|
Wednesday January 6th, 2005 Page updated at 8:20pm
By:
David
Bachman
Fantasy
Football Editor For WagerOnFootball.com
Organizing
Your Leauge for Next Year
"I hate it
when a leauge says we're using week 17 as our Super
Bowl Final."
Dave B - FantasyFootball
Editor - WagerOnFootball.com
We've nearly hit
the end, folks. We're a few days away from the final
week of regular season games, and there's high drama
in both the AFC and NFC, as a number of teams are
still dreaming about the playoffs.
However, your fantasy league season is finished,
right? The champion has been crowned, congratulated,
and paid up? Right?
No!? You mean to tell me that your league holds
meaningful fantasy games in week 17?
Sigh. People, people, come on! Other than the "why
waste a regular season week" argument, give
me one good reason why there should be meaningful
fantasy games being played this Sunday.
I ask because I can give you numerous reasons why
week 17 should not be used for championship, third-place,
consolation, or any other significant fantasy contests.
My list of arguments begins with the Eagles, Falcons,
Packers, Steelers, Patriots, Colts, and Chargers.
All seven of those clubs have wrapped up playoff
spots and seeds. Thus, the individual players on
those seven teams offer virtually no guarantees
in week 17. Their usual starters are unlikely to
finish the game, let alone play an entire half.
Heck, they might not even play an entire quarter.
While you'll read newsbreakers this week about
some of these players starting games, it's tough
for fantasy owners to count on them putting up anything
close to their usual numbers. Here's just a partial
list of guys who could disappoint with limited outings.
Many of them occupy teams that are hoping to win
fantasy championships:
QB: Peyton Manning, Donovan McNabb, Brett Favre,
Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Michael Vick, Ben Roethlisberger.
RB: LaDainian Tomlinson, Edgerrin James, Corey Dillon,
Ahman Green, Warrick Dunn, Jerome Bettis, Duce Staley,
Brian Westbrook.
WR: Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Brandon Stokley,
Javon Walker, Donald Driver, Hines Ward, Plaxico
Burress.
TE: Antonio Gates, Alge Crumpler, Marcus Pollard,
Dallas Clark, Bubba Franks, Daniel Graham.
K: Adam Vinatieri, David Akers, Mike Vanderjagt,
Ryan Longwell, Nate Kaeding.
If the championship contenders in your league employ
any of the names above, they can't honestly hope
for a fair shake in week 17. Heck, the Eagles didn't
even give those owners much of an effort last Monday.
McNabb played only one drive, Westbrook did not
play at all, and Akers attempted only one extra
point because the second and third-string offenses
barely bothered to move the ball.
I, for one, can't stand leagues that use week 17.
It practically ripped my heart apart to bench McNabb
in favor of Billy Volek this past week, and I would
hate to be cruising the waiver wire right now wondering
if I should use Patrick Ramsey or Matt Schaub in
a championship game.
Is it really a true measure of the elite teams
if the owners have to bench their studs in favor
of weak backups simply because of the fear of benching?
It's like getting tickets to "Seinfeld Live
" only to find out that Jerry is in the hospital,
and your forced to watch his friend from LA??. Or
so I understand.
If you really, really need the fantasy football
season to go on as long as possible (and who doesn't?),
I suggest you start up a playoff league. While not
as enjoyable and intense as the regular season action,
it's still fun and provides one with that fantasy
football fix.
Instead, I suggest using week 17 as a gathering
to watch games, celebrate the enjoyable regular
season, hand the champion his or her trophy, and
hold the draft or auction for your fantasy playoff
league. Wouldn't that be more enjoyable and sensible
than trying to paste together a useful fantasy roster
this week with money on the line?
Have a Great Week. Check out the Fantasy
Football page for this weeks NFL fantasy player
rankings, studs & duds, who's Hot and who's
NOT, as well as the NFL fantasy football waiver
wire.
Try out our NFL Sportsbooks
in the Review, and good luck in week 17 everyone.
Dave B. Write
Me.
Don't You Have Some Work To Get To?
Wager On Football's Fantasy
Football expert Dave B. stops by every week to give
you the lowdown on Fantasy Football. Fantasy insight
is invaluable when it comes to gaining knowledge
about the one thing that consumes so many of us
die hard football fans for six months every year.
So Listen Up!! Then apply what you learn to your
starting lineups, and an NFL Wager. You'll be surprised
how much skill your new Fantasy Football brain will
contain. Heck you could even make a smarter bet
in our NFL sportsbooks.
|
| |
|
|
