Many of my fantasy football conversations end up coming full circle, and I find myself talking about tracking leaguemate tendencies and habits. I describe it as my soapbox because it can be an easy key for success, and it's such an untapped and underutilized aspect of fantasy football – especially as it relates to dynasty league relationships and year-over-year results. With rookie drafts right around the corner for many dynasty enthusiasts, let's take a look at some of the characteristics and tendencies that can reveal themselves when you pay close attention to the details.
Deft Drafters
Some leaguemates are just better at scouting and evaluating college players than others. Or maybe the sources they rely on are simply better than most. You need to identify those folks before you draft so you're able to maneuver and trade around those specific managers before they snipe your prized targets.
Mirror-Mirror
Which leaguemate evaluates or values players just like you? Is there one person in your league who seems to have the same exact draft board as you every single year? You need to be prepared for that circumstance so you can adjust accordingly.
Positional Bias
Some dynasty managers are more comfortable evaluating certain positions, and that's reflected in their draft history. They gravitate toward that position when drafting within a tier or between similar values. Also, certain leaguemates may have an appetite for trading for specific positions year after year and ignore using the draft as a tool to restock that position.
BPA Bible
Which managers always draft BPA - Best Player Available? There's always a manager or two in every league with the mental fortitude and conviction to select the best players available regardless of any extenuating circumstances, landing spots, or spikes in post-draft hype.
See It to Believe It
Some dynasty folks see rookie picks as the true lifeblood of building a successful dynasty. Other managers, however, prefer trading those picks for established players with a sample size and proven track record at the NFL level. Pinpointing those managers will serve you well when identifying trade partners.
Opportunity Knocks
For some, landing spots and situations trump talent. There are always a few leaguemates who simply can't overcome the gnawing temptation to draft (or trade) for opportunity over talent. Again, identifying the tendency to favor lesser talent in ideal situations can work to your advantage.
Fansville
You probably know the manager I'm talking about here—the one who can't separate team loyalty from talent and always zeroes in on the newest addition to their favorite NFL team. It's generally easy to spot and even easier to use as an edge in this hobby.
Information Highway
Where do your leaguemates get their information from? Is there one particular rookie guide? Is there a distinct voice on X that resonates with a certain manager? Is someone you're competing against motivated by trade calculator values or group-think consensus? This is all valuable information that can help you, especially when drafting or constructing trade offers.
Gaining these types of insights from leaguemates isn't always easy, but you'd be surprised how much information flows freely in email negotiations, message boards, and league chats—especially after a manager makes what he or she feels is a very successful trade.
Your Trading Vocabulary
That leads us to another major reason to encourage seeking out tendencies and patterns within a league. Those very details and interactions help fine-tune your trading vocabulary.
Instead of thinking of trading in terms of clichés and preferences (e.g., "I always need to receive better value than I give," or "a perfect trade helps both sides"), it's more strategic to view negotiating as its own language. What is the preferred method of communication with this certain manager? Are there keywords to use when negotiating with this person that motivate a desired response? Does this manager generally require a late-round pick bump to seal the deal? Those are all aspects that can expand your trade vocabulary when studying previous deals and habits in your league.
Ultimately, by expanding your manager-specific vocabulary, you can express yourself more clearly and craft more specifically tailored deals. You'll get a better sense of what works regarding opening offers, negotiations, and how to close the deal, as well as what doesn't work or is off-putting when working with certain managers.
Having a better sense of patterns, tendencies, and previously completed trades gives you the ammunition to craft smarter offers. Understanding the historical trends and value preferences of leaguemates presents an opportunity for you to strategize in more sensible ways so the interaction opens with positive momentum and a higher percentage for success.
Look, there's not a universal trade language that blankets every situation for constructing fantasy football trades. Each manager often negotiates in his or her own dialect to get deals done. Expanding and sharpening your trade vocabulary while tracking leaguemate tendencies is an edge that many overlook.
Thanks for reading! If you want to learn more about dynasty fantasy football and the strategic nuances associated with fantasy football in general, follow me on X @Ciga_FF. Let me know your questions and how I can help.