Changing of the Guard
August 24, 2007
Any one else already annoyed with former NFL stars Tiki Barber and Jerome Bettis?
Both budding media mavens, Barber takes a shot at his former team leader while Bettis leaks a “juicy” morsel that he mislead his employer as to the specifics of an injury he sustained, and we’re supposed to embrace these “insiders” and their insights?
Pretty boy Barber better bring something more than that to his job—you get this feeling he’s already half way through his material—or he’ll be relegated to segments like interviewing Michael Vick in prison.
And bruiser Bettis better enlighten us as to the value of this supposed expose, or we’ll begin to remember how he almost blew his team’s chances by fumbling in the red zone late in the AFC Championship game.
I’ve begun my final push studying fantasy players (likely spending more time than Barber has in calling up all his insider sources for hard hitting stories of interest?). It appears to me that there are some WR situations worth looking in to before your fantasy drafts.
Steelers: One gets the feeling that Santonio Holmes will emerge as the go-to guy over Hines Ward this year. What better than throwing more to a receiver averaging 17 yards a rec to boost a QB’s Yards per attempt stat? Just a thought.
Lions: Speaking of YPAtt, QB Jon Kitna’s 2006 figure of 7.1 is weak, especially in that offense. Hmm...The club, supposedly loaded at WR, drafts super athlete Calvin Johnson anyway... sorry Mike Furrey, you know the Martz system real well, but move over for the rookie. And Mr. Kitna jumps to the high 7’s, and thus becomes a solid fantasy starter.
Packers: I don’t get the excitement with the Browns’ WR Braylon Edwards this year. Who do you like better, a receiver with Brady Quinn throwing to him, or a guy like the Packers’ James Jones with Brett Favre throwing to him? Thought you might see it my way. Hmm, the club releases holdover Robert Ferguson, and Donald Driver pulls up lame with supposedly a sore foot –you don’t think opposing teams aren’t ready to see how he uses that plant foot on his breaks?—just what JJ needs to break out.
Jets: You get the feeling this team, like the Patriots, will screw with your head, and do the unexpected offensively. And that will be, featuring WR Jerricho Cotchery over Laveranues Coles. And throw the ball fifty times in a game on occasion.
A small technical/email bug held back a large number of recent questions. Very sorry about that, but the good news is I now have most of them back. Just a couple of responses this time, so here goes:
personname = john
comments = 12 team, 4 player keeper league. We start 1 qb (td=6), 2 rb, 2 wr, 2 rb/wr, TE and Def. No points for receptions. I have Westbrook, TO, Anquan, and Chad. So I have to draft a RB in the first round. Best available are Lynch, Peterson, Thomas Jones, Marion Barber, Jamal Lewis, Fred Taylor, Betts, Dunn, Lamont, Julius Jones. I have the 9th and 16th picks. I think 5 of the first 8 picks will be WRs, because most teams dont have one, or only one. What should i do? strategy advise? Thanks!
Joe: Rookie back Lynch will make you drop one of your keeper WRs by ’08.
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personname = Greg
comments = Joe,
Oddball league,max 2 each on roster for traditional position line up, starting 1 ea + a flex(start RB or WR). Is Vernon Davis worth passing on Gates in the 3rd? and your best guess at a sleeper/stud RB way after the 5th round (all teams filling thier 2 RB roster by then).Someone with an ADP of 15+ that will bust out.
Joe: Every year, there are those break out TEs, and every year, most don’t pan out. Why would you pass on guaranteed gold in Gates for the hype of Davis? There are no “sleepers” at RB, just opportunistic backups seizing the moment. Scan those “hand cuffs”, and take a couple for yourself, even if you don’t have the starter. Guaranteed to piss off your opponents, which is always fun.
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