Fantasy Football: 4 Reasons to Trade an Elite Running Back After an 0-2 Start

(Note: The following advice was originally a lead segment for the "Tips For Shaking The 0-2 Blues" piece, but given its importance, I wanted to highlight it as a separate post.)

For 0-2 clubs, there's nothing desperate about trading away a dominant back (LeSean McCoy, Arian Foster, Ray Rice) for two, three or four prominent starters at quarterback, running back, receiver or tight end.

It's the cleanest, simplest way to diversify/infuse/strengthen your roster with premium talent.

To maximize Owner A's leverage within this process, though, he/she must advertise a superstar rusher's availability to every GM in the league.

Cast a wide net. Pit one owner against another. And please, do not limit your discussions to a narrow circle of owners (or worse, friends) when selling off one of fantasy's most coveted assets.

Treat it like a public auction and never come off the return expectation of above market value.

(The key to a blockbuster: Always be willing to walk away from the deal at a moment's notice, or "30 seconds flat"—just like Robert DeNiro's character in the epic movie Heat.)

To make such a bold leap this early, however, there should be some conditions tied to this momentous decision:

a) You didn't draft well at receiver and quarterback.

b) You'll have trouble covering the short-term injury losses of Fred Jackson, Matt Forte and/or Aaron Hernandez.

c) In your respective league, only four or six teams make the playoffs.

d) You're not afraid to take a risk or calculated gamble, especially one that leads to a big payoff.

Jay Clemons can be reached on Twitter, day or night, at @ATL_JayClemons.