Scott Engel is in his ninth season of Fantasy Football coverage on Seahawks.com. Scott is a 20-plus year veteran of the Fantasy industry and an inaugural member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association's Hall of Fame. You can find more of his Fantasy analysis at RotoBaller.com and SportsLine.com. You can listen to Scott on weekend mornings and on demand on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio. Scott has also won his highly competitive Fantasy Football league with other experts and top players in each of the past three years.
In the history of the Seahawks, trades have often changed the outlook of the team in very positive ways. Some of the greatest trades in franchise history brought Seahawk legends such as Steve Largent, Marshawn Lynch, Curt Warner and Walter Jones to Seattle. The 2017 trade for Duane Brown was one of the team's most important deals in recent seasons. This year's trade for Jamal Adams brought one of the best defensive players in the NFL to the Pacific Northwest.
Fantasy Football players are always looking to make trades in constant efforts to improve their teams.. With the trade deadline quickly approaching in many leagues, we need to give you a reminder/review on how to properly approach executing a trade, especially if you need to get a deal done quickly.
Identify the Right Trade Partner: The first step to identifying the right trade partner is to determine what type of team is best to trade with. If your team has a need at wide receiver, but has two excellent quarterbacks, you will want to locate a trade partner that has a need at quarterback and could be deep at wide receiver. If you want to acquire a specific player, such as DK Metcalf, take a good look at the roster of the team that currently has him and consider if there is anything significant you can offer to help or attract the other Fantasy player to make a trade.
Think Outside of Yourself: The biggest fundamental flaw when making trade offers that many Fantasy players do not consider is to mentally put themselves on the other side of the deal. You will spend time spinning your wheels and not getting anywhere if you only submit proposals that only clearly help your team. You cannot offer two bench players who no one else may start either for a top-level running back or wide receiver. Think about what might motivate you to accept the type of offer you are floating out there if you were on the other side.
Be Ready to Give Up Something To Get Something: If you can win a Fantasy trade and get the better end of it, you always have to do it. Getting the better end of the deal is always satisfying and recommended. But in many cases, such as when you deal with other experienced Fantasy players, you will just not get away with lowball offers, or quantity for quality proposals. If you really want a player of significance, you ultimately will have to give up a player or two that has considerable value as well. In my dynasty league, I wanted to acquire Metcalf this offseason. I had to trade away Chris Godwin and a high draft choice to get Metcalf and Darren Waller. I am obviously happy with how the deal has turned out at this point, but I had to part with Godwin at the time. The other Fantasy player I was talking with valued him very highly, and I did what it took to get the trade completed. Offering a package of reserve players wasn't going to get it done.
Construct a Sensible Offer: The trade offers that usually package two or three players for one frequently get rejected. They often only favor one side. Don't offer a player that the potential trade partner may not need. Just don't think only about what you want to get rid of. Most other teams don't have several holes to fill to the point where they have to give up one star player to plug their areas of need. Three for ones and even some two for one offers are just "dump" trade proposals that rarely yield any desired results. They are Major League Baseball type of offers, where one team deals away a star for future prospects. Those sorts of deals usually do not get completed in seasonal Fantasy Football leagues.
Listen to and Know your Trade Partner: Be willing to listen to the other player to see what his needs and interests are. Then play up who you are offering and how it can help them. But be realistic in the process. Trying to make a sales pitch on a player that truly won't move the needle on the other side is a waste of time. If you are dealing with another highly experienced player, just cut to the heart of the matter and forgo any sales pitches. Show respect for what the other player wants and you have a much better chance of completing a trade.
Week 11 Waiver Targets
Players Listed in Order of Preferred Acquisition at Each Position
Running Back
Damien Harris, RB, Patriots (28.2 percent rostered on NFL.com): Harris rushed for a career-high 121 yards on Sunday night vs. Baltimore. He already has three 100-yard games this year, all in his past six outings. New England may have finally found a dependable lead runner, and Harris is emerging as a good Fantasy flex play.
Kalen Ballage, RB, Chargers (7.2): The Chargers may have finally found a lead running back to lean on while Austin Ekeler is out. Ballage has scored over 30 Fantasy points in his past two games and could retain a role in a time share when Ekeler returns.
Salvon Ahmed, RB, Dolphins (2.3): Miami had to turn to the undrafted rookie in Week 10, and he delivered with 85 rushing yards and a TD. Ahmed may have to start at least one more game as the Dolphins await the return of Myles Gaskin.
Alex Collins, RB, Seahawks (0.1): Returning to the team that drafted him in 2016, Collins started for the Seahawks at Los Angeles on Sunday and scored on an impressive 13-yard run. With the abilities to be elusive and tenacious when he is called on, Collins can be a quality Fantasy depth option if you have the roster room.
Wide Receiver
Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Colts (1.0): The rookie had the best game of his career so far in Week 10, catching seven of eight passes for 101 yards. Pittman has scored over 20 Fantasy points in his past two games and may soon become the clear No. 1 WR for the Colts.
Jakeem Grant, WR, Dolphins (0.3): Grant had four catches for 43 yards and a TD on Sunday for 14.3 points. As Tua Tagovailoa continues to get comfortable, Grant has some upside while Preston Williams is out. Grant has always flashed playmaking potential, he just needed an opportunity to showcase his skills more.
Josh Reynolds, WR, Rams (0.4): As we have indicated with David Moore, No. 3 WRs in quality passing games cannot be overlooked. Reynolds has scored 12-plus Fantasy points in three of his past four games and is a good Fantasy WR4/5 to have as a potential streamer.
Willie Snead, WR, Ravens (2.7): He scored a season-high 23.4 Fantasy points in Week 10. Snead also scored 15.6 points against the Steelers in Week 8. He had two TD catches on Sunday and had 106 yards vs. Pittsburgh. Snead is worth a flier, as he is the most productive Baltimore WR right now.
Tight End
Jordan Reed, TE, 49ers (39.4): This veteran TE has been a Fantasy standout in the past and must be added if you don't have a top-level option at the position. The larger majority of Fantasy players do not have a dependable starter at the thinnest position in the game. Reed caught six passes for a season-high 62 yards in Week 10 and should continue to be one of the preferred options in the 49ers passing game.
Logan Thomas, TE, Washington (5.8): Thomas has three double figure Fantasy performances in his last four games. He can be an adequate Fantasy starter at TE, and that is not easy to find.
Quarterback
Jameis Winston, QB, Saints (0.3): The former Buccaneers gunslinger will take over as the starter while Drew Brees is out, and should be considered for streaming right away. He faces the Falcons in Week 11. Atlanta allows the most Fantasy Points Per Game to opposing QBs (26.0).
Defense
Miami Dolphins (53.9): This aggressive unit is becoming one of the better defensive options in Fantasy Football. Miami is fourth in points at the position now with 83 points. The Dolphins are fifth in points per game allowed (20.2) and have 13 sacks and 10 turnovers in their past five games. Miami has the Broncos, Jets and Bengals next on the schedule. All three of those teams are Top 5 in Fantasy Points Per Game generated by opponents.
Week 11 Lineup Considerations
Mike Davis should have a good game against the Lions, who allow the most Fantasy Points Per Game to RBs. … Damien Harris could roll to 100 yards again vs. Houston. … Nyheim Hines has some upside promise vs. Green Bay. … Antonio Gibson could be good for more than one TD vs. Cincinnati. … Emmanuel Sanders will find the end zone vs. Atlanta. … Jakobi Meyers is a quality WR3 start vs. Houston. … Mike Williams should make some big plays vs. the Jets. … Justin Jefferson will have another strong outing vs. Dallas after Adam Thielen played well vs. Chicago on Monday. … Hayden Hurst should have a good shot to score vs. New Orleans. … Austin Hooper will be an adequate TE start vs. Philadelphia. … Ben Roethlisberger will continue to roll vs. Jacksonville. … Joe Burrow will bounce back vs. Washington.
Week 11 Defensive Streamers
The Chargers will be the most coveted add as they face the Jets, and the Vikings are a quality start vs. Dallas. … The Falcons may give up 20 to 24 points to the Saints, but should stack up a few sacks and more than one turnover. … The Chiefs should be fired up to perform well in their rematch with the Raiders after being upset by Las Vegas in Week 5.
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