pressingquestions your2010fantasyfootballguide

User: eedwards Time: 08-09-2010 17:13 Product: Observer PubDate: .Bank Zone: State
Edition: 1st Page: ownersmanual Color: K
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YOUR2010FANTASYFOOTBALLGUIDE
PRESSINGQUESTIONS
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Fantasy Football Owner’s Manual,
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answers. Join the fantasy discussion
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1.
Who’s No. 5? (After the Big 4 of Chris Johnson,
AP, MJD and Ray Rice)
Reid Creager: Frank Gore. He’s a threat running and
catching; the team figures to be better offensively; and
the offensive line is improved.
Eric Edwards: Andre Johnson.
Assuming some sort of points
per reception he’s the top hands
this year.
Trevor Freeze: Michael Turner
R. Trentham Roberts: Drew
Frank Gore
Brees. (I’m in a league where QBs go way too early.)
Peter St. Onge: Aaron Rodgers. I want the No. 1 QB
instead of the No. 5 RB.
2.
What’s your
Golden Drafting Rule?
Creager: You can never have too much depth at running back.
Edwards: Never draft Patriots running backs.
Freeze: Draft two of the top 5 WR (and you have in-
stant trade bait all year).
Roberts: Don’t sweat your No. 3 wide receiver.
St. Onge: Don’t mess with rookie wide receivers.
3.
Which No. 2 platoon running
back will be a No. 1 by season’s end?
Creager: Donald Brown, Ind.
Edwards: Beanie Wells, Ari.
St. Onge: Thomas Jones, KC
Felix Jones
Who are your Poison Players – high draft
picks who chronically disappoint?
Creager: Carson Palmer
Edwards: Laurence Maroney, Marshawn Lynch, Eli Manning
Freeze: Frank Gore, Carson Palmer, Brandon Jacobs
Roberts: Roy Williams, Kellen Winslow and any Detroit
running back
St. Onge: Steve Smith, the Panther.
Who are the best three players
who will go undrafted?
Creager: Donald Brown, Earl Bennett and Ryan Leaf.
(Two’s enough. My league hasn’t
drafted yet. Do your own work,
guys.)
Edwards: Julian Edelman, Glen
Coffee, Kevin Boss
Freeze: Chad Henne, Earl Ben-
nett, James Jones
Julian Edelman
Roberts: Larry Johnson, Mike Bell, Dexter McCluster
St. Onge: Eddie Royal, Dexter McCluster, Jermaine
Gresham.
6.
It’s the same every year: 12 of the top 15 picks in your fantasy draft are running backs, with the exception of the lone Peyton/
Brady fan and the contrarian who picks two receivers with his bookend picks at the end of Round 1. (You know who you are.)
This year, with more NFL running back platoons than ever, even more fantasy owners will be contemplating the possibility of heading into Round 3 with the adequate yet uninspiring foundation of Frank Gore and
Shonn Greene.
Except for this: You shouldn’t.
Take away the top four running backs – Tennessee’s Chris Johnson, Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson, Baltimore’s Ray Rice, and Jacksonville’s Maurice Jones-Drew – and you’re left with 10 to 12 guys who will likely
finish this season with similar numbers. Want to win your fantasy league? Let others get mired in middling
RBs.
Once you get past
the top four rushers,
it’s time to turn your
eye to a top receiver
like Andre Johnson.
At quarterback, there are five elite possibilities before a likely drop-off in numbers. At wide receiver, there
are four who separate themselves from the pack. The best fantasy play? It’s grabbing as many elite players
early as you can – including one strong RB – then loading up on running back platoons with the assurance
that injuries and performance will produce some true starters later.
When that happens, your small risk in August will make you a happy owner in December.
— PETER ST. ONGE
RB
QB
WR
TE
Overrated:
DeAngelo Williams,
Car.: Jonathan Stewart, poor Panthers D
will conspire to limit
his carries.
1) Chris Johnson, Tenn.
7) Frank Gore, SF
2) Adrian Peterson, Minn.
8) Shonn Greene, NYJ
3) Ray Rice, Balt.
9) DeAngelo Williams, Car.
4) Maurice Jones-Drew, Jac.
10) Ryan Grant, GB
5) Michael Turner, Atl.
11) Rashard Mendenhall, Pitt.
6) Steven Jackson, Stl.
12) Beanie Wells, Ari.
Who’s the guy you just won’t draft
– for non-performance reasons?
Creager: Terrell Owens. Chad Johnson (that’s what his
parents named him, and that’s good enough for me).
Tom Brady. Steve Smith (Carolina) and any other end
zone clown. Any Pittsburgh Steeler. Anyone with an “e”
in his name.
Edwards: Ronnie Brown - I have an irrational mistrust
of Miami’s running backs. Brown has been a top performer but I look at him and for some reason all I can
see is a guy who is 5 minutes from a career ending
injury.
Freeze: Aaron Rodgers. Falls under the No Packer Rule.
Roberts: Ben Roethlisberger. And that was even before
the latest episode.
St. Onge: I’ll draft anybody. I have no standards.
Overrated:
Kellen Winslow, TB:
One score in last 11
games, and he’s
coming off knee surgery.
Late-round flier:
Underrated:
Marshawn Lynch, Buff: Currently
buried on the Bills depth chart.
Will end up somewhere else, with
more opportunity.
Justin Forsett, Sea: If
he can take the bruising, there’s no timeshare holding him back
this year.
1) Aaron Rodgers, GB
7) Joe Flacco, Balt.
2) Drew Brees, NO
8) Tony Romo, Dal.
3) Tom Brady, NE
9) Donovan McNabb, Wash.
4) Matt Schaub, Hou.
10) Jay Cutler, Chi.
5) Peyton Manning, Ind.
11) Eli Manning, NYG
6) Philip Rivers, SD
12) Matt Ryan, Atl.
Kevin Kolb, Phi: 130 total NFL passes, few weapons to work with, and
he’s among the top 10 QBs drafted?
Roberts: Felix Jones, Dal.
5.
That is the question.
Overrated:
Freeze: Ahmad Bradshaw, NYG
4.
Two RB?
Or not two RB?
Underrated:
Late-round flier:
Matt Schaub, Hou:
Draft a good backup for the inevitable
ding. But otherwise, he’s elite.
Matthew Stafford, Det:
Will have more time to
throw, fewer games in
which he has to. A big
step forward.
1) Andre Johnson, Hou.
2) Randy Moss, NE
3) Calvin Johnson, Det.
4) Larry Fitzgerald, Ari.
5) Greg Jennings, GB
6) Roddy White, Atl.
7) Brandon Marshall, Mia.
8) Reggie Wayne, Ind.
9) Miles Austin, Dal.
10) Sidney Rice, Minn.
11) Marques Colston, NO
12) DeSean Jackson, Phi.
Underrated:
Overrated:
Hines Ward, Pitt: He
keeps catching passes. Let others go young
and trendy.
Anquan Boldin, Bal.:
Someone will overpay for the inevitable
hamstring pull.
Late-round flier:
Devin Aromashodu,
Chi.: Clicked with Cutler in late 2009.
1) Antonio Gates, SD
7) Brent Celek, Phi.
2) Dallas Clark, Ind.
8) John Carlson, Sea.
3) Jermichael Finley, GB
9) Greg Olsen, Chi.
4) Vernon Davis, SF
10) Visanthe Shiancoe, Minn.
5) Jason Witten, Dal.
11) Owen Daniels, Hou
6) Tony Gonzalez, Atl.
12) Zach Miller, Oak.
Underrated:
Zach Miller, Oak.: Jason Campbell will get
him scores to go with
his yardage.
Late-round flier:
Todd Heap, Bal.: A more
potent offense brings new
opportunity for old glory.
KICKER
DEFENSE
1) Stephen Gostkowski, NE
2) Nate Kaeding, SD
3) Garrett Hartley, NO
4) Mason Crosby, GB
5) Rob Bironas, Tenn.
6) Jay Feeley, Ari.
1) New York Jets
2) Minnesota
3) Green Bay
4) Baltimore
5) Pittsburgh
6) Philadelphia
7) David Akers, Phi.
8) Matt Prater, Den.
9) Ryan Longwell, Minn.
10) Jeff Reed, Pitt.
11) Lawrence Tynes, NYG
12) Robbie Gould, Chi.
7) San Francisco
8) Denver
9) Cincinnati
10) New York Giants
11) Dallas
12) Miami