2008 Fantasy Football

[faldor]

I think Shockey will put up the best numbers of his career this year. Antonio Gates's had his best years when Brees was in San Diego. Shockey's very talented, and now he's in a potent offense with one of the best QBs in the NFL. Unless he gets injured or something, he'll be a top five TE this year; perhaps even top three.

I hope you're right.  Shockey also had his best year with Sean Payton as his OC, now they're reunited.  I'm sure he'll be out to prove something to people this year too, with so many people pointing out the Giants resurgance happened AFTER he got hurt and that they were better without him.  He'd like nothing better than to silence the critics with a monster season.

[Axl4Prez2004]

Guys,
 I totally agree with ya'll...that's why I've got Shockey in both my leagues...great system, great offensive personnel, the  o n l y  thing about Shockey is the mf'er is not durable.    I hate drafting guys who have injury histories...it gets me damn nervous!   

[faldor]

Axl4Prez I need your help in making me think my team will be alright (others are welcome as well, just think this job is made for a Vikings fan, you'll see).  I just finished up a draft for my 3rd and final fantasy team and feel it's the weakest of the bunch.  Usually your teams get stronger the more drafts you do.  I think my RB's are alright (Barber, S. Young, R. Williams of which we only start 2), got Palmer as my QB with Rivers as the backup, Cooley at TE, and we start 3 WR's and here's where I need your help.  My first two wideouts are Braylon Edwards and Greg Jennings, my #3, the Vikings own Bernard Berrian.  Talk this guy up for me please how he warrants a starting #3 WR on my roster.  In case you can't tell I'm far from sold on Jackson as a QB and all they do is run the ball.  Ease my pain.  I drafted Javon Walker, Deion Branch, and DeSean Jackson as backups.  Maybe I just have bad matchups this week, but my team is around the middle of the pack as far as projected points go.

I had the number seven pick by the way.

[GunnerOne 84]

Deion Branch is hurt, but Walker should be a good 3rd.

[gilee7]

Axl4Prez I need your help in making me think my team will be alright (others are welcome as well, just think this job is made for a Vikings fan, you'll see).  I just finished up a draft for my 3rd and final fantasy team and feel it's the weakest of the bunch.  Usually your teams get stronger the more drafts you do.  I think my RB's are alright (Barber, S. Young, R. Williams of which we only start 2), got Palmer as my QB with Rivers as the backup, Cooley at TE, and we start 3 WR's and here's where I need your help.  My first two wideouts are Braylon Edwards and Greg Jennings, my #3, the Vikings own Bernard Berrian.  Talk this guy up for me please how he warrants a starting #3 WR on my roster.  In case you can't tell I'm far from sold on Jackson as a QB and all they do is run the ball.  Ease my pain.  I drafted Javon Walker, Deion Branch, and DeSean Jackson as backups.  Maybe I just have bad matchups this week, but my team is around the middle of the pack as far as projected points go.

I had the number seven pick by the way.

If I was you, I'd go with DeSean Jackson as my #3 WR for the first week, and probably the first several. With Kevin Curtis out, and Reggie Brown's hamstring problems, Jackson will get plenty of looks. The Eagles are a pass first team, and I expect them to score a lot of points against the Rams this week.

[faldor]

Not a bad idea, I may lean in Jackson's direction.  Berrian hasn't played much, if at all this pre-season, while DeSean has been pretty impressive.  I hate playing matchups in week 1, but it may be warranted in this case.

[Axl4Prez2004]

Faldor, damn!  I wish I could make you feel better, but between Berrian's toe and what I see as Sidney Rice's rising...yikes!  I love my Vikings, but I still have little faith in Tarvaris.

I agree with Gilee.  I'd roll with DeSean Jackson.  He's a sparkplug.  I expect the Eagles-Rams game to be a high-scoring affair...the Rams just signed some folks to bolster their secondary (to me, it's not a good sign when teams are signing multiple fill-ins before the season even starts).   

just a disclaimer on the prediction front though...I bet the Patriots in the Super Bowl!  (at least I admit it  )

D. Jackson and J. Walker are both better starts in my eyes than Berrian this week. 


btw, may I say most of your team's matchups look very sweet for Week 1...unlike my money league where I have a horrible choice of defenses to field:  Bears at the Colts, or Bucs at the Saints.   

[faldor]

Faldor, damn!  I wish I could make you feel better, but between Berrian's toe and what I see as Sidney Rice's rising...yikes!  I love my Vikings, but I still have little faith in Tarvaris.

I agree with Gilee.  I'd roll with DeSean Jackson.  He's a sparkplug.  I expect the Eagles-Rams game to be a high-scoring affair...the Rams just signed some folks to bolster their secondary (to me, it's not a good sign when teams are signing multiple fill-ins before the season even starts).   

just a disclaimer on the prediction front though...I bet the Patriots in the Super Bowl!  (at least I admit it  )

D. Jackson and J. Walker are both better starts in my eyes than Berrian this week. 


btw, may I say most of your team's matchups look very sweet for Week 1...unlike my money league where I have a horrible choice of defenses to field:  Bears at the Colts, or Bucs at the Saints.   

Okay, I'm going with Jackson.  I have the Baltimore defense, who I don't mind, but they're going up against Cincy and I have Carson Palmer.  Did I mention I'm not thrilled Palmer is opening @ Baltimore.  But I don't think I can bring myself to start Rivers at home against Carolina.  As I said before, I hate playing matchups with key positions in week 1.  Palmer is better than Rivers, he starts.  I put a waiver claim on the Philly D to drop Baltimore.  St. Louis is always good for a handful of sacks/INT's.  Philly D may be better this year anyway, so that move I can rationalize.

I do like Jennings vs. Minny, seeing as how teams refuse to run against them because they can't.  B. Edwards against Dallas I like, M. Barber (@Cle), and S. Young (@Oak), not too bad.  I guess my only real concern is Palmer for week 1, in THAT league.

[gilee7]

I'm in several leagues this year, and I care about them all (especially Shackler's Revenge), but the league that's most important to me is the one that my friends and I do every year. We had our draft a few nights ago, and I think I had a great draft. It's a standard scoring league (12 teams); 1 QB, 3 WR, 2 RB, 1 TE, K, DEF, five bench spots. Here's my roster:

QB: Jay Cutler; David Garrard
WR: Reggie Wayne; Larry Fitzgerald; Roddy White; Chris Chambers
RB: Brian Westbrook; Michael Turner; Thomas Jones; Willie Parker; Ricky Williams
TE: Owen Daniels
K: Kris Brown
DEF: Packers

One of my friends has offered me a trade of Kurt Warner and Sidney Rice in exchange for Garrard and Chambers. I was the last person to take a QB, and I was hoping to land Warner anyway, but once he was taken, I drafted Cutler and Garrard back-to-back. My question is: should I accept the trade?? I like Garrard, he's very solid, he only threw 3 INTs last year, but he isn't likely to go out and throw 400 yards and 3 or 4 TDs in a game like Warner can. And if Warner gets injured, I still have Cutler to fall back on. Chambers is the only WR on my bench, though, and I'm not as high on Sidney Rice as most are. If one of my starting WRs got hurt, I'd be very uncomfortable starting Rice every week. Although with only 5 BN spots, I'm sure I could still land a decent option from the waiver wire . . .

I'm leaning toward accepting the trade. Just thought I might get some feedback to make sure I'm making a good decision.

[faldor]

I think I'd do it.  Garrard is what he is, a solid backup, maybe a spot starter in fantasyland.  Warner is a clear starter if he's starting in real life.  A combo with Cutler would be nice, he's solid but Denver still loves to run the ball.  Chambers is good but SD is a run first team as well and pass first to Gates.  So at best he's the 3rd option on the team, so he's not a complete stud.  You're basically giving up 2 bench players for 1 starter.  I vote yes.

[gilee7]

Yeah, once I learned there's only a 1-day waiting period for trades I went ahead and accepted it. Both Cutler and Garrard had tough match ups this week. Now I'll have Kurt Warner starting against San Francisco, which is looking pretty good for me. Plus I figure since I have so much depth at RB, I can trade for a better WR once the bye weeks start coming up.

[Axl4Prez2004]

With Cutler on the squad, I'd feel comfortable with the trade.  Chambers is a bit better than Rice, but some no-name wr will emerge...and then you could dump Rice for him. 

How the heck did Fitzgerald drop to the 3rd round?   

I've got Warner in my big league.  McNabb, Rodgers and Warner...and now that Brown and Curtis are out...I'm probably going to roll with Warner's sweet match-up vs. San Fran.  I just wish it was in AZ.

[Axl4Prez2004]

I've got 2 defenses in my big league, Bears and Bucs.  We don't do special teams, just defense (points allowed, ints, fumbles recovered, safeties, tds off of int and fumbles)

Unfortunately, the Bears are at the Colts, and the Bucs are at the Saints.  Yes, I'm screwed.    I'm leaning toward the Bucs.  Anybody wanna talk me out of that one?   

[gilee7]

I've got 2 defenses in my big league, Bears and Bucs.  We don't do special teams, just defense (points allowed, ints, fumbles recovered, safeties, tds off of int and fumbles)

Unfortunately, the Bears are at the Colts, and the Bucs are at the Saints.  Yes, I'm screwed.    I'm leaning toward the Bucs.  Anybody wanna talk me out of that one?   

I might actually go with the Bears, just because Peyton's coming off surgery and hasn't played in the preseason. He might be a little rusty at the beginning of the game; it's possible the Bears could grab a couple INTs. The Bucs usually do a pretty good job against Brees, too, though, but the Saints are still going to score at least 20 points . . .

You might as well just flip a coin. I don't think it'll matter much either way.

I'm frustrated over Jamal Lewis. He's questionable this week, and I have him in three different leagues. Unfortunately the Browns vs. Cowboys game isn't until 4:00, so I won't know for sure if he's playing or not until my 1:00 players have already played, which isn't going to leave me with many options to replace him with.

[Axl4Prez2004]

I've got 2 defenses in my big league, Bears and Bucs.  We don't do special teams, just defense (points allowed, ints, fumbles recovered, safeties, tds off of int and fumbles)

Unfortunately, the Bears are at the Colts, and the Bucs are at the Saints.  Yes, I'm screwed.    I'm leaning toward the Bucs.  Anybody wanna talk me out of that one?   

I might actually go with the Bears, just because Peyton's coming off surgery and hasn't played in the preseason. He might be a little rusty at the beginning of the game; it's possible the Bears could grab a couple INTs. The Bucs usually do a pretty good job against Brees, too, though, but the Saints are still going to score at least 20 points . . .

You might as well just flip a coin. I don't think it'll matter much either way.

I'm frustrated over Jamal Lewis. He's questionable this week, and I have him in three different leagues. Unfortunately the Browns vs. Cowboys game isn't until 4:00, so I won't know for sure if he's playing or not until my 1:00 players have already played, which isn't going to leave me with many options to replace him with.

Gilee, who do you have a s a back-up?  I would be nervous if I were you.  Is Jarrett White Jamal's back-up?

Let me give my rationale for the Bucs.  It's a divisional game.  These 2 teams are the best of the NFC South (sorry Panthers and Falcons fans) and both teams know this could crack a tie-breaker for a spot in the playoffs down the road.  Plus, if I'm not mistaken, didn't Brees start last season a little rusty?  Plus, I heard the Bucs were able to move the ball on the Saints last season, which should either give the Bucs a lead, or keep it close, forcing more turnovers from the Saints.  Peyton and the Colts might be up by 2 td's by the end of the 1st quarter.  From there, it's lights out.  Plus, they're playing in their new crib.
I'm still leaning Bucs.
...and yes, I switched from McNabb to Warner at qb as well. 

[Axl4Prez2004]

as of 10:58am, John Clayton reports Jamal Lewis "will likely play for the Browns with a hamstring strain."

McGahee's also playing today but will likely share carries with Ray Rice.

[gilee7]

Axl4Prez, I told you to start the Bears!! Although I doubt the difference in scores was all that major, since the Bucs had a INT return for a TD.

But I bet you're kicking yourself for benching McNabb in favor of Warner. I can't blame ya, though; I would've done the same. Who could've guessed DeSean Jackson, Greg Lewis, and Baskett would all go over a hundred yards??

[faldor]

Yet another injury that shakes the fantasy world a bit.  This is why you don't draft the same guys for multiple teams.  I have Colston on 2 of my 3 teams.  He's apparently out for 4-6 weeks after surgery.  By the way, congrats to Jessica Alba on the week 1 victory.  The defending champ starts where they left off.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/8545384/Saints-lose-Colston-to-thumb-injury?CMP=OTC-K9B140813162&ATT=4975

Could Week 1 have gotten any worse in terms of injuries to big-name players?

It can and unfortunately for the New Orleans Saints, it has.

FOXSports.com has learned that the Saints have lost their top receiving weapon, Marques Colston, to a torn ligament in his left thumb. Colston, in fact, quietly had surgery on Tuesday to reattach the ligament and will miss the next month to six weeks.

It's a huge loss for the Saints, who now must roll without their leading receiver. Colston was the steal of the draft two years ago as the former Hofstra University wideout has put forth two 1,000-yard-plus seasons in his two years thus far. Last year he shined with 98 catches for 1,202 yards. In the Saints' season debut on Sunday he hauled in three balls for 26 yards in a win over the Bucs.

The team will be counting on Deverey Henderson and David Patten to step up in production with their leading receiver shelved for the time being. It's unclear when the Saints will announce his injury but they are scheduled to practice this afternoon, with Colston obviously slated to miss the workout.

[gilee7]

This is the first I've heard about the Colston injury. Damn, that really sucks. I also have the dude in quite a few leagues.

[Axl4Prez2004]

Axl4Prez, I told you to start the Bears!! Although I doubt the difference in scores was all that major, since the Bucs had a INT return for a TD.

But I bet you're kicking yourself for benching McNabb in favor of Warner. I can't blame ya, though; I would've done the same. Who could've guessed DeSean Jackson, Greg Lewis, and Baskett would all go over a hundred yards??

You'll be happy to hear that even with 2 completely bone-headed moves (starting Warner over mcNabb and the Bucs over the Bears D) it all came down to Monday night.  I was down by 1 point going in, and he had Ryan Grant, I had Adrian Peterson.  I won by 7. 

I'm very happy with the Bears D, but I have to go with the Bucs again this week seeing as how they have a better matchup and they are at home.  Screw matchups with my qb, I'm ridin' McNabb even in Dallas without starting wr's.

In HTGTH, Jessica Alba notches another W.   

The Colston injury should help me seeing as how I own Shockey in both my leagues.