Once you get done reading this article, you'll probably be filing this information away in the "NO S**T!" category of your brain. Right next to "Don't drink bathwater" and "Look both ways before you cross the street". But trust me when I say that most fantasy players have never even thought about what we're reviewing today. Now, as if we needed yet another reason to demonstrate why you generally want to be the owner receiving the ONE player in a "one player for two or more players" type trade, here's even further arguement for why it's such a powerful trade concept.
Imagine for a moment that at the 5 week mark, your top 4 wide receivers are averaging the following points per week:
Player A: 14 points per week (ppw)
Player B: 10 p.p.w.
Player C: 7 p.p.w.
Player D: 7 p.p.w.
Your league requires you to start 3 WR's a week so through 4 weeks, you are averaging 31 points a week (A+B+C) out of your WR's. Deciding that you need an upgrade for your #3 guy, you have two options. Your first option is to acquire a better #3 WR (a guy that's averaging 9-10 points a week) to team up with Players A and B. So how much would that increase your weekly production? Well, if you were able to get a guy that averaged 9 points a week - Player C or D would become BYE week fill-in's for you so you'd score an average of 2 points more a week.
Your 2nd option is to scan your league for other owners who may have a stud #1 WR, but depth issues across their roster. Let's take a look at how your weekly WR production would change if, instead of replacing your #3, you were able to trade a combination of 2 or 3 lesser players, free agent money and a draft pick next year for a Top 3 WR that's averaging 16 points a week:
Player A (16 p.p.w.) is your new #1 and you're averaging 2 points more per week than you were.
Player B (your former player A) is getting you 14 points a week (4 more p.p.w. than your former #2)
Player C is now your 10 p.p.w. guy so you're now scoring another 3 p.p.w. out of your #3 WR.
After trading for the top 3 WR, you improved your WR's average points per week scored from 31 to 40! Fantasy owners tend to look at player values in a vacuum. But when you trade for a new #1 (or a new #2 in the case in which you are starting 3 players at a particular position) you are not only gaining the value of that player in terms of weekly production - you are also gaining additional value from every player that you're pushing down your depth chart.
So let's look at the characteristics of the owner in your league who fits the profile of someone you can swing this type of deal with.
This isn’t always the case, but GENERALLY SPEAKING, the owner closest to last in the standings who has a Top 5 WR is the guy you'll be targeting. Why is this?
#1) If he has a top 5 WR, and is still close to the bottom of your league, chances are very good that he has depth/performance issues at some other position on his roster. This guy will be much more willing to listen to offers involving his #1 guy - than another owner at the top of your league with a highly ranked #1 WR.
#2) Due to the beauty of natural selection, the owners at the bottom of your league standings are more likely to be less knowledgeable about the TRUE value of the players on their roster. There are certainly exceptions to this, but it's obvious why this is generally true.
#3) Owners at the bottom of the standings are more open to trades – either because they’re desperate and just want to stop the bleeding or are losing interest and ready to mail it in if the trade is happening later in the season.
So this is what I meant by finding a "Win/BIG Win" situation. Your plan of action is: 1) Find the most struggling owner with a top 6-7 player at your positional need. 2) Find the problems on his roster. 3) Solve several of his problems in exchange for his top guy. These types of trades are not very easy to put together. Hopefully you have some depth at his positions of need. Hopefully he traded away his 1st rounder next year and is really wanting to avoid having to wait until Pick #17 of next year's draft to notch his first selection. Several things need to line up for Win/BIG Win trade situations to come along. But when they do, it's a beautiful thing!
