Pushing The Panic Button?
September 25, 2009 at 1:39 am | Article by Paul Hickey |
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It’s that time of year already. Heading into Week 3, many fantasy owners are beginning to second guess themselves with regards to some of their early draft choices. I’ve received several questions this week from owners wondering if they should give up on guys like Steve Slaton, Brandon Jacobs, Donnie Avery and Eddie Royal. Owners are even asking me if they should bench Aaron Rodgers, Brandon Marshall, Greg Jennings and Matt Forte.While these guys haven’t exactly lit up the stat column, I would not advise pushing the panic button just yet. Making hasty decisions this time of year is how you dig a hole for yourself that you ultimately can’t get out of. There are certain guys to stick with, and others to sell high. Keep your cool and follow these tips.
1. If you drafted a guy named Marshall, Royal or Jennings to be your number one WR, don’t panic.
Royal and Marshall have essentially been benched in favor of veterans Brandon Stokley and Jabar Gaffney at one point or another during the season. Head coach Josh McDaniels has struck fear into the hearts of fantasy owners by making comments like “we have 10 guys worthy of throwing the football to on this team.” But keep in mind that Royal and Marshall are by far the most talented receivers on Denver’s roster, bar none. So while McDaniels wants to play this “nobody is bigger than the team” game, the fact of the matter is that when Kyle Orton’s back is up against the wall, everyone is going to want these two young studs on the field. Despite combining for only 12 catches this season, their previous production can’t be forgotten. Eventually, Gaffney and Stokley will fade away and Denver’s offense will once again revolve around Marshall and Royal.
As for Jennings, he just had a bad game – plain and simple. Apparently he was double and triple covered for a lot of the contest against Cincinnati, and it just wasn’t a good showing for the entire Packers passing attack. Despite a minor wrist injury and being shutout, Jennings should be in all fantasy line-ups this week against the Rams.
2. If guys named Manningham, Knox, Burleson or Sims-Walker are available in your league, snag them.
Each year, legit receivers are found early on waivers. I’ll be the first to say it – Mario Manningham is the real freaking deal. The fact that he’s the leading WR in most formats may seem like a fluke now, but his rise to fantasy stardom makes sense and shouldn’t be a flash in the pan. Word is that he worked out with former NFL receiver Keenan McCardell this offseason on his quickness and route running, namely getting separation. More importantly, he’s built a trust and chemistry with Eli Manning. And of course, the pieces have fallen into place. Manningham has earned the starting flanker gig, beating out Dominik Hixon and Hakeem Nicks, but also – injuries to Hixon and Nicks means the G-Men will need to rely on he and Steve Smith even more over the next few weeks. If you were fortunate enough to get Manningham on waivers, you’ve landed yourself a fantasy gem. If you play in a relatively shallow league, you might want to go see if he’s available right now. Make sure you check the injury report prior to Sunday’s kick-off though, as he has been limited this week in practice with a minor shoulder injury.
Chicago’s Johnny Knox has been extremely impressive in his first two NFL games, hauling in eight balls for 152 yards and a TD. The 6-0 speedster from Abilene Christian is pushing Earl Bennett for the starting gig opposite Devin Hester, and could be a good bet to lead all rookie wide outs in catches this season.
Nate Burleson has returned from a serious knee injury a year ago to earn a starting gig opposite T.J. Houshmandzadeh. With Matt Hasselbeck potentially out this week due to a rib injury, Burleson is less attractive against a stingy Bears defense. When Hass returns, look for Burleson to be a pretty darn consistent and well fed option. He may be overlooked in your league, but would make a fine WR3 in most formats.
With opening day starter Troy Williamson out for the season, Mike Sims-Walker stepped up his game in Week 2, hauling in six balls for 106 yards and a TD. He and Torry Holt will be the starters moving forward, and the 6-2 Walker is an intriguing young prospect who should be very useful to seasonal owners.
3. If guys like Matt Forte or Steve Slaton are the cornerstones of your organization, or you were banking on Knowshon Moreno and LeSean McCoy producing, don’t worry.
Frustrated by Matt Forte’s lack of production thus far? Don’t be. The Bears are recommitting to giving him the rock a ton and they still get to play the Lions twice. Forte also faces opponents like the Bengals, Browns and Cardinals who don’t exactly have the league’s best run defenses as well. Forte should remain a must-start in all leagues.
As for Steve Slaton, life looks a little more complicated right now but there’s no reason for his owners to panic. Slaton just simply hasn’t been getting the workload that he received last year, and has been unable to get into any kind of rhythm. Look for him to settle in soon and start building upon his breakout season. As for him losing carries to Chris Brown – that won’t last long, as Brown seems to finish every season on injured reserve.
Rookies Knowshon Moreno and LeSean McCoy had high hopes heading into the season, but haven’t really seen enough opportunities to post the kind of digits they’re capable of. Moreno is now fully healthy and should see more touches despite Correll Buckhalter starting. Don’t get nervous and give up early, as he does have the talent to be a top tier fantasy back.
McCoy is easier to give up on, but I encourage you to remember that there’s still a high possibility of Brian Westbrook getting injured and missing some time. When that happens, you’ll be really pumped you hung with the Eagles’ rookie second rounder.
4. If you own Willis McGahee, Cadillac Williams or Brandon Stokley, think about selling them high right now.
Do you really think Willis McGahee can continue scoring two TDs every game, or that Brandon Stokley can continue to be a full time WR in the Broncos offense? And come on, can Caddy really stay healthy for a full season? The answer to all three questions is “no.” These guys have all overachieved during the first two weeks of the season and need to be flipped immediately for more value. Fantasy owners that seize this opportunity acquire a legit performer who could be a deciding factor towards winning more games, while those that sleep on this opportunity will likely end up with waiver wire fodder on their roster several weeks from now.
This article is also featured on Athlon Fantasy Football, your spot for Cheat Sheets updated daily, and Fantasy tools to manage your team all year long.
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