Q: Who is better this week for a spot start: Ladell Betts or Jamaal Charles? - Dale
Week 10 Fantasy Mailbag Q&A
I am going with Ladell Betts. Jamaal Charles really let me down last week with his 36 yards rushing on the day. Betts has a unique history in fantasy football as a relief pitcher for Clinton Portis. Back in 2006, Portis broke his hand and Betts started seven games. He ran for 879 yards and added another 214 through the air. I know what you’re saying...2006 was a long time ago. But the truth is that when Portis is healthy he gets pretty much all the carries. So Betts is a lot fresher than many other second-string backs in this league. He had 70 yards rushing and 23 yards receiving off the bench last week. This Sunday, the Redskins host the Broncos, who struggled mightily against the run this past Monday night.
Q: I added Chris Chambers off the wire this week and I have James Jones buried on my bench (we have a 20-man roster.) Thanks to the Texans’ bye week and injuries to Lance Moore and Anquan Boldin, it looks like I am going to have to play one of these two receivers. Which one should I gamble on? - Greg
Chambers had logged less than a week of practice before he caught two touchdowns against the Jaguars. He is a veteran that clearly can still play and a guy like Matt Cassel is starved for reliable playmakers. For my money though, I like James Jones. He is in that magical “3rd year” for wide receivers and Aaron Rodgers is looking for him. He has three touchdowns in his last four games and broke 100 yards receiving against the Bucs last week. Jordy Nelson could return to the lineup but James Jones is playing his way into the offensive plans for Green Bay.
Q: Is there a player that is still available in Week 10 that could potentially crack a mediocre fantasy team’s lineup? - Fred
A: Come on Fred...that could be anyone (you have to at least give me a weak position on your squad.) I’ll give you two guys to consider: Brandon Pettigrew and Robert Meachem. Pettigrew is the rookie tight end in Detroit. Unless you have one of the top tight ends in the league, he is an interesting pickup. This past week he had 7 catches for 70 yards and a touchdown. With Kevin Smith and Calvin Johnson on the field for the Lions, Pettigrew found some openings. As we all know, one of a rookie quarterback’s best friends is a tight end with great hands. Robert Meachem is one of the many receivers in the fold in New Orleans. He is a big, strong target and Drew Brees found him last week. Colston and Henderson are going to draw the attention of opposing defenses, so Meachem might be a risk worth taking down the stretch.
Q: This weekend is our league’s trade deadline. I am in desperate need of a quarterback if I have any hopes of advancing deep into the playoffs. Any advice? - Oscar
A: Lots of vague questions in my inbox this week. Oscar, you have to be extremely aggressive. Two-for-one deals are not going to get it done. You have to blow your trading partner’s socks off with your initial offer. You need to find three players on your roster that all could crack someone’s starting lineup. Line up a couple of teams that have an extra quarterback and pull the trigger fast. The deal needs to ostensibly favor the other guy. You should be left with no bench at all (then of course come back here and look for all the waiver wire gems still out there.)
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