DC: Article - Trading Up In Your Fantasy Draft

Smitty

This is a write-up on all that crazy trading up I did in a recent start-up Dynasty Expert League... this is year one, hopefully year one of a grip of winning seasons.

Write is here.

Comment on the article, our team, the draft and trading, below:

Mile_High_Man

Great write up Smitty!

Smitty

Thanks. Again, it's not for everyone :)

tmoney

I've never employed a draft strategy this aggressive, but I do believe in trying to manipulate the draft the best you can to land the best players possible, whether it's moving up or down the draft board. I like to find "safe" opportunities to trade back, to stockpile a few picks, so that I can use them as part of deal to move back up, when I feel it's necessary.

Smitty

tmoney said:
I've never employed a draft strategy this aggressive, but I do believe in trying to manipulate the draft the best you can to land the best players possible, whether it's moving up or down the draft board. I like to find "safe" opportunities to trade back, to stockpile a few picks, so that I can use them as part of deal to move back up, when I feel it's necessary.

Yeah, this strategy works so well because I'd guess that well over 1/2 of all leagues are full of more conservative-like drafters.

tmoney

I'm currently drafting in my 32 team league, and in the first two rounds I have been aggressive in my trading up. It's had to stack picks like you have done since each round is so big, not many owners are interested in moving down more than 16 or so spots. As long as I continue getting good value, I'm going to keep trying to improve my draft position in each round. It's been working well so far since most owners are trying to trade back, and there are few people willing to trade up.

Smitty

Keep us posted!

tmoney

First round I moved from 1.13 to 1.7, while swapping places in rounds 2, 4 and 6. In round 2, I moved up to 2.13 (I originally had 2.20) by trading back in rounds 3 and 13. We are in round 3 now, and I'm trying to move up again, from 3.28.

Packman

I live to trade up!!!!! in DC3 I just traded 3.12, 4.1 and 5.12 for 3.5, 3.7, and 9.5. Later I traded 7.12, 8.1 and 2 future1sts for 4.12. I ended up with colston at 4.12. The 3.5 and 3.7 landed me Cruz and Ajohnson. I don't feel either guy would have been there at 3.12.

Smitty

trading picks is fun.

Whos_Ur_Doggie

Smitty said:
trading picks is fun.

If done right.

tmoney

So far we are in the 5th round in my 32 team draft. I have been able to trade up into the top half of every round. I'm finding it interesting that people are so eager to trade back making my moves up, easier.

Smitty

tmoney said:
So far we are in the 5th round in my 32 team draft. I have been able to trade up into the top half of every round. I'm finding it interesting that people are so eager to trade back making my moves up, easier.

Most drafters are conservative. You will find if the offers truly a good offer, meaning you are losing depth, people tend to trade ya. But, again, you chase your last trade in a sense and make a similar move up again almost getting back what you just traded, but using picks even further back. You eventually run out of picks, but it's like a pyramid scheme in a way, someone loses out, some would say it's you at the end when you have no depth, but I say you land some sleepers late and you lose nothing in the depth department, yet you have 5-6 players in the top 30 and that jsut isn't right :) I've done it time and time again and have 4-5 top 15 players and still have 1-2 top 40 players on top of that. No depth? No problem, at least for me. But, again, this style may not work for everyone, because we all have different draft strengths and weaknesses, and different owner strengths and weaknesses. If sleepers are your game, this strategy will work well for you.

fontaines

Hey Smitty. I made a big trade in DC3 to get up to 1.5 without losing my 1st. Moved 2, 3, and 4th for a 1 and i believe a 6 and 8, something like that. Wanted to get your input on my roster. I made a few other moves to trade up, in later rounds, that were relatively minor. Definitely overpaid on a few trades. It's ppr, 12 team big play league with QB/RB/WR/TE/ 3FLEX

Rivers, Cutler

Ray Rice, Ryan Matthews, Law Firm, Shonne Greene, Lamar Miller, Daniel Thomas

Bowe, Meacham

Gresham

Obviously, i plan on flexing in mostly RBs here lol. I hear ya about drafters being conservative. This was my first truly aggressive draft. I like the roster so far so long as Bowe performs decent.

tmoney

So far I have picked at 1.7, 2.13, 3.13, 4.10, 5.16 and 6.16. Landing AJ Green, Eric Decker, Sean Lee, Perry Riley, Sam Bradford and Patrick Chung.

We start 1qb, 1rb, 2wr, 1te, 1flex (wr/te) kicker, 2 DL, 2LB, 2DB, 2 D-flex (but they can't be the same position) The league has always skewed towards WRs and LBs do to scoring and lineup requirements. So with my draft so far, I have the #2 and #28 WRs on my board. The #12 and #36 LBs, and the #8 DB. And Smitty has Bradford as his number 15 QB. I feel I'm off to a good start, having selected in the top half of every round so far, has given me a leg up on my competition. In doing so I have sacrificed some mid to late round picks, that will be used on backups and a kicker.

First trade (I'm the Chargers)

Chargers gave up Year 2012 Draft Pick 1.13;Year 2012 Draft Pick 2.20;Year
2012 Draft Pick 4.20;Year 2012 Draft Pick 6.20
Texans gave up Year 2012 Draft Pick 1.07;Year 2012 Draft Pick 2.26;Year 2012
Draft Pick 4.26;Year 2012 Draft Pick 6.26

Second trade

Ravens gave up Year 2012 Draft Pick 2.13;Year 2012 Draft Pick 3.28;Year 2012
Draft Pick 13.28
Chargers gave up Year 2012 Draft Pick 2.26;Year 2012 Draft Pick 3.13;Year
2012 Draft Pick 13.13

Third trade

Cardinals gave up Year 2012 Draft Pick 3.13;Year 2012 Draft Pick 6.05
Chargers gave up Year 2012 Draft Pick 3.28;Year 2012 Draft Pick 5.13

Fourth trade

Titans gave up Year 2012 Draft Pick 4.10;Year 2012 Draft Pick 5.23;Year 2012
Draft Pick 7.23
Chargers gave up Year 2012 Draft Pick 4.26;Year 2012 Draft Pick 6.05;Year
2012 Draft Pick 6.26

Fifth trade

Cardinals gave up Year 2012 Draft Pick 5.16;Year 2012 Draft Pick 8.24;Year
2012 Draft Pick 10.28
Chargers gave up Year 2012 Draft Pick 5.23;Year 2012 Draft Pick 8.20;Year
2012 Draft Pick 10.20

Sixth trade

Chargers gave up Year 2012 Draft Pick 7.13;Year 2012 Draft Pick 8.24;Year
2012 Draft Pick 15.13
Bears gave up Year 2012 Draft Pick 6.27;Year 2012 Draft Pick 8.27;Year 2012
Draft Pick 22.27

Seventh trade

Chargers gave up Year 2012 Draft Pick 6.27;Year 2012 Draft Pick 13.28
Raiders gave up Year 2012 Draft Pick 6.16;Year 2012 Draft Pick
14.16

Smitty

Nice work so far. The only player I am unsure of at the value is Decker, but I can see him having a great year, so I'm torn on believing in him at that value. It's tough in that kind of league, so nice work, and you kept moving up, solid job! I like Bradford a lot, I hope he gets it going right out of the gate!

tmoney

33 wrs were drafted in the first 2 rounds. So if you don't grab your starters early, you are going to get shut out.

The biggest trick was turning my 7.13 pick into 6.16. Now I need to turn my 7.23 pick into an early to mid 7th.

Smitty

Again, nice work, and it's hard to understand the gravity of that WR situation going on there.. sounds like you made the right moves.

thedude

I'm prepping for my first dynasty league start-up draft. Found your site by stalking the commissioner. 8-)

I love the idea of being aggressive with the trades to keep moving up. Your ability to obtain 3 top of round 2 picks and end up with 4 of the top 17 players is awesome! Especially in what looks like a league where everyone should know what's what.

How do you make these trade offers? Specifically, how do you couch the language so they party on the other end sees the value?

It looks as if you are attempting to provide them more mid round depth in exchange for you moving up and losing late round depth. Is there a certain mindset the other party must have in order for you to accomplish this?

It looks like you made 7 trades with 5 trading partners. Excellent.

Smitty

thedude said:
I'm prepping for my first dynasty league start-up draft. Found your site by stalking the commissioner. 8-)

I love the idea of being aggressive with the trades to keep moving up. Your ability to obtain 3 top of round 2 picks and end up with 4 of the top 17 players is awesome! Especially in what looks like a league where everyone should know what's what.

How do you make these trade offers? Specifically, how do you couch the language so they party on the other end sees the value?

It looks as if you are attempting to provide them more mid round depth in exchange for you moving up and losing late round depth. Is there a certain mindset the other party must have in order for you to accomplish this?

It looks like you made 7 trades with 5 trading partners. Excellent.

Honestly, i don't talk up the value. I send out massive amounts of offers. Example, i send my 4th and 5th for someone's 2nd and their last pick in the draft.... and I send this same offer out to everyone that holds the 2.01-2.08 let's say... then as we enter the 3rd, I offer my 6th and 7th to everyone with a 3rd, so there are 18 offers right there. No talking anyone into it, but out of 18 of those, you should land 1 of each of those. Offer in mass!

thedude

Great advice. Sounds like you pretty much start in with the offers as soon as the draft order is set.

I will be attempting this strategy myself. I see by the way guys are selecting their draft order they are more concerned with the rookie draft, so I will see if I can use that to my advantage.

BTW, GREAT site! (I keep looking for the pay button!)

Smitty said:

thedude said:
Honestly, i don't talk up the value. I send out massive amounts of offers. Example, i send my 4th and 5th for someone's 2nd and their last pick in the draft.... and I send this same offer out to everyone that holds the 2.01-2.08 let's say... then as we enter the 3rd, I offer my 6th and 7th to everyone with a 3rd, so there are 18 offers right there. No talking anyone into it, but out of 18 of those, you should land 1 of each of those. Offer in mass!

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