You likely know by now that I'm advocating trading the 1.01 or trading a taken-in-the-draft Bijan Robinson. Why? Let's recap it again…

1) After scouting him SEVERAL times (because it's such a radical scouting take that I have…), I don't see what everyone else is dreaming up in their heads about him.

I see a very generic 'good' (with flaws) RB prospect in Bijan…not the magical unicorn that's the second coming of Walter Payton-Barry Sanders-Jim Brown-and Jesus all wrapped into one.

2) Because he has such hysterical hype, you can get more than his real value in a trade. Your league mates, many of them, want in on this mythical creature being sold to them by the same people who oversold the public on Najee Harris, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Davis Montgomery (recent top RBs in DRDs). Your league mates get their research/cues from the people selling them down the river for years, but your league mates still haven't figured this out yet -- they're still in awe of anyone employed in the football business…the bigger an analyst's Q-rating, the more they worship their every word.

And I'd have to go back to Saquon Barkley for any hype this hot in a rookie preseason/in the DRDs as Bijan right now…and Saquon didn't pay off/meet the lofty expectations either.

So, it's just smart business to sell an overheated hype stock pre-any real earnings. And I want to go over the Dynasty deals that I'm seeing take place as of late. *And remember: this Bijan thing is SELL HIGH…not SELL AT ANY PRICE BECAUSE I'M AMPED TO SELL. This is one of the greatest assets to possess in any DRD that I can recall in years…maybe in a decade+. Be smart. Stay cool.

Now, if you are convinced Bijan Robinson is the greatest…don't sell the pick. Keep it and use it. He's probably not going to bust…he just cannot live up to the hype. Rookies never do, because we're so in love with rookies we can't see straight in their rookie year/before we see them on the field. Bijan, like Najee, will get a million chances to be the lead guy over the years…no matter how mediocre Najee has been…no matter good Jaylen Warren (UDFA) looks/produces -- they cannot get off Najee, or it exposes mass embarrassment on a guy the Steelers took (wasted a high pick on) in the 1st-round, when any GM with a brain wouldn't take an RB in the 1st-round. Bijan, like a David Montgomery, will not be pushed or challenged for touches for years…it's all-in for brainwashed (by the same media who gets to the 'fans') NFL head coaches.

You want to keep Bijan/the 1.01…feel free.

If you want to do business…follow me…

 

There are three types of deals/things that I'm seeing FFMers do trading their 1.01/Bijan, and I wanted to go over them as a road map for others to benefit from:

 

1) The Stud for Stud Deal

I've advocated on this specific deal -- that when you have a major asset like this (Bijan/1.01), you cannot settle for a deal that gets you 2-3 hopeful prospect types. That's not what you do in this type of situation.

When you have the Holy Grail, you gotta shoot for a Holy Grail equivalent in exchange…

To me, there are only two Holy Grail players to chase after straight up in a deal…top producers in great situations, established stars at a young age -- and that's Justin Jefferson and Ja'Marr Chase.

If your 2023 DRD magically had Justin Jefferson in it, with pick 1.01, you'd draft Jefferson over Bijan (not thinking about the trade value of the 1.01/Bijan). Ditto Chase, probably. I'm not including any top RBs because they ebb-and-flow and careers fade off way too quickly. The current best RBs are mostly middle-aged (for football) RBs as well. I want one of the two young studs straight up (minimum) for Bijan in a deal.

 

2) The Stud for Elite QB Deal

Maybe you are struggling at QB in a league where QB is all important/has high scoring parameters. This is the chance to get Mahomes or Hurts PLUS another item for Bijan.

A great foundation of a deal is: Mahomes and a team's 1.05, or 1.06, or 1.07, or 1.08 range DRD pick in the 2023 DRD in exchange for Bijan/1.01. In this case, you'd get an elite FF weapon/scorer (at QB) and a ticket to get either Anthony Richardson or Dalton Kincaid. I like it because I think Richardson or Kincaid are more real world/long-term valuable and are more special players than Bijan.

Mahomes + Kincaid FOR Bijan as a base…how does that sound? I get the rookie I'd rather have PLUS the top QB in the game in many league platforms. Mahomes for Bijan alone is a win…but then you get a free look at Kincaid…or Richardson, however you choose to go. You might even get a 3rd-round pick in the future thrown in or that low level existing prospect you want to take a free look at.

Rarely are elite QBs made available, but you have the greatest skeleton key to unlock anything with by possessing Bijan/1.01.

With Hurts being so disrespected by the football masses, I see Hurts + 1.05-1.08 pick + (smaller/mid item) FOR Bijan/1.01 deals happening.

 

3) The Stud for Old Stud Deal

People hate players near/at/over 30 years old. Everyone is trying to guess the end of the road/ride and desperately want to sell high before the fall...which is smart, except their timing is rarely right, in their panic, to get away from any 'old' player -- they sell a great asset for a steep discount.

FF GMs are also missing the ever-changing landscape of modern medicinals and/or injections that can change a player's longevity and their 'real age'. 30 years old used to be a death sentence. Today, it may mean only 2-3 more years at the top of their game.

I just saw a deal yesterday, right before a DRD began, that was framed up as: Cooper Kupp + 1.05 (Richardson then taken) + Pacheco for Bijan/1.01 and Jerry Jeudy. The concept of this deal was like the #2 (above)…player + pick to get into position for taking Richardson/Kincaid. But because it's an older/dismissed stud -- the other owner was overjoyed to get rid of this 'age' and bring in youth.

You might only have another year or two with Kupp on top, but his, and most player's, Dynasty value is mostly made up of CURRENT value…what you can get out of them now…not daydreams of a Bijan as a top RB1 for the next decade, which is never gonna happen no matter how good the RB talent is. If your FF team is ready to win now…adding Kupp for a decent RB (Bijan) PLUS getting a real prospect in Richardson/Kincaid PLUS other maneuvering…IT'S AWESOME. Hell, I'd rather have Pacheco than Bijan anyway. Imagine getting Kupp + Richardson + Pacheco infused into your roster for (essentially) Bijan…mostly ignoring Jeudy as a dime-a-dozen/easily replaceable WR.

 

 

SUMMARY…

I know I make it seem like you can just dial up these deals with no resistance. You can't, normally. Sometimes a person might love Bijan…but loves Jefferson as much, so why trade? Sometimes you make this fair deal offer -- stud for stud, and the other owner chickens out for 'fear of being wrong'. Sometimes the fact that it is YOU selling the great asset (Bijan/1.01) puts people into fear (those with FFM for a while, with a track record of thievery when people look back a year+ later)…you must know something they don't.

You need to lead the league in rejected trades. You need to craft deals/make real offers and put people on the spot to accept/decline. Don't waste hours texting concepts back-and-forth nibbling, there is a time/place for some pre-communication dancing, but oftentimes it's best to be mysterious and definitive and put owners in a spot to accept/reject -- propose the deal you want and send it. Make them reject it. See if they counter. The deal is not over just because they rejected your first offer (but don't see their rejection, then make the next move right after or ask 'what's it gonna take'…let them give you feedback, or a counter…don't be desperate or you will spook them. If they don;t respond, let it breathe for a bit…pursue other options if they aren't engaging, come back to it later if you have another deal going to consider). And there's more than one team to deal with. There may be 2-3 situations you like to pursue and see which one looks best and negotiate with 2-3 people at a time to get the best deal…or A deal out of the 2-3.