I'm not excited about Michael Vick

Two injuries.

That's two too many for my liking.

Yes, Philadelphia Eagles QB Michael Vick isn't seriously injured, but it's a not-so-subtle reminder that Vick, while explosive, is a high-risk, high-reward player.

That's why I spent a second-round pick on Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan in my 10-team, five-keeper league. My protection list was submitted before Vick's rib injury was disclosed, so I might have even protected New England Patriots receiver Brandon Lloyd over Vick.

Seven quarterbacks were protected, and I then used a high pick to back up Vick.

Well, I might start Ryan over Vick.

I'm that nervous about him.

I'd rank quarterbacks like this:

• Aaron Rodgers
• Tom Brady
• Cam Newton
• Drew Brees
• Matt Stafford
• Matt Ryan
• Eli Manning
• Peyton Manning
• Mike Vick

Ryan Mathews Support Group meets here

There's a lot of upset Ryan Mathews owners out there.

I know. I am one.

Welcome to the club.

In order to help everyone get over their feelings of being burned by the San Diego Chargers running back, I'm asking anyone who feels upset to post away in the comments below.

Seeing what other Mathews owners are going through can help you get over your anxiety.

Right now, I'm keeping Mathews in my 10-team league. We keep five, so I have a larger margin for error than those that keep fewer or those who spent an early pick on him already.

I've had Mathews for two seasons, so I'm well aware of the frustrations of owning him.

Here's why I'm not giving up on him yet:

• He might only miss one game. 
• The injury is not as bad as the Chargers originally thought.
• San Diego has not signed any running backs yet.

For now, I'm staying the course. I have more than a week to change my mind, and I'll let you know if I do.

Ryan Mathews: injured, out and falling on draft boards

I couldn't believe it Thursday night.

I opened up my Twitter feed and it was going crazy. Tweet after tweet kept popping up. Finally, I saw it: Ryan Mathews injured.

Ouch.

On the first carry, no less.

Instead of proving he's worthy of a first-round pick and able to be the main running back for the San Diego Chargers, Mathews confirms his fragile reputation by breaking his clavicle.

Initial diagnosis: out four to six weeks.

How does that change things with Mathews?

If you draft him in the third round, you're probably reaching. He might be a safer pick toward the end of the fourth round, but you're probably better waiting until the fifth.

Plus, you need to handcuff him. The problem there, however, no one has emerged as the handcuff. It could be Ronnie Brown, but Curtis Brinkley could be the guy, too.

In my dynasty league, Mathews was a player I was planning on keeping. We keep five in a 10-team league, and now I feel stuck.

I have 10 days to decide, so after this initial buzzkill, I'll be able to look at it more objectively.

However, if I was drafting Saturday, I would be looking at other options.

Keep in mind, if Mathews returns in four weeks, we're looking at the start of the season. It might not be as bad as we're dreading right now.

However, this doesn't bode well for a season where he was supposed to emerge as a feature back.

Trent Richardson news presents buying opportunity

The Cleveland Browns have no luck.

But, you could turn that bad luck into some fantasy football luck.

With the news that No. 1 pick Trent Richardson could have surgery today on his knee, fantasy football owners have to be taking that into consideration before they draft.

Before the news, Richardson likely was a first-round pick. Now? Who knows?

The procedure, if it takes place, would sideline Richardson for two or three weeks. The team seems to think he'll be ready for the season opener.

If you draft this weekend, I wouldn't lower him based on this news alone.

Yes, it's a little disheartening to hear. But the Browns were depending on Richardson this year.

I would still take him at the end of the first round.

The information I've seen so far hasn't convinced me to knock him down on my board or avoid him.

Pre-draft trading strategy: Getting anything for a non-keeper a good idea?

In my dynasty league, owners usually try to sell off the players they won't keep at a reduced rate.

Usually there's a big rush of emails before the keepers are due hoping someone will take them up on an offer.

I've had mixed feelings about doing this, at least in a sell-off mode.

First, if you're an owner without a strong number of keepers, this is one way to get a decent player at a lower cost.

For example, Franchise Owner A might try to sell Player A for an eighth-round draft pick. If Player A is an upgrade, this would be a good idea.

I'm looking at it from a different angle and want to get your opinion.

If I'm an owner, why would I want to help out another owner improve his team at a discounted rate?

Let me throw a player out there to help make a little more sense.

I'm not keeping Brandon Lloyd. My dynasty league keepers (five) are shaping up as Ryan Mathews, DeMarco Murray, Jimmy Graham, Matt Forte and Mike Vick.

Lloyd is going somewhere in the 50s in drafts, so he could be going in the fifth round. If I trade Lloyd for an eighth-round pick, the other owner is making out. I won't be drafting a player in the eighth round of comparable talent or upside. And remember, since we keep five, this would be like a 13th-round pick.

But, some will say, you are at least getting something for Lloyd, who you weren't going to keep.

Agreed.

But now I can't draft Lloyd again. Plus, I made the other team stronger.

Do you see any other points for or against this? I'd love to hear them.

I'm backing off Big Ben

There seems to be some thought that if you pass on the first tier of quarterbacks in your fantasy football league, that you still can get some quality.

I agree with that thought.

Some might have thought the Pittsburgh Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger could have been a good value, especially with Rashard Mendenhall on the mend.

I could see it, perhaps. But after seeing news of Roethlisberger's little torn rotator cuff, I have to drop him down on my board.

Roethlisberger's injury history, and word of this one from Novemeber, scares me.

I'll draft Big Ben only as a backup.

Ryan Mathews injury watch begins again?

Ryan Mathews' stock was rising going into training camp.

Earlier this week, however, I had flashbacks to his first two seasons.

Mathews was slightly injured in a car accident.

Mathews called the accident a "freak thing."

This likely won't bother him this camp, but it was a reminder that Mathews and injuries seemed to go hand-in-hand.

Things were looking good for him with Mike Tolbert leaving. And Mathews is going in the first round of most drafts.

As a Mathews owner in a dynasty league, I'm nervous about him.

If I'm drafting in a regular league, it might be tempting to take Trent Richardson or Maurice Jones-Drew before Mathews, although both of those players have their risks as well.