Week four is upon us. Most FFB leagues have already separated the contenders from the bottom feeders. That dynamic has shaken out in my league. Astonishingly, 169 FFB points now separate first place from our cellar dweller in only three weeks. Many coaches have already hit the panic button. 2007 studs like WR Randy Moss, Braylon Edwards, Carson Palmer, Chad Ocho Cinco have all ‘cinco’d’ to fire sale status. Some teams need a drastic overhaul, like Wall Street. At least when you are winning, like my 3-0 squad is doing, it somewhat soothes the grave national economic issues that keep coming at us. I guess that’s why we all endure this game. The escape.
2008 will be considered the year of the later-round QB gem! QB’s Tom Brady, Carson Palmer, Matt Hasselbeck, Jon Kitna, Ben Rothlisberger, Derek Anderson, Jake Delhomme, Vince Young, $60 million bench warmer Marc Bulger, and David Garrard, may have already blown it for their ill-fated owners. Those QB’s were all drafted ahead of mid- to- late round finds Jay Cutler, Aaron Rogers, Philip Rivers, and old man Kurt Warner. I happen to have those aforementioned last two on my team, and loving every Sunday so far. Even Peyton Manning has not lived up to his first round status. Manning was never on the roster of our league winner, in a decade. Amazing, but true.. Tony Romo, Donovan McNabb, and Drew Brees are the only QB’s left that are performing to their selection. Those late round QB’s are defining the haves and the have not’s in a hurry. Those who grabbed these late-round gems have much more team balance. It shows up every week.
If you read my very first blog, I mentioned the two vital and crucial elements to capturing your league trophy. 1) You must work diligently and relentlessly just to get to 2) BLEEP, BLEEP, BLEEPING LUCK!). It is the one constant in FFB. Although, in most leagues, there is always dead money no matter what.
This week, there seems to be more help on the waiver wire than last. Tampa Bay’s Brian Griese fired up 67 passes last week for 407 yards. Griese gets the Green Bay Packers this week at home. Baywatch WR’s Antonio Bryant and Ike Hilliard should fly under some of those Griese bombs. Toss Bucs TE Jerramy Stevens into that mix, having grabbed 5 passes for 51 yards and a TD last week. That’s a solid haul for a TE this year. Remember, not so long ago, when tight ends really mattered?
Rams new QB Trent Green is a warm body for a bye week, but that ailing Rams offense is a sloppy mess. Look for Buffalo’s WR James Hardy to grab some action vs. those downtrodden Lambs. Buffalo and Trent Edwards should roll the Rams.
Eagles RB Correll Buckhalter will fill in nicely for a RB-challenged roster. He’ll play a bigger role vs. the Bears with Brian Westbrook nicked up. Think about Cleveland QB Brady Quinn as a slick pick-up. Derek Anderson looks like a deer in the headlights, after signing that huge contract. Besides, we’re needing a new Brady to represent in the NFL.. San Francisco’s QB J.T. O’Sullivan was picked up last week in our league, but he may be available in yours. It should be a shoot out in New Orleans. The Saints are wiped out on defense.
Good luck to all of you in your battles this weekend. Who knows what Monday may bring? In more ways than one. Our transactions may free-fall to a nickel next week.