| Let us deal for a brief moment with the one of the facts of
life in fantasy football this season. (You can hum the theme song from the old
"Facts of Life" TV show here if you’d like.)
Carl Pickens will not be a Bengal this season. He wants out of Cincinnati so badly that
he says he’s willing to sit out the season, forfeiting a chance to make more than $3
million, instead of taking the turf at Cinergy wearing a striped helmet.
That fact leads to much uncertainty about Pickens’ fantasy football prospects for
this season, and fantasy owners hate uncertainty.
But the savvy owner will use this fact of life to his advantage. If Pickens is gone
— and all that the move lacks at this point is a forwarding address — then
Darnay Scott could very well be in line for a breakout season.
Many have pegged Scott as nothing more than a mid-level fantasy wideout, but there have
been signs in the past two seasons that he is ready to step things up.
The first sign came in the final four games of the ’97 season. Pickens was out of
the lineup with an injury, so Scott became the No. 1 target of QB Boomer Esiason. In those
four games, Scott notched 22 catches for 423 yards and three TDs. That increased
production indicated, at least to me, that Scott has the talent to be an elite fantasy
receiver.
Then, last year Scott scored seven TDs on the season, a career high. That number is all
the more impressive when you consider the QB carousel that Bengals head coach Bruce Coslet
had in place.
Scott has always had the physical tools to be a fine receiver. What he hasn’t
always had is the maturity and opportunity.
The opening is there now, and I believe Scott has shown in the last two years that he
is capable of stepping up. The ’99 season should be Scott’s best thus far from a
production standpoint.
Most draft boards will have Scott rated as a No. 3 receiver in 10- or 12-team leagues.
But I believe he will produce enough to merit a spot in fantasy starting lineups every
week. As of this writing, I’d even take him over the more proven Pickens, who
I’m not convinced will play anywhere this season.
In fantasy football, what’s bad for one player can often be good for another one,
and Scott will be the beneficiary of Pickens’ contract squabble.
It’s like the song says:
You take the good, you take the bad
You take them both and there you have
The facts of life, the facts of life
(Sorry, I should be humming, not singing.) |
