Trading Future Draft Picks

[BA Baracus]

Do any of you guys play in a REDRAFT league that allows the trading of future draft picks in conjunction with in-season player trades? In other words, could you trade away your third round pick next year and some garbage player for a stud and a late round pick next year?

 

I am wondering how this works in other leagues, if at all. Do you get a lot of sandbagging as teams with poor records liquidate their current teams for future picks?

 

All opinions welcome. Thanks.

[Big John]

Never in a redraft league. You start anew every year.

 

Can and do in keeper or dynasty leagues where you can keep the player you traded for in the following year.

[BA Baracus]

Okay, it is a keeper redraft league where you can keep two guys per year and you can only keep any particular player twice. The first time you keep them, they use your draft pick in the round ahead of where you drafted them, but no later than the 5th round. The second time you keep them they are your first round pick, so they really have to be a superstar for it to make sense.

 

Even with those keeper rules, it is definitely more redraft than dynasty in that you basically build a new team each year.

[Junkyard]

I commish a keeper league where you keep three players. Three year tenure before going back into the draft pool We allow trading of draft picks for next year's season, but no further ahead. We also allow trading of "keeper slots." No team can have more than 4 keepers in any season. To your question, yes, there is a flurry of trade activity right now through our Thanksgiving deadline. Some teams are dumping, and others are mortgaging their future to win it all now. Definitely keeps things interesting.

 

I did have a rule passed a few years ago that requires owners to pay 1/2 of next season's dues immediately if they trade a 1st round draft pick or keeper slot. If somebody abandons a team at season end, it makes it a little easier to find another owner (hasn't happened, but still a good insurance policy). I use those fees to pay for CBS in the off-season so I have no cash out of pocket waiting for the next draft.

[MustOfBeenDrunk]

I commish a keeper league where you keep three players. Three year tenure before going back into the draft pool We allow trading of draft picks for next year's season, but no further ahead. We also allow trading of "keeper slots." No team can have more than 4 keepers in any season. To your question, yes, there is a flurry of trade activity right now through our Thanksgiving deadline. Some teams are dumping, and others are mortgaging their future to win it all now. Definitely keeps things interesting.

 

I did have a rule passed a few years ago that requires owners to pay 1/2 of next season's dues immediately if they trade a 1st round draft pick or keeper slot. If somebody abandons a team at season end, it makes it a little easier to find another owner (hasn't happened, but still a good insurance policy). I use those fees to pay for CBS in the off-season so I have no cash out of pocket waiting for the next draft.

 

We play full on dynasty where you keep all your players until they retire or you cut / trade them and we have this same rule with the exception if you trade your 1st 2nd 3rd before the trade becomes final commish must receive full entry for next season

[Seahawks21]

If I'm not going to make the playoffs I'll do whatever I can to acquire as many high picks and younger players as possible, even if that means selling off Peyton Manning for cents on the dollar.

[BA Baracus]

If I'm not going to make the playoffs I'll do whatever I can to acquire as many high picks and younger players as possible, even if that means selling off Peyton Manning for cents on the dollar.

 

 

This is why we decided as a league to not allow trading of future draft picks.

 

It all happened pretty fast and I wanted to get opinions from here. Thanks to those who responded.

[wpayers]

If I'm not going to make the playoffs I'll do whatever I can to acquire as many high picks and younger players as possible, even if that means selling off Peyton Manning for cents on the dollar.

 

Yikes! That's not the way to run an airline. I'd hate to be the commish of that league. Keeping track of the pick exchange is one thing but having to deal the inevitable cries of the collusion would drive me over the top. Also, what happens if the Peyton Manning seller gets hit by a bus or his wife forces him to quit FF?! Who cleans up that mess in the following year.

 

I can see the value of the trading practice but you'd need a set of deep strict rules and a very strong commish.

[MustOfBeenDrunk]

Yikes! That's not the way to run an airline. I'd hate to be the commish of that league. Keeping track of the pick exchange is one thing but having to deal the inevitable cries of the collusion would drive me over the top. Also, what happens if the Peyton Manning seller gets hit by a bus or his wife forces him to quit FF?! Who cleans up that mess in the following year.

 

I can see the value of the trading practice but you'd need a set of deep strict rules and a very strong commish.

 

 

that's the fun of it , like posted early to trade away your picks you must pay for next year in advance

[Seahawks21]

I actually don't play in dynasty leagues because of this, and should have written my previous post in the past tense. Any team not making the playoffs needs to sell off as many parts as they can, to do whatever they can do to help their future. And it just ruins leagues. I've traded 4 pro-bowlers for one questionable, cheap rookie. Caused a huge uproar. As it should have. But why would I care, it gave me a chance for a better future. Why would I care who wins if it isn't me?

 

I used to play in keeper baseball, basketball and football leagues with all the same guys. Once, out of contention, I traded Jason Kidd, Tim Duncan, Shawn Marion and Chris Kaman for JJ Hickson and Ed Davis, both of which were $1 players. Handed the guy a championship on a platter. But he was smart, and made decent selections for his $1 picks at the end of the draft. The trade got vetoed. I quit that day and never played in those leagues again. I now will only play in redraft leagues and for little or no money.

Edited October 24, 2013 by Seahawks21

[Junkyard]

I think it all depends on the league. Mine is a 14 team league with at least 10 owners there for 10+ years. Though the trading can be nuts at times, the results at the end of the year always vary. Sometimes a trade-heavy team wins, and sometimes it's the owner who resisted the craziness. All trades come through me for approval, but that's simply to make sure draft picks aren't being traded that they no longer have. Otherwise, it's their team... They paid for it, so manage it the way they want. I can only think of one trade I ever rejected, and that was because the same player was about to be traded back and forth between the same teams.

 

I just pushed through an interesting trade. A 3-4 team traded Gronk, a keeper slot and their 4th rounder in 2014 to a 5-2 team for their 1st, 2nd, and 4th. rounder next year. Could push him over the top for a nice payout, or burn him if Gronk gets hurt again. Will be interesting to see how it plays out.

[MustOfBeenDrunk]

Let me also add that trading stops after week 8 sometimes 9 in these formats most of the time

Edited October 24, 2013 by MustOfBeenDrunk

[darin3]

I actually don't play in dynasty leagues because of this, and should have written my previous post in the past tense. Any team not making the playoffs needs to sell off as many parts as they can, to do whatever they can do to help their future. And it just ruins leagues. I've traded 4 pro-bowlers for one questionable, cheap rookie. Caused a huge uproar. As it should have. But why would I care, it gave me a chance for a better future. Why would I care who wins if it isn't me?

 

I used to play in keeper baseball, basketball and football leagues with all the same guys. Once, out of contention, I traded Jason Kidd, Tim Duncan, Shawn Marion and Chris Kaman for JJ Hickson and Ed Davis, both of which were $1 players. Handed the guy a championship on a platter. But he was smart, and made decent selections for his $1 picks at the end of the draft. The trade got vetoed. I quit that day and never played in those leagues again. I now will only play in redraft leagues and for little or no money.

 

 

See, people that take this stuff seriously would just never do this. I'm in 3 dynasty leagues and no one would be that big of a knucklehead to do something like this.

 

Making lopsided (even in dynasty) trades out of spite and out of contention? Sounds like you're a petty little girl.

[Seahawks21]

See, people that take this stuff seriously would just never do this. I'm in 3 dynasty leagues and no one would be that big of a knucklehead to do something like this.

 

Making lopsided (even in dynasty) trades out of spite and out of contention? Sounds like you're a petty little girl.

 

Dude, there is no spite intended or involved in any way. I took this stuff too seriously, which is why I would do anything possible to win, even if it meant pissing off league mates. Not my problem. Not trying to do anything but improve my team and win champtionships.

 

I'm out of contention, therefore these players do me zero good whatsoever. Once I have no chance of winning the league for the season, Isn't a 15th round pick the next season more valuable to me than 4-pro bowlers that I can't keep? Therefore, I announce my intentions to have a fire sale and sell off to the highest bidder. Teams know I'm desperate to trade, so I don't get huge offers, and end up taking the best offer I can get. Everybody in the league had the same chance to get these players, I just decided to take the offer I felt helped me the most.

Edited October 25, 2013 by Seahawks21

[darin3]

Dude, there is no spite intended or involved in any way. Not trying to do anything but improve my team and win champtionships.

 

I'm out of contention, therefore these players do me zero good whatsoever. Once I have no chance of winning the league for the season, Isn't a 15th round pick the next season more valuable to me than 4-pro bowlers that I can't keep? Therefore, I announce my intentions to have a fire sale and sell off to the highest bidder. Teams know I'm desperate to trade, so I don't get huge offers, and end up taking the best offer I can get. Everybody in the league had the same chance to get these players, I just decided to take the offer I felt helped me the most.

 

So - to make it relevant here - you traded Arian Foster, Reggie Wayne and Jason Witten for Marlon Brown.

 

Yeah, you're really trying to make your team better. Sounds like you just got frustrated and essentially took your ball and stomped off once things didn't go your way.

 

What the savvy dynasty owner would do, would be target teams in contention but maybe one player away and gut them for picks and young players.

 

The savvy dynasty owner would trade Foster away for a younger RB and a mid-round pick. And then deal Wayne.... and then Witten... Just lumping together older players for one younger player? Sounds like you just don't get it.

 

I totally gutted one team last year and ended up with an buttload of picks (and drafted well) and added good, young players. I didn't expect that team to compete until maybe next year. I'm 5-2 being the likes of Forte (acquired in trade), Lacy (drafted), Cutler (trade), Jeffery (drafted), Bernard (draft) and stud IDPs (all traded for). All of my players have long contracts so I technically should be good for a few years.

 

I gutted another team a few years ago and through various trades and smart drafting have Brees, AP, McCoy, Murray, Megatron, Marshall, Andre Johnson, Bowman, David, Alonso... Of course, 3 of those guys are in their last year of their contracts, but I'm trying to win now. Why not?

 

I decided to gut my third dynasty team this year. I've already added Matt Ryan, Emmanuel Sanders, Nate Irving, Mark Barron, Christine Michael, Terrence Williams, and 2 2nds and a 1st next year.

 

Sounds to me like you just don't get dynasty football or don't have the patience for it.

Edited October 25, 2013 by darin3

[Seahawks21]

So - to make it relevant here - you traded Arian Foster, Reggie Wayne and Jason Witten for Marlon Brown.

 

Yeah, you're really trying to make your team better. Sounds like you just got frustrated and essentially took your ball and stomped off once things didn't go your way.

 

What the savvy dynasty owner would do, would be target teams in contention but maybe one player away and gut them for picks and young players.

 

I totally gutted one team last year and ended up with an buttload of picks (and drafted well) and added good, young players. I didn't expect that team to compete until maybe next year. I'm 5-2 being the likes of Forte (acquired in trade), Lacy (drafted), Cutler (trade), Jeffery (drafted), Bernard (draft) and stud IDPs (all traded for). All of my players have long contracts so I technically should be good for a few years.

 

I gutted another team a few years ago and through various trades and smart drafting have Brees, AP, McCoy, Murray, Megatron, Marshall, Andre Johnson, Bowman, David, Alonso... Of course, 3 of those guys are in their last year of their contracts, but I'm trying to win now. Why not?

 

I decided to gut my third dynasty team this year. I've already added Matt Ryan, Emmanuel Sanders, Nate Irving, Mark Barron, Christine Michael, Terrence Williams, and 2 2nds and a 1st next year.

 

Sounds to me like you just don't get dynasty football or don't have the patience for it.

The savvy dynasty owner would trade Foster away for a younger RB and a mid-round pick. And then deal Wayne.... and then Witten... Just lumping together older players for one younger player is

 

I really don't need your condescending attitude. After being here for a decade or however long. You should know better. The "savvy dynasty owner". LOL

 

That was an extreme example, usually you can get more. But some years, the deadline is coming and you're not getting any offers, and you just have to take the best offer(s) you can get. If you like Marlon Brown, and you feel he is the best you can get, you have to take it, do you not?

Edited October 25, 2013 by Seahawks21

[darin3]

I really don't need your condescending attitude. After being here for a decade or however long? Come on.

 

That was an extreme example, usually you can get more. But some years, the deadline is coming and you're not getting any offers, and you just have to take the best offer(s) you can get. If you like Marlon Brown, and you feel he is the best you can get, you have to take it, do you not?

 

 

Not trying to be condescending, but when you claim to make lopsides trades just because you're out of it, it sounds like you either a) don't know what you're doing or b ) just don't have the patience to wait for the right deal.

 

If the deadline is coming, and all you have is crappy offers, you hold your player and hope to either retain them in the off-season by matching the RFA bid or find someone that will buy their RFA rights.

 

The leagues I detailed above are chock full of this site's best and brightest owners. I'm not just pulling hoodwinks over morans.

 

Guess you just have a different vision of what a dynasty league is supposed to be about... and that's your right. I'm sure your fellow leaguemates love when your team runs into a streak of bad luck.

[Seahawks21]

Not trying to be condescending, but when you claim to make lopsides trades just because you're out of it, it sounds like you either a) don't know what you're doing or b ) just don't have the patience to wait for the right deal.

 

If the deadline is coming, and all you have is crappy offers, you hold your player and hope to either retain them in the off-season by matching the RFA bid or find someone that will buy their RFA rights.

 

The leagues I detailed above are chock full of this site's best and brightest owners. I'm not just pulling hoodwinks over morans.

 

Guess you just have a different vision of what a dynasty league is supposed to be about... and that's your right. I'm sure your fellow leaguemates love when your team runs into a streak of bad luck.

 

What if they don't have any RFA rights? They're gone, they're in the last year of your contract. Maybe you can keep one, and you pick one. Then you have four players left you cannot keep for any reason. And you're out of contention. You're not going to sell these off to the highest bidder?

 

Dude, I don't give two poops about how high ranking your league mates are in your big, important leagues. Really? Who are you?

[darin3]

What if they don't have any RFA rights? They're gone, they're in the last year of your contract. Maybe you can keep one, and you pick one. Then you have four players left you cannot keep for any reason. And you're out of contention. You're not going to sell these off to the highest bidder?

 

Dude, I don't give two poops about how high ranking your league mates are in your big, important leagues. Really? Who are you?

 

 

Uh, sounds like you're in some goofy leagues if you can't match in RFA. Didn't say how high my leaguemates are or how big and important the leagues are. Just trying to point out that you don't have to be the pissed off little kid on the playground and trade away all your best players when you're down and out.

 

Thanks for the honesty, though.

[BA Baracus]

I dont thunk you guys are talking about the same sort of league. Seahawks is talking about dumping guys that he cant keep and I am getting the impression that d3 is talking about full blown dynasty where the only limits to keepers are actual NFL careers and/or salary caps.

 

I have no dynasty experience, so maybe I'm just talking nonsense.

[darin3]

I dont thunk you guys are talking about the same sort of league. Seahawks is talking about dumping guys that he cant keep and I am getting the impression that d3 is talking about full blown dynasty where the only limits to keepers are actual NFL careers and/or salary caps.

 

I have no dynasty experience, so maybe I'm just talking nonsense.

 

 

Not exactly... what he's saying suggests he's in a format where you potentially could keep players if you really spent the time and focused your efforts to rather than just trade away your best assets for "pennies on the dollar", as he puts it.

Edited October 25, 2013 by darin3

[Seahawks21]

I dont thunk you guys are talking about the same sort of league. Seahawks is talking about dumping guys that he cant keep and I am getting the impression that d3 is talking about full blown dynasty where the only limits to keepers are actual NFL careers and/or salary caps.

 

I have no dynasty experience, so maybe I'm just talking nonsense.

 

Good point, thanks BA. You're right, keeper league, not dynasty. You can only keep players for X number of years.

[BA Baracus]

Good point, thanks BA. You're right, keeper league, not dynasty. You can only keep players for X number of years.

 

 

So this whole conversation is exactly why we instituted anew league rule prohibiting the trading of future draft picks.

 

We had a trade pop up that threatened to really imbalance the league. The last place team was trying to dish McCoy for draft picks. I generally hate interfering in any trade, but this would have opened the door to all the shady trading that seahawks described. IMO, this sort of trading would destroy the competitiveness of the league and just result in a bunch of fist fights at the draft.

 

This has been very helpful to me. I can say now that I am 100% against allowing future pick trading in any non-dynasty league.

[Big Country]

So this whole conversation is exactly why we instituted anew league rule prohibiting the trading of future draft picks.

 

We had a trade pop up that threatened to really imbalance the league. The last place team was trying to dish McCoy for draft picks. I generally hate interfering in any trade, but this would have opened the door to all the shady trading that seahawks described. IMO, this sort of trading would destroy the competitiveness of the league and just result in a bunch of fist fights at the draft.

 

This has been very helpful to me. I can say now that I am 100% against allowing future pick trading in any non-dynasty league.

 

 

The thing is, in any keeper or dynasty league, the view is no longer solely on the current season, it has to be taken into account with an eye to the future as well. If an owner is out of it for the current season, as a good owner, they should be focusing on the future seasons to make themselves better long term. If the last place team couldn't keep McCoy, or was getting quite a few picks for him, then it makes perfect sesnse for him to trade him for picks. He is doing what is best for his team, which is the total point of owning a fantasy football team. The owner giving up the picks is essentially mortgaging his future to try and win now. That is also his responsibility as a good fantasy owner in a position to win it all now.

 

Now, there is definitely not enough information to comment on this particular trade, as dynamics such as current standings, keeper rules, rosters etc. all have a play in this, but to evaluate any trade in a keeper/dynasty league with a redraft league mentality is doing the league a disservice.

 

To Darin's point, I am in a league where when a players contract expires, he is a RFA for you, The other league members bid on your player, and when that is done you have the option of letting him go (with no compensation) or matching the bid (using up your own allotment of RFA dollars). A few years ago, I had a pretty poor team so I traded several aging veterans that could still contribute for some rookies tha I could stash and draft picks. On paper, sure looks like a bad deal for me if I was merely looking at the immediate contribution I was giving up. Two years later, my team is a contender, and now I am a buyer in the market, looking to deal some of the youth/picks I have for immediate contributors. That is the nature of a keeper/dynasty league.

 

Now, to Seahawks point, in a league where once a players contract expires they are done and back in the draft pool, there is a little more of a "desperation" feel, for lack of a better word, as the options are to trade a player and get what you can, or lose him to the draft pool. It's no different than those keeper leagues where you can keep say 4 players, but you have 6 good ones, so you send your 5th best player to a team that only has maybe 2 decent keepers for a middle draft pick - you know the player you sent him would be a high draft pick in the draft, but rather than get nothing, you get something. It's the same principle as the trade deadline approaches.

[BA Baracus]

The thing is, in any keeper or dynasty league, the view is no longer solely on the current season, it has to be taken into account with an eye to the future as well. If an owner is out of it for the current season, as a good owner, they should be focusing on the future seasons to make themselves better long term. If the last place team couldn't keep McCoy, or was getting quite a few picks for him, then it makes perfect sesnse for him to trade him for picks. He is doing what is best for his team, which is the total point of owning a fantasy football team. The owner giving up the picks is essentially mortgaging his future to try and win now. That is also his responsibility as a good fantasy owner in a position to win it all now.

 

Now, there is definitely not enough information to comment on this particular trade, as dynamics such as current standings, keeper rules, rosters etc. all have a play in this, but to evaluate any trade in a keeper/dynasty league with a redraft league mentality is doing the league a disservice.

 

To Darin's point, I am in a league where when a players contract expires, he is a RFA for you, The other league members bid on your player, and when that is done you have the option of letting him go (with no compensation) or matching the bid (using up your own allotment of RFA dollars). A few years ago, I had a pretty poor team so I traded several aging veterans that could still contribute for some rookies tha I could stash and draft picks. On paper, sure looks like a bad deal for me if I was merely looking at the immediate contribution I was giving up. Two years later, my team is a contender, and now I am a buyer in the market, looking to deal some of the youth/picks I have for immediate contributors. That is the nature of a keeper/dynasty league.

 

Now, to Seahawks point, in a league where once a players contract expires they are done and back in the draft pool, there is a little more of a "desperation" feel, for lack of a better word, as the options are to trade a player and get what you can, or lose him to the draft pool. It's no different than those keeper leagues where you can keep say 4 players, but you have 6 good ones, so you send your 5th best player to a team that only has maybe 2 decent keepers for a middle draft pick - you know the player you sent him would be a high draft pick in the draft, but rather than get nothing, you get something. It's the same principle as the trade deadline approaches.

 

 

In my particular situation, there are only two keepers allowed, no player can be kept for more than two years, and any keeper will cost a minimum of a 5th round pick (based on where you drafted them).

 

To me, that is mostly a redraft league with some light keeping. In my opinion, this sort of setup does not lend itself to trading of future picks. If we had more keepers, more variance in keeper cost, and longer keeper terms, it would make sense to open things up to the trading of picks. Under our league structure, I just think that allowing future picks to be traded would result in good teams getting screwed because some guy tanked the rest of the year and handed easy wins to other teams.