Having just traded for Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward in a keeper league, I'm well aware of how productive he is. Ward is 34, but it sure doesn't show in his statistics. Still, one of my leaguemates seemed pleased I had made the deal, noting that we'd meet in Week 2 and Ward wouldn't have Ben Roethlisberger as his quarterback. I was a bit surprised by the exchange, wondering if people were really downgrading Ward and other Steelers weapons for the first four weeks because of Big Ben's suspension.
I asked around a bit to a cross-section of fantasy football owners, and while there was concern over Ward (he's not young, he's dealing with a sore hamstring), Mike Wallace (he's not proven) and Rashard Mendenhall (he lacks a good offensive line), I didn't hear much wavering directly because of the absence of Roethlisberger. I still expect his suspension will be reduced from six games to four and he'll be on the field for Week 6 against the Cleveland Browns (after the bye week).
For more of Eric's assessment of Hines Ward, as well as Mike Wallace and Byron Leftwich, you must be an ESPN Insider!
Eric Karabell | email
ESPN.com Senior Writer- ESPN contributor on TV, radio, podcasts, blogs, Magazine
- Charter member of FSWA Hall of Fame
- Author of "The Best Philadelphia Sports Arguments"
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Eric Karabell
Eric Karabell is an ESPN.com senior writer. He has worked at ESPN since 1997 and covered fantasy sports for ESPN since 2001, specializing in baseball and football. Eric appears several times per week on SportsCenter, NFL Live and other ESPN shows, contributes to ESPN Radio and ESPN The Magazine and is the host of the Baseball Today Podcast. He has been honored twice as fantasy sports writer of the year by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association, his blog was named best fantasy baseball series for 2007 and he was inducted into the inaugural FSWA Hall of Fame class in 2010.
Eric grew up in the Philadelphia suburbs, and accordingly, favors Philly teams first, his fantasy teams second. He previously served as ESPN.com's lead NBA editor, and is a former Washington Post and Philadelphia Inquirer sports writer. Eric is also the author of "The Best Philadelphia Sports Arguments," published by Source Books and available in bookstores and online.
Check Eric's ESPN work:
Karabell archive
