Drake's Takes

I often feel like once trade deadlines pass that a part of the league dies.  Sending offers back and forth are a fun part of fantasy football.  It allows you to not only stay engaged with the game but stay in constant contact with your fellow league mates.  Shooting a guy a trade offer can often lead to a friendly check-in.  Something in 2020 we need more than ever. 

As we approach the deadline, I wanted to empty my thoughts on the page about making trades and roster management as we head towards the playoffs.  As I’ve noted in prior columns, being a fantasy salesman is my forte.

If you need some advice on players to trade for my friends at Fighting Chance Fantasy did an excellent article on it. 

Let’s assume you are 6-3 or better.  There’s a very good chance you are going to make the playoffs.  A lot can happen in the next four weeks, but you are in a good position.  Here’s what you should do.

  • Make sure you have a back-up QB. You might think, “Oh the waiver wire always has options.”  Oh yea?  Go look.  If you are in the playoffs come week 15 do you want to be rolling out Alex Smith or Sam Darnold when your opponent has Patrick Mahomes or Russell Wilson?
  • Some QB’s with upside schedules going forward include Carson Wentz, Baker Mayfield, and Ryan Tannehill. Now all of these guys have major warts but we’re talking schedule.  Plus maybe you've heard of this COVID thing that's going around.
  • Attack the teams in desperation mode. They need to win now and know it.  Use your depth to take their upside players.
  • Defenses and Kickers matter. If someone dropped Younghoe Koo this week I’d be claiming him NOW.  He’s the best kicker in fantasy.  On bye this week but can win you your league 10 FG’s of 40+.  Do your homework on defenses.  Who has a fantasy-friendly schedule coming up:  Eagles, Seahawks, Cardinals, Browns.

OK, let’s say you are scraping and clawing to get in the playoffs.  

  • You need to win this week, obviously. Your focus is on matchups.  Play like it’s DFS.  I’ve said this before in other articles but it’s true.  You can’t worry about 4 weeks from now.  You worry about today.  Who is hot?  Who is emerging?  Who can be had for whatever your roster has to offer? 
  • The waiver wire is still your friend. This is where the true hustle comes in.  Finding the Richie James and James Hollister types who might have big weeks.  Knowing about defensive injuries will be key.  Are top corners out for a team?  Is a team weak against the Tight End missing a Safety or Linebacker?  There are points on the wire.  You just need to work to find it.

 Players I’m trying to trade for in season-long leagues:

  • Kareem Hunt – Yes, Nick Chubb is back but that means you can get him on a discount. His owner knows it, they might be antsy to move on.  His early-season role was money for fantasy.  Weeks 1-5 he scored 10, 23, 13, 19, and 16 PPR points.
  • Miles Sanders – Eagles fans know his fantasy points have been fluky. Mostly on long runs mixed between negative plays and runs stuffed at the line.  But the Eagles are getting healthy.  Not only with new WR’s opening up the field but offensive linemen too.  See if you can pry Sanders away from his owner who’s held him through injury and bye weeks with zero points.
  • Miles Gaskin – The Dolphins RB is currently on IR but if I’m a team cruising towards the playoffs I take a look and see what it might take to snag Gaskin. Before he went down he was a solid RB2 play.  His schedule going forward includes the Jets, Bengals, Chiefs, Patriots, and Raiders.

Other thoughts…

I’m not good at math.  I realized that today when helping my third-grade son do his homework.  God bless my wife who teaches for a living.  I don’t know how these magicians do it.  We pay our teachers so little in this country it’s a joke.  Those who impart the skills and knowledge to our kids should be millionaires. 

This Christian McCaffery injury has a weird smell to me.  They bring him back from the high ankle only to see him hurt his shoulder.  Hey, football is a rough sport I get that.  Now they seek a second opinion to find someone who says, “Yea sure next week he’s fine.”  I don’t buy it.  I think he returns early and gets hurt midgame, costing someone a fantasy win.  Hope you didn’t drop Mike Davis.

Does anyone else feel weird watching The Bachelor/Bachelorette?  These shows are just creepy.  People saying how much they love each other after a week or two.  C’mon man.  I get it’s a show, but I cringe seeing grown adults crying over someone they just met.  I think it sets an unrealistic model for people watching.  Love shouldn't happen in an instant.  Let’s have dream vacations and wine in Napa!  Yea OK.  Real-life is like this, find someone you can watch TV with and you both like the same restaurants.  Boom, marriage material.

Watching the Masters just makes me wish I started golfing when I was a kid.  Now I did play when I was in my late teens (1998 Syracuse Mayor's Cup Champion), but I mean like 8 or 9.  These guys are so good.  That has to be the best professional athlete gig.  You walk around in gorgeous locations and make great money until you are in your 70’s.  I might wake my kids up right now and take them to an all-night driving range.

I’m so glad the election is over.  My kids were starting to ask me about the political candidates they were seeing on the screen every five minutes.  My son could even recite some of the insane lines from the ads.  “Dad, did you so and so wants to raise our taxes and kill grandma?” 

Enjoy week 10.  Happy trading.

Follow Brian on Twitter @DrakeFantasy

Watch his podcast, “The Fantasy Football Hustle” on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Vrz0lUR5f8Y

Have Your Say