Week 13 Fantasy Mailbag Q&A: Can You Rely On A Rookie Receiver Down The Stretch?

Q: Josh Freeman, David Carr and Chris Redman are all available in my league (we have position restrictions). Which guy should I get and start this weekend (I have Matt Ryan)? - Henry

A: Henry, If you have Matt Ryan, I am tempted to advise to you to pick up his backup since that would give you the whole quarterback situation down there in Atlanta. The problem is that these days, teams seem to be going out of their way to screw over fantasy owners by not giving good information in a timely fashion about who is starting. Which leads me to ponder over who has the best matchup this weekend. Redman faces Philly, Carr faces Dallas (if Eli Manning can’t go) and Josh Freeman gets Carolina. I like Freeman out of this lot. He probably has the best matchup and last week, he put up some very healthy numbers (250 yds, 2 TD).

Q: I started the season with Owen Daniels and since his injury I have been hopping from one tight end to the next. Who should I be looking at to close out my regular season and maybe get me started in the playoffs? - Patrick

A: One of my oldest draft strategies is to grab a low-end tight end that has a lot of upside and then if he doesn’t pan out, take the flavor of the week until you hit on a guy who is blowing up. In a 12-14 team league, there are always tight ends available. Right now, I would look at who has had a good 2-3 week run among tight ends ranking below 12th-14th in your average league (assuming most of these guys would be available). I see Dustin Keller, Jermichael Finley and Kevin Boss as guys to look at. For my money, I would take Finley, as Aaron Rodgers seems to be warming up to the young receiving tight end. Finley faces the Ravens this weekend who have dominated opposing tight ends all year, but his value this fantasy postseason should be high.

Q: Which running back would you rather go with this weekend: Chris Brown of the Texans or Jerious Norwood of the Falcons? - Todd

A: Todd, Chris Brown has edged Ryan Moats right out of the picture it seems. Steve Slaton is still going to get his share of touches, but Brown is not going anywhere and the Texans offense is a very high-powered one. Norwood has been a sleeper for years now. With Micheal Turner hurt and Norwood returning to health, it would seem he has a real chance to cash in on some potential. Last week, Jason Snelling did nothing to blow up anyone’s skirts. I like Norwood better because he is a great receiver out of the backfield and will also be getting his fair share of carries if Turner stays sidelined.

Q: Kenny Britt had a good game the other day for Tennessee. Is it time to trust him with a roster spot? - Vincent

A: A good game indeed...7 catches for 128 yards and a touchdown. Here is my philosophy on this guy: he is a rookie wide receiver just hitting everyone’s radar. If you have a roster spot available, you might as well get him now, because if you wait another week, he will be gone. As for starting him, his erratic play since Vince Young took over is typical of a rookie receiver. His best games (and really his only good games since Young became the starter) were just the last two. It is hard to count on that. However, there is no Alpha Dog in the Titans’ receivingcorps. If Vince Young gets comfy with Britt, he could emerge as the go-to guy quickly. So add him immediately, but only start him right away as an injury replacement.