Fantasy Football 2003 (1 Viewer)

[Robert_eb]

I just found out that I get the first overall pick in my buddies fantasy football league. I'm torn between Ricky Williams & Priest Holmes. Do you think that Holmes will put up the numbers before the hip injury last year and will that injury influence the play calling?

If you had the number one pick who would you take and why?

 

[Robert_eb]

Thnx.

 

[Evan S]

I wouldn't touch Holmes with a ten foot pole this year...not with any of the top 5 picks. Too risky. Why do you think the Chiefs took Larry Johnson with their first pick when they need defense like Kobe Bryant needs a lawyer.

I would take Williams or Tomlinson #1 overall depending on your league's scoring system. If it's just TD based the two are about even (maybe even exceeded by Shawn Alexander of Seattle) but if yardage is included Williams pulls ahead of Tomlinson slightly and Alexander by a great deal.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Ricky Williams or Tomlinson would be my choice, too. After those two, then I would take Marshall Faulk. Holmes is too risky with his hip injury.

I am picking last (12th) in our league after winning the championship last season. That will give me consecutive picks, since we reverse the order on each round. I'm hoping there will still be a decent running back available at that spot. If so, I plan on taking a RB and probably either Marvin Harrison or Terrell Owens (whichever one is still on the board). If there is a run on RB's, I'm hoping that means that Donovan McNab is available at #12 and #13. He is the only QB I would consider this high (although I'm trying to bluff the guy picking in front of me to take Rich Gannon, since he's had Gannon the past two seasons and really wants him at #14).

Personally, I would rather have the #12 pick this year than the #1 pick.

 

[Shane Martin]

From our league, we do the same as Scott. I usually pick around 9 to 11 and did well last year. I had Owens #1 which I took over Rod Smith(my other gut feeling choice).

If I had #1 or in the top 3 and was looking around I'd STRONGLY consider picking up Ricky Williams.

 

[Dheiner]

When is your draft? And what is your scoring system?
If you pick soon, and you have a fairly normal scoring system, I'd probably take Williams, as he is perhaps the safest overall pick right now. If you don't draft for a while, look again, closer to your draft. Depending on the preseason, I could see Williams, Holmes, Faulk, Alexander, McAllister, Tomlinson, James, or even Vick as the overall number one.

 

[Ross Williams]

The safest choice is Ricky Williams. My choice however would be Clinton Portis. He didn't start 3 games last year, and put up incredible numbers. He was just dominating games the last few weeks of the season. The Broncos plan to utilize him even more this season.

 

[Paul_Fisher]

Fantasy Fottball!! LOL! That's funny!

 

[Robert_eb]

Are draft is in the middle of August. We do have scoring for yardage gained as well.

 

[Tim Markley]

I keep getting the feeling that we're not getting the whole story on Priest Holmes. I think his injury is/was worse than what the Chiefs are saying. Because of that, there's no way I'd take him this year. My choice for #1 would be Williams.

 

[Evan S]

The safest choice is Ricky Williams. My choice however would be Clinton Portis. He didn't start 3 games last year, and put up incredible numbers. He was just dominating games the last few weeks of the season. The Broncos plan to utilize him even more this season.

People said the exact same thing last year about Shawn Alexander of the Seahawks because he only played 10 games or so and ran for 1400 yards after Watters got hurt, but look what happened last year. In 6 more games, Alexander only ran for a little over 1100 yards, but he did get 18 touchdowns so if you are in a TD league, he panned out for you, although he did get 5 of those in one game!

I still think Portis will have a very good year, but he is the smallest in stature of all the top backs and I worry about injury...and I am a HUGE Broncos fan. If he is there when I pick at #4, I think I am taking him in my draft, but I would probably pick Tomlinson, Faulk or Williams ahead of Portis this year, even given Faulk's injury problems last year. Don't forget they bolstered the line this year with the Kyle Turley trade.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I think Portis at #1 is quite a stretch, too. He's probably a mid-first round choice. I had him last year and he was terrific, but Williams, Tomlinson and Faulk are all better choices. Now, if Portis somehow drops down to me at #12, I will be doing a dance of joy, but that probably will not happen, either.

 

[John Thomas]

I'm wondering about the status of the HTF Fantasy League. Joel Mack was our commissioner last year but I haven't heard anything from him. Anyone out there recall the rules that we were going by for the coming years?

Btw, I might just draft a WR if I drop down to last pick gain this year. I drafted Owens last year at #12 and he turned out pretty good for me.

 

[Robert_eb]

I'm starting to lean towards Williams. I guess I'll have to wait and see how Holmes does in the first pre-season game.

Our draft is 8-16.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I guess I'll have to wait and see how Holmes does in the first pre-season game.

My prediction is that the preseason will tell us nothing about Holmes. Whether he's healthy or not, the Chiefs will probably not risk playing him in the games and potentially aggravate his hip injury. He will be the biggest wild card in every fantasy draft.

 

[John Thomas]

Depending on how your league scores, a QB may be a good first pick. In the Yahoo leagues, a passing TD = rushing TD. However, rushing yards are twice as valuable as passing yards and usually provide consistent points as opposed to some very turbulent QB performances.

Like I said earlier, I had the last pick of the round in last year's league and picked T.Owens who ended up getting me to the Super Bowl.

 

[Robert_eb]

I just read this:



http://espn.go.com/nfl/columns/clayt...n/1578737.html



Holmes says he'll return to top form

By John Clayton
ESPN.com


Chiefs halfback Priest Holmes said Wednesday that he is as optimistic as he's ever been about the upcoming season and his comeback from last season's hip injury.

"I'm excited to be back on my feet again running," Holmes said on WHB-AM Wednesday. "The reason I'm still excited is that just four months ago I was on crutches."

Holmes, who spent an hour on the Kansas City radio station, said that he's been running for two months and he's even been pulling a tractor to build up the strength in the legs and see how the hip responds to stretching. He expects a full recovery from the injury.

"I've always looked doubt in the eye and have always come back," Holmes said.

Holmes missed the final two regular-season games last year after suffering a deep hip bruise. Holmes said that he felt that he could have done damage to his career had he played those games.

As it turned out, Holmes began training after the season with hopes of reducing the swelling and pain around the injury. As hard as he worked out, Holmes didn't feel right. He compared training to trying to go up a ladder.

"I wasn't going up, I was standing in place," Holmes said.

MRIs of the hip did not show any problem, but he kept going to doctors when the hip didn't feel better. During the offseason, Holmes visited four doctors, including a hip specialist. Eventually in March, they found some loose bodies around the joint, which required what was considered minor arthroscopic surgery.

Holmes said he felt as soon as he had the surgery that he was going to be fine. Unfortunately, because the scope had to go through muscle to remove the loose bodies, Holmes had to stay in crutches for four weeks.

"I knew the surgery was successful immediately," Holmes said. "Right after, I was on the bike full speed."

Holmes told fantasy fans that he would make himself the No. 1 choice in any fantasy draft because he is so optimistic about his comeback.

 

[John Thomas]

Holmes has to say that - he has to get a new contract or else. From what I understand he wasn't getting paid squat (relatively) the past few years and now when he finally hits it big and contract time is around, he's hurt. Who knows how severe or performance-effecting this injury is but I'd seriously knock him down a notch in a draft.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Until I see Holmes play in a game, I will reserve judgement. Players coming back from injury always claim they are 100% healed -- even Grant Hill has claimed that, and he's about to miss his fourth straight season due to injury.

 

[Robert_eb]

My draft is less than two weeks away. Any new news on Holmes?