Fantasy football is highly competitive when it comes to playing with your friends or people you have met for the first time. Drafting your team is never easy as strategy is a key to building a roster to help you in the upcoming season. Another part of fantasy football is trading amongst your league mates.  

There are several reasons why trades happen. The key is to get the best trade possible. Here are a couple of things to do to ensure that you don’t get slighted.

Eliminate the emotion 

Being a fan of your favorite team can be harmful when it comes to pulling a trade to help your fantasy team. Do not go after a player just because they had a great game and do not look at the long-term potential. For instance, some fantasy managers have traded for Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua because they’re a Rams fan. 

However, don’t let his great start cloud your judgment and give up more than what he’s worth in a trade. The return of Cooper Kupp could quickly lessen Nacua’s value in getting fantasy points. Step back and realize that Nacua’s worth today won’t be that tomorrow. Don’t let emotion get in the way of your team succeeding. 

Get what you want in the trade 

Making a trade in fantasy football, regardless of the format, is all about getting the player you covet in the deal. Sometimes, trades are made for the sake of moving off of them because one side no longer wants them anymore. That same side doesn’t get anything of value in return because they don’t get anything of worth for that player. 

While players are a necessity, a decent set of draft picks could be what you want to build a team in a dynasty league. In other leagues, understanding the value of the player(s) you want to win right now matters. Never lead with your best offer as you want to figure out what your fellow league mate could want or not want.  

The goal is to land what you want, even if you have to go back and forth. Do not come away feeling like you were fleeced. Your trade partner wants something you have as well, so keep that in mind.  

Also, nowadays there are multiple tools available in the market to assist fantasy football enthusiasts, and Sportskeeda Trade Analyzer has been highlighted by the Reddit community as particularly reliable and there are others too that can be relied on. It adeptly evaluates player performance, potential upside, and other essential metrics, providing managers with a clear insight into proposed trades. Most of the trade analyzers need an input where one needs to add players they would like to trade and players they need and the tools recommend whether one should make a trade or not. Generally you will also find all scoring options present like PPR, Half PPR and non-PPR

Look at the stats 

Trades are done to win your weekly matchup against your opponent, but what about the players and their weekly matchups? Some defenses excel at stopping the run or the pass. Making a trade in fantasy football is about looking at the game itself and who your players play that week.  

Key stats for skill positions could be target share and they play against certain types of defense (ex. Man, zone, Cover 2). There could be a stretch of game where the defensive matchup could limit a player’s production. Trading for certain players matters because some can even thrive against certain defenses.  

Putting in the time to seek out those stats in making the right trade could lead to some big-time wins in your league. Quarterbacks can struggle against the blitz or when pressured, and using this information when you possibly are in the trading market for one matter.  

Overall, don’t lose a trade without doing your due diligence. While it may not be a stat per se, injury history matters when making a trade. It could be worth the risk if you’re not giving up a whole lot. If some big pieces are in play, be cautious ahead of hitting that accept button on a deal. Injuries are tough as is, but losing a player you went all-in for hits is different.