Two-for-one or three-for-two package deals aren’t going to work most of the time if an owner is set with his lineup and comfortable at the top of the standings, but prying a stud away from a player who has holes to fill can be done with a package deal. While Godwin is a better wideout then Boyd is, Lindsey is a step up from Hyde, and Larry Fitz, while diminishing in fantasy stature but still a decent FLEX play if needed, is the cherry on the cake to getting the deal done. However if we take the same proposed trade and instead Player 2 is on the fringe of the playoffs at 5-6, then this is a deal that might be able to get done. If this were the case, Player 1 is probably out of luck, as Player 2 (or anyone leading comfortably for that matter) is far less likely to trade a stud for a complement of pieces which could threaten a deep playoff run if they don’t perform. Let’s say Player 1 is on the fringe of making the playoffs at 6-5 while Player 2 is sitting comfortably in first or second place at 8-3. On face value, this isn’t a bad trade for either side, but an understanding of who you are proposing the trade to is pivotal. Here we have an example of Player 1 trying to trade depth for the better player in Godwin. Player 2 trades Chris Godwin, Carlos Hyde Player 1 trades Tyler Boyd, Philip Lindsey, Larry Fitzgerald Understanding those motivations are critical to completing a trade. With the playoff picture getting clearer and clearer with 3 weeks to play, the potential trade partners around your league have different motivations to trade. Every house needs a strong foundation and deep knowledge of your own team is where all trades are built from. Instead research who has a favorable matchup? How many touches/targets a player is getting? How could injuries from teammates effect their production? The answers to these questions can act as bricks that can be used to build a trade up from nothing. This research needs to be more than just how many yards they have gained or how many TD’s they have scored. Researching your own team is more important than researching anyone else’s, for if you can’t convince someone to want your players then it makes no difference who you want in return. Who is hot, who is cold, who is trending upwards and who is trending down, when are their bye weeks, etc. Every owner knows where his team is strong and where his team is weak, but dig deeper. Sure we all know our team, all those countless hours staring at your roster every day have to pay off sometime, but how well do you really know your team? Before you ever propose a trade, a thorough examination of your own roster must occur first. Know Thyself. Referenced often by the Greek philosopher Plato, this maxim holds true in fantasy football as well. With that in mind, here are some tips to keep in mind when proposing a fantasy football trade that could help #GetItDone It may just be a simple tweak in approaching a fellow owner or phrasing the trade that could be the difference between landing that player that could put you over the top or not. This can happen for many reasons, but fortunately many of them can be avoided and fixed if you play your cards right. However, year after year, I hear people complain that they can’t get a trade done for one reason or another. After all, it is easy to look at your roster and find what holes must be filled and find the player or players on another team that can fix it. It is here, when the waiver wires are a barren wasteland of long-shots and back-ups, when trades are the best way to improve your team. In most standard leagues the playoffs begin Week 14, leaving just 3 more weeks for owners to gear up for a playoff push or, hopefully, a deep playoff run. I know, I know, it sneaks up on me every year as well. Don’t look now, but the fantasy football regular season is almost over.

Fantasy football trade suggester