Darmstro

I have to admit - I don't believe these people who picked up Portis late in the second round and their hand-wringing: A) complaining that they need to scramble for a new plan - uh, shouldn't you have one if he's your #2??? that you play in leagues that let him drop that far. That's just mind-boggling to me. He didn't break his leg, people! He separated his shoulder. It's not that gigantic a deal, yet people are acting like he's Marshall Faulk or something. "My god, is he going to even PLAY this year?" C) that he dropped that far, you got a steal, and you're STILL complaining. The guy who has LJ, Portis, JJ, Bush, Chris Brown and others??? Either you are one hell of a worry-wort, or you're playing in a league with 5 guys. Does your match-up this week own SA, Ronnie Brown, Jamal Lewis and Brian Westbrook? Sorry for the antagonism - I am also concerned whether or not he'll play, but the lack of perspective is kind of astounding. PS - To answer the question: no, I'm not starting him. With the Thursday games, I'd rather risk a crappy fill-in than risk starting him and getting a donut.

Confessional time. I play in a pretty competitive league (only 1 idiot out of 10), but have made the playoffs 4 of 6 years. So I'm no genius, but I'm no slouch either. The key is WHEN you drafted these guys. I made the playoffs last year, but largely through fortunate turns like drafting Willie Parker in the 15th, and getting Gado on waivers. But last year was a painfully acute snapshot of the top of a draft gone awry. 1. LT (1 keeper league) - no problem there 2. (19) - Curtis Martin - he took me to the championship in '04... oops. Fortunately followed with CJ. 4. (41) - Nate Burleson - hmm... can you say, "yearly Minnesota hype?" Bodes ill for Chester Taylor. 5. (42) - DJax - four beautiful weeks, and then... ah, knees! This one's not my fault! 6. (59) - Jerome Bettis - I was desperate for #3 RB, and he was best value on the board... let's not even talk about Marshall Faulk in the 8th or 9th! Did he even frickin' play? Wow. With the draft approaching, that's a reality check. I really liked my draft on draft night. It just goes to show you - you research, you know a lot, you have hunches, you pray for luck (I personally believe FF is 50% luck research/knowledge, 50% luck) - but it's still a crapshoot. That's why this game is so great. So confess your sins from last year!

This is great advice. Burress is unspectacular, but likely solid. Either of the other two could - and probably should - outperform him, but there are big risks with both. Though, DJax was my stud #2 last year (after grabbing CJ), so I may be biased. I thought I was absolutely styling at last year's draft with CJ, DJax and Nate Burleson... oh, how wrong I was...

I don't get why everyone is always so enamored with Manning in the top 10. How many people win championships spending a 1st round pick on Manning? My guess is, not many. But flip that scenario, and I wouldn't chastise you for taking Manning in #2 (although that's not my preferred strategy)

I always play in re-draft leagues, so I'll confess to not being adept at keeper strategy. But this seems like a very bad move to me. Yes, Bush will help down the line, but what about this year? (As another poster said). Rudi has been uber-solid for 3 years, and you arguably have 2 of the top 5 WRs. Why mess with that? Further, all of those players are still young, anyway. You'd be betting the farm that Bush is the next Barry Sanders. Maybe he is... but why throw away your team to figure that out? Although maybe you're a gambler at heart... Good luck!

I agree with all the other comments about the inability to predict kickers. Just look at their year to year - it's incredibly erratic. My strategy is this: put together a list of 10-14 kickers based on the size of your league (I'm in a 10). Don't spend much time on it, but maybe put a couple near the top. If you draft, say, 16 rounds, chuckle when someone grabs Vinatieri in the 12th. Then laugh as 7 others go by in the 13-15th. Pick from whoever's left in round 16. I'll guarantee you that at least 2 of your 10 will remain, because kickers are so subjective and erratic. And, anyway, you'll probably need to pick up a kicker on waivers for the bye week, by which point someone will be starting to emerge as a sleeper of the season - grab THAT guy. I'd rather be the first to grab a kicker off waivers than the 1st to waste a pick in the 12th, when you can still be unearthing RB or WR sleepers, or getting your D. But that's just me.

It's a given that LT, LJ, SA, Tiki (already made a keeper) and Portis will be gone. That's 5. I'm 7. I'm guessing Edgerrin goes next, leaving me the choice between Brown or Rudi. (before you jump at me, I'm not sold on SJax at 7. That's just me). So do you go with the ever-present reliability (1400 + 12) of Rudi Johnson, or the man in Miami, with tons of talent and no competition? I change my mind every day. What are your thoughts, I'll share mine on your own questions. (But toss Edgerrin into the mix anyway... just in case he falls).

Thanks for your input! Confirms pretty much what I'm thinking too...

I've got LT and Gado, CJ and Donte Stallworth. My flex choices are CMart (nope), Willie (Chi brutal, but Gado ran on them, at Pittsburgh), or Branch (could be a ground game, but Buffalo's D is weak). I dropped Engram to pick up the Seattle D, and pray that I make it through round 1 so I can play DJax next week! I'm leaning Parker, just because he's guaranteed touches. Branch only got three throws last time against Buffalo, though he turned them into 92 +1 Thoughts? I'll give mine on your own issues.

I had the exact same issue, as I'm facing the playoffs with Favre and Plummer - neither of whom can be relied upon based on match-ups. I picked Garrard. Look at his playoff schedule. We end week 16, and he's got SF and Houston. But Johnson was my second choice. The problem with Fitzpatrick is that it was one game against a horrible defense playing conservatively with a lead. He's too much of an unknown.

You've clearly never watched a Packer game. Henderson has one game carry in 5 years, and he fumbled it (he's a fantastic receiver out of the backfield though). And the Packers haven't thought enough of Leach to let him carry the ball in 2 years. And Lee was benched after a fumble and has barely seen the field again. The difference is not simply that Lee's fumble was lost and Gado's were not. They see something in this kid they don't in the others, and when Fisher returns, he's simply a third-down back - he didn't help the team on 1st and 2nd downs at all. I'm not saying Gado's the second coming. I would temper enthusiasm for people who thinks he'll tear up the league all season. But he's proven that he's got sturdy legs, plays hard, cuts well, and most of all, is incredibly humble. That's entirely refreshing, particularly since Gado was the one to bring up his fumbles in the first place. That's class. (And, yes. People are just bitter they didn't grab him off waivers).

I find this an interesting question, simply because I face the same choice. A week ago I was thinking of dropping Plummer and riding Favre the whole way, because I had other needs to address (my 5-1 squad has fallen to 5-4, with LT and CJ on bye this week!), but now I may be starting Plummer. Favre in domes could be bad news, a solid D, etc. Could be a rough day for Favre, though he pulls more out of his ass with less than anyone in the NFL. But Plummer's playing efficient football, coming off a major game, against a weak D that will force themselves to focus on stopping the run. This could open things up for Plummer. So it's a tossup, but I'm going Plummer.

I think that colicky just took his ball and went home. Do you think that's indicative of the way that he runs his league? He accuses people of name-calling, when he's utterly missing the point which has been even-handedly pointed out by countless members here: there was no collusion, and the commish (nor other owners) have the right to veto a trade just because they don't like that it improves the competition. Do the Red Sox appreciate it when the Yankees make a major deal for a closer near the end of a season? No. But that's how the system works. And in fantasy football, people have the right to improve their squads, regardless of their circumstances. Everyone is one injury, or one drought away from their fortunes changing, and even a "stacked" team has a right to continually upgrade. In fact, he's not a smart owner unless he does. To Dazzle, while I presume you were the stronger team in that trade, I commend you for the fair, direct way in which you tried to convince the commish that he was making a major mistake. The other posters are correct - get out of that league. That said, I don't support people leaving leagues in mid-season because it can only negatively affect everyone else. So keep your head down, waltz to the championship and THEN get out. (Although I do want to know - how do you possibly get Owens, Moss, JJ, and Steven Jackson on the same squad? Not much of a competitive league...)

In a heartbeat. Do it before the other guy changes his mind. It's not like Collins has been that impressive.

I'd do it.