Who to keep?

[Poe]

I'm in a keeper league with 12 teams, standard scoring, start 1 QB, 2 RB's, 2 WR's and a flex (along with TE,K,Def)

QB's - Romo, Schaub, M. Ryan

RB's - M. Turner, C. Johnson, M. Barber

WR's - C. Johnson, D. Bowe, V. Jackson

TE's - J. WItten, V. Shiancoe

This is my fifth year with this team, last year I kept Romo, Barber, & Witten (no, I'm not a Dallas fan) and then I drafted the rest except Ryan and Shiancoe. I'm thinking about keeping Turner, Chris Johnson, Calvin Johnson and Witten or keeping Barber and dropping Witten. I don't think Romo will be a top 10 QB next year, I like all three RB's and all three WR's. As good as Witten is at TE, none score enough to keep over a top RB...would you keep my three RB's and Calvin at WR or go with Witten and one less RB? Or something completely different?

PS - I'll be drafting with the 11th pick in each round (no snake).

[mattb47]

One question...would you draft Jason Witten in the 3rd round or 4th? I know I wouldn't...so why keep him in what is the equivalent of a 3rd or 4th round pick? Personally, I'd keep Turner, Johnson, and Johnson as those are no-brainers...the last pick though would definitely come down to Barber and Bowe. I think I'd take Barber without much hesitation even though I'm not a big Barber fan...you'd have your 2 RBs, 1 WR, and the flex wrapped up before the draft even starts which allows you to address the other positions.

[bungle613]

One question...would you draft Jason Witten in the 3rd round or 4th? I know I wouldn't...so why keep him in what is the equivalent of a 3rd or 4th round pick? Personally, I'd keep Turner, Johnson, and Johnson as those are no-brainers...the last pick though would definitely come down to Barber and Bowe. I think I'd take Barber without much hesitation even though I'm not a big Barber fan...you'd have your 2 RBs, 1 WR, and the flex wrapped up before the draft even starts which allows you to address the other positions.

Well said.

[dblj9911]

Well to me I go right through and rank my players and keep your top three regardless of position. To me I think Turner and Calvin are no questions asked about either of them. I would rank your top players as:
Turner
Calvin
Johnson
Barber
Romo
Witten
Bowe

[TruNinerFan]

I would rank your keepers like this:
Turner
Chris Johnson
Calvin Johnson
Barber
Bowe
Romo
Witten
M. Ryan
V. Jackson

[captainmorganjosh]

Here's my thoughts on a TE such as witten. He will put up as many pts as a mid-tier WR. And without TO crying for the ball, he may even put up the pts of a #5-10 WR this year. Plus you have to think about the drastic fall-off in pts for TE after the #3-4 TE.

That's just a thought. I never draft a TE before the 6-8th round (depending on who I have and who's available). There's almost always a better-than-expected WR and RB on the waiver wires, but it is HARD to get a really good, consistent TE like Witten.

Here's another thought. I have the NFL Network on the radio in my truck, and one of the talk show host said that Jerry Jones was quoted saying that Barber was going to return to his "closing" role. It sounds like they are going to use him like they did in 2007. I think F. Jones, T. Choice, and M. Barber will all be splitting carries.

[captainmorganjosh]

I'd keep:

Michael Turner
Chris Johnson
Calvin Johnson

and the 4th keeper would be a toss up for D. Bowe and J. Witten

[mattb47]

Here's my thoughts on a TE such as witten. He will put up as many pts as a mid-tier WR. And without TO crying for the ball, he may even put up the pts of a #5-10 WR this year. Plus you have to think about the drastic fall-off in pts for TE after the #3-4 TE.

That's just a thought. I never draft a TE before the 6-8th round (depending on who I have and who's available). There's almost always a better-than-expected WR and RB on the waiver wires, but it is HARD to get a really good, consistent TE like Witten.

Here's another thought. I have the NFL Network on the radio in my truck, and one of the talk show host said that Jerry Jones was quoted saying that Barber was going to return to his "closing" role. It sounds like they are going to use him like they did in 2007. I think F. Jones, T. Choice, and M. Barber will all be splitting carries.

I honestly don't think there's much of a chance that Witten finishes with the points of a top 5-10 WR. Last season in non-ppr leagues he finished with roughly 119.2 fantasy points last season...that would have placed him 28th among receivers...while that's not bad, that's far from good enough to be worth a look early in drafts. He finished about 46 points short of the #1 TE last year, Tony Gonzalez and in points per game he was #3 to Dallas Clark as well. The argument can only be made to pick a position like this if he's expected to be head and shoulders above the rest of that position and there's not even a guarantee he'll be the best TE much less put up the points of a top 5-10 WR.

In a great year for a TE, Tony Gonzalez had over 1000 yards and 10 TDs (more fantasy points than Witten has ever had) and he still would have only barely cracked the top 10 at #10 among WRs.