We are a quarter of the way through most fantasy football seasons. There’s still plenty of time to make a playoff push. There’s still plenty of time to blow it. With that in mind, let’s get to this week’s mailbag. New rule of the mailbag, all questions sent in by the ladies get first priority--I have been thoroughly impressed with the quality of the questions asked by the female readers.
More Week 5 Mailbag
Q: I play in a head-to-head league and the last three weeks I have lost three times by a total of 15 combined points to the highest scoring team of each week. Twice I left the win on my bench. It seems silly to ask, but is there anything I can do from a lineup strategy standpoint to increase my chances? - Laura
A: Laura, I can sympathize with your situation. It happens to everyone. But you are in luck, because I do have two suggestions for you. Most leagues allow you to change your lineup up to 5 minutes before kickoff. So my first suggestion would be to try and leave yourself some roster options for the late Sunday games--to the extent you can manage this. Based on the performance of your 1 o’clock players, decide what kind of risks you are willing to take with your players in the late games. If you think you have the win in the bag, don’t play an extra defense that could lose you points. If you are behind and need to take some chances, go with a player who would otherwise be relegated to your bench. Streaky players, running backs who rotate in the proverbial running back-by-committee, and young wide receivers who could break out are all considerations when you are rolling the dice to go for the win. Keep in mind, this is a dicey strategy. It’s kind of like changing your answer on a standardized test when you’re unsure...chances are your first answer was the right one. My second idea would be to try and hedge yourself against some of your opponent’s better players. If you are able to, start a wide receiver you know your opponent’s quarterback will be relying on. Start a running back that shares carries with your opponent’s running back. In a tight week, this could keep you close enough to take the win with a standout performance by one of your own studs. Good luck Laura.
Q: Which wide receiver is going to have a better second half of the fantasy season: Braylon Edwards or Michael Crabtree? - Don
A: I am going with Edwards here, which is kind of a safe bet, but I would love to have Crabtree for my fantasy playoff run. In the Jets, Edwards gets a player’s coach with Rex Ryan, an offensive scheme that he can contribute to right away and a team that is playoff-worthy. All of these things should contribute to Edwards behaving and doing his best to fit in. Mark Sanchez will get him the ball often and if Edwards can make a few spectacular catches early, these two will be fantasy studs. Even though Crabtree is late to the party, he is a sick talent. They will rush him onto the field and put him in situations where he can show off his abilities. The main difference between these two receivers is that Edwards will be asked to be “the guy”, while Crabtree will be worked in more gradually.
Q: Is Kyle Orton worth making a regular starter now or is he still just a guy to fill in on bye weeks or for injuries? - Lance
A: Lance, in most 12-team leagues, you can only start one guy and Orton is simply not a top-12 quarterback. Orton has New England, Baltimore and Pittsburgh coming up on his schedule so let’s not get too worked up about him yet. That said, he does have six touchdowns and zero interceptions on the season. It might not be time to call him a fantasy stud just yet, but it is time to change our perception of him. Brandon Marshall is going to make him a compelling option on your bench but wait until he gets through some of these tougher matchups before relying on him weekly.
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