Want to know what it feels like to be Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan? Just play fantasy football
As much as we all despise Mike Shanahan’s running back rotations, we really all are just like him when it comes to fantasy football.
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This is only my second article for SB Nation. One of the first articles the editors showed me as an example was about the Washington Redskins and how they signed Ryan Grant to add to the running back merry-go-round that Mike Shanahan likes to implement. It is true that fantasy owners shouldn't really invest in any Washington Redskins' running backs as long as Shanahan is the coach. We all complain about how we can't rely on those guys to score us points on a consistent basis. And yet, the truth is that we all play the role of Shanahan on a week-to-week basis, given how many injuries there have been to running backs this season.
Off the top of my head, I know I have tried to pick up four or five backs since the season started, including Andre Brown of the New York Giants, Mikel Leshoure of the Detroit Lions, Alfred Morris of the Redskins, and C.J. Spiller of the Buffalo Bills. Since all of the owners of my league apparently have deep pockets when it comes to free-agent bidding, I missed out on each of these replacements and am now at the point where I'm trying to pick up guys way in advance, like Bilal Powell of the New York Jets. He is probably still a few weeks of solid play away from becoming the clear cut workhorse for the green and white (although he may not be worth the trouble given how bad the Jets' offense has been this season).
Because I'm going to have to wait a few weeks for that to happen, I have now resorted to trying to trade for the remaining guys mentioned above. Unfortunately, these guys have apparently reached superstar status because nobody will give them up unless I give up premium talent. Should I really have to trade Lance Moore and Ahmad Bradshaw to get Leshoure? What is it about me being undefeated that signals to my fellow owners that they can gouge me for a guy who's played two NFL games? We are only a quarter of the way through the season and everyone is trying to stick it to me!
But there is indeed a light at the end of the tunnel for guys like you and me who are way too cheap to bid on these rushers. That boon is that most of your competitors will bid on players like Donald Trump on a real estate binge and then realize they invested in a roach-infested piece of crap (or at least that’s what I’m hoping . . . and let’s face it, Leshoure specifically is probably not a piece of crap. I’m just bitter).
Whatever you do, resist the temptation to overspend. Be cheap and hold onto your money the way old ladies at the dollar store do. When midseason hits and your fellow owners are crying broke, you'll still be able to find the odd diamond in the rough at a discount price, and your feature back will probably re-claim his No. 1 spot despite what the experts say (except Shonn Greene, let's face it, he's the NFL equivalent of a sloth . . . again, at least that's what I'm hoping).
Remember kids, injuries are to running backs what hair pieces are to Mr. Trump: something that simply requires regular weekly maintenance.
If you would like to follow more of the sports stuff that I have been doing, you can follow me on twitter @jackchoros.
