Fantasy Football (Non HTF leagues) (1 Viewer)

[Tom Meyer]

All I know is, Plaxico Burress is the biggest bust of the year so far. A whopping TWO receptions in two games. Ugh. Straight to the bench w/ him. Hello Rod Gardner after this week.

 

[Tim Markley]

You should've been starting Gardner over Burress anyway. Burress is at best the #2 option on a team that has one of the worst QBs in the NFL and is known for a run first mentality. Gardner is the #1 option on a team that would gladly pass the whole game if the defense let them. Go with Gardner!

 

[Evan S]

As for Burress, here is my take....

Don't give up just yet. The Steelers always get off to slow starts. They play in a ridiculously easy division and have a history of hot finishes. Last year after two games Burress had 4 catches for 43 yards. He finished with 73 balls for over 1000 yards and 9 scores. So, his two catches for 28 yards so far doesn't look quite so bad.

Plus, his value is still high in scoring only leagues. He had a sure-fire touchdown in week one only to fail to get both feet down due to a mental lapse. In game two, he was thrown to in the end zone at least twice that I could tell and it was great coverage that prevented the score.

Remain patient fantasy owners...a very important credo.

 

[Andrew_Sch]

Man I hate scoring-based leagues. Where else would a freaking kicker outscore two top-five running backs two weeks in a row?

 

[Tim Markley]

I never play in strictly scoring leagues. IMO they suck.
Evan - Don't confuse the Steelers pathetic showing this year with their slow starts in previous years. It's not the same. The Steelers have no fire at all, they continue to commit stupid turnovers and the Patriots and Raiders have identified a major flaw in the Steelers defense. I've been a Steelers fan my whole life and have never been so disappointed in them. They have a real easy schedule but where does that get them? Even if they manage to make the playoffs, they'll get destroyed. IMO their problem is not a lack of talent but a lack of intelligence at the coaching positions. I used to be a big fan of Cowher but now I think it's time to get rid of him. He gets outcoached every game and will never win a Super Bowl.

 

[Evan S]

Tim, your points are all valid, but this is a FANTASY football thread. I'm making no claims about their abilities to make the playoffs or go far in them....I'm simply stating that with their easy schedule coming up, players like Bettis, Burress and Stewart are going to get theirs in future games and players should hold on to these guys or actually try to ACQUIRE them right now when their value is super low and with them going into the bye. I have faith in the black and gold braintrust and think they will correct the defensive flaws. It's Stewart and his ability to perform under playoff pressure that I think is lacking.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Evan is correct. In order to win at fantasy football, you need to approach the game differently. A player who may be a winner on the field, such as Tom Brady, may not put up the same statistical numbers as another QB on an inferior team (Mark Brunell is currently lighting it up in our league). The Steelers still have some viable fantasy players. I have Hines Ward, and expect to put him in my starting lineup almost every week after Pittsburgh's bye this week.

 

[Tim Markley]

Yes, I was talking in more general terms, not in fantasy football terms (even though I know it's a fantasy football thread). I've been playing fantasy football for over 10 years so I do know the difference .
I agree that Bettis' numbers will improve along with Ward, but I'm not sure about Burress and Kordell. Burress tends to pout when he doesn't get the ball and now that Randle El is showing what he can do, Burress isn't going to see the ball as much. I see Burress' number of catches dropping and him going back into his shell. Kordell continues to make very costly mistakes. If it continues, I wouldn't be surprised to see Maddox or Batch. As a Steeler fan, I would be ecstatic at the switch.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

The biggest strike against Kordell for fantasy football is his turnovers -- if your league takes away points for these (mine does). I have Culpepper as my starting QB, and he puts up enough points to still do well with all his turnovers. Kordell, however, does not. Also, Kordell does not run as much as he used to. A QB who can also run is a big asset in FF.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

The byes this week are killing me. I have Charlie Garner, Hines Ward, Jerry Rice and Patrick Johnson off this week, and Eddie George has a sore foot. My opponent has Brett Favre vs. Detroit and Ricky Williams vs. the Jets. I have to start George, Darrell Jackson, Koren Robinson, Garrison Hearst and Derrick Alexander, along with Culpepper and TE Randy McMichael. If George cannot play, I'll have to insert either David Patten or Clinton Portis.

I'm toast.

 

[Tim Markley]

I've got Eddie George in 3 of my leagues and I'll be hurting in all of them if he doesn't play. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

 

[Evan S]

Supposedly, George's foot is still in a boot and the chances of him playing are very doubtful. I'd say check your waiver wire for the availability of Mike Green. Kevin Dyson is also doubtful for that game, so try to pull a trade for Derrick Mason or pickup Tennessee's third receiver, whomever that might be. Lou Pascarelli of ESPN.com is saying that Ahman Green probably will NOT play this week, making Rondell Mealey a very hot pickup this week on the waiver wire if he's available in your league.

Good pickups also this week for those desperate might be Deion Branch of the Patriots vs. KC, Javon Walker of Green Bay vs. Detroit, Josh Reed of the Bills vs. Denver (because they will be behind), Brian Finneran of Atlanta at home vs. Cincy, De'Wayne Bates of Minnesota vs. Carolina and maybe if you are super desperate, Reggie Wayne of the Colts at Houston.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Evan,
All the players you mentioned are already owned by someone in our league.

 

[Evan S]

Scott, I'm in a ten team league with 16 roster spots and only one or two of those players are gone. You must be in a 12 or 14 team league or have more roster spots per team. I feel for ya man!

 

[Corbin Stirn]

D-day for me this week. I'm 7-1 so far(2-0 in 3 leagues, 1-1 in the other). In all of my leagues, I'm facing the 1st or 2nd highest total scored and all 4 teams I'm facing are undefeated. I SHOULD dominate the one league.......but Owens and Moss still haven't gone off yet. McNair, Moss, Owens, Antwain Smith, Anthony Thomas, T.J. Duckett, Chargers and Bucs Defense, Bubba Franks, Akers, Dilfer, Hollis, Moe Williams, and Barlow. This team should kick butt.........what do you guys think? How is everyone else doing? man.......FF is fun.........

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Evan,

It's a 12 team league with 20 roster spots. However, we play 3 defensive players instead of a team defense, so 3-4 roster spots are taken up by defensive players. We start eleven players each week -- 1 QB, 1 RB, 1 WR, 1 TE, 3 offensive flex (RB, WR or TE), 1 kicker and 3 defensive players.

Right now, I am carrying 2 QBs, 5 RBs, 7 WRs, 1 TE, 1 K and 4 defensive players. I will dump a receiver after my byes this week to pick up QB Todd Bouman again (I have Culpepper, and waived Bouman this week to pick up an extra receiver because of my four bye players and Eddie George's injury). I'll waive a WR as needed to pick up a kicker and TE during their bye weeks (it's not worth carrying two kickers or TEs for one bye week start).

 

[Andrew_Sch]

Man I'm kicking myself for not taking Deuce McAllister when I had the chance. Among the players I took when he was still on the board (he was the second to last pick in the draft): Tim Couch, Emmitt Smith, William Green, Keyshawn Johnson and Brett Conway, all of whom I've released except Key, whom I'm currently trying to trade. Not only that, but my "stud" running backs, Ahman Green and Shaun Alexander, have been flameouts in their first two games (scoring-based league). At least I was able to pick up Charlie Garner and Warrick Dunn. Adding insult to injury is the fact that the guy who has Deuce hasn't even started him yet, since he also has Ricky Williams, Ladanian Tomlinson and Curtis Martin. To paraphrase Jules, "Man, I will never forgive my ass for this shit!!!"

 

[Bill Leber]

I'm in a 12 team nfl.com league (yardage and scoring) and am having a tough time picking my second starter at RB and WR. I have Edgerrin James (no brainer) but for my no. 2 spot it's either Lamar Smith or Moe Williams. I'm leaning towards Williams.

At WR I'm starting Keyshawn, and either Isaac Bruce or Qadry Ismail. I'm leaning towards Qadry just because I think he could do well against Houston and the Colts are my team!

Any suggestions?

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Andrew,

How in the world did Duece McAlister last so long in your draft? He was gone before I could make my second round pick in our draft (Culpepper was my first pick at #9 overall).

Bill, I would probably play Lamar Smith over Moe Williams only because the Vikings may use the dreaded "running back committee" approach for the next few week. There is nothing worse for a fantasy owner that the above phrase (I have Clinton Portis and Garrison Hearst in one league and Bettis/Zeroue in another, so I speak from experience).

 

[Tim Markley]

Andrew - Please tell us what type of league you're in where Deuce McAllister is the second to last pick of the draft. I'm curious.
All of the preseason publications were predicting big things for Deuce and he went early in all of my drafts. I was pretty high on him and still didn't get a chance to draft him.
Fantasy football is very unpredictable, especially in the early weeks. In one of my leagues I managed to get Shaun Alexander and Curtis Martin as my top 2 RBs and I was pumped! I thought that my team would be great and I'm now sitting at 0-2. Thankfully Walter Jones is now signed for Seattle and Alexander's numbers should improve. However, I really have no idea what's going on with the Jets. Their offense looks terrible and Martin isn't getting the touches. Yea, he's got an injury but supposedly he was OK. I don't know what to think.
I've got Eddie George in 3 different leagues and he's listed as questionable. This looks like it's going to be the dreaded 'game time decision' as far as whether he plays or not. Bleh!