Ask the Fantasy Doctor
By Michael Lev, Senior editor
Editor’s note: Because of time restrictions, the Fantasy Doctor, a very busy
man, is unable to answer ALL of your questions. He appreciates your interest and will try
to get to as many of them as he can. Again, thank you for e-mailing the Fantasy Doctor.
Bilbo27: Is Errict Rhett the man in Baltimore now, and where would you
rank Byron Hanspard now that Jamal Anderson is out for the year?
Fantasy Doctor: I wouldn’t call Rhett the man quite yet, but he
may be closer to that status than Priest Holmes. Rhett was the most impressive Ravens
runner in the preseason, and his 22-carry, 101-yard, one-TD performance vs. a tough
Steelers defense in Week Two opened some eyes. Yeah, Holmes had a bad knee and barely
played, and that may have been the main reason Rhett received so much P.T., but have you
ever heard of Wally Pipp? (No, I did not see Pipp play in person. I may be a geezer
compared to all you Generation Xers out there, but I’m not that old. Just wise beyond
my years.) Hanspard is the best option Atlanta has for the time being. There’s talk
of the Falcons adding another back (Rashaan Salaam?), but for now it’s
Hanspard’s show. Will he carry as much as Anderson did? No. Is Hanspard a goal-line
back? No. Is he your best option if Anderson was one of your starting running backs? Yes.
My advice is to pick up Hanspard if you can, plug him in and see how he does. Because of
his size (5-10, 198) and style of running (speed over power), he may be more valuable in
yardage leagues than scoring leagues.
Raja: Fred Taylor was my first overall pick. But since he’s been
banged up the last couple of weeks, and James Stewart has done well, is it a good move to
use a waiver claim to pick up Stewart?
Fantasy Doctor: If you have Taylor, by all means pick up Stewart. On
the heels of his sprained foot, Taylor suffered a pulled hamstring in Week Two. His status
for Week Three was up in the air as of this writing. It’s a tough spot for fantasy
owners when Taylor is listed as questionable, as was the case this past week. The best
thing to do is wait until just before kickoff to call in your lineup, if your league
allows it. Clearly, Stewart is worth starting if Taylor is declared out before game time.
KAB673: Should I trade Doug Flutie and Adrian Murrell for Kurt Warner
and Jerome Bettis?
Fantasy Doctor: Even though Murrell is off to a slow start and Warner
a fast one, I wouldn’t do it. First of all, you’re downgrading at the QB
position. Flutie is one of fantasy football’s 10 best, and he is always a threat to
run for touchdowns. Sure, Warner was effective in Week One, but it remains to be seen
whether he can keep it up once opponents get some film on him. Murrell’s slow start
can be linked to Arizona’s early opposition — a pair of tough defenses in
Philadelphia and Miami. Betttis’ health worries me. Will his knee continue to bother
him? Will his legs hold up for the whole season? Is Richard Huntley playing so much
because Bettis isn’t ready to play a full game yet, or because Huntley is a rising
star in the coaches’ eyes? To me, Flutie and Murrell make for a safer investment than
Warner and Bettis.
Glooba100: My best two running backs are Edgerrin James and Natrone
Means. Since Indianapolis is playing San Diego this week, should I play them both or sit
one of them?
Fantasy Doctor: The fact that the two teams for which your running
backs play face each other should not influence your lineup decisions. It’s not as if
James will square off against Means, with one playing running back and the other middle
linebacker. Start them both and accentuate this positive: You only have to pay attention
to one game to keep up with your starting running backs this week.
FnceDawg: I have to start three of five receivers each week —
Eric Moulds, Bill Schroeder, Rob Moore, Muhsin Muhammad or Tony Simmons. I left Muhammad
on the bench for Week Two, and it hurt; I lost a close one. Which three do you like?
Fantasy Doctor: If I were to rank them regardless of the matchups, I
would say: Moulds, Schroeder, Muhammad, Moore, Simmons. Moulds is a given; he’s the
No. 1 receiver for the Bills, a proven-yardage league stud and a big play waiting to
happen. Schroeder is just the No. 2 receiver on his team, but his team happens to feature
one Brett Favre. Muhammad may not be the No. 1 red-zone option in Carolina (that’d be
TE Wesley Walls), but the Michigan State product is a bigger, more proven receiver than
Rae Carruth. The keys for Muhammad are staying healthy and gaining some consistency. Moore
is receiver No. 1A for the Cardinals, whose passing game is really struggling right now. I
like his teammate, Frank Sanders, better as a fantasy prospect. At this point, Simmons is
a bye-week fill-in. He’s capable of making big plays, but he’s the No. 3 option
at best in New England’s offense. If teammate Terry Glenn gets hurt, Simmons’
value increases.
Editor’s note: If you have a question for the Fantasy Doctor, you can send your
e-mail to fantasydoctor@pfwa.com. He will
answer several questions from our on-line readers in this space each Wednesday. We reserve
the right to edit your question and print your e-mail user name. |
