After the draft, the most fun aspect of FFB to me is the start/sit aspect from week to week. You have assembled your awesome team with great depth, now is when your managing skills come into play. Here’s my conundrums this week:
Running Back (start 2):
Frank Gore (@ Min)
Deangelo Williams (@ Dal)
Felix Jones (Car)
Ray Rice (Cle)
Wide Receiver (start 2):
Greg Jennings (@ Stl)
Anquan Boldin (@ Tam)
Steve Smith-NYG (Ind)
Lee Evans (NO)
For RB, I’m not liking Gore much this week. I see Minny putting 8-9 in the box and daring Shaun Hill to beat them, plus he tweaked his ankle last week. I’m happy to start DW cuz I’m not sold on Dallas’ D, so that leaves one slot open. I like Jones if Marion Barber isn’t playing, and I would like Rice a lot except McGahee seems to be handling a large portion of carries. I’ll probably go with Gore & Williams unless I hear for sure Barber is out, in which case Ill sub in Felix Jones for Gore.
For WR, I don’t know what to make of Greg Jennings. He apparently played last week with an injured wrist but threw up a goosegg against Cincy. St Louis is awful, but do I risk another miserable outing, especially with Boldin facing an equally crappy Tampa team and Steve Smith coming off a very hot performance? Evans is pretty much a non-issue, except I like starting people against the saints since its pretty much guaranteed to be a highscoring affair.
I’d like to hear your thoughts, as well as your start/sit conundrums this week!
My only real conundrum this week comes from the SDMB 20 team league where I’ve got 5 crappy wide receivers to fill 2 spots.
Josh Morgan vs. Min
Andre Caldwell vs. Pit
Julian Edelman vs. Buf
Kevin Curtis vs. KC
Bobby Engram vs. Phi
What a steaming load of crap. Yahoo thinks I should go with Morgan and Caldwell; ESPN says Edelman and Caldwell. I think I’ll be lucky if I get 5 receptions and 50 yards between the both of them.
That’s an envious situation to be in. As of right now, I’m leaning towards Williams and Gore. The Jones/Barber situation could go right down to kickoff and since it’s the Monday night game, you can’t afford to wait. If it’s decided before then, then definitely plug in Jones. Rice is splitting carries while Gore gets all of the work. So I pretty much agree with your analysis.
From what I’ve read, Jennings got shut down last week by the Bengals safety who was an absolute stud. The wrist injury had nothing to do it so I’d start him with confidence. You have the teams switched for Boldin and Smith. I agree with what you said for Boldin and since it actually applies to Smith, I like it even more. Go with Jennings and Smith.
Wow, a 20 man league would be rough. Do you get points for kick return yards? If so I think caldwell is a must start and that would goose Edelman’s #s. Curtis is banged up & mcnabb is probably out so I would def pass on him, Engram hasn’t really shown anything and KC is abysmal so I would pass on him. I kinda like Morgan for the same reason I don’t like Gore - I think Minny will go a lot of single coverage to stop the run. So I guess if no return yards count, I would go Morgan and Caldwell, if they do I would go Edelman and Caldwell.
Yer right, I screwed up the teams on smith/boldin. Just out of curiousity, is Indy’s pass defense good or did they just happen to face 2 awful passing teams (jax & mia)?
RB pick 2:
LdT vs Mia
Sproles vs Mia
Slaton vs Jac
Cedric Benson vs Pit
Cadillac Williams vs NYG
I’m currently going Sproles Slaton. If LdT starts, I’ll obviously go with him over sproles. I figure since Benson and Williams both have terrible matchups I’ll give Slaton one more chance.
In the 20 person league, (return yards are counted)
Antwaan Randle El vs Det or Micheal Bush vs Den
Right now it is Antwaan Randle El because of how bad Detroit’s pass defense has looked, but that might just be Brees. Yahoo predicts 3 more points out of Bush
Even if LdT gets the start I would still go with Sproles. I have a strong suspicion that LdT is finished, and even if he starts I think Sproles will get the bulk of the carries, either because LdT reinjures himself or is just ineffective.
Other than sproles, I am not really liking any of your matchups. Slaton has underwhelmed and the jags have a decent run D. I like Cedric but I hate starting RBs against Pittsburgh. My main problem with cadillac against NYG is that I think they will be down 2 tds at least the whole game and wont be able to establish the run. So I’d definitely start Sproles, and since you don’t have a compelling sub this week I’d start Slaton by default.
OK, so after a disappointing Week 1, I bounced back with a 100 point improvement in Week 2 (and high league score)… Week 3 seems to really tell me which is my real team
With that…
For my number 3 RB
Do I go Sproles vs. Miami? or Rice vs. Cleveland?
RBs: If Marion Barber is inactive, start Williams and Williams. If Barber is active, Gore and Jones. Ray Rice did exactly what I predicted he’d do all fantasy-draft season- lost his job to McGahee pretty much immediately.
WRs: Jennings and Boldin. If Boldin is questionable or doubtful, go with Steve Smith (you have your matchups switched around between Boldin and Smith, by the way).
There has got to be somebody better on waivers. Is Mike (Sims-)Walker* available? How about Laurent Robinson? Michael Clayton?
If not, Edelman (biggest ceiling) and Caldwell. I don’t think your other two guys have a catch yet.
Slaton and Tomlinson. If Tomlinson’s out, Cadillac.
Rice. Baltimore should be up big, quickly. That means lots of clock killing, which means lots of carries for everyone. Everyone is in love with Sproles but nobody seems to notice that he’s useless on anything other than toss sweeps and swing passes/screens. Bet Miami’s noticed.
It’s a 20 team league, there is only 1 WR available who has a TD catch…Jason Avant. He also has leads the WRs in receptions and has the 2nd most receiving yards behind Jerheme Urban. If you add Maurice Stovall to the list then that’s all of the WRs who have over 50 receiving yards.
Didn’t notice the 20-team part. Thought you just liked reclamation projects a la a fantasy version of Jon Gruden.
Okay… let’s see… other guys I’d pick up and start over the ones you’ve got who might be available…
Kelley Washington (Ravens), Legedu Nanee/Malcolm Floyd (Chargers), Sammie Stroughter/Maurice Stovall (Bucs), Brian Hartline (Dolphins), Mike Furrey (Cleveland), Mike Jenkins (Falcons), Sidney Rice (Vikings), Mark Bradley (Chiefs), Malcolm Kelly (Washington). If any of those guys are available I’d drop one of your other guys at random (keep Curtis, actually) and start him alongside Caldwell.
Well I wound up making some subs at 9:30am on Sunday, after hearing that Marion Barber was almost certainly not going to play. I subbed out Gore for Felix Jones and Boldin for Steve Smith. Smith & Boldin wound up being more or less a wash, but BOY did I dodge a bullet by benching Gore. Anything Jones gives me is gravy now!
But I am very worried about Jennnings. Sure he got 100 yards, but only 2 catches in 2 weeks? Next week he is riding pine until I start seeing something.
