Nobody wants a slow start to the season, but it happens. Sometimes your team is looking great (I have one of those), and sometimes they can't buy a win (I have one of those, too). If you have a team in the latter camp, things are about to get worse: Not only are you scrambling to get a victory, you have to deal with the vultures. Because make no mistake; they're on their way.
The "vultures" are your league mates who are hoping you're feeling desperate and trying to make a lopsided trade with you. They won't say that, of course. They'll use corporate-speak like "mutually beneficial," "win-win" or a trade that "makes sense for everyone involved." It almost makes you appreciate the cold, soulless tone of a ChatGPT paragraph. At least AI doesn't care enough to try and take advantage of your struggles.
But here you are, and here they come. And it makes sense, right? Why wouldn't they check to see if you're panicking and willing to trade away a valuable piece of your team? Maybe you've been hit with injuries, or bad luck, or run into the highest-scoring teams each week. Or maybe a combination of all three. It's been that type of year already.
Some of them will only make a half-hearted stab at a player, vomiting up a bad trade offer to see if you'll bite. They probably feel guilty about what they're doing, so they don't try very hard. Then there are the other ones, with friendly texts or emails, hoping to "start a dialogue" or something similar. Again, you can't blame them. You're the one losing games. But you don't have to like it, and you certainly don't have to fall for it.
So before they start their descent on your roster, watch out for two basic types of fantasy football vultures:
They want your best players. Of course they do. If you'll just part with your best guy, they'll lay out a buffet of mediocre performers you can spread across your underperforming table. They'll sprinkle in a couple names, a guy who just had a good week, or a preseason darling. All you have to do is give them an inside track to a title and let your team settle into a predictable malaise.
Now, I'm not saying your team will definitely turn things around. But if you do turn it around, it won't be without your best guys. You try to build around them, not jettison them. There is no addition by subtraction when it comes to your best players. It's just subtraction. If they weren't worth keeping, people wouldn't be trying to get them.
They want your underperformers. Maybe you're disgusted with some of the guys you drafted. Here comes a fellow manager who will let you punish that guy by trading him away! That'll show him. You won't get much in return, but at least they won't be your headache anymore. And they won't clog up your starting lineup with low scores, either. How lucky that someone is willing to take him off your hands.
That's what they hope you're thinking, anyway. In reality, while it feels like a long season already, it's still pretty early. Giving up now (and getting little in return) will only compound your frustration when they start finding their rhythm. Remember, a lot of these guys didn't play any preseason games at all. It might take them some time to justify where you selected them.
Again, I don't really blame the vultures. I was about to become one myself. In a league where I have good starters and depth, I had my eye on a player whose manager was struggling. One more bad week and I was going to start some initial conversations. The player I was targeting? Drake London. Oh well.
I'm still watching the league's players, hoping to find an angry or disillusioned manager and swoop in when they're feeling their weakest. If they're smart, they won't let me do it. And if you're smart, you won't let your fellow managers do it, either. And in the league where I'm the prey, they're wasting their time. If you have one of those teams, I hope you turn it around this week.
Are you targeting any teams in your league, or do you think you're being targeted? What players are you hoping to pry from a frustrated manager? Are you tempted to give up on anyone yet? Share your thoughts below.
