| The fantasy football season is off to a strange
start. When does it become time to panic with top-flight players who aren’t meeting
expectations? Not quite yet, but you might want to start shopping around and putting some
feelers out there.
I’ve always been an advocate that depth does you little to no good in fantasy
football. But with the way No. 1 running backs seem to be dropping like flies, I might
want to revamp that stance that previously served me well.
Depth, if you have it at any position, should be monitored before deciding when and
where you can use it to improve a deficiency.
If you have five No. 1 running backs, try to trade a few to a RB-weak team to upgrade a
soft receiving corps or a shaky QB situation.
Depth does you no good sitting on the bench.
If you were wise enough to pick up backups on teams with injury-prone runners, like
Jacksonville (Stacey Mack), Philadelphia (Correll Buckhalter), Denver (Mike
Anderson and Olandis Gary) and even Atlanta (Maurice Smith), you can
approach the owner with the injured starter, and he might be more desperate to deal than
you think.
Even if you can only get a minor upgrade at third wideout or tight end, the odds are
that the value of these players will never be higher than it is right now.
After stumbling into a situation where I had just two starters, three of the reserve
backs on my roster stumbled into starting jobs. With that knowledge that only two backs
could start in any given week, I packaged some of the lesser backs with other lesser
players for subtle upgrades at positions you don’t really think about.
I upgraded at tight end by sacrificing my current tight end and one of the backs who
has a short-term job. I picked up a much better third wide receiver and made a subtle move
for a kicker who may improve my team’s output by a couple of points per week.
Those close losses might become close wins now.
But how do you do this? You have to become a hunter on the waiver wire, studying those
backs who have some issues with injuries. If they are nicked up and you have been seeing
their name appear on injury reports for several weeks, the thinking man will snare that
team’s lead backup if he’s available.
Thinking this way, I sharked out Mack and Buckhalter on Draft Day for a minimum
investment. The Broncos’ Anderson cost a little more, but that move looks like it
could work out. I didn’t have the Falcons’ Smith, but you can bet I was on the
phone in every league that I’m in that has open waiver policies and grabbed him too.
Predicting these things aren’t as hard as you might think either. Look at
workloads and figure on players who might be thrust into situations. Watch out for Jets RB
LaMont Jordan, who could steal carries, and consider a long look at the
oft-forgotten Shaun Alexander of Seattle. These are guys who may get some chances
to excel if circumstances fall their way.
Don’t be the guy making deals to get them when the situation forces you to make a
move.
Random AFC thoughts
If you are like me, you’ve patiently been waiting for second-year man Travis
Taylor to show his promise in Baltimore. It looks like the wait may be over.
Anyone seen Peter Warrick lately? It’s starting to look as though Darnay
Scott may be the man in command for the time being.
Cleveland, while much improved, still doesn’t have a single player whom I’d
play on a regular basis.
It might not be quite the time to pick up Miami’s Chris Chambers, but we
sure are getting close.
The Reggie Wayne watch continues, as he was supposed to serve as Marvin
Harrison’s complement. Looks like they might already have that in Jerome
Pathon.
Don’t count on this from Antowain Smith every week. It might get him a few
clear-cut starts, but the RB situation in New England is still a minefield to be avoided.
What got into Priest Holmes? I also wouldn’t count on this on a regular
basis either, although it could designate a new trend. Last season, smart fantasy owners
were playing runners against the troubled run defenses of Dallas and Cincinnati. You might
want to add Washington to that list.
Seattle looks really confused. If you have other options besides Seahawks, especially
in the passing game, use them and use them now.
Next week: NFC thoughts |
