The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

We’re four weeks into the 2006 NFL season, and for every surprise (David Carr is a quarterback? Who knew?) there has been a disappointment. (Who can stop Chad Johnson? Carson Palmer, that’s who.) Let’s take a look at a couple of players who have made their fantasy owners happy, sad, or just plain nauseous.

THE GOOD

One month into the 2006 season, there is little doubt as to who the fantasy MVP is at this point. Quarterback Donovan McNabb of the Eagles has been outstanding so far, throwing for 1,248 yards and 9 touchdowns in 4 starts. His 117 fantasy points lead all scorers, and McNasty has averaged seven more fantasy points per game than #2 fantasy quarterback Peyton Manning. The only possible knock against Donovan’s fantastic start is the Eagles’ schedule, which had more early cupcakes than Rosie O’ Donnell’s breakfast menu. Stiffer competition and injuries to Brian Westbrook and Donte Stallworth may bring McNabb’s numbers down somewhat, but he still seems primed for a monster statistical season.

Two of the more pleasant surprises of the first quarter of 2006 have come from Louisiana in the form of the 3-1 New Orleans Saints and their rookie wide receiver Marques Colston. Colston has supplanted veteran Joe Horn as the #1 wide receiver in the Big Easy, and his 49 fantasy points tie him for third among all wide receivers. The Hofstra product has also been consistent, scoring no less than nine fantasy points in any of his four games. In addition, Colston is eligible at tight end in some leagues, where his 336 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns make him the leading fantasy scorer at the position.

THE BAD

A consensus top 5 pick in fantasy drafts, New York Giants running back Tiki Barber has certainly not produced top 5 numbers to this point. While his total yards (357) and yards per carry (4.2) have been adequate, he has yet to find the end zone and his 34 fantasy points rank him 18^th among fantasy running backs. If the Giants and head coach Tom “Sunshine” Coughlin want to rebound from their 1-2 start, they would be well-served to get #21 more involved in the offense – keeping the Giants’ offense on the field, and a shaky Giants’ defense off of it.

In fantasy leagues that require a tight end, many owners drafted San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates in the third or fourth round. Unfortunately, they expected to see a stat line of 10 catches for 122 yards and a touchdown through one game, not three. Gates’ 17 fantasy points are tied for 8^th among tight ends. In Gates’ defense, the Chargers were able to pound two of their opponents (winless Tennessee and Oakland) into submission without going to the air much. San Diego should be forced to throw more as they play better teams. As Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers becomes more acclimated to being a starter in the NFL, his and Gates’ numbers should improve. Nevertheless, it seems the days of Gates being far-and-away the #1 tight end in fantasy football may have passed.

THE UGLY

In 2005, Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Carnell Williams set an NFL record with 434 rushing yards in his first three games in the league. Fast forward to 2006 and the “Cadillac” has run more like a Pinto through the first few games. Williams has managed only 107 rushing yards, one touchdown, and a paltry 2.5 yards per carry through three games. His 18 fantasy points rank him 29^th among fantasy running backs. On top of all that, Tampa Bay now has a rookie QB making his first NFL start this week and an offensive line that has played poorly. The outlook for the remainder of Williams’ sophomore season is bleak.

Seven Catches, eighty-four yards, and one touchdown. What used to be a good half of football for Oakland Raiders wide receiver Randy Moss, is now his total output through three games. His 13 fantasy points rank him behind such fantasy stalwarts as Kelley Washington, Roscoe Parrish, and Wes Welker. The Oakland offense has completely imploded. Moss recently stated in an interview that he would be open to the idea of a trade, and he is “not even too concerned with football right now”. Many Moss owners would gladly trade him at this point for a bag of Cheesy Poofs, and some have dropped him altogether.

 
Fantasy point totals given are based on a scoring system of 1 point per 10 rushing/receiving yards, 1 point per 25 passing yards, 6 points per touchdown, and -2 points per fumble/interception.

 
Gary Davenport is one of a growing number of fantasy experts who write for the Cafe. You can catch up with Gary in the Cafe's forums where he posts under the name of Kilroy1872.
 

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