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The Fantasy Doctor will be checking his messages and making house calls on
Fridays this season. E-mail your fantasy questions to fantasydoctor@pfwa.com
Dave: Hey Doc. I have a decision to make in my keeper league. Stephen
Davis is my first RB keeper. Who do I keep at the other spot between Tyrone Wheatley, Skip
Hicks and Michael Pittman? All have questionable situations. Who would you gamble on?
Fantasy Doctor: I wouldn’t label taking Tyrone Wheatley as a gamble at all.
He’s still going to be the focus of the ground game and the Raiders’ go-to guy
at the goal line. Charlie Garner may steal some carries and receiving yardage away, but
choosing the starting running back on the No. 1 rushing attack in the league would not
declare you eligible for that institution on the hill by any means. Pittman is likely to
be more of a factor than Thomas Jones in the Cardinals’ new run-first offense and
could be a decent third back for you, but if you’re thinking of drafting Skip Hicks,
you may want to skip the draft and avoid some embarrassment.
Jim: I have my draft coming up soon, and I have the third pick. I want to know
if I should take Kurt Warner if he is there, or should I take a running back like Fred
Taylor? I already have Donovan McNabb as a keeper pick from last year, so I really
don’t need a quarterback. Who would you take if you had the No. 3 pick?
Fantasy Doctor: A lot depends on the scoring system of your league and how
everything is broken down. That can determine a lot. But to answer your question,
ordinarily I would select Warner with the No. 3, but since you have McNabb in place, you
have a number of options. Randy Moss, Stephen Davis, Marvin Harrison, Eddie George and
Taylor come to mind immediately, with a running back probably taking the cake because of a
lack of depth there. Taylor offers the most potential, but if his health history bothers
you, you can avoid the stress and go with George or Davis. It would be beneficial to
search out a possible pre-draft trade that could involve Warner and/or McNabb, which would
leave you sitting pretty.
Bryon: I am in a 12-team keeper league in which you get to keep three players
each year from Rounds 4-16. I am keeping Jerome Bettis (fifth round) and Lamar Smith
(eighth round) since starting RBs are at a premium. I am undecided about my third keeper,
either Derrick Alexander (sixth) or Amani Toomer (ninth). Any suggestions?
Fantasy Doctor: I would say Alexander. If your keeper league is like most,
keeping one of these guys means you can’t make a pick in that round. Assuming
that’s the case, an argument can be made for both because Toomer did have a solid
2000 campaign and keeping him would free up a sixth-round pick for you. However, Alexander
intrigues me this season in the Chiefs’ new passing offense. His speed will be put to
good use, and they’ll be moving him all over the field to avoid double-teams. I say
Alexander, unless you really believe you can snag an All-Pro with that sixth-round pick.
Michael: I have the first pick of my keeper draft and am looking at rookie
running backs. I am leaning toward Michael Bennett, as he had a terrific game (recently)
and has been in camp since Day One. I also am obviously intrigued by LaDainian Tomlinson,
but when is the guy going to get on the field? And when he does, how much will his absence
in camp be felt? Who would you pick?
Fantasy Doctor: Well, first off, I wouldn’t prescribe a rookie running back
with the first pick of any draft unless every person in your league gets to protect
everything but the kitchen sink and Phil the trainer, leaving no one else left. If
that’s the case and it’s not the medication that makes you lean toward rookies,
then yes, go with Bennett. L.T.’s holdout will undoubtedly put him back, but not that
much. The thing is, San Diego’s offensive line needs to be put on life support, and
even worse, it has been riddled with injuries during the preseason. Bennett, meanwhile,
will fit right in to the Vikings’ offense. Minnesota has OL troubles as well, but the
Vikings have a much better situation overall, and Bennett’s speed will make people
forget Robert Smith. Well, sort of.
Scott: Hey Doc, I have the ninth pick in a 10-team league. I'm planning on
taking two running backs with my first two picks, but I've seen some mock drafts in which
guys like Randy Moss and Marvin Harrison have slipped to No. 9, as running backs dominate
the earlier picks. I don't really want to take a receiver so early, and I'm afraid if I
don't take two running backs first, there won't be any decent backs left when my third
pick comes around. My question is: If an elite receiver like Moss or Harrison slips to me,
do I have any choice but to take him?
Fantasy Doctor: No. You have no choice but to take them. Chances are, only one
of them will be left anyway, meaning you could still get a quality back on the rebound two
picks later. Sure, running backs are the current trend, but if you have an opportunity to
take one of the big two receivers, don’t second-guess anything.
Andrew: What are your thoughts on rookie/injured quarterbacks starting this
year? I am mainly talking about Tim Couch, Chris Weinke and Matt Hasselbeck. Thanks for
your time.
Fantasy Doctor: While the Panthers are still calling Jeff Lewis their No. 1
quarterback, it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out that he’s about as
secure in the starting spot as the Washington Wizards’ shooting guard/small forward.
Weinke has impressed with his poise, presence and ability to throw in a pro-style offense.
I think he’ll win the job soon enough. The Panthers have made improvements to their
line and have some weapons at his disposal, but rookie mistakes could be tough to live
with in the fantasy world.
Hasselbeck I like, especially now that he’s looking more adept in the offense
after a shaky couple of weeks early in training camp. He’s got an offense around him
that could produce some points on Sundays, provided his young WR corps answers the call.
Couch is still a bit of a mystery. He clearly needs to stay on the field and could use
some more weapons, but new offensive coordinator Bruce Arians could help.
Hopefully you’re trying to target a backup or third-stringer here, because if
you’re not, you may be putting yourself at risk for a trip to the emergency room.
Brent: Doc, the Jamal Lewis injury has seriously wreaked havoc on my roster. I
have Peyton Manning in a lock for QB and Ricky Williams in RB slot. I have three
offensive/flex positions to fill with the following players: Shawn Bryson, Mike Alstott,
Thomas Jones, Mushin Muhammad, Eric Moulds, Darnay Scott and Germane Crowell. Any advice
on how to fill those three positions?
Fantasy Doctor: Advice comes cheap here, Brent, and I’ve got a supply room
full. You can’t afford to not go with your receivers here. The running backs do
nothing for me, as all they figure to be in limited roles or a committee system. Moulds
and Muhammad are shoe-ins, and I think it’s a toss-up between Scott and Crowell, both
of whom suffered leg injuries last season and play in one-dimensional offenses.
The Fantasy Doctor has joined his associates at the golf course but will be back next
week. Please direct all questions to fantasydoctor@pfwa.com.
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