An astute fantasy player will always be looking to upgrade his or her team whenever and however possible.  Whether that means a waiver wire transaction, a drop of an underperforming bust, or a trade, you should always be looking for any way to get a leg up on your opponents. One of the best ways to do that is to utilize your knowledge and exploit a fellow league mate via a trade.

Before I get going too far though, it is worth noting that not every league treats trades the same. It is vital that you understand your league’s rules because some leagues penalize trading partners by making them pay more into the pot. Others have limits on the amount of trades a player can make each season. Make sure you know these rules before engaging in trade talks.

Assuming you’re good to go, I think a prudent starting point is a short explanation of how most fantasy players treat trades. In my experience, people tend to fall into one of the following five categories: (1) The “Wheeler and Dealer” (2) “Separation Issues Guy” (3) The “Diplomat” (4) “Mr. Insecure” and (5) “The Mark.”  A short description of each follows:

 

5 Categories of Trading Partners:

(1) The Wheeler and Dealer

This is the guy or gal in your league that has probably already proposed a trade to you.  More than likely, he will propose 400 more trades to you by season’s end.  The vast majority of these trade proposals will be so astronomically one-sided that before long you won’t even bother to open up his emails or answer his calls.  This is the guy that will tell you about how that 1 time out of 1000 he got one of these trades to work, and gosh darnit, he’s going to make it happen again. He’s also probably unemployed.

(2) Separation Issues Guy

This is the guy that no matter how balanced the trade is, or how beneficial a trade will be to his team, he will not budge.  He will more than likely not make many trades, if any, all season long.  This is the guy that will stick with the underperforming second round bust draft pick for no other reason than he was his second round draft pick.  He has separation issues with his drafted team and wants no one else to touch his players but him. More than likely an only child, he’s going to take his ball and go home nearly every time a trade is discussed, even when it makes complete sense for him to make the trade.

(3) The Diplomat

This is the guy that wants nothing more than to make sure that your team is improved by a trade.  He’s the snake oil salesman of the league and also usually knows what he’s doing.  He’ll usually approach you with an “I was thinking…I think I know a way to make both of our teams improved” kind of speech.  He’ll start with a trade that makes no sense whatsoever to your team, but then he’ll start to sweeten the deal for you. He’ll use words like “your team will improve here” and “this makes sense for you.” He’ll probably even use some stats to back up his points. Don’t take his sales pitch lightly though, because it’s all calculated. He has done his homework and he wants your guy for a reason. Beat him at his own game if you can.

(4) Mr. Insecure

This is the guy that will usually open trading talks with good intentions but will then begin to worry about making the wrong decision.  He’ll be the one that will propose a trade to you that actually makes sense.  You’ll agree that it makes sense, and so you’ll tell him that it’s a deal.  You’ll be under the impression you have a deal, but then his insecurity kicks in. He’ll take the fact that you agreed to the deal as a symbol that the deal was patently unfair to him in the first place.  In other words, he’ll become insecure that any trade, even a completely fair trade, usually means he is getting screwed. This is a very tough guy to trade with.

(5) The Mark

This is the guy you want to be trading with. He’s usually pretty laissez-faire when it comes to trades (and fantasy football in general). He might be struggling early on in the season and looking for some new blood to add to his team.  This makes him your mark.  He’s the guy that can be easily swooned by the Diplomat. He’s also the guy that made that idiotic 1 in a 1000 trade.  Your biggest issue with this guy is usually getting a hold of him because he never checks his email or the message board. He’s a fantastic trading partner, so get to him earlier than the next guy.

 

These personalities are undoubtedly in your leagues. Recognize which personality each of your league mates is and it will help you at the negotiating table.  To close, here are 10 quick pointers to keep in mind when it comes to trading in fantasy football:

(1) Don’t make anyone on your team “untouchable.”  I always hate it when people say this about a player on their team. Nobody is ever untouchable on my teams. Everyone has a price. Some are just steeper than others.

(2) Buy low and sell high.  If a player comes out blazing early on and you think it’s a hoax then sell high. The same goes for when a player struggles out of the gate.  Buy low on that player.  Make sure you’re looking at matchups and schedules to help you determine who is low and high and why.

(3) Look for a void on your trading partner’s team you can fill to make them feel like they are upgrading. It always makes the other player feel better when you upgrade them somewhere and they upgrade you somewhere.

(4) Consider trading 2 for 1 or 3 for 2. I feel like the best trades I’ve ever made have been where I am trading away 2 or 3 guys to get 1 guy.  Often those 2 or 3 guys are parked on my bench with no chance of playing. I can sell “depth” for starting talent.

(5) Remember that some trades just aren’t meant to be. Don’t sell the farm because you fall in love with a guy on someone else’s team.

(6) Recognize your league’s keeper rules, if applicable. Make sure you’re taking into account what players can be kept if traded.

(7) Don’t let one great or terrible performance sway you in a trade proposal early on. This goes back to the buy low/sell high thing.

(8) Look at playoff weeks of the players you are acquiring.  If you are going to the playoffs, see what kind of matchups that player is going to be facing when it counts the most.

(9) Don’t rush to make a decision on a trade.  Do your homework before you accept. Usually the very first proposal is skewed toward the proposer, so take some time to counter-offer and see if the trade will make more sense after some more proposals.

(10) Have fun with trades! That one pointed swap may end up being the difference between mediocrity and championship.

That’s it. Good luck, and happy trading! Until next time, enjoy the REAL football!

Featured image by AJ Guel Photography