Trade Dispute: Marques Colston, D’Angelo Williams, Eli Manning & More

Q: The following trade was accepted in a modified Yahoo, Non-keeper, 14 team PPR league(.5 per reception).  This is a post draft, pre-season trade.  The roster positions in the league consist of: QB, WR, WR, WR, RB, RB, W/R, K, DEF, BEN (X7).  This trade has been disputed.  Could you please read the following arguments and make a neutral ruling on our behalf?  Thank you very much.

Trade in question:    Marques Colston, DeAngelo Williams, Fred Taylor FOR Hines Ward, Willie Parker, Chester Taylor, Eli Manning

Summary of all arguments AGAINST the trade:

“This trade should be vetoed because it only makes one team better.  Lions starters are Warner, Steve Smith, Colston, Berrian, DeAngelo Williams, McFadden, Boss, Hester with Kerry Collins already on his bench as a back-up QB.  Willie Parker is ranked 62nd and is in a RBBC. Chester Taylor is ranked 121 and is stuck behind the best running back in the league.  Hines Ward is not only old but is expected to give up even more looks to Santonio Holmes this year.  He’s ranked 61.  Are the 61st, 62nd, and 121st ranked players even a fair trade for the 6th ranked player on the Yahoo! Board? I don’t think so.  Not to mention that Colston, Drew’s now healthy WR1 stud receiver (ranked 32nd) and Fred Taylor (who cares-ranked 155) is also being given to GAGZ for a quarterback that’s not much of an upgrade at back-up.  There is no way that this trade is fair in even the most lenient perspective.  No offense to my fellow managers but it is for these lop-sided trades that vetoes need to be laid out for the sake of the integrity of the rest of our league.

If this trade happens the lions will be giving up two top 20 players.  His starters will be Warner(QB), Smith(WR), Ward(WR), Berrian(WR), Parker (RB), McFadden(RB), Boss(TE), Hester(W/R)  with Fred Taylor, Eli, and Kerry Collins on the bench.  This is a much worse roster than Warner, Smith, Colston, Berrian, D-Will, McFadden, Boss, and Hester that he would already be fielding without a trade.

Right now GAGZ starters are:  Brady(QB), Ward(WR), Roy Williams(WR), Welker(WR), Thomas Jones(RB), Parker(RB), Witten(TE), Julius Jones(W/R). Eli and Taylor are just sitting on his bench.  If this trade goes through GAGZ’s starters will be Brady, Colston, R.Williams, Welker, T.Jones, DeAngelo Williams, Witten, and Julius Jones.  Obviously a much stronger roster for a team in a 14 team league!  He gives up Ward and Parker as starters and plugs in Colston and D-will.   This will unbalance the league giving him 2 rbs that rushed over 1500 yards last year and he is not giving up a whole lot to get him

Summary of all arguments FOR the trade:

An argument in support of this trade was not submitted within the time constraints laid out in the league trade policy. The trade was accepted on Wednesday July 1st.  All e-mails containing arguments, for and against, were due on Friday.

A: We recommend that you veto this trade.  Here are our thoughts.  Let’s analyze this trade by position.

RB – Team GAGZ acquires a major advantage at running back in receiving D. Williams (#8 rank overall on ESPN) and F.Taylor (#92) while giving up Parker (#51) and C.Taylor (#110).    Essentially, two individual upgrades at RB – including the best player in trade in in Williams.

WR – Again, Team GAGZ acquires an advantage at wideout in receiving Colston (#33)  for Ward (#68).   While this advantage is not as sizeable as at the RB position, it is an advantage nonetheless.

That leaves QB, where The Lions are picking up Eli Manning.   We understand the importance of adding depth at the QB spot.  It’s a long season, Colins is a spotty backup, and Warner doesn’t move around well enough to ensure his safety each week.   However, the added depth is simply not enough to offset the very significant upgrades that Team GAGZ is getting at both WR and RB.