Here in BFFL we usually see around week 3 or 4, teams start becoming more active in trades. I like to call the first two weeks of the season the adjustment period to accurately assess what we have on our teams, what we deem to be expendable assets and what are the untouchable cornerstones of each franchise to hopefully make playoff pushes. This year we saw that entering into Week 3, we had a very busy week in free agency and trading and I wanted to take this opportunity to break down and grade each trade.
1. Korriban Warriors Start Reconstruction
After starting 0-2, the Warriors in unfamiliar territory begin to move pieces and reconstruct their team in the first of two trades made this week by the franchise. The first trade we saw was with the PGD in which the following pieces were exchanged:
Warriors trade Tony Pollard & Desean Jackson
Phillipines Garbage Dumps trade Marquez Valdes-Scantling & Vance McDonald
This was an interesting trade: on the surface it looks largely inconsequential, but I believe both teams got a valuable WR3 to use. For the PGD, Desean Jackson will not be immediately be usable but certainly had some good repertoire with Carson Wentz in the first week of the regular season. I am a big fan of Marquez Valdes-Scantling and I think he is the second WR to own on the Green Bay Packers. Of course as I am writing this, he has scored in Week 3, but I like him rest of season over Geronimo Allison. Tony Pollard is a high value handcuff that needs to be rostered and could be a lottery ticket if Elliott missed any time. Vance McDonald showed good chemistry with Mason Rudolph with his two touchdown grabs in Week 2 and could be a matchup-based play or good bye week fill-in.
I give PGD a B+ for this haul: a deep threat homerun hitter and a high value lottery ticket stash. My grade for the Warriors is a B purely for MVS as a solid and probably more reliable receiver in return for Jackson.
2. Bruce Gets a Running Back
The second and final Korriban Warriors trade of the week as they send a surprisingly productive value running back away in hopes to shore up the wide receivers. Bruce Almightys took this opportunity to seize a much needed running back after a disappointing start to the season by Devonta Freeman. The trade went as follows:
Warriors trade Carlos Hyde
Bruce Almightys trade Julian Edelman
This trade certainly got a new wrinkle over the weekend with the news that Antonio Brown was released by the New England Patriots. And then it was wrinkled again when Julian Edelman was injured on Sunday with a chest injury, but early reports are positive that he won’t miss extended time.
Bruce was wiling to part with his third round pick for any running back help and one attractive option was Carlos Hyde who has seized the backfield in Houston. Hyde has tallied 40 carries over the first three weeks of the season. Obviously this trade was done before the Antonio Brown news so hindsight is 20/20 but I think with the increased value of Edelman, I would rather have him over Hyde.
I grade this trade A- for the Warriors and B- for Bruce Almightys.
3. Zeke Gets Traded
The third trade of the week and easily the biggest one in terms of star power, we saw a top 4 pick get moved after just two weeks of the regular season. Both parties involved, The People’s Goat and Lin Sanity, had disappointing 0-2 starts to the season and were motivated to make huge changes to the roster.
The People’s Goat trades Ezekiel Elliott & Justice Hill
Lin Sanity trades Joe Mixon & Chris Godwin
Interesting enough, this was the only trade to draw a Competition Committee review (which was upheld via the CC’s vote). Anytime you can make a trade for a workhorse running back, you know it will come with a hefty price. And this trade came with a big price tag. I am a huge fan of Joe Mixon and Chris Godwin. Joe Mixon was my #6 running back coming into the season, and despite having a slow start to the season I think he would be a great buy-low. Chris Godwin is pretty much the perfect WR2 because of his great situation in terms of target share, ability and playing next to Mike Evans. Does this justify the cost the Ezekiel Elliott? I personally think it surpasses it to be honest.
I grade this trade an A+ for the People’s Goat. I would give Lin Sanity a B, landing a guy with a realistic chance to finish as the #1 RB in fantasy but gave up two great players in my estimation.
4. The QB Swap
Our fourth trade of the week, second by PGD, sees a QB swap by both parties. One team presumably will get a new starter and the other team gets a starter quality backup and both teams still hold strong trade assets as we have learned in recent years the value of a start-able quarterback in a 16-team format.
Phillipines Garbage Dumps trades Jacoby Brissett
Dr. Jenious trades Josh Allen
This was my favorite trade of the past week. I like both guys coming into the season as potential breakout candidates. Quarterbacks in fantasy are so up and down on a year to year basis that you really want to find good value late in the draft (or with free agency). And in a sixteen man league, you really want to have two quarterbacks to hold as backup for injuries or as valuable trade assets. Clearly the PGD don’t view Jameis Winston as a set it and forget it starter and can now play matchups between Winston & Allen. For Doctor Jenious, they get a valuble asset that could appreciate on the bench (I don’t see many situations in which Russell Wilson gets benched outside of injury and bye week) which could then be flipped later in the season to get another valuable piece. I believe this was a great trade for both teams, because I think both quarterbacks are pretty equal in value. Jacoby Brissett has a better situation surrounded by better talent and a strong offensive line whereas Josh Allen has more raw talent and upside with his rushing ability and plays behind a top 10 defense which can keep him in games.
I give both GMs a B+ for this trade.
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