The Bus Stops Here: Rookie Mistakes

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Scene: Fantasy Football Chat Rooms/Message Boards
Time: Various (Week 1 through Week 6)

“Should I get rid of Deuce? I see Dunn on waivers.”
“When is a good time to get rid of Owens? He’s deadweight.”
“I can trade LT2 for Moe Williams. Should I do it?”
“I’m going to drop McNabb for Blake. Or are there any other good pickups?”

All across the Fantasy Football Realm, questions like these are asked on a consistent basis. Beginning at about the 14:12 mark of the first game’s opening quarter, owners start second-guessing their drafts and their picks. Myself included. I’ve often caught myself wondering what kind of trade I could get for Donovan McNabb. Maybe a Plummer and an Alstott? Hmmm…

No! Snap out of it!! Do not give in to the temptation of a good week! That kind of thing is a sin in fantasy football. It is listed as the 14th Commandment in the FF Bible of Greatness! (Right after “Thou shalt always start players facing Atlanta, Cincinnati, and Detroit”). This type of infraction is known as the “Rookie Mistake” – the temptation to dump a tried and true player too soon for a one-week wonder. People are looking for the quick fix to a bad start. Not realizing that this “quick fix” could, or would ruin their entire season. Certainly, the early injuries to Michael Vick, James Stewart, and Chad Pennington have wrecked havoc upon the Fantasy Gridiron. The early season injuries to Marshall Faulk, Travis Henry, and Daunte Culpepper have also added a little seasoning to an already over-cooked meal. But does that mean you drop any of these players on the waiver wire for a Brian Westbrook, Doug Johnson, or Dane Looker? Of course not.

Don’t get me wrong here. I’m not saying the idea of picking up quality talent is wrong. In fact, I’m a big supporter of the 10th Commandment in the FF Bible of Greatness, “Yon Waiver Wire can be thy friend.” There are some key players who do step up in a time of need, some that are more than one-week wonders. You have Eric Parker, Anquan Boldin, and Shawn Bryson, to name but a few. Sure, they’ve had their “great week”, but they will also continue to see time throughout the season. You should also be aware of your stud players’ backups. Guys like Tony Richardson (backing up Priest Holmes), DeShaun Foster (Stephen Davis), and Quentin Griffin (Clinton Portis). These names should be etched into the minds of all FF coaches/GMs. We need to be aware of who is coming back when, (Michael Bennett – week 9), and who has the reoccurring injuries (Corey Dillon – groin). This kind of information is what separates great waiver wire pickups and rookie mistakes. Visit the team web site; review all articles and comments regarding the players. Take all information into consideration and come up with your own conclusion. Share with other FF coaches/GMs (just not the ones in your league…hehehe).

Just as a reminder, I’ve come up with my own list of players returning from injuries to keep an eye out for. I know I’m sharing my information with other teams in my league, but knowing these people, they already know what I’m getting ready to share. If they don’t, well how’d you get in this league anyways?!

 
Back soon…

Michael Bennett, Min – Return 11/2? With Moe Williams holding down the fort, Bennett may get the chance to test his surgically repaired foot prior to jumping on the field. A healthy Bennett would be a plus to most of the FF Teams out there right now, since the quality RB list has pretty much been depleted.

Chad Pennington, NYJ – Week 10 return? Vinny isn’t getting the job done consistently. The Jets offense has problems, in spite of the win against Buffalo. Chad may not be able to turn things around, but you can bet that they’ll start gaining a few more TDs through the air when he’s back.

Michael Vick, Atl – Possible return on 10/19? Doug Johnson looks as bad as Vinny. But look for Vick to make the best of his situation and come back to play when he does return. This could mean an increase in Peerless Price’s value too!

Marshall Faulk, StL – He’s undergoing surgery. But he’s still looking at coming back soon, probably in Week 7 or 8, so this little hiatus shouldn’t hurt his fantasy owners too much.

Brian Finneran, Atl – Should return this week. He’s practicing with a cast now, but he wants back in the game. With Vick healthy, look for both Price and Finn to help Atlanta get out of their slump.

 
Information shall set us free to climb the rankings of success. Ignorance will keep us floating at the bottom of the Lake of Despair, constantly looking for that “one week wonder” and only finding the scum floating amongst the reserves.

 
Tony, known to all in the forums as Slowkidz, has made numerous memorable contributions to the Cafe, including issuing the very first Paperbag Challenge and chairing the Couch Hater Club. He might be rethinking the latter after the Browns’ win over Oakland…