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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
James: Hey Doc, I landed three stud RBs in my draft: E. James, F. Taylor and R.
Williams. My receivers are not as studly, however, in Freeman, Crowell, McCardell and
Travis Taylor. Would it be a good idea to trade Taylor or Williams for an elite receiver
such as Harrison, Holt, Owens or Bruce?
Fantasy Doctor: Yes, that would be a good idea. But keep these things in mind: 1.) Make
sure you have at least a serviceable backup at running back, because you don’t want
to be left with Rashaan Salaam in case injuries come into play. 2.) Because your three
backs are so good and RB depth is at a minimum, try to get a second decent player out of
the deal for one of those four. It’s not asking too much and could help you a lot in
the long run.
Jsing: Is Robert Smith going to play this year? I have had him for the past
three years in my league and would like to have him again.
Fantasy Doctor: Feel free to have him on your team, but truth be told, he’s as
settled into retirement as Barry Sanders. If Brian Billick (his former coordinator in
Minnesota) and the Ravens couldn’t lure him out, he just isn’t interested.
Robert: In a recent draft, I drafted both Charlie Garner and Tyrone Wheatley. I
also have Duce Staley, Terrell Davis and Thomas Jones. At WR, I have Harrison, Moulds,
Keyshawn and Warrick. In the league that I'm in, I only have to play 1 RB, 2 WRs and a
RB/WR. Are there any benefits to starting Wheatley and Garner at RB and RB/WR, or should I
use the RB/WR slot on a different back or one of my other receivers? Thanks for your time,
Doc.
Fantasy Doctor: My professional advice would be to use that RB/WR position on someone
capable of 1,200 yards and double-digit touchdowns. Starting Wheatley and Garner sounds
logical because the Raiders are such a dominant team on the ground, but over the course of
season, Harrison, Keyshawn and probably Moulds have more upside than Garner, much more.
Wheatley is the No. 1 back for the Silver & Black, and he should probably start for
you early on until Staley shows some consistency or Davis shows he’s completely
healthy.
Bob: I have the eighth pick in my league. This league allows six points for TD
passes and also allows (among other bonuses) a point for every 20 yards gained running and
receiving. I assume that the big three QBs (Warner, Manning and Culpepper) will be gone by
then. The choices look like Randy Moss, Eddie George, Stephen Davis or a fourth QB. I am
leaning toward taking George but would like your opinion.
Fantasy Doctor: I want to play in your league if you’re expecting Moss, George and
Davis to all be available at No. 8. If that is the case, I would advise to take a running
back due to the fact the crop is about as deep as a the plot to "Dude, where’s
my car?" Tough to pick a fault with either one of them, but I’d lean toward
George and his durability or Moss (and then grab a running back next).
Ttans: I’m thinking of dropping Vick, my third QB, and getting Koren
Robinson as my fifth receiver. Do you think he’ll do anything? Are his injuries
serious?
Fantasy Doctor: Yes I do, and no they aren’t. Do what you want with Vick, but
Robinson could be the real deal if the Holmgren-led offense takes off under Hasselbeck.
His hamstring troubles appear to be behind him, and he’s made a number of great grabs
in Seahawks practices lately. It won’t happen right away with the rookie, but he may
be worth the wait as a fifth receiver.
BearsRule: I am in a basic-scoring league. I own the fifth pick in a 10-team
league. The person with the second pick has offered his second-, third-, and fourth-round
picks for my first-, 13th- and 14th-round picks. The only reason I
have not made the trade is out of worry about not getting an elite player. Should I trade
or not?
Fantasy Doctor: Yes, you probably should. I know what you hear about superstars winning
fantasy leagues, and that’s all well and good. The Fantasy Doctor subscribes to that
same train of thought, no doubt. But in a 10-team league, you’ll still be able to
snag some major talent in the second and third rounds. And when you do, it will be double
the pleasure with two each in the second, third and fourth rounds. Ordinarily I’d
suggest you shouldn’t give up your first, but the medical reports from 10-team
leagues indicate there should be plenty of good players available for you when your time
comes.
John: Dear Doc, I must soon choose my keeper player from my last year's team.
My three best players were WR Rod Smith, TE Tony Gonzalez and QB Aaron Brooks. Smith, I
believe, is the best of the three, but Brooks has a lot of potential. What should I do?
The pain is killing me.
Fantasy Doctor: Unfortunately, a doctor’s sloppy signature such as mine won’t
get you anything for the pain, but hopefully it will subside after Draft Day. While Rod
Smith may be the best of the three in terms of pure production, I wouldn’t look past
keeping Gonzalez. He is far and away the best at his position, and the same can’t be
said for the other two. You can draft players of the same caliber as Smith and Brooks at
their respective positions. You can’t do the same with Gonzalez.
Ray: Dear Fantasy Doctor, I am playing in a keeper league that allows
owners to keep any two players after this season. Nobody drafted Jamal Lewis. We are
allowed to keep two players on IR from our roster. Should I pick him up in hopes of
keeping him next season, or do you think his injuries are going to stay with him like
Terrell Davis’?
Fantasy Doctor: Ray, if I could only see into the future or have a real medical
certificate hanging on my wall, I’d be able to help you with the Lewis-Davis
comparison. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to tell. If you don’t have to rely on
IR players during the season, go ahead and pick him up. It can’t hurt, and the injury
happened early enough in camp that he could be back to full strength next season.
Andreya: Help. Stephen Davis or Eddie George with the third pick overall? I
know the big three QBs will be there, but I would rather choose one of the G QBs (Gannon,
Griese, etc.) in a later round. I believe Taylor to be too much of a risk at No. 3.
I’ve weighed the pros and cons of each player and still can't decide. I have until
Sep. 2, but I need your opinion so I can agonize over it for a couple more weeks!
Fantasy Doctor: If the scoring system in your league favors quarterbacks at all (as in
equal TD points), I would go for your favorite of the big three, but if not, you’re
on the right path with a running back. That’s a tough call, but I think Taylor should
be in the mix despite the injury history. When all is said and done, go with George
(durability) if you want to be safe or Taylor (explosiveness) if you’re feeling
gutsy. It’s a tough call, I know, and worth agonizing over.
Levi (aka "Master of the bad pick"): I have the 12th pick in a
12-team league, so I get the back-to-back picks. My league is a combo league with a slight
advantage for tight ends. They get a point per 10 yards receiving vs. a point per 25 yards
for rushing/receiving at the other positions. My question is this: Does this justify
taking Tony Gonzalez at this pick, and what would you suggest with my two picks? QB
(Garcia), RB (Green), WR (Owens)? Not picking again until the bottom of the third gives
these two choices a horrible amount of direction my team will take, and my league is RB
wacko, so all the backs might be gone by the third round. Thanks for your help.
Fantasy Doctor: We’re going to try to get you a better nickname before next
season. With those parameters, I probably would snag Gonzalez. A lot of writers have asked
about where he should go. While his selection spot will vary from league to league, this
much I know: In fantasy mock drafts here at PFW, there are always a bunch of groans when
someone finally takes him. Everyone wants him, but no one wants to take a tight end too
early for some reason. Here’s the way to look at it: Gonzalez had 1,203 yards last
season. That comes out to be roughly 75 yards per game, which is worth 7.5 points by your
rules. For a wide receiver or running back to get 7.5 points, they would have to rack up
187.5 yards per week. Show me a guy who can do that, and I’ll tell you to take him.
Until then, grab Gonzalez in that league and get a running back on the rebound. You
can’t afford not to wait until the next round for a back.
Derek: What do you think of this trade? I give up Aaron Brooks and Kevin
Johnson for Torry Holt and Kerry Collins. I have Manning on my team and really need to get
another stud WR. My starting lineup after the trade would be:
Manning
Dunn or Garner
Faulk
J. Smith
Holt
Sharpe
Stover
Denver Defense
What would the Doc recommend in this situation?
Fantasy Doctor: The Doc would recommend you get your melon examined if you don’t
make the trade. Brooks’ upside is big, but you’ve got Manning and have a chance
to get a yardage freak like Holt instead of Johnson, who failed to score last year.
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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