Week 12 Fantasy Mailbag Q&A
Q: I play in a keeper league and on my current roster I have Cedric Benson, Ronnie Brown, and Michael Turner. After decisions at other positions, I have to basically pick one of these guys as my keeper at the end of the season. They are all hurt right now and I could use an open roster spot to bring in a player who can contribute in the playoffs. Who would you keep and who would you drop? - Adrian
A: Before Ronnie Brown went down, I would have said Brown in a landslide. They have built that entire offense and philosophy around him in Miami. What hurts is that he is the one guy on this list who is 100% done for the year, so if you keep him on your roster, it is only to keep him for next year. Cedric Benson and Michael Turner remain hurt, but both of their teams are in the playoff hunt, so if and when they can go, they will be on the field. The smart play is keep the two of them, and then probably go with Michael Turner as your keeper in the offseason. There are simply too many guys on the waiver wire that you can pick up and start to waste a roster spot at this point on Ronnie Brown. If you haven’t already done so, use the available roster spot on either Jason Snelling or Bernard Scott--the backups to your two horses.
Q: I have an interesting quarterback situation. I have Matt Leinart, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Bruce Gradkowski all on my roster (my starter is Matt Schaub). I have the option to start a second quarterback in my league and it usually makes sense to do so but as you can see my options are limited. Which one of these three would start on a gamble? - Jerry
A: Jerry, how many guys can you carry on your roster? Based on this collection of signal callers, I would guess you can have 30 players. If it is any less, you are wasting some space methinks. That said, if Matt Leinart gets the start in Arizona this week, he is the play. The Cardinals have three stud receivers and he would get a full week in practice with the first team. Leinart had a great pre-season and has been doing his best to stay fresh. He did look a little rusty last week in relief of Warner, but the coaching staff was the first to admit that they watered down the game plan significantly in the second half. The cards draw the Titans, who have struggled this season against the pass. I find it utterly depressing to breakdown either Ryan Fitzpatrick or Bruce Gradkoswki, but I will say this: Fitzpatrick has figured out how to get the ball to Terrell Owens. That is worth something for sure, and probably turns the tide in Fitzpatrick’s favor should you find yourself having to choose between him and Gradkoswki.
Q: It looks like Anthony Gonzalez is getting ready to rejoin the Colts’ offense. I have Pierre Garcon. How should I treat the situation? When Gonzalez comes back, should I bench Garcon? - Nate
A: Great question, and one I have been dealing with on my own roster. The thing about Gonzalez is that he and Peyton Manning do have some good chemistry. Playing opposite Reggie Wayne gets you a lot of single coverage and Gonzalez has proven he can get open for Peyton against single coverage all day. On the other hand, Garcon has been targeted 35 times in the last 4 games by Manning. He broke 100 yards receiving against the Ravens and has been thriving with Dallas Clark and Reggie Wayne drawing attention away from him. This week, you have to keep Garcon active. I would probably only bench him when it is clear that Gonzalez is officially taking his catches away. Peyton loves to keep things going. They won’t just relegate Garcon to the bench for good when Gonzalez comes back. He will still see plenty of balls.
Q: I am screwed at wide receiver right now. My starters are Santana Moss, Dwayne Bowe, and Ted Ginn. Needless to say, I need to get lucky on the waiver wire. Any suggestions to try and bridge the gap until Bowe comes back from suspension? - Pat
A: Ouch...every year I make a conscious decision at the draft to get receivers on the cheap. I would say I bat around .500 with that decision. One year I might hit the jackpot on guys like Dwayne Bowe and Santana Moss, and the next year I might end up totally screwed with a couple guys like....Dwayne Bowe and Santana Moss. Right now I see a guy like Jason Avant as an interesting play. McNabb is being asked once again to throw the ball constantly to move that offense. Jeremy Maclin has hit a bit of a wall and Brent Celek is drawing increasing attention from smart defensive coordinators. Desean Jackson is of course a stud, so that leaves a hole for someone to emerge. Jason Avant has 12 catches for 182 yards and a touchdown in his last two games. McNabb has confidence in Avant and I would wager that as the playoff plot thickens, you will see McNabb put this team completely on his shoulders. Look for Avant to have a healthy December.
