Owners: Look for cheap deals
Published 10:23 pm Wednesday, October 3, 2007
A quarter of the way through the Fantasy season, players and teams are starting to craft an identity — and boy are things out of whack.
Just a few of the oddities:
n Derrick Ward, Sammy Morris and Marion Barber III all have more rushing yards than LaDainian Tomlinson and Larry Johnson, and Raider RB Justin Fargas has out-rushed Frank Gore and Steven Jackson.
n Bucs RB Earnest Graham has three times as many TDs as Larry Johnson, Steven Jackson and Willis McGahee, who all have yet to score a touchdown.
n Colts WR Marvin Harrison has less receiving yards than Antwaan Randle El, Ike Hilliard and running back Ronnie Brown.
n Browns QB Derek Anderson has more passing yards and TDs than Donovan McNabb, Marc Bulger and Drew Brees.
n Division favorites Philadelphia, San Diego, Chicago and New Orleans are a combined 3-15 and are all in last place in their respective divisions.
So what does it all mean? It means that some of these underperforming players you can get for cheap.
Which ones? I’m glad you asked:
What running backs should I target in a trade?
Answer: With Steven Jackson on the shelf and underperforming on a bad team, many owners will part with him for less than what he’s worth. Try and package a second-tier RB and WR for Jackson. Shaun Alexander is ninth in rushing, but he’s only got two TDs. But the Seahawks strength of schedule after Sunday’s game vs. the Steelers is weak (13-30 opponents’ record) and my guess is he’ll score 12 TDs over the next 10 weeks. See if his owner in your league will deal him low. Also try and grab McGahee, who has run well so far (376 yards) but his scoreless streak may be frustrating owners. When the Ravens turn to Boller in the next couple weeks, McGahee will flourish.
Who can I get cheap that will help my receiving corps?
Answer: I’ve been on this guy all season, and I’ll continue: Lee Evans will turn it around. He’s been atrocious so far, but he woke up last Sunday (6 catches for 72 yards) with Trent Edwards at quarterback and he’s just too good to stay down for long. Right now you should be able to grab him for a pittance so try it. Also Marvin Harrison’s numbers are down and now he’s hurt so try sending an overproducing WR like Braylon Edwards or Santonio Holmes for him.
How can I replace Bulger?
Answer: The guy has busted ribs and no blocking — and he was just benched Wednesday. First don’t get rid of him; stash him on your bench. The Rams may figure out their O-line problems by the time Bulger’s healthy in a couple of weeks. Second try and deal for Drew Brees. He’s struggled just as much, if not more, but his line is better and he’s got more weapons than Bulger. If his owner won’t deal see if you can pick up Brian Griese, Daunte Culpepper or, if your in a real slow league, Derek Anderson. Also Chad Pennington might be a sneaky play over the next four weeks with the Giants, Cincy and Buffalo on the schedule.
Why were you so down on Tony Romo before the season?
Answer: He’s making me look stupid. The Cowboys QB is having an unbelievable season (1,199 yards passing, 11 TDs and just 3 interceptions) and he’s making it look easy. But hold on just a second. The combined record of Dallas’ opponents so far is 3-13, while the record of the teams on the rest of their schedule is 24-23. Romo is good, but his numbers may dip over the next 10 weeks. Also if you’re in leagues that take away points for turnovers, Brett Favre and Jon Kitna face tougher opponents (read: defenses) the rest of the season.
Where are the big numbers this weekend?
Answer: I see the Jets and Giants having an epic shootout in the Meadowlands this Sunday, so play all your New York players, which includes Brandon Jacobs again. He may be relegated to goal-line duties, but Jacobs could score twice in this battle. There will also be a lot of points to be had in Lions-Redskins, Chargers-Broncos and Cowboys-Bills so set your rosters accordingly.
Didn’t get your question answered? Send all questions to aswaney@heraldnet.com.
