Mojotronica
Dec 14, 2006, 04:21 PM
I have a good chance to beat the Ironclads this week, securing a shot at 5th place (which I'd probably lose to the Psycho Bunnies and end up in 6th out of 16 for the season.)
I'll be out of town for a week and unable to update my roster (at any rate) so whoever I have plugged into the starter slots early tis evening is going to play for me for the rest of the year. As it happens these are all guys who I've had throughout the season or picked up back when I still had a shot at the title.
I have dropped a bunch of the Wide Receivers I picked up on speculation (who never became the focus of their team's passing game) and picked up a bunch of guys who are now on injured reserve. One of them, Clinton Portis, was an early draft pick. He deserves to be on a team at the end of the season.
The rest (other than Domanick Davis) played very well until injuries ended their run. They also deserve better than to spend the summer on the Waiver Wire. Davis is a star player who's knee injury from 2005 kept him out of play this year. Next year he could be back in a big way. Certainly Houston had a lot of faith in him when they passed on Reggie Bush in the draft.
If this were a dynasty league I'd be sitting pretty with the following starter line-up:
Vince Young (Ten - QB): rookie with super-star potential has dramatically improved the Tennessee Titans in the past half-season. They have grown from being the team I most loved to make fun of into a team that is sitting in the middle of the pack. Sooner than later they will rival Jacksonville and Indianapolis as a real contender.
Anquan Boldin (Ari - WR): He wasn't elite like he was last season but you still got a good deal taking Boldin early in the draft. And thanks to Larry Fitzgerald's injury there's no question he's the #1 guy in Arizona's pass-friendly offense.
Donald Driver (GB - WR): The thing about Donald Driver is that he's old -- he'll be 32 at the start of next season -- and who knows what will happen to Green Bay's passing game if (and when) Favre retires. But he's a solid player and still in his peak.
Tatum Bell (Den - RB): Injuries and Denver's Running Back by committee approach limited T. Bell this year, yet again. But he's young and very talented and an excellent second back, most weeks.
Clinton Portis (Was - RB): Nothing went right in Washington this year, a team that was supposed to dominate the NFC-East, starting with Portis' injury in a meaningless pre-season game. Then he suffered from three more totally unrelated injuries as the season progressed, missing a bunch of play time. But Portis is still young and should recover from his late-season shoulder surgery.
Chris Cooley (Was - TE): An over-looked phenomenon in 2005, Cooley's numbers fell in 2006 because Washington focused on other receivers. Cooley is still a top ten Tight End though, and he still hs many years of play ahead of him. In the inevitable overhaul of Washington's game strategy Cooley could re-gain his top receiver status.
Kevin Jones (Det - RB): He had a huge year despite Detroit's supposed focus on the passing game (and overall suckiness.) He is young and will recover from his foot surgery sooner or later. When he does he could replace Bell or Portis as my number one RB.
Domanick Davis (Hou - RB): A real crap-shoot. Davis was hobbled with injury in 2005 and under-produced, then he didn't recover fully from knee surgery in time to play in 2006. Meanwhile, Houston worked on developing Wali Lundy, Ron Dayne and Samkon Gado to replace him. In his favor he's still young (he won't yet be 27 at the start of the 2007 season) and he's had plenty of time to recover now. If he returns he could finally live up to his massive potential.
Amani Toomer (NYG - WR): Another old man -- he'll turn 33 at the start of the 2007 season -- and with a terrible injury to recover from -- but wildly talented and under-rated this year. Toomer's loss is widely credited with the New York Giants crumbling passing game late this season. Toomer could retire after this season, or he could attempt a Javon Walker-type recovery for another year of glory. This one is a very speculative pick-up.
Marcus Robinson (Min - WR): He'll be 32 going into 2007, making him another old man wide receiver. This year he struggled with injuries and missed several games but when he played he was usually extremely productive. Of course, the Vikings are in a transitional phase at QB, so their receivers may never be elite.
Travis Taylor (Min - WR): Taylor is Minnesota's other top wideout, relatively injury-free and he'll be 29 next year. He could get more focus as Robinson gets less.
Mack Strong (Sea - RB): Full Back Mack Strong is getting on in years -- he turns 36 at the start of next season -- and may well retire this summer. That's too bad, because he's been a huge part of Seattle's rise from terrible to Super Bowl team over the past thriteen seasons. I like to plug him into the line-up when I don't have a genuine Running Back available. And in the locker-room he's the spiritual center of my team.
Matt Stover (Bal - K): Elite kicker who almost never misses his attempts. He's old -- he'll be 39 going into 2007 -- but still playing strong. And when the Baltimore Ravens win the 2006 Super Bowl with a Matt Stover Field Goal everyone will know it.
Chicago Defense (Chi - DEF): Gloriously young and powerful, the focus of Chicago's current renaissance. This is one of the few defenses that looks like a "sure thing" for an early draft pick. In 2005 they carried the team to the playoffs. In 2006 they got help from the offense and now look like the NFC's Super Bowl team (with the possible exception of New Orleans, who's not as strong on defense.)
Donovan McNabb (Phi - QB): Yes he's injury-prone and recovering from a (relitively mild) torn MCL now, but in just ten games this season McNabb produced the kind of fantasy numbers that most QBs take a whole season to produce. That's really breath-taking. The Eagles may have problems as a team, but McNabb has never been one of them. He'll be back.
Jake Delhomme (Car - QB): Delhomme was considered to be an elite QB at the start of the season but he could lose his job if he doesn't improve his game. The Panthers are all but out of the play-offs, and they look terribly one-dimensional since they seem to need to lean on Steve Smith to win. Delhomme will be 32 next year, making him a good candidate for replacement.
If I had fielded this team from the beginning of the year I might still be in the running to win the top prize. I almost certainly would have had a higher seed going into the playoffs and not had to face the team that had the best week in round one. Off-season trade focus has to be on Wide Receiver, my team's weakest area. Strong, Toomer and Delhomme are the top candidates to be dropped and replaced with promising young Wide Receivers. Then when next season got underway I'd drop any remaining injured players to make room for my Bye Week TE, K and DEF.
I'll be out of town for a week and unable to update my roster (at any rate) so whoever I have plugged into the starter slots early tis evening is going to play for me for the rest of the year. As it happens these are all guys who I've had throughout the season or picked up back when I still had a shot at the title.
I have dropped a bunch of the Wide Receivers I picked up on speculation (who never became the focus of their team's passing game) and picked up a bunch of guys who are now on injured reserve. One of them, Clinton Portis, was an early draft pick. He deserves to be on a team at the end of the season.
The rest (other than Domanick Davis) played very well until injuries ended their run. They also deserve better than to spend the summer on the Waiver Wire. Davis is a star player who's knee injury from 2005 kept him out of play this year. Next year he could be back in a big way. Certainly Houston had a lot of faith in him when they passed on Reggie Bush in the draft.
If this were a dynasty league I'd be sitting pretty with the following starter line-up:
Vince Young (Ten - QB): rookie with super-star potential has dramatically improved the Tennessee Titans in the past half-season. They have grown from being the team I most loved to make fun of into a team that is sitting in the middle of the pack. Sooner than later they will rival Jacksonville and Indianapolis as a real contender.
Anquan Boldin (Ari - WR): He wasn't elite like he was last season but you still got a good deal taking Boldin early in the draft. And thanks to Larry Fitzgerald's injury there's no question he's the #1 guy in Arizona's pass-friendly offense.
Donald Driver (GB - WR): The thing about Donald Driver is that he's old -- he'll be 32 at the start of next season -- and who knows what will happen to Green Bay's passing game if (and when) Favre retires. But he's a solid player and still in his peak.
Tatum Bell (Den - RB): Injuries and Denver's Running Back by committee approach limited T. Bell this year, yet again. But he's young and very talented and an excellent second back, most weeks.
Clinton Portis (Was - RB): Nothing went right in Washington this year, a team that was supposed to dominate the NFC-East, starting with Portis' injury in a meaningless pre-season game. Then he suffered from three more totally unrelated injuries as the season progressed, missing a bunch of play time. But Portis is still young and should recover from his late-season shoulder surgery.
Chris Cooley (Was - TE): An over-looked phenomenon in 2005, Cooley's numbers fell in 2006 because Washington focused on other receivers. Cooley is still a top ten Tight End though, and he still hs many years of play ahead of him. In the inevitable overhaul of Washington's game strategy Cooley could re-gain his top receiver status.
Kevin Jones (Det - RB): He had a huge year despite Detroit's supposed focus on the passing game (and overall suckiness.) He is young and will recover from his foot surgery sooner or later. When he does he could replace Bell or Portis as my number one RB.
Domanick Davis (Hou - RB): A real crap-shoot. Davis was hobbled with injury in 2005 and under-produced, then he didn't recover fully from knee surgery in time to play in 2006. Meanwhile, Houston worked on developing Wali Lundy, Ron Dayne and Samkon Gado to replace him. In his favor he's still young (he won't yet be 27 at the start of the 2007 season) and he's had plenty of time to recover now. If he returns he could finally live up to his massive potential.
Amani Toomer (NYG - WR): Another old man -- he'll turn 33 at the start of the 2007 season -- and with a terrible injury to recover from -- but wildly talented and under-rated this year. Toomer's loss is widely credited with the New York Giants crumbling passing game late this season. Toomer could retire after this season, or he could attempt a Javon Walker-type recovery for another year of glory. This one is a very speculative pick-up.
Marcus Robinson (Min - WR): He'll be 32 going into 2007, making him another old man wide receiver. This year he struggled with injuries and missed several games but when he played he was usually extremely productive. Of course, the Vikings are in a transitional phase at QB, so their receivers may never be elite.
Travis Taylor (Min - WR): Taylor is Minnesota's other top wideout, relatively injury-free and he'll be 29 next year. He could get more focus as Robinson gets less.
Mack Strong (Sea - RB): Full Back Mack Strong is getting on in years -- he turns 36 at the start of next season -- and may well retire this summer. That's too bad, because he's been a huge part of Seattle's rise from terrible to Super Bowl team over the past thriteen seasons. I like to plug him into the line-up when I don't have a genuine Running Back available. And in the locker-room he's the spiritual center of my team.
Matt Stover (Bal - K): Elite kicker who almost never misses his attempts. He's old -- he'll be 39 going into 2007 -- but still playing strong. And when the Baltimore Ravens win the 2006 Super Bowl with a Matt Stover Field Goal everyone will know it.
Chicago Defense (Chi - DEF): Gloriously young and powerful, the focus of Chicago's current renaissance. This is one of the few defenses that looks like a "sure thing" for an early draft pick. In 2005 they carried the team to the playoffs. In 2006 they got help from the offense and now look like the NFC's Super Bowl team (with the possible exception of New Orleans, who's not as strong on defense.)
Donovan McNabb (Phi - QB): Yes he's injury-prone and recovering from a (relitively mild) torn MCL now, but in just ten games this season McNabb produced the kind of fantasy numbers that most QBs take a whole season to produce. That's really breath-taking. The Eagles may have problems as a team, but McNabb has never been one of them. He'll be back.
Jake Delhomme (Car - QB): Delhomme was considered to be an elite QB at the start of the season but he could lose his job if he doesn't improve his game. The Panthers are all but out of the play-offs, and they look terribly one-dimensional since they seem to need to lean on Steve Smith to win. Delhomme will be 32 next year, making him a good candidate for replacement.
If I had fielded this team from the beginning of the year I might still be in the running to win the top prize. I almost certainly would have had a higher seed going into the playoffs and not had to face the team that had the best week in round one. Off-season trade focus has to be on Wide Receiver, my team's weakest area. Strong, Toomer and Delhomme are the top candidates to be dropped and replaced with promising young Wide Receivers. Then when next season got underway I'd drop any remaining injured players to make room for my Bye Week TE, K and DEF.