Vikings risked a lot, lost a lot by playing Peterson

I don't have Vikings running back Adrian Peterson in any fantasy football league, so I'm not upset at the prospect of losing a star running back.

I just thought it was completely the wrong decision to have him play in the Vikings' remaining games.

Just two weeks ago, I smiled after Peterson acknowledged fantasy football fans when he said he was returning for his fantasy football owners. He was kidding, but it was fun.

You can check the link here.

At the end of that post, I warned: I hope he doesn't return too early and injure himself.

I didn't want to jinx him.

Honestly.

I just thought it was too much of a risk to bring back the franchise running back at probably less than 100 percent with nothing to play for.

Nothing good could have come from it.

As it turned out, something bad did.

All I want for Christmas is a Super Bowl title

Merry Christmas, everyone.

I hope fantasy titles are under the tree for you.

2 out of 4 teams still going

Most fantasy football leagues are entering Super Bowl week.

If you're still going, congratulations for getting there. Good luck the rest of the way.

I have two of my four teams left. One is in the big game, the other is in the semifinals.

Here's what happened:

Redraft league (14 teams): I entered the playoffs 8-4-1 as the third seed. I lost my quarterfinal matchup by two points. I had DeMarco Murray at RB2 (LeSean McCoy the other) and would have won if he didn't get injured.

Redraft league (10 teams): Top seed at 10-4 with the top overall total in points scored. I was routed last week by a team with Reggie Bush (career day) and Lance Moore going off.

One-team keeper (12 teams): Went 8-5, good for third seed and second overall in scoring. Squeaked out quarterfinal win when Jake Ballard was tackled at the 1. Won my semifinal match by 6 points, thanks to Megatron going off for me and Eli Manning struggling for my opponent.

Seven-team keeper (8 teams): 11-3 overall, top seed, tops in scoring. Secured first-round bye. Play in semifinals this week.

Super Bowl-bound. Did I win or my opponent lose?

There's nothing like having the high score of the week in your fantasy football league.

It's even better when it's the semifinals of your league's playoffs.

Despite my good fortune, I had to sweat out a win this week because my opponent had the second-highest scoring team of the week.

The game, which I won by 6 points, wasn't decided until the 49ers benched Frank Gore in the fourth quarter after they went up 20-3.

Whew.

I started Julio Jones last Thursday (much debated by me), but my opponent had Roddy White.

I debated starting Rex Grossman over Mike Vick, but stuck with Vick (good call). My opponent started Eli Manning over Tim Tebow (the correct call, but bad outcome for my opponent, but it worked out for me).

The star of the series for me was Calvin Johnson.

Megatron nearly scored 50 points in my PPR league that awards bonuses for length of touchdowns and 100-yard games.

So, did Calvin win it or did Eli hand it to me?

I guess I don't really care. I'm in the Super Bowl.

There's another week of deliberation ahead.

Gotta love the Vikings' Adrian Peterson

Don't think NFL players care about fantasy football?

Think again.

Check out what the Vikings' Adrian Peterson said about returning this week:

"It's very important, especially for my fantasy team owners," Peterson said with a smile. "They've been giving me a hard time."

I hope he doesn't return too early and injure himself.

I have Antonio Brown on my bench this week

Those darn Thursday night games really can mess with a fantasy football league playoff push.

This week, Julio Jones played on Thursday night, which isn't such a bad thing. With my receivers (Calvin Johnson, Vincent Jackson, Antonio Brown), however, I've stashed Jones on my bench the past couple weeks.

That changed Thursday. I inserted Julio Jones into my lineup in my semifinal matchup and benched Antonio Brown.

I can't trust Brown if Charlie Batch is throwing him the ball. Unfortunately, Batch, Brown and the Steelers are playing Monday night, which limits options.

If Batch starts, I see a lot of three-and-outs, incomplete passes and sacks. I also can see a lot of 2-yard carries by Rashard Mendenhall.

If Orton plays, I'd be comfortable with Bowe

For the most part, Kansas City has been a wasteland for fantasy football.

The Chiefs might be a little more relevant if Kyle Orton starts at quarterback against the Packers.

If Orton gets the call, and right now I'd believe he be the one to start, then Dwayne Bowe becomes relevant again in fantasy football.

Watch the news later this week. If Orton starts, you can be sure the Chiefs will have to throw it -- probably a lot. So I'd feel comfortable going with Bowe in my playoffs.

College football: Graham sticks it to Pitt

The Pitt football program isn't what it used to be.

Need further proof? Todd Graham just left the Panthers for Arizona State.

I grew up a Pitt football and basketball fan. I remember the Jackie Sherrill days.

There haven't been many great days since.

Pitt thinks higher of itself than the rest of the country. That's not a bad thing, it's just a realistic assessment of the program.

A little more than 12 months ago, Dave Wannstedt was the coach. Today, Pitt will be looking for it's fourth coach over than same time period.

That's not stability. That's not the way a great program should work -- or in this case be forced to work.

Maybe it's just a bad string of luck. Athletic director Steve Pederson didn't know Mike Haywood wouldn't work out. And I'm sure Pederson didn't expect this from Graham.

I liked the Graham hire, but I was certainly wrong about that.

Even if I wasn't a Pitt football fan, I wouldn't think very highly of Graham after leaving a program the way he did.

Hopefully Pitt will make a better hire and get the program on track.

I'm picking up Mikel Leshoure this week

One league that I don't usually track on this blog is a dynasty, five-player keeper league. I co-own the team with a co-worker, plus it was a team that we took over a couple seasons ago -- and it was really bad.

It's been a slow work in progress, to say the least.

We're wrapping up the season, and have just one more week left in free agency (not counting this week).

I'm putting in a claim for Mikel Leshoure.

It's a stash-and-hope move, but it won't cost anything. Jahvid Best is concussion-prone and clearly isn't a heavy workload type of guy.

The Lions drafted Leshoure early and I thought could have been the guy this season.

Yes, injury struck.

But I'm taking a shot. If the Lions draft a running back early, so be it.

But it could pay off. If you're in a dynasty league, someone like Leshoure could be a player to target.

Will my Antonio Brown curse continue?

I've chronicled my last week with Antonio Brown here on my site.

My team advanced, despite my boneheaded move. On Tuesday, I set my lineup for this week's semifinal game in my league's fantasy football playoffs.

Antonio Brown was there as my flex.

Now, I'm worried.

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is iffy for this week's game. If he doesn't start, Charlie Batch is the guy.

Oh, no.

Should I set Brown yet again?

I might.

The Steelers playing on Monday night also complicates things.

If I wait until Monday, then I really roll the dice.

If you're in the same boat as me, wait until the end of the week and see if Big Ben practices. If it looks like he's sitting, then Brown's going to be on my bench.

Julio Jones would then get the start.

I had Antonio Brown and Julio Jones on my bench ... and won

Well, if you saw my post last week about Antonio Brown being on my bench, you might be wondering how it went.

I hate Thursday night games, so I benched Brown, believing he wouldn't go off against the Browns' top pass defense. I also thought Rashard Mendenhall would get a heavy workload, minimizing the chances for Brown.

Well, I was wrong.

Brown had a 30-plus point day, keeping the curse of Thursday night games alive, at least for me.

I still had a good team, so I wasn't completely in panic mode.

Santana Moss was on waivers, so I could have picked him up.

Instead, I was looking a Julio Jones and Mike Tolbert.

Of course, I went with Tolbert, who had a nice matchup against the Bills, instead of Jones, who scored 30-plus points himself in my league's PPR scoring.

Tolbert at least vultured a TD from Ryan Mathews and helped me win by four points.

Next week, however, I doubt Tolbert will be in my flex. His touches are down and Brown and Jones are looking good.

1-1 last week, thanks to DeMarco Murray

It takes a lot of luck to win a fantasy football championship.

I was on both ends of it Sunday night.

In my one quarterfinal match, I was up four points at the end of the Giants-Cowboys game. My opponent and I did not have anyone on the Rams or Seahawks, so our battle was closing in a hurry.

For most of that Sunday night game, I was in control. Late in the fourth quarter, Jake Ballard caught a touchdown, narrowing my lead. My opponent had Ballard left, and still had a chance. On the Giants' final drive, Eli Manning hit Ballard, and he was headed for the end zone.

Thankfully, Ballard was tackled just short of a touchdown, saving me.

Earlier Sunday, in my other league, I had DeMarco Murray leave the game. I lost by five points. Had Murray not suffered a season-ending injury, I'm sure I'd be in the semifinals, especially when you look at what Felix Jones did in Murray's place.

That's how it goes in fantasy football.

Have any interesting tales? Post them in comments.

Vikings could be making mistake with Peterson

Let's see, you're a 2-10 team, your franchise player isn't 100 percent and yet you're still considering playing him?

Man, the Minnesota Vikings would be making a bad move starting Adrian Peterson.

There's no reward by sending Peterson out there, unless the owner or coach needs Peterson in their fantasy football playoffs.

I'd bench my multi-million dollar running back until he was 100 percent.

Antonio Brown's big game was on my bench

Up until 11 p.m. Thursday night, I was feeling OK with my decision to bench Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown in the first round of my fantasy football playoffs.

Then, he clinched the game for the Steelers on a 79-yard TD reception.

Ugh.

Well, here's why I did it.

Brown would have been in my flex spot. However, I thought the matchup against the Browns, who were strong against the pass this season, favored a lot of running by Rashard Mendenhall.

That, in addition to my bad luck starting Thursday night players this season, made me gun shy.

I also had Mike Tolbert (vs. the Bills) and Julio Jones as other options as my flex.

Tolbert's there, but I don't expect 30-plus points from him. I am expecting a good game.

We'll see how it goes on Sunday.

DeSean Jackson won't last the season on my team

I've been relying on Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson in my redraft league all season.

Next week, he gets cut.

I can't bear starting the playoffs with a player that can't meet ever-shrinking expectations.

Players available in my 14-team PPR league that I'll consider before I make my move: Eric Decker, Doug Baldwin, Johnny Knox, Damian Williams and Lance Moore. If Santana Moss is still available I'll add him to the mix, too.

Need another QB? Check out Orton

Yeah, I'm on the verge of recommending Kyle Orton as your quarterback.

I'm not saying to go out and drop Aaron Rodgers, or even Matt Ryan.

But if you're tired of the inconsistencies of Josh Freeman or even Joe Flacco, take a look at Orton.

He's practicing with the first team, has a legit top receiver in Dwayne Bowe, plus has good secondary receivers like Jon Baldwin.

Orton's likely been cut, so he is worth a look, if not a pickup.

The incredibily talented and frustrating Roy Helu

Yes, I'm still a Roy Helu owner.

No, I did not start him Sunday.

I thought about starting the Redskins running back over the Chargers' Ryan Mathews, but I didn't.

I just couldn't trust Mike Shanahan and his revolving door of running backs. I fully expected Shannahan to start Evan Royster this week, even though Royster was just on the team's practice squad.

Will I start Helu later this season?

I'm not sure.

I think he's very talented. In fact, I've had him in a league where I co-own a team with a co-worker since we drafted Helu in August.

Never cut him. Still hangin' on.

All I wanted to see was one game with Helu as the featured back.

We saw that Sunday with Helu's 108-yard performance that included a 28-yard score. Helu also added seven receptions for 54 yards.

Great game. And he did that against a tough Seahawks run defense.

I'm a Helu believer.

Now we just need Shanahan to believe in Helu, too.

After 11 weeks in fantasy football, here's where we stand

We're getting down to crunch time in fantasy football. Many leagues have just two weeks left before the playoffs begin.

Here's a quick look at my four teams and where they stand:

One-player keeper. I'm tied for the best record at 8-3 and have the second-most points scored. If the season ended today, I'd be the top seed and have a first-round bye. Mike Vick has crushed me the past three weeks. I actually picked up and started Vince Young this past week. He didn't do much, but I squeezed out a win thanks to the Pats' defense. I'm relying heavily on Calvin Johnson, Vincent Jackson and Julio Jones. I have Antonio Brown as a backup at WR. At RB, I'm hurting. I'm mixing and matching with Shonn Greene, Willis McGahee, Mike Tolbert and Brandon Jacobs.

Seven-player keeper. I'm at 9-2, good enough for a one-game lead for tops overall. My team's been scoring at a pretty good clip, I'm first overall, 150 points more than second place. I took at hit at QB with Matt Schaub. I put in Ryan Fitzpatrick last week and have to scramble at that position. My real strength is running back where I have Arian Foster, LeSean McCoy and Matt Forte. At WR, I have Megatron and Roddy White, with Vincent Jackson as a matchup fill-in.

Redraft league. This team is interesting. I'm 6-4-1, which is third overall. I'm third in scoring but I'm first in points allowed. My tie came on a scoring change and I have two one-point losses. I've had Matt Stafford all season at QB, I picked up DeMarco Murray and have put him in the lineup faithfully and have gotten a lot out of LeSean McCoy. At receiver, I have DeSean Jackson and Hakeem Nicks, so it's been a bumpy ride there. I have the Texans defense and picked up the Patriots defense last week while the Texans were on a bye. We have just a four-player bench and I might keep both defenses the rest of the way.


Auto-pick league. This league drafted offline based on my pre-draft rankings. I'm in second place but first overall in scoring. I had Phil Rivers at QB but went away from him weeks ago in favor of Cam Newton. I have Ray Rice and Fred Jackson at RB, but I have Frank Gore and Ryan Mathews backing them up. I'll need to watch Jackson's injury.

Overall my teams have had success, but I know it can be short-lived. Everyone should still be working the waiver wire, as I will.

Good luck down the stretch. I'll post some thoughts on the week coming up later.

Say hello to Helu in fantasy football

About a month ago, I wrote about the Washington Redskins' backfield.

Since that time, Ryan Torain exploded, Tim Hightower suffered a season-ending injury and Torain disappeared.

In the meantime, all I wanted to see was a full game from Helu because I thought he had the most talent of the bunch.

After a 14-catch performance last week, I liked what I saw.

Granted, this is Mike Shananhan's backfield we're talking about, so let's not get too excited. Shanny could start Tashard Choice at any given moment.

But I like Helu.

He had success rushing against a tough 49ers defense, which impressed me. He also displayed the ability to catch the football, so he can be used on any down.

Just be warned:: The Redskins' offense looks horrible.

Still, if Helu's available, grab him.

He could help down the stretch.

Still not convinced Tebow's viable as a fantasy quarterback

I guess there are a couple camps when it comes to talking about Tim Tebow.

There's the camp that loves Tebow. You know, Tebow can do no wrong.

Then there's the camp where they say Tebow's mechanics are wrong and he's not an NFL quarterback.

I'm not a Tebow fan. And when it comes to fantasy football, you don't need to be a fan of a player.

But when it comes down to putting in your starting lineup, especially in the playoffs, do you trust Tebow?

I don't.

I won't let my fantasy league hang in the balance.

In two-QB leagues, yeah, there's value there.

But I don't see him as a QB1.

If you trust him, take the chance. You just won't see me do it.

Is it too late to sell on Tim Tebow as a QB?

A couple weeks ago, Broncos QB Tim Tebow was a popular choice on the fantasy football waiver wires.

Two weeks later, I'm here to tell you to bail.

It's one thing if you're trying to win real football games. Tebow hasn't shown anything resembling an NFL quarterback. He can't throw. He can't read defenses.

If a receiver isn't open, Tebow looks to run.

Two weeks in a row he was awful through three quarters. Last week, he and the Broncos got lucky against a Dolphins team that collapsed.

On Sunday, Tebow and the Broncos collapsed against the Lions.

Here are two select columns you should check out on Tebow. One, from AP columnist Tim Dahlberg, the second from Denver Post columnist Mark Kiszla.

The Broncos are in trouble.

Don't let your fantasy football team follow the same path.

Oh, Tebow might run for a TD and put up yards rushing, but you'll get little else.

Get off the Tebow Train while there's still time.

Week 7 in fantasy football has been crazy, and the games haven't even started yet

It's been a crazy week for fantasy football. I'm not sure I remember so much action at the trade deadline as the was this week.

Let's recap. The Broncos sent Brandon Lloyd to the Rams, who really could use a wide receiver. I don't think Lloyd's value goes down for the rest of the season, but I don't believe he'll recapture the magic he had last season when he led the league in yardage. And, if you're starting Lloyd this week like I am in one league, don't expect much. Sam Bradford likely will miss Sunday's game, so you really have to temper your expectations this week with Lloyd.

Carson Palmer was traded by the Bengals to the Raiders. It's been a couple of seasons since Palmer's been relevant, so I wouldn't expect great numbers from him. Don't expect him to start this week, either. There were reports earlier that said he would be the starter. I'd stay away from this QB situation for this week. After that, Palmer has a nice set of receivers to work with, but I wouldn't expect QB1 numbers from him. This is still a running team with Darren McFadden.

Ronnie Brown was traded, then the trade was voided. James Harrison, the other member in the deal, failed a physical. It was later reported Harrison has a brain tumor. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Harrison and we hope for a speedy recovery for him. The Lions wanted Brown, presumably to fill a void at RB created by Jahvid Best's concussion. I like Maurice Morris this week as a fill-in for Best. Remember, this is a pass-first offense, so don't expect Morris to put up monster numbers. He should be a good RB2 this week for you.

OK, now to my teams.

I'm sitting at 4-2 in my one redraft league. However, I'm encountering a terrible bye week. I have LeSean McCoy, DeSean Jackson and Hakeem Nicks on a bye, to go with the the Eagles defense. The trouble is, our bench in this 14-team league is only four players deep. So, in order to fill out a lineup, I cut Montario Hardesty, who should start this week, and Jonathan Stewart. I picked up Kevin Walter and James Jones as fill-ins at WR. I also picked up the Raiders defense and cut the Eagles defense. At my RB positions, I'm starting Jackie Battle and DeMarco Murray. I could be 4-3 after this week.

In my one-player keeper (5-1 record), I have Mike Vick on a bye. I picked up Curtis Painter and will start him over Kevin Kolb. I really don't trust Kolb. I'm benching Shonn Greene and rolling with Mike Tolbert and Mark Ingram at RB, while I'm going with Willis McGahee at my flex spot.

In my seven-player keeper league (4-2), my biggest lineup decision was to go with Earnest Graham at a flex spot with LeSean McCoy on a bye. Fred Davis was on the waiver wire earlier in the week and I picked him up to strengthen my bench.

Finally, in my other redraft league (5-1), I'm going with Cam Newton over Phil Rivers at QB again. No other great lineup decisions with more byes (Victor Cruz, Frank Gore, Fred Jackson).

Good luck this week. If you have any questions, comments or anything else, post them here. You can also hit me up on Twitter @green_rick.

What I'm doing in Week 6 fantasy football

I can't believe we're entering Week 6 of the fantasy football season. It seemed like yesterday I was working on my schedule to fit in my drafts.

If you're sitting at 1-4 or worse, don't panic. I've seen teams rally. Granted, there's a sense of urgency and you need to win. But don't fold.

If you are in one of those situations, don't be afraid to shake things up. Hey, you can't get any worse, right?

Just make sure you're getting some talent. And play to win.

Here's what I'm doing with my four teams:

I know he's on a bye week, but I picked up Jackie Battle in my one redraft league. My thinking was he could be a 2010 version of Thomas Jones, or perhaps better. I think Battle is a flex starter for teams the rest of the way. I passed on Earnest Graham to get Battle. This was earlier in the week, before news of LeGarrette Blount possibly being out four weeks. Graham might be the better PPR choice for the next month, but for the rest of the season, I like Battle. I have Felix Jones and LeSean McCoy at RBs, and Hakeem Nicks and DeSean Jackson at WRs.

In my other redraft league, my tough lineup choice was going with Fred Jackson over Frank Gore. I have the 49ers defense, and I do not like their matchup against the Lions, but I think I might keep them there. I have been looking at picking up the Raiders defense (vs. Browns) as a replacement.

I'm running into bye-week problems in my one-player keeper league. I have Vincent Jackson, Mike Tolbert and Willis McGahee out. I also have Julio Jones out with an injury. With a four-man bench, those are some problems. I picked up Plaxico Burress and James Jones to start at WR2 and my flex spot. It's a 12-team league, so pickings were slim.

My dynasty league is pretty set with no tough choices. I thought about Matt Schaub as my QB, but I'm rolling with the recently acquired Ryan Fitzpatrick. 

Good luck this week.

Follow me on Twitter @green_rick.

What I'm doing for Week 5 in fantasy football

We're four weeks into the fantasy football season. There's still plenty of time to recover from a bad start, but you need to watch out for those bye-week landmines.

First off, here are the teams with the week off: Browns, Cowboys, Rams, Dolphins, Redskins and Ravens.

Make sure you're not starting anyone from those teams; there's no need to help out your opponent.

Here's where I sit with my four teams:

• Dynasty league: 3-1, 2nd overall, 1st in total points
• One-player keeper: 3-1, 2nd overall, 2nd in total points
• Re-draft league #1: 2-2, 6th overall, 3rd in total points
• Re-draft league #2: 3-1, 2nd overall, 2nd in total points

Overall, I'm pretty satisfied. In my dynasty league, I lost last week by 0.2 points, as in two-tenths of a point. In my re-draft league #1, I lost one game by one point.

Anyway, here's what I'm looking at.

I'm starting Cam Newton over Phil Rivers in one redraft league. I gotta ride the hot hand. I picked up Victor Cruz as a bye-week fill-in, and I finally dropped Hines Ward, who's been doing nothing.

In my other redraft league, I'm going to start Isaac Redman at RB2 if I hear news Rashard Mendenhall is out. If not, I have a choice between Jon Stewart and Dexter McCluster. Right now, I'm trying out McCluster for one more week. If he doesn't produce against the Colts this week, I'll likely cut him.

I've been searching for a QB in my dynasty league. I've been going with Matt Schaub and have been disappointed. I have an offer out for Newton in that league. I'm convinced he can help. I'm loaded at RB, so I have some backs in a deal. This week, I'm starting Matt Forte and Arian Foster over Peyton Hillis and MJD.

In my one-player keeper, I have Julio Jones in my flex spot. I like his matchup this week. I'm going with Jones over Mark Ingram (nice matchup) and Will McGahee (good news on getting the rock in Denver). I have Shonn Greene in my lineup, and I might pull him, but I want to see what he does this week. The Jets are supposed to go back to running the ball, so we'll see. I can't fault you for bailing on Greene at this point, however.

That's my thinking right now. Post or email your comments or questions.

You can follow me on Twitter @ green_rick.

Ryan Torain muddles Redskins' running back picture

Mike Shanahan has a reputation.

For fantasy football owners, Shanahan's reputation isn't based on winning Super Bowls. Shanahan is known for driving fantasy football owners crazy for choosing his running backs.

Tim Hightower appeared to be 'the guy' in D.C. this season based on his work in preseason. He had some good games for the Redskins, but on Sunday left the game early.

Ryan Torain stepped in, and stepped up. Torain rushed for 135 yards and a touchdown while Roy Helu, once thought as the heir as the starter, didn't see the field as much.

Now, Torain is a hot waiver-wire pickup. Keep in mind that Torain has a bye this week. Also note, that there's no guarantee Torain will have has many rushing yards for the rest of the season.

Then this bit of news was made public: Hightower injured his shoulder during the game against the Rams, which prompted the change of plans in the Redskins' backfield.

The general thinking now is Torain is the starter, Helu the change-of-pace back and Hightower the third-down guy.

This backfield screams, 'Stay away!' this season. 

I'm still intrigued by Helu. You just know Torain is going to get injured at some point, and Shanahan already has shown is willingness to go away from Hightower.

I'm still sticking with Helu. Although I understand if you want to ride a hot hand with Torain.

I took a bye for week 4 in fantasy football

Sorry about no posting last week leading up to Week 4 in fantasy football.

Our family took our annual trip to Cedar Point for HalloWeekends. We had a blast, my sons got scared in some of the haunted houses at the Point, and enjoyed going 120 mph on Top Thrill Dragster.

Anyway, I'll be back this week for my thoughts and opinions.

If you need some questions answered about CP, let me know.

Why I'd pick up Torrey Smith this week

Everyone is going to take a long, hard look at picking up Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith off the waiver wire this week.

It's impossible to ignore him after his three-touchdown performance against the Rams on Sunday. He finished with five catches for 152 yards.

At first, it might be easy to brush off his performance as a fluke. After all, the Rams' secondary has its share of problems. Also, Smith got his start because Lee Evans is nursing an injury.

And that's fine if you think that way.

Me, well, I'm the type that will take a shot on Smith.

For some reason I'm thinking Miles Austin.

Don't know why, but I can't help but to think back to Austin's big coming out party in 2009 when he had 10 catches for 250 yards and two touchdowns.

A couple seasons later and Austin is a No. 1 receiver in fantasy football lineups.

Could Smith have a similar climb? I'm willing to find out.

Smith is fast and has a QB in Joe Flacco with a cannon of an arm.

My guess is after seeing such a performance, the Ravens have to involve Smith going forward.

Will he have one-catch games for 22 yards? Possibly. But I'm thinking he could be a better Devery Henderson-type player.

It's your call. I figure, if Smith bombs in a couple weeks, all that I've lost is a roster spot.

Week 3 fantasy football: A look ahead

There are plenty of lineup questions across the board in fantasy football.

My four head-to-head teams went 3-1 last week, bringing my two-week total to 7-1. My one loss was by one point, too, which kept me from starting a perfect 8-0.

We'll start with that team first. I was next-to-last on the waiver list in that 14-team league. I picked up Thomas Jones and cut Lance Moore. I liked Moore entering the season, but I wanted to grab a RB who might do something. I'm not sold on Jones, but in a 14-team league, depth at RB is precious. Plus, I figured I could grab a WR later if I needed one.

A team in that league cut Roy Helu, who I really like. Another team cut Dexter McCluster today, which leaves me with a tough choice: put in a claim for Helu or D-Mac. I have a claim in for Helu, although McCluster could be a nice WR to own in a PPR league.

I'm benching Felix Jones in that league as well. Right now I have Jon Stewart penciled in at my other RB spot. I'm going with the Cards defense again, too. It's a nice matchup against the Seahawks. And since I mentioned the Seahawks, I'd start Beanie Wells against them this week, but I must admit I don't own Wells in any league.

Over in my one-team keeper league, I have Mike Vick in the lineup. Reports on Thursday said he was practicing, so that's all I need to know. I have Kevin Kolb on my bench as a backup. I'm going to try out McCluster in this league in my flex spot. McCluster gets the nod over Mark Ingram and Willis McGahee. I started McGahee last week but I'm expecting Knowshon Moreno to play this week.

In my dynasty league (7 keepers), Arian Foster is on my bench again. I wish I had Ben Tate. I have Kenny Britt, but I have two great WRs in Cal Johnson and Roddy White, so I haven't started Britt yet. I picked up Blane Gabbert when David Garrard was cut before the season started. No, I'm not thinking about starting Gabbert (I have Matt Schaub), but I'm renaming my team Yo Gabbert Gabbert.

Those are my thoughts before the weekend. Post a question and I'll reply.

Fantasy football Week 2 wrap: Injuries take out key players

Fantasy football players had a scary Week 2 in the NFL with some major injuries. We're talking Jamaal Charles, Michael Vick, Tony Romo, Miles Austin and Arian Foster.

The Charles injury was fluky, seeing him get injured out of bounds, away from contact. It looked bad, and on Monday it turned out to be as it appeared.

Charles, the first-round pick in every league, was done for the year.

Now, owners have to scramble.

Thomas Jones, if he's available, needs to be rostered. He should be the short-yard back and probably will get the most carries going forward.

The player that interests me the most, however, is Dexter McCluster. In many leagues, McCluster qualifies as wide receiver, so he could be a real find, especially in PPR leagues.

There's one sleeper to consider, too: Le'Ron McClain. If McCluster and Jones are taken, McClain could be a risk worth taking in deep leagues.

It's not clear how long Mike Vick will be out. With a concussion, you never really know. If you do own Vick, it would be smart to get a capable backup, especially since he's an injury risk. I own Vince Young, thinking I would be covered if Vick got hurt.

I didn't think I'd be faced with both getting hurt. Mike Kafka is now on the radar in fantasy circles.

Tony Romo showed some guts, playing with a punctured lung. His teammate, Miles Austin will miss a couple weeks with a bad hamstring.

And Foster is quickly becoming a fantasy problem. He played Sunday, but left early. If you don't have Ben Tate, you should try to get him. It might be too late.

What I'm doing in Week 2

In four leagues, I went 4-0 last week. Maybe that'll be the best it gets for me. Maybe not.

What was fun last week was the performances I had in the four leagues. I had the highest point total for the week in three leagues. In another, I was second overall.

What might be unusual is I have different players in many of the key positions, so it's not like I had Mike Tolbert, Wes Welker and Tom Brady in all of the leagues. In fact, I think I only have Tolbert in one league. I don't own Welker or Brady in any other league.

Anyway, all-in-all, it was a pretty darn good week.

I'm not sure I can beat it.

I'll give it a try anyway.

I'm rolling out Shonn Greene in one league. Yes, I was disappointed in his performance against the Cowboys on Sunday night. But I'm sticking with him, plus I like the matchup with the Jags, who did stop Chris Johnson. I'd go with Greene over Cedric Benson, Frank Gore and Mike Tolbert.

Speaking of Mike Tolbert, I have him in the same league as Greene. The matchup with the Pats worries me, plus he's coming off a knee injury.

Felix Jones surprised me against the Jets, so he's earning my trust. I'd start him over Greene, Ryan Mathews, Ahmad Bradshaw and Jhavid Best.

I have Nate Burleson penciled in my flex spot ahead of Julio Jones and Willis McGahee. If Knowshon Moreno is out, I'd bump up McGahee into that spot on Sunday.

Hakeem Nicks' injury has me nervous. I'm still starting him if he plays, but I'm not expecting a whole lot. And if he's out, I'd downgrade every player on the Giants.

I made one trade, I gave up Tim Hightower for Jay Cutler. I had Matt Stafford as my starter with no clear backup, so I really wanted to have an option beyond Stafford. Hightower was a stiff price, but I'm banking on Roy Helu to eat into Hightower's workload.

That's an early version of my thoughts on Week 2. If you have any questions or opinions, post a comment and I'll reply.

Kerry Collins worth picking up

Let's face it, when the Colts signed Kerry Collins as a backup to Peyton Manning a couple weeks ago, you knew something was up.

You don't go out and talk a player out of retirement to carry a clipboard.

Enter Mr. Collins.

Manning had neck surgery Thursday, putting his season in doubt. The Colts say he'll be out at least two months. If I had to put money on it, I'd say he'd miss the season.

Which brings us to Collins.

He's supposed to save the Colts' season, one in which the city of Indianapolis will host the Super Bowl. Think there's pressure on the franchise?

Collins was a viable starter last season with the Titans.

In five games he started last season, he had at least 230 yards passing and two TDs. In two others he started, he had some duds. There were three other games where he entered in relief of Vince Young.

I picked Collins up in my dynasty league (8 teams, 7 keepers) as a backup to Matt Schaub. I tried to get Collins in my 14-team redraft league Thursday afternoon but he was gone.

So feel comfortable if he's your backup. Feel OK starting him if you need a bye-week filler or if the matchup is OK.

What I did with some teams

It looks like I'll be rolling with five fantasy football teams this season.

I just wrapped up drafting on Tuesday, so I'll go over some of my selections.

First, this is a 12-team, one-keeper league. By the way, I won this league last year.

Anyway, I kept Michael Vick over Adrian Peterson. You can look at some of my thoughts on that decision here.

When it was time to draft, I picked 12th. I was hoping for Matt Forte to drop to me, but he was selected one player before I made my selection at No. 24 overall.

I went WR-WR back-to-back, giving me Calvin Johnson and Vincent Jackson. Some of the players I bypassed: Greg Jennings, Darren McFadden, Mike Wallace and DeSean Jackson. I like Cal and I think Vinny will blow up this year, so those were my guys.

(By the way, if you're wondering how I had back-to-back picks, the ESPN live draft application gives us a snake draft.)

After a long wait, I needed two running backs. To go with two elite WRs, I left myself a hole to fill. Shonn Greene was still available, which thrilled me. I followed that with Mark Ingram, a risky pick but I love his upside this season. I passed on Beanie Wells, Ryan Grant and Tim Hightower to get those two RBs.

After that, I went with best player available. Mike Tolbert and Jimmy Graham (yes!) were mine, followed by Julio Jones. I got Kevin Kolb as my Vick backup. Once I get through Vick's bye week, I'll be grabbing Vince Young.

I rounded out my team with Willis McGahee, the Eagles defense, Nate Burleson and Sebastian Janikowski.

Overall, my WRs are outstanding. If my RBs come through, I'll be tough to beat.

The real season begins

This is the part of the fantasy football season for us.

Drafts are great, but it's the in-season management that'll make or break your team.

That's where we come in.

Lineup questions, free-agent moves, trades or anything else is fair game.

Post a question, and I'll reply.

Sorting out the top of the RB list

Chris Johnson has signed and Arian Foster has a hammy problem.

Just what you wanted to hear before you draft this weekend, right?

Don't worry, here's how you should rank the top 10 in running backs for this season.

Take Ray Rice at No. 1. Yes, do the unthinkable. Bypass Foster and his hamstring. Don't jump on the CJ2K bandwagon.

Take Rice. He's going to score. He's going the pile up the yardage running the ball. And, he's going to add yards receiving.

At No. 2, Adrian Peterson is your guy. Peterson worries me playing on the Vikes. But he's been Mr. Reliable, so I'd grab him next.

CJ2K moves up to third, followed by Foster. I'm nervous about Foster and that injury, so I'd rather not gamble any earlier than four.

As the fifth RB, I'd tab Jamaal Charles. Next, LeSean McCoy is my pick. Rashard Mendenhall's workload last season worries me, that's why I'd rank him seventh.

Maurice-Jones Drew is my eighth selection, followed by Steven Jackson and Matt Forte.

Ryan Mathews: Too much hype or is there hope?

Like many fantasy owners, I drank the Ryan Mathews Kool-Aid last season.

I spent an early pick on him, hoping to find a future keeper.

Instead, I got burned.

Luckily, I was able to salvage something from my season with the acquisition of Mike Tolbert.

But with keeper lists due soon, Mathews' name has come up again.

In my one dynasty league, we have pretty deep benches, so I never cut Mathews. Now, with five keepers due in a couple weeks, I have a tough decision.

Do I believe in Mathews, or do I cut my losses at last season?

I was leaning towards keeping Mathews, just for another season. Then I saw an article on chargers.com that gave me pause. San Diego might be looking at a two-back system this season.

Mathews reportedly didn't pass his conditioning test at the start of camp, which also is a red flag.

If keepers were due today, I'd pass on Mathews and let someone else worry about his situation. In his place, I'd go with Felix Jones or Shonn Greene.

But there's still time for Mathews to show me something.

What to do with Michael Vick?

I read with interest Matt Berry's Draft Day Manifesto the other day. It's a good read and you should check it out.

In it, Mr. Roto states his case for Mike Vick as the No. 1 pick in the draft.

Huh?

Considering I have Vick in two keeper leagues, I had to read it again.

It was filled with good stuff. I loved this part: "If Michael Vick is as good as he was last season and stays healthy all year, you win your league. Period. And he's the only guy you can say that about."

Again, check it out if you haven't read it. Berry goes into statistical detail to back up his claim.

But the question remains, are you ready to follow Berry's advice?

In my dynasty league, where we keep five  players, I'm on board. Vick's a keeper for me.

My other league limits us to one keeper. Usually it's an easy decision for me -- Adrian Peterson. Now, after reading TMR, it's AP or Vick.

Hmmmm. Tough call.

Luckily, I don't have to make that decision just yet.

I am leaning towards Vick, and if I had to make a decision today, it would be Vick.

I'm not sure what to expect from the Vikings this year, except that Peterson will be fed the ball. Will they have a QB that can take pressure off the running game? I'm not so sure.

With the Eagles, they have a dynamic offense with Vick as the main cog. Want to stop Vick? OK, try to slow LeSean McCoy. Want to double-team DeSean Jackson? Expose your defense somewhere else.

The only question with Vick is his exposure to injuries. Then again, what happens if he stays healthy and gets better?

For now, I think it's worth the risk, just like TMR.

Mission statement: To help fantasy football players

I've been involved in fantasy sports leagues for 20 years. I've won my fair share of leagues and have learned plenty of lessons along the way.

What I discovered after starting in fantasy baseball and adding leagues and sports, is -- for me -- fantasy football is the easiest and best way to go.

No matter how much I have read, and believe me, I read and follow a lot of football news in and out of season, there's always that question that we all have.

Who Do I Start?

That's where I want to help.

I'll give you my thoughts and opinions on players, matchups, free agents and more.

All you need to do is check us out, pass along the site and add your input.

Oh, and your questions, too.

You know the kind -- Who Do I Start?