Every dynasty manager knows the frustration of crafting the perfect trade offer, only to see it rejected or countered with something completely unreasonable. But what if there was a way to make your offers more compelling using the same psychological principles that drive consumer behavior?
Enter the decoy effect — a powerful behavioral economics principle that can dramatically improve your trade success rate by making your preferred offer look more attractive through strategic comparison.
The Movie Theater Principle
Picture this: You're at the movie theater snack counter and you see three popcorn options:
Small Popcorn
$3.00
Medium Popcorn
$6.50
Large Popcorn
$7.00
The $6.50 medium looks ridiculous next to the $7.00 large, right? Suddenly that extra $0.50 seems like a no-brainer for significantly more popcorn. The $3.00 small makes the medium look overpriced, pushing you toward the large. This is the decoy effect in action — and it works the same way in dynasty trades.
The 3-Offer Structure
Instead of sending a single trade offer, send three carefully crafted options that work together to make your preferred deal irresistible:
Aggressive Offer (Your Preferred)
Your side pays a bit more than fair value. This signals seriousness and creates momentum.
Example: You want C.J. Stroud and send Sam LaPorta + 2026 Mid 1st
Balanced Offer (The Decoy)
Close to even value, but positioned to make the aggressive offer look better by comparison.
Example: You want C.J. Stroud and send Sam Darnold + Sam LaPorta
Future-Leaning Offer (Long-term Value)
Heavy on picks and prospects for managers who prefer building for the future.
Example: You want C.J. Stroud and send 2026 Mid 1st + 2027 Mid 2nd + 2026 Mid 3rd
The key insight: Send the weaker offer (balanced) with the stronger one (aggressive). The balanced offer acts as your decoy, making the aggressive offer look like an amazing deal by comparison.
When to Use This Strategy
Perfect Timing
- • Manager seems hesitant or indecisive
- • You're getting countered but not closed
- • You want to make a strong offer more compelling
- • Trading with someone who loves to negotiate
- • You need to signal seriousness about a deal
When to Avoid
- • Manager is a close friend (keep it simple)
- • You don't have a clear preferred outcome
- • The manager is very analytical and might see through it
- • You're dealing with someone who hates gamesmanship
- • The trade value difference is too obvious
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Making the decoy too attractive – If Offer B is better than Offer A, they'll take it instead.
2. Making the decoy too obvious – If the decoy is clearly worthless, they'll ignore all three offers.
3. Using it with every trade – This strategy loses effectiveness if overused.
4. Poor timing – Don't use this when emotions are running high or trust is low.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the decoy effect in trading?
The decoy effect is a cognitive bias where people change their preference between two options when presented with a third option. In trading, it makes your better offer look more attractive by including a less attractive decoy option.
When should I use the 3-offer structure?
Use the 3-offer structure when you're negotiating with a manager who seems hesitant or indecisive, or when you want to make your best offer more compelling. It's particularly effective with managers who are naturally indecisive or focused on getting the best possible deal.
How do I determine which offer should be the decoy?
Your decoy should be worse than your balanced offer but still worth considering. It should make your aggressive offer look like an obviously better deal by comparison, while being just plausible enough that the other manager might briefly consider it.
What's the biggest mistake managers make with the decoy effect?
The biggest mistake is making the decoy offer too good or too obviously bad. A good decoy should be plausible but clearly inferior to your preferred offer. If it's too good, they might take it instead. If it's obviously bad, they'll ignore the whole set.
How does Dynasty Dealmaker help with the decoy effect?
Dynasty Dealmaker can help you identify optimal trade values, suggest balanced offers, and even recommend decoy options that make your primary offers more attractive while ensuring you don't accidentally give away too much value.
📅 Also read: Dynasty Trade Calendar: Month-by-Month Value Guide
⚠️ Also read: Top 10 Dynasty Mistakes in August 2025
🤖 Also read: Why AI is the Best Thing for Dynasty Fantasy Football
How Dynasty Dealmaker Makes the Decoy Effect Effortless
Dynasty Dealmaker streamlines the entire process:
AI-Generated Multiple Creative Options
Create fair, aggressive, and decoy trade offers automatically with AI that understands dynasty values
Organized Trade Management
Keep track of all your created trades in one centralized dashboard - no more scattered trade notes
Clean Single-Link Sharing
Share one professional link containing all your trade offers - no spamming your league with multiple messages
Transform complex psychological strategies into simple, effective trades. The decoy effect has never been easier.
Start Creating Smarter Trades