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At Wager On Football's Fantasy Football expert 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!!
Post Week 4 - Drugs are Bad Mkay?
By:
David Bachman Fantasy Football Editor 10/06/04
But not to Ricky Williams ladies and gentlemen.Surprise,
surprise. Mr. World Traveler is singing a different tune
these days, now that he has an $8 million-plus tab to settle
in Miami. Ricky Williams is interested in returning to the
Dolphins, who are probably more interested in trading him.
I just can't imagine his former teammates and coaches welcoming
this prodigal son back into the mix. Plus, there is the
little matter of a possible suspension for his violations
of the league's drug policy.
Should you make a move for Ricky in fantasy leagues? I
put in claims for the eccentric running back in two leagues.
The players I lost were subpar, and both of said fantasy
teams are 1-3. I figured it was worth the risk for my desperate
squads, both of which are thin at running back. Heck, Ricky
might not play, but the bench guys I dropped weren't destined
to start for me either. Just don't give up a valuable producer
for a long shot who might not step on the field until 2005.
On to other Week 5 topics:
Winning can be accomplished in fantasy football in a number
of fashions. One way is to accumulate as much talent as
possible in your backup slots. This means dropping that
second defense in favor of a skilled young running back,
and giving an extra kicker the quick boot after he has filled
in for your starter’s bye week. The players you have
as backups can be a boon to you if they suddenly become
stars, but they are often just as valuable if by owning
them you can deny talent to other owners in your league.
Unless there is a real gem of a wide receiver or quarterback
sitting there at the end of somebody’s bench or hanging
out on the waiver wire, it is better to stash running backs
in these slots. There are more starting wide receivers in
the league than running backs or quarterbacks, so wide receivers
get added and dropped all season long. These players are
on the cusp of fantasy value, but are not consistent enough
to merit even a full-time bench gig. Quarterbacks, while
they might play poorly, usually make it through the season,
as a group. Any shortage on starters is short-lived.
Running backs are different. There are few who consistently
put up strong fantasy scores, and because of the pounding
they take, they are subjected to minor and major injuries
at an alarming rate. Think about all of the guys that have
been out so far this year:
Deuce McAllister, Charlie Garner, Correll Buckhalter, Kevin
Jones, Michael Bennett, Julius Jones, Ron Dayne, Stephen
Davis, Marcel Shipp, Tatum Bell, Lee Suggs, and Domanick
Davis, to name a few.
There is a definite double-edged advantage to adding backup
running backs to your roster. If the team’s starter
gets hurt or is not getting the job done, your miniscule
investment can pay off big time. Just by having a decent
player ride your pine, you may force a rival team that is
abruptly hungry for any running back that moves into fantasy
bankruptcy and out of contention.
Applied last week, this technique could have landed you
Amos Zereoue, Jonathan Wells or Leonard Henry, all running
backs whose status has been elevated due to injuries sustained
by their teammates. While Zereoue and Wells may be relegated
to backup duty once the starters are healthy, Henry has
a chance to become the full-time back in Miami.
Week 4 Bumps, Bruises & Bow-outs
After last week, this is delightfully short.
Brett Favre (GB) - Concussion
Bethel Johnson (NE) - Unspecified injury
Tyrone Wheatley (OAK) - Shoulder injury
Warrick Dunn (ATL) - Hamstring
Drew Brees (SD) - Shoulder injury
Tyrone Calico (TEN) - Knee sprain
Where, oh where, has my endzone gone?
Scores are still down which should lead most leagues to
adopting reception points just as a way to get some good
league games each week. There were only five quarterbacks
able to score a measly two touchdowns or more yesterday
- Manning and Brady are no surprises but Volek, Rattay and
Brees? Last year there were 13 quarterbacks in week four
with the double up. Ouch.
It gets worse.
In 2003 - week 4, there were three receivers with more
than one score - Marvin Harrison, Randy Moss and Chad Johnson.
How hard is that to forecast?
In 2004 - week 4, there were no receivers with more than
one score.
In fact, there were only 13 receivers that had one touchdown
and that included the less-known (if never started) wideouts
of Reche Caldwell, Michael Clayton, Rashaun Woods and Shaun
McDonald. In 2004, there were 23 wideouts with at least
one touchdown. In fact, overall for week four, 2003 had
24 rushing touchdowns and 41 passing scores. In 2004, we're
down to only 21 rushing scores and 25 passing scores - almost
20 touchdowns in one week. What happened? Well, one difference
was that there were 21 lost fumbles yesterday compared to
only 14 last year.
Take heart - cream rises to the top and
the best players will again be the highest scorers. It just
takes longer when free agency keeps stirring the pot.
The game scores will return as well since yesterday only
had four teams capable of scoring more than 30 points -
Arizona, San Diego, Houston and New England. When the highest
scorers for the week include the Cardinals, Chargers and
Texans, you just know that whole apocalypse thing must be
brewing. What's next? A volcano going off in the... never
mind. Packing as we speak.
I've been pacing myself
After 10 seasons and at the age of 32, Isaac Bruce has
now set an NFL record by starting the season with four consecutive
100+ yard games. Not bad considering he only had two last
season. He only had two in 2002 as well. Evidently Bruce
has no place in a senior's hospital like we thought.
Shop for discounts
Inevitably, when you go to scramble for free agent pickups
every week, the "prime" pick you want often doesn't
fall to you, especially if your team has a good record.
Once the initial wave of free agent pickups has run its
course, pickings are very slim, indeed. Yet you can get
around this frustrating weekly trend by looking ahead with
us to see some players who might become the next hot pickups
or trade targets in your league. These players have yet
to truly deliver a major breakout outing, but could provide
performances of note very soon that will make them very
attractive free agent additions. They could be available
as free agents in your league, or could be easily acquired
in a trade for a very low price.
Sleeper of the WEEK
Mewelde Moore, RB Minnesota:
You don't know much about him, but that doesn't mean you
shouldn't start him. Because of injuries and other issues,
Moore might get the start at Houston this week. And he'll
prove to be a good fit for Minnesota's offense. Moore hits
the hole quickly, and he will make the most of the big holes
he sees against a very vulnerable Houston front seven. Moore
is also a good pass-catcher, and Daunte Culpepper does not
hesitate to throw to his backs, especially when Randy Moss
is not open.
Have a Great Week. Try out our NFL
Sportsbooks in the Review, and good luck in week
6 everyone. Dave B.
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