Fantasy Football: Can This Man Save Your Season?

READ MORE: ESPN Insider, Fantasy Football, Reggie Brown, Terrell Owens

This is Eagle’s wide receiver Reggie Brown, the player most Terrell Owens owners have added in the hopes that he will in some way make up for the loss of the number one wide receiver spot this year. We’re confused as to why so many people are giving this guy looks over Greg Lewis at this point. Could Brown become McNabb’s favorite target by the end of the season? Of course. But we still like Greg Lewis to get the majority of the looks. He’s proved himself in the offense and Reggie Brown has had a whopping three catches so far this year. Yet, it also seems like everybody in fantasy football is hopping on the Reggie Brown bandwagon at this point. Dude’s getting so much hype that he’ll probably get double coverage against the Cowboys on Monday night. The reality is that this Eagle’s offense will probably revert back to the old West Coast-style offense that spread the ball around and depends upon those little dink passes. Owens was big enough and fast enough to take those passes and make touchdowns out of them. ESPN’s Tristan Cockroft sums up Brown’s potential best:

Is Reggie Brown worth a pickup? Yes, but don’t make the mistake of assuming he’ll catch five-plus passes and approach 100 yards receiving every week. Brown’s stock gets a noticeable boost, making him a worthy No. 3 or 4 option when the matchup is right, but overall, don’t expect more than 30-35 catches and 450 yards in his final eight games.

So, relax. Stick to your Bobby Engram’s and Antonio Chatman’s and try to make up the points loss some place else this season. Like that Nigerian dude from the Packers.

Terrell’s Out [ESPN Insider(sub. req.)]
Fantasy Fallout: T.O. Timed Out [Yahoo Sports]
We Hope The Door Hits You In The Ass. Hard. [Oddjack]

Fantasy Football: We Hope The Door Hits You In The Ass. Hard.

READ MORE: Fantasy Football, Greg Lewis, Philadelphia Eagles, Reggie Brown, Terrell Owens

Well, everybody that looked like a genius drafting Terrell Owens in the third round has finally got what they deserved. Well, not really. They didnt’ deserve it. Nobody did. But for all the good the man brings to a football team, it’s amazing that his awful personality can completely ruin his own career. As an Eagle fan, it’s a shame that the worst case scenario actually happened, but we all knew it was a possibility as soon as he signed the contract(by dicking over the Ravens, no less).

So, it goes back to that whole theory about how there should be no surprises when you start dating a girl who cheated on her old boyfriend to be with you. You knew she had it in her to stray, so once she does, well, you knew what you were getting into. We hope for the Eagles’ sake and every fantasy owner that had him for seven weeks that the sex was at least good.

Anyway, do take a look at Greg Lewis as a possible replacement. We know Reggie Brown caught the pass last night, but it’s Lewis who will see the majority of the balls thrown his way. Dude’s probably in available in most leagues at this point. He stepped up huge in the playoff games last season. He may not have big play potential, but he’ll be the guy that has the best opportunity to gain 100 receiving yards for the Eagles on a consistent basis in this offense.

Owens Days As An Eagle Are Over [Phily Inquirer]

Fantasy Football: Brad Johnson Redux

READ MORE: Brad Johnson, Daunte Culpepper, Fantasy Football

The fantasy football world was pretty disaffected by the whole Daunte Culpepper injury. All that time spent waiting for the guy to play like last season was getting rather old. However, it’s still a little strange to start trumpeting Brad Johnson as a possible roster replacement to make up for the Culpepper loss. But that’s what Fort Worth Star-Telegram fantasy writer David Thomas is telling owners to do. It’s a half-hearted suggestion at best, but he still said this:

“One thing to watch for is whether Johnson develops a favorite receiver. Moss topped 1,300 yards in six of his seven years with the Vikings. This year, the Vikings don’t have a player on pace for 1,000 yards, so they have lacked a go-to fantasy player. Owners of Nate Burleson, Marcus Robinson, Travis Taylor, Travis Williamson and tight end Jermaine Wiggins should begin hoping now that Johnson takes a liking to their guy.”

Yeah. We’re fired up about Johnson. Wee. However, we think Thomas is just hoping for one of those Trent Dilfer-type rejuvenations that sometimes happens with struggling teams. Maybe. Possibly. But we’re also pretty sure this Vikings team is stuck in minimal effort mode for the rest of the season now that their boat orgy priviledges have been removed.
Culpepper’s Replacement Could Be Worth A Look [Fort Worth Star-Telegram]

Fantasy Football News: Ah, Europe…

READ MORE: Fantasy Football, soccer

Why the crap did we draft Tomlinson so high then?

Fantasy Football [FEFA]

Fantasy Football : The Ethicist

READ MORE: Ethics, Fantasy Football, Gambling Blues

Fantasy football between friends can get ugly with money on the line. Let’s say your opponent had Peyton Manning on bye this past week, and no one to back him up. If you could corner the market on free agent QBs, would you? Even worse, what if you cut a single QB from your bloated roster late in the afternoon on Saturday, knowing he wouldn’t technically clear waivers before game time on Sunday. Your opponent could see him in free agency but couldn’t pick him up at the last minute. Associate editor BG (who’s the co-commissioner of the league) chose to turn the screws on his opponent, who then posted the following to the league’s message board:

“Seriously. That has got to be one of the most pussy and underhanded things I have seen in a while. The waivers process is intended to give teams a means to make sure they have equal access to players, not so you can pick up and drop all the qbs in the l(e)ague so that your opponent can’t pick them up. I was sick in bed with strep throat from wed-sun… and just figured I’d pick up a qb sunday. When I had my buddy try and do so (no net access at home right now) he was perplexed that NO qb’s were avail and only Jamie Martin was ‘on w(a)ivers’ until Sunday. Then I figured out what you did. I know it’s illegal in other leagues of mine, but can’t get on the site… and don’t even know if I won or lost yet and have yet to see what our rules say to that effect. But even if that is within the letter of the league for a commish to pull that is about as bush league as it gets.

I still think that in a friends league I shouldn’t have to worry about this, and would think that I should at least get Martin’s pts, but am still amazed that you would stoop to such a level in a friendly league.”

All’s fair with a $100 playoff rebate and a $600 championship win on the line. And this is also within the rules.

Fantasy Football Archive [Oddjack]

Oddjack Polls: Congratulations, Scott Engel, You Spooky SOB

READ MORE: Fantasy Football, Oddjack Polls, Scott Engel

We posed the question and you answered. Scott Engel, ESPN’s fantasy football elephant man, won our poll in a landslide. His parents, wife, and children must be so proud.

Gawker Media polls require Javascript; if you’re viewing this in an RSS reader, click through to view in your Javascript-enabled web browser.

Oddjack Polls: Fantasy Football Writers [Oddjack]

Fantasy Football News: Thank You, San Francisco

READ MORE: Fantasy Football, Ladd K. Biro, San Francisco 49ers

· The always intimidating Ladd K. Biro praises the San Francisco 49ers defense for his team’s offensive production. [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]
· Hey! A new fantasy column! Fantasy Land! This week’s debut column tells people to keep an eye on Chicago Bears’ running back Thomas Jones and Eagles’ kicker Todd France! Thanks, Fantasy Land! [Star-Telegram]
· Sporting News’ fantasy wonk Vinnie Iyer says that offensive numbers are crucial, but defense wins leagues. And then he says to pick up the Patriots defense because a linebacker with a fused neck has returned to the team. [Sporting News]
· Todd Davis says that it’s time to part with San Antonio Saints’ kicker John Carney. We’ve owned him every year we’ve played in a league and refuse to get rid of him. He’s like family now. [Dallas Morning News]

Fantasy Football News: The Tony Fisher Fist Fights Begin Now

READ MORE: Ahman Green, Fantasy Football, Green Bay Packers

Yes, it’s true, Green Bay Packers’ unproductive sweatbox running back Ahman Green has been shelved for the year due to his torn quad tendon(ouch!) and the fact that the Packers are going absolutely nowhere—especially after their devastating loss to the over-sexed sea-faring Vikings of Minnesota yesterday. From now on, running back duties in Green Bay will be the job of Tony Fisher and ReShard Lee and, most likely, somebody else. Oh, if the Hamper Shitter hadn’t come up lame earlier in the year, this would’ve been a prime spot for a bust-out season for him.

Green Done For the Year [Fanball]
Tony Fisher [Yahoo Sports]

Fantasy Rundown: Don’t Mess With Ladd K. Biro

READ MORE: Fantasy Football, Ladd K. Biro

· Pittsburgh-Post Gazette’s scary-ass Ladd K. Biro blames NFL coaches for his fantasy shortcomings this year. If we were Mike Shannahan, Bill Bellichick, or Bill Parcells we’d be a little more forthcoming about their running backs’ status in coming weeks or they may feel the wrath of Biro. [Pittsburgh-Post Gazette]
· Auburn newspaper does token fantasy football article and interviews one of the nerdiest students in the world about the phenomenon. [Auburn Plainsman]
· Fantasy Football Blog via Dallas Morning News has a whole bunch of fantasy journalists just totally dorking out. Oh, and Ladd K. Biro is in the mix scaring the crap out of everybody as usual, we assume. [Hot Reads:FFBlog]
· Hey, what’s the Dog Street Journal! We have no idea. They have a fantasy football columnist who tells you to dump Cadillac Williams immediately, however. [Dog Street Journal]

Fantasy Football News: The Surprises Begin to Take Shape

READ MORE: Fantasy Football, Fantasy Football News

· Yahoo Sports’ Brandon Funston is all aboard the Antonio Bryant bandwagon. he still forgets that Trent Dilfer is Cleveland’s quarterback, however. [Yahoo Fantasy]
· Local sports columnist knows what it’s like to get antsy—and suggests add/dropping your players as much as possible if you’ve got a good feeling. Flawed logic + luck= huge payoff apparently. For this guy, at least. [TriCities]
· Yes, we’re surprised at how well Drew Bledsoe is paying off for fantasy owners as well. We’re hopeful there’s an Everclear concert Bledsoe can stagedive into before the season’s over. [Seattle Times]
· The most boyish looking fantasy football columnist in history apologizes to his audience for his poor free picks and then tells a Paris Hilton joke. Oh, and he also says we should pick up Green Bay Packers’ running back Tony Fisher. [Idaho Press]
·

Fantasy Football: Hurricane Katrina Claims Another Victim

READ MORE: Deuce McAllister, Fantasy Football, New Orleans Saints, Tristan Cockroft

Oh, how we hate doing these stories. New Orleans Saints’ running back Deuce McAllister’s torn ACL has put him on the waiver wire for the season and completely ruined the seasons for many fantasy football owners nationwide. Yeah, Antowain Smith? Tremendous. Aaron Stecker? Yay. And ESPN Insider’s filthy-named columnist Tristan Cockroft goes even a step further and pretty much tells us that anybody having a New Orleans offensive player in their lineup should pretty much start writing the check now:

A quick look back at some of the most significant season-ending injuries to top-10 fantasy running backs over the past decade indicates we should be worried:

Edgerrin James, 2001: His knee injury in Week 7 caused the Colts to go 3-7 in their final 10 games, averaging four fewer points per contest with Dominic Rhodes as the starter than with James. Peyton Manning, meanwhile, had his worst non-rookie season. In six games with James around, he completed 66.9 percent of his passes and averaged 270.8 yards and 2.0 TDs; in his next 10, those numbers slipped to 61.3, 250.6 and 1.4.

Jamal Lewis, 2001: His season-ending knee injury happened in the preseason, but the impact on Elvis Grbac was readily apparent. His completion percentage slipped from 59.6 to 56.7, his passing yards per game from 277.6 to 216.6, his touchdown total dropped by 13 and he threw four more interceptions.

Oh, and there’s more, don’t worry. For more grim news, steal somebody’s account number and log onto ESPN Insider.

The Big Not-So-Easy [ESPN Insider(sub.req.)]

Fantasy Football News: Farewell, Hamper Shitter

READ MORE: Ahman Green, Fantasy Football, Green Bay Packers, Najeh Davenport

So, during yesterday’s 52-3 walloping of the New Orleans Saints, the Green Bay Packers unleashed the fury that is Najeh Davenport on the world for the first time this season. The famed Hamper Shitter went completely bananas in his first start of the season replacing the useless Ahman Green, racking up 54 yards and two touchdowns on his first 12 carries. Then…he broke his ankle and is now done for the season. It’s a shame, considering Green’s troubles this year could’ve opened the door for Davenport and made those of us who drafted him in the late rounds look like GZAs. Well, thanks for the day, Najeh. See you next year. And Ahman Green’s owners can breathe easily once again.

Plans Go Awry [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
Najeh Davenport Player Page [Yahoo Sports]
Holy Shitter! [HamperShitter]