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Ask Papa Weimer: Fantasy Football Q&A NFL Week 14

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Alright, I answered lots of fantasy football questions last week, but most of them were big roster questions, or things that I’ve answered recently. So I didn’t have much to share, and I just left last week’s column out. Sorry if you were looking for it. Remember, you can always feel free to write in. Send your questions to papaweimer50@hotmail.com – I’ll be here to answer and give you prompt advice. I made the fantasy playoffs in 3 of my 5 leagues, and was the highest scoring and best record in the two I missed. I hate that. Not as much as I hate ingrown toe nails, banana pudding, or accidentally trying to crack one of those rock-salt things in packs of sunflower seeds, but I still hate it. OH nuts, I’ll get on with it, here’s this week’s questions and answers…

David writes in asking, “Who should I start Chris Brown,Lynch or Sammy Morris? My other back is Rice. I need you to peek into your crystal ball and help me out.”

Into the playoffs you go!!! I am starting Lynch with my running back question marks. If Quentin Ganther, the new starting RB for the Redskins, is available, you might want to give him a look – he has a good match-up and has looked good with the chances he’s gotten. I just think Lynch ran hard and played solid football last week, and he could get plenty of looks to be useful against a bad Chiefs defense. Chris Brown is the other guy I would consider, but the Hawks aren’t as bad against the run as they seem – but he is a goal line back – so there’s always that TD possibly in the cards, and he should get plenty of carries with Slaton out. Tough call, but I’m going for the best match-up, and I think Lynch draws that.

Papa Bear says, “This is Papa Bear seeking Papa Weimer’s sage advice, below I’ve listed my roster, so anything you can predict, tell me, insist upon, etc, would be a great help. Thanks, as always!”

QB – P Manning and A Smith: RB – Forte, Forsett, T Jones, and Cartwright  Available on waivers: – Lynch, J Jones, F Jones, and McAghee: WR – Marshall, Jennings, Bess, Hester, J Morgan  Waivers: Avant, M Jenkins, Thomas, Massaquoi: TE – V Davis: K- Longwell: DEF- Bengals  Waivers: Chargers, 49 ers, Cardinals, Skins, Bills.

I don’t like Julius Jones all that much anymore, but I think he’s a better option than Cartwright – I guess in a PPR league Cartwright holds a little more value than a non-ppr league. But Seattle plays Houston and Tampa Bay over the next two weeks, not great run defenses by any means, and he might be3 an option for you in a pinch. Cartwright, unless you’re going to start him this week, plays the Giants and Cowboys in week’s 15 and 16, and those d’s pose tough match-ups. JJ would be the best RB to pick up, not because he’s great, but because stupid Jim Mora thinks he’s still the starter… Clown, but he’s got a job.

I think Marshall and Jennings are sure thing starters, and actually like Josh Morgan as your next best guy. Bess and Hester have both been decent, but I think the Dolphins run a lot versus the Jags, and I’m not sure Bess is a safe guy to play. I think Morgan will get his looks, especially in the Niners pass happy offense on Monday Night Football. Yeah, gross, I know, the Niners are passing 3 of every 4 downs, but it is what it is, 6-7 catches and 80 yards wouldn’t stun me.

Thomas Jones is a great start this week, then there are question marks. Matt Forte seems like a tough guy to start considering his bad numbers and that aggressive and physical Packers D – and I really like Justin Forsett, and it looks like he’ll still get some looks, maybe even more next week based on his play last week despite his injury. Cartwright has a decent match-up with the Raiders hosting the Skins, but I don’t know, it’s tough to feel comfortable with Roc in the line-up. Tough call, for sure, I think I’d go with Forsett. I’m tired of waiting for Forte to be good again.

Defensively I’d either go with the Redskins at Raiders – just seems like that defensive secondary could give the Raiders fits, or I’d stick with the Bengals – Cincinnati has been good all year, even against good teams, and I think they’re a better option than the other defenses you listed, besides maybe the Redskins.

Peyton doesn’t have a great match-up, and while Alex Smith has a decent go against the Cardinals, I think I’d have to stick with Manning. It’s tough to sit the guy that got you where you are, right, I did the same thing with Tom Brady a couple years ago and lost because of it, but I would have felt terrible had I sat Tom to play a different guy, and lost because of it. Tough call, but Manning should be your choice in possibly the last week he plays.

Good luck, fantasy playoffs are all about it!

10 for Tuesday

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Okay, I just wanted to point some things out… 

1. It’s not always good for your X-Rays to be negative: That’s right – for example, Daunte Culpepper and JaMarcus Russell were two guys that should have been praying for their X-Rays to come back positive and bussed to the IR. Both of those guys are on teams that make life even more dangerous for them than normal NFL players. Some others that weren’t so lucky and might play again this year, Kellen Winslow, Jerome Harrison, and Steven Jackson has likely been hoping for weeks that one of his multiple ailments would find him a safe warm spot on the IR – no luck SteJack – but you do get the Seagulls later this week. Good luck!

2. The Seahawks receivers have started to get healthier, but only because the baton has been passed to the running backs in Denver. Tatum Bell – yes, that Tatum Bell – will be the starting and basically only running back this coming week when the Broncos do work against the Carolina Panthers in Carolina. It should be interesting, but then again, who in their right mind thought Peyton Hillis would be the guy rushing for 100 yards in Denver? Remember, he started at FB and LB earlier this season. Now that’s a man. 

3. The Cardinals clinched the NFC East – by default. Yep. 

4. I lost a fantasy playoff game this week by 6 points. Tony Romo started for me and threw 3 interceptions. My opponent had Pittsburgh’s defense. Thanks for all the memories Tony. 

5. Brett Favre had 137 passing yards against the 49ers, and that sucked – however, it was the Jets playcalling that really got me down. As Thomas Jones rushed for a 17 yard touchdown in the 3rd quarter, I began to think the Man-Idiot had figured it out. “We win if Thomas gets the rock.” I sweat it makes perfect sense. But at the end of the day, a team with two capable running backs (TJ and Leon Washington) decided to run the ball 12 times. 10 carries to TJ, 1 to Leon, and 1 to Brett – good idea. How’d that work out Man-Idiot? How do these guys keep jobs?

6. Shaun Hill had 285 yards and 2 touchdowns against the Jets – but how was that possible? I know – the 49ers ran the ball 33 times – and the Jets had to commit to stopping that. Take a damn not Mangina… 

7. Tim Hightower had 12 carries for 32 yards and a score. The answer to the Cards running back questions? I’m thinking no, not this season anyway. He was touted as the next great rookie after just breaking 100 yards against the Rams last time the Cards spanked St. Louis – but how have his numbers looked since then? Told you. 

8. Losing isn’t always a bad thing. Take the Hawks for example, that 21-13 lead they had going into the 4th quarter was a fat lie. Sure, the teams want to win, but fans – you should be rooting for them to compete until the end and then blow it. Do you want Michael Crabtree or do you want the Raiders to sign him? For Crab, and for the Hawks – the answer is “lose the rest of your games please!” – I feel for any guy that goes to Jail in Oakland. 

9. I said last week that you shouldn’t pay much attention to Joseph Addai going up against a bad run defense that doesn’t tackle well. I hope you listened – 10 rushes for 26 yards. If you started him anyway, please tell me how the outcome of your first fantasy playoff game went. 

10. The Ravens remind me a lot of the Steelers in Big Ben’s first season. They might not be 13-3, hell, they might not even make the playoffs – but this is a good defense and a young quarterback and a running game that might not be flashy, but gets the job done. I just think they might have a tough time if they do get into the playoffs. We’ll see.

Ask Papa Weimer: Week 14

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Well here we go. By now you know the gig. These are the questions and answers from some good readers earlier in the week. If you are interested in getting your questions (and my answers to them) published, make sure they come out before Thursday – I try to get this out late Wednesday Night at the latest. Here goes something!

Ollie from Pittsburgh writes, “I know the Steelers are playing the Cowboys this week, and the Steelers haven’t given up much offense to anybody, but I have Marion Barber and Tony Romo – would you sit either of those guys to start Tyler Thigpen or LenDale White?”

Tough call Ollie, but I think I’d stick with your big guns. I know Barber went down in the Boys’ last game, but all reports are that he is a healthy go, and while the Steelers have basically mashed running games all season long, Barber is a threat through the air as well, and he’s a beast – I would probably start him just about every week. Check his status on Sunday Morning though, just to make sure the Cowboys aren’t pulling a Willis McGahee situation. As for Tony of Tyler, that’s a tough one, because Tyler plays the Broncos – and even though they are getting Champ back, they are still brutal in the secondary. But, they are the Chiefs, and I think they’ll just run a load against the Broncos. I think Romo has too many threats to have too bad of a game, and he might be the first to put up big numbers against the Steelers vaunted D. I’d stick with your two top guys, but definitely a tougher decision than I thought it would be.

Porky from San Antonio asks, “Who will be the better pro quarterback? Graham Harrell, Colt McCoy, or Sam Bradford? Same question for receiver, Dez Bryant, Jeremy Maclin, or Michael Crabtree?”

I think I’ve answered this before, but what the hay. I like Bradford from that group. That kid never gets worried and he’s got the arm and legs to do work. He’s smart, cool, and if he puts on a little bit more bulk he’s one hell of a great quarterback. He makes some great throws. I like all three though. I hope Harrell gets in the right situation to succeed. McCoy’s accuracy takes a little hit in my mind because Vince Young was the most accurate college quarterback in the nation when he was at Texas, too. All three have great quarterback personalities and qualities that should get them jobs at the next level, that’s for sure. As for receiver, I just think Crabtree is a beast. He can do everything well and he’ll never shy from contact. But again, all three are 1st Round talents – what a great draft class this could be, huh?

Joint sends a message via his blackberry, “Ryan Grant for next season, goodness, I don’t know? I need to keep 2 from this group. (Steve Slaton, Ryan Grant, Tony Romo, Larry Fitzgerald). Which two do you keep? I usually like to go RB, RB – it’s a QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, WR, TE, K, D league, and running backs are tough to come by usually, they almost always get kept. But it’s not PPR but Fitz is basically a guarantee for about 100 yards every week, and we get bonuses after 100. Not as much of a TD guy as Boldin, but he’s still solid. What do you think?”

I’m in a league with those exact dimensions, bonuses for 100 for RBs and WRs and 300 for QBs (50 for TEs though, and Witten was a beast early). But the three receivers and just two RBs, I think that makes receiver value very high. Choosing last season between Frank Gore, Ronnie Brown, Reggie Bush, Larry Fitz, and Steve Smith – I felt like I had to keep Larry and Frank. I like Reggie alright, but he’s not a bonus type guy. For you, I think I’d stick with Steve Slaton. He’s small, yeah, but the guy rarely gets hit hard. Some RBs do (See Ryan Grant, and many more) and some RBs don’t (LT, Marshal Faulk, etc) – I think Slaton is small, sure, but he doesn’t get hit hard and should stay healthy. Plus, I really like that team going forward. I think Schaub will get better and better, AJ is a BEAST, Owen Daniels is good, and that offensive line is young and improving every game. Plus, Slaton has been nice. I would keep Slaton and Larry. I’ve never been high on keeping QBs, especially when you just need one of those. 3 good WRs are tough to come by in 12+ owner leagues with 3 starting spots. Especially weekly guarantees like Larry. Hope for Kurt’s return and bank on Fitzy!