Larry Johnson a worthy risk
I keep getting mixed signals on Larry Johnson and I'm not sure what to make of him now that he's back from league and team suspension. I see that some experts say to stay far away from Johnson, but others are willing to take a chance on him. I even noticed in the ESPN Midseason Mock Draft that one of the Answer Guys took Johnson in the sixth round. Seems like a pretty big disparity between experts on Johnson, so I figured I'd go straight to the source to get your reasoning behind the positive expectations. Is Johnson really worth the risk?
SJH
Dave: Oh yeah, I definitely think Johnson is worth the risk, especially since I'm the Answer Guy who drafted him in the sixth round. I knew there would be a few raised eyebrows after I took Johnson, and I also knew I'd eventually have to defend the pick. Johnson had been a feast-or-famine running back until the Chiefs suspended him in Week 7. In fact, Johnson gained half of his current seasonal yardage totals in one game this year versus Denver, which gives evidence to his up-and-down season. The fact that Johnson can still explode as he did earlier in the season is one of the reasons I'm willing to invest in him. I'm not foolish, and I know that Johnson is still a high-risk option since his legal issues are far from being over. It's possible that Johnson may find himself facing another suspension after his court cases are settled. However, I'm of the opinion that things will drag out legally for Johnson and that these last six weeks of his season won't be affected. Another reason to invest in Johnson down the stretch is his desirable schedule -- he faces some pretty weak run defenses from Week 13 and on. He's an excellent flex option in most leagues and a running back who should not be available in any league. Don't hesitate to take the chance on LJ if he's available to you.
I'm in a league where you start two running backs and three wide receivers. Currently on roster, I have Adrian Peterson and Brandon Jacobs along with their handcuffs. Dominic Rhodes is also on my bench. At wide receiver I have Andre Johnson, Greg Jennings, Roddy White, Antonio Bryant and Lance Moore. I'm worried about the dropoffs from Johnson and Jennings recently and I'm also worried about my quarterbacks, Ben Roethlisberger, Jake Delhomme and Matt Ryan. Should I package some wide receivers and get a good quarterback in return? Or, should I stay put? And which QB do I start this week? All have great matchups this week. Thanks so much for your help.
Jason V.
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Dave: I think you're going to be fine at quarterback with the options that you have rostered right now. It's true that you don't have a true fantasy star quarterback, but Big Ben and Delhomme will give you enough that you won't have to make a trade. Keep in mind that the young rookie, Ryan, has really started to come into his own with nine touchdown passes over his past five games played. If you did decide to go after an upgrade at quarterback, you'd have to give up one of your Big 3 anyway: White, Jennings or Johnson. That's one heck of a formidable wide receiver trio, and I wouldn't want you to break them up if you didn't have to. Moore and Bryant are decent receivers and worthy of starting as a WR 2 or flex option in some leagues, but they don't hold enough value to bring you a legitimate upgrade at quarterback. Go ahead and stand pat on your quarterback situation.
As far as which quarterback to start in Week 11, I'd go with Big Ben against the Chargers, who have the worst passing defense in the league. He'll bounce back at home versus a pass defense that gives up 265 yards per game on average while allowing 17 TDs through the air.
I'm in a football keeper league that runs a consolation bracket during the playoffs. The following year's 1-5 draft positions are based on how well you did in the consolation brackets the previous season. The LM says he does this to keep the league honest and to ensure everyone keeps playing through the season. He says the strategy is to keep owners from throwing the season altogether. Unfortunately, I'm in the same predicament this year with football as I was in baseball -- I'm in last place. Do you have any suggestions? I mean, if I'm the last place team, shouldn't I have the first pick in next years draft rather than fighting for it in the consolation bracket?
Christopher Cabrera
Dave: I agree with your league manager's thinking on this: Play out next year's draft slots via the consolation brackets to avoid a team tanking its season on purpose. I couldn't think of a more fair and balanced solution than to play out the consolation brackets. Not only is it important to keep the integrity of the league intact, but who wants to play in a league where an owner can cheat his way into a top draft slot? Another interesting aspect to this setup is that teams eliminated from the winner's bracket will still be able to work out potential trades. Playing for the all-important high-end draft slot is another great way to keep owners active in a keeper league.
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