Fantasy playoffs in full swing
By John Gus
The Collegian
This is the wildcard playoff weekend for most fantasy leagues.
So about this time of the year, I like to tell the worst moment of my fantasy career. In 2002, my friend and I had a team that was unstoppable.
We had QB Jeff Garcia (SF, 3700 total yards, 24 TDs), RB Charlie Garner (OAK, 2,000 total yards, 11 TDs, and 91 receptions), WR Terrell Owens (SF, 100 receptions, 1,300 yards, 14 TDs), WR Hines Ward (PIT, 112 catches, 1500 total yards, 12 TDs), WR Joe Horn (NO, 88 receptions, 1300 yards, and 7 TDs) and our flex players would alternate between were former PIT RB Jerome Bettis (700 total yards, 9 TDs) and SEA WR Koren Robinson (78 receptions, 1200 yards, 5 TDs). Our key guys were having monster seasons and we rolled to our league championship.
Well, like many other fantasy owners during playoff time, we freaked out. In week 16 of 2002, our fantasy championship, we benched Jeff Garcia and started Broncos QB Brian Griese.
Garcia was only supposed to play the first half that week against Arizona because the 49ers were already in the playoffs and Griese played Raiders and was expected to have a big game.
However, Garcia ended up playing almost the full game and threw for 256 yards and a TD (16 fantasy points), Griese on the other hand struggled before going down to an injury in the second quarter and he only threw for 48 yards and he had 2 ints (0 fantasy points).
We lost our championship by 8 points and would have won if we had stuck with our usual guy. To this day, we still grimace at the thought of our poor call.
The morale of the story is, don’t bench your every week starters who got you to the playoffs in favor of a backup who might do well. GOOD LUCK AND YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME
Quarterback
1. Tony Romo (DAL) vs. NO – It should be a shootout as the Saints and Boys compete for the playoff bye.
2. Drew Brees (NO) @ DAL – Bush won’t score 4 TDs every week, look for a lot of passing.
3. Peyton Manning (IND) @ JAC – Challenging match-up but you never sit Peyton Manning.
4. Carson Palmer (CIN) vs. OAK – Raiders have the best pass defense in the NFL…somehow.
5. Tom Brady (NE) @ MIA – Emergence of Caldwell finally gives him the go-to guy to replace Branch.
6. Vince Young (TEN) @ HOU – It’s hard trusting a rookie QB, but he’s been hot and this is a great match-up for him.
7. Matt Hasselbeck (SEA) @ ARI – He’s dinged up and may not have to throw much but ARI is terrible so he should be ok.
8. Jeff Garcia (PHI) @ WAS – He’s playing like that one QB with the same name who played for SF in 2002.
9. Matt Leinart (ARI) vs. SEA – Again, it’s hard to trust a rookie QB, but you could do a lot worse.
10. Jon Kitna (DET) vs. MIN – You can’t run on the Vikings so he should have plenty of chances to make some big plays.
Honorable Mentions – Jason Campbell (WAS) vs. PHI, Brett Favre (GB) @ SF, Michael Vick ATL @ TB, Jake Delhomme CAR vs. NYG
Running Back
1. LaDainian Tomlinson (SD) vs. DEN – I hope I don’t play any teams that have him the next 3 weeks.
2. Brian Westbrook (PHI) @ WAS – Loss of McNabb means his production goes up to keep the pressure off Garcia.
3. Frank Gore (SF) vs. GB – It’s going to be a long day for the Packers D.
4. Shaun Alexander (SEA) @ ARI – He’s back in action at just the right time.
5. Steven Jackson (STL) vs. CHI – Bears D giving up 140 yards a week to RBs the last few weeks.
6. Larry Johnson (KC) vs. BAL – One of his tougher tests this year, but he still may get his usual stats when it’s all said and done.
7. Marion Barber (DAL) vs. NO – Barber is rising to the top over Jones, plus he gets the goal line carries.
8. Tiki Barber (NYG) @ CAR – A must win for the Giants and the Giants well need him plenty.
9. Thomas Jones (CHI) @ STL – They’ll feed him the rock plenty to avoid another “Chokeman” 34 yards, 3 INT performance like last week.
10. Ahman Green (GB) @ SF – If you have any doubts, just look at what Bush did to the Niners last week…enough said.
Rudi Johnson (CIN) vs. OAK, Ladell Betts (WAS) vs. PHI, Reggie Bush (NO) @ DAL, Willis McGahee (BUF) @ NYJ, Kevin Jones (DET) vs. MIN
Wide Receiver
1. Steve Smith (CAR) vs. NYG – Delhomme is playing better and perfect timing for Superman.
2. Terrell Owens (DAL) vs. NO – Little T at home in big game on national TV…he couldn’t ask for more.
3. Roy Williams (DET) vs. MIN – The Lions should be throwing all game.
4. Andre Johnson (HOU) vs. TEN – Colts Harrison went for 170 and a score last week against the Titans.
5. Reggie Wayne (IND) @ JAC – Still Peyton’s go-to guy in 2006.
6. Darrell Jackson (SEA) @ ARI – Great match-up but his opportunities might be limited because of the emphasis on the running game.
7. Larry Fitzgerald (ARI) vs. SEA – Quiet last week, but this week a different story.
8. Chad Johnson (CIN) vs. OAK – If anyone can go off against OAK it’s Eighty Five.
9. Anquan Boldin (ARI) vs. SEA – Always a toss up between him and Fitzgerald, same goes this week.
10. Joey Galloway (TB) vs. ATL – He had his best game of the year in week 2 against the Falcons.
Torry Holt (STL) vs. CHI, Donald Driver (GB) @ SF, Marvin Harrison (IND) @ JAC, Terry Glenn (DAL) vs. NO, Santana Moss (WAS) vs. PHI
Tight End
1. Jeremy Shockey (NYG) @ CAR
2. Tony Gonzalez (KC) vs. BAL
3. Alge Crumpler (ATL) @ TB
4. Todd Heap (BAL) @ KC
5. Antonio Gates (SD) vs. DEN
Kicker
1. Shayne Graham (CIN) vs. OAK
2. Robbie Gould (CHI) @ STL
3. Josh Brown (SEA) @ ARI
4. Adam Vinatieri (IND) @ JAC
5. David Akers (PHI) @ WAS
Defense
1. CIN vs. OAK
2. PIT vs. CLE
3. SD vs. DEN
4. CHI vs. STL
5. BAL vs. KC
Comment on this story in the Sports forum >>
|
