Fantasy Mailbag

Thursday night opener makes for messy first week

By James Quintong, SI.com

Yes, we'll ask that now very stale question: Are you ready for some football? The NFL season officially kicks off Thursday with the Jets and Redskins.

I'm still trying to figure out why the league decided to package a concert and a game, yet separate it out from everything else. Speaking from a fantasy perspective, it can be a bit annoying having to deal with setting lineups that early, especially for the first game of the year. It's one thing to deal with it on Thanksgiving, but for Week 1?

Many leagues do account for that by making a floating roster deadline and locking rosters only before players at certain positions play. That is, if you wanted to play Curtis Martin tonight, you activate him, but if you're choosing between, say Anthony Thomas and Stacey Mack at the other running back, you've got until Sunday to make that choice.

But many other leagues still lock all rosters just before kickoff of the first game of the week, no matter when that is. So even if you don't have any Jets or Redskins, your team is stuck until Sunday.

Hopefully most of you can use some of the roster advice and get your lineups in with plenty of time.

I am very happy with my draft (LT and Jamal Lewis at RB, Boston, Moulds, Booker, Coles at WR), but I'm a little concerned about having a starting WR and RB (LT and Boston) with the same team. I'm also a little worried about Boston's injury history. I have two trade offers on the table for David Boston, one involving Koren Robinson and one with Donald Driver. Would you make either trade?-- Jeff, Los Angeles

I do like the looks of your team, and I wouldn't be too concerned with having players from the same team on your squad. As long as you've got good players to fill in for them on the bye weeks, you should be good shape.

With that said, trading Boston for either Robinson or Driver is not a bad idea. They're on par with Boston in terms of ability, plus they have more upside. Boston has struggled with injuries this preseason, and his ever-growing weight is of major concern. You have to wonder at some point if he ends up being eligible at tight end. With the other wideouts on your team, you can definitely afford the luxury of dealing away Boston.

Preparing for opening day, I have a tickler a QB. I have Peyton Manning and Kelly Holcomb. Logic dictates going with Peyton, but I'm not so sure the Colts' secondary can handle what Holcomb brings to the Browns' passing attack, as he seems to have a good rapport with all of the Browns receivers. Plus the angle that Holcomb was a backup at Indy.--Rodger Green, Pittsburgh

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Sometimes fantasy owners think too much when trying to put their rosters together for the week. This seems to be one of those situations.

Yes, Holcomb should put up good numbers. Yes, he's got a good rapport with the receivers. I'm not sure I'm with you on the Colts' secondary being that bad -- it finished second in the league against the pass last year. And that whole payback at Indy thing doesn't really wash.

But the main factor is you've got Peyton Manning on your team. Not only that he's going up against a very suspect Browns defense. There's a reason you draft star players so they start and put up the numbers. Depth is good, but the drawback to having a very deep team is trying to play the matchups too closely every week. Eventually, stuff like that will burn you.

I'm offering Eddie George and Fred Taylor for Ricky Williams. What is the pros and cons for both sides of the deal. Is quantity better than quality? I already have Marshall Faulk and am thinking whether a two-headed monster is better or worse than a three stud RBs.--Neil, Riverside, Calif.

Now Neil here is thinking the right way about depth. In fact, I shudder at the thought of having to face a team with Faulk and Williams as the two running backs.

I'm not sure you'll be able to get away with the deal, but if he does, that's a major coup. As long as he gets a moderately decent back to deal with bye weeks, he could be golden.

Besides, George and Taylor are as huge injury risks as Faulk. Having three guys who can produce but also trouble you with injuries could be a season full of mood swings.

Who would you start at WR if you had to choose between Darrell Jackson or Donté Stallworth? I'm not sure who to make my third WR.--Rob Taylor, Lexington, Ky.

This one is a toughie, especially since there could be plenty of points scored in the Saints-Seahawks game given the two defenses. I will lean toward Stallworth right now because he's healthy and we've seen what he can do when he's on the field. He and Joe Horn could form a receiving tandem as deadly as Hines Ward-Plaxico Burress or Torry Holt-Isaac Bruce this year.

I like Jackson a lot, too. However, Koren Robinson has emerged as Matt Hasselbeck's main target with Jackson a solid No. 2 (or a solid No. 3 fantasy wideout). Stallworth can be a No. 2 fantasy wideout with a chance at being a No. 1 guy.

I chose Ricky Williams and Jamal Lewis with my first two picks. Then I went for a QB. Most of the big ones were gone so I went for Maddox as my starter. Then I picked up Tom Brady. Did I make an error in that they both play in freezing cold weather throughout December?--Brian Wells, Eureka, Calif.

As much as I ranted about depth before, this is one case where it's not a bad thing to play the matchups every week since Maddox and Brady are both good, but not great, fantasy quarterbacks.

However, I wouldn't get too caught up in the whole weather thing right now, even though both teams will finish the season in cold-weather climates. Brady may have struggled a bit in December, but he still threw four touchdowns during that stretch. Maddox also had four TD passes, plus a 300-yard game. Unless the conditions look absolutely terrible, there's no reason to avoid some players just because it's cold.

I chose in the fifth position in one of my leagues and came out with Deuce McAllister, Jamal Lewis, Donovan McNabb, Hines Ward, Tony Gonzalez and Donte Stallworth in six rounds. I am satisfied with my picks, but I have Harrington and Boller as my other QBs. Do you think McNabb will stay healthy enough to be my go-to QB for the season?--David Hase, Honolulu, Hawaii

That's a solid base for your team, David, one that should do some bang-up numbers this season. Again, don't get too caught up in the negatives for your studs. Donovan McNabb is not a health risk, unlike a Stallworth or Fred Taylor. McNabb suffered a fluke injury last year, and he still threw four TD passes on it. He is a smart scrambler who doesn't appear to expose himself as much for injury as Michael Vick.

As for your backups, Harrington and Boller both have some upside, and even better for you, have very favorable matchups when McNabb's bye rolls around in Week 3. The Lions face the very spotty Vikings, while the Ravens take on a revamped Chargers secondary that's still trying to gel.

I got a pretty good draft with the only exception being nobody really good as my No. 2 RB. I have my choices between Olandis Gary, Moe Williams and Tyrone Wheatley to back up Travis Henry. Should I trade for someone, or hope one of those three does good enough to win?--Ace Lightning, Buffalo, N.Y.

A trade could be in order, depending on who else you have on the roster. If you must play your current running backs, Williams is the better bet for Week 1 since he's got the starting job. Long-term, Gary could be the man to count on once he gets fully adjusted to the Lions offense.

Wheatley seems to have been squeezed out of the picture in Oakland since he doesn't fit the offense as well as Charlie Garner. He isn't worth a roster spot right now, although with the way the Raiders can cycle in all sorts of weapons, he could be useful later in the season.

I have Priest Holmes, Fred Taylor, and William Green for my starting running backs, Green being the "flex" player, but this has left me with Charles Rogers, Marty Booker, and Darrell Jackson as my receivers with Ashley Lelie and a bunch of shaky fill-ins on the bench. Should I make a trade for a WR, or should I wait to see if Lelie develops into a productive No. 2 fantasy receiver?--Rob Simmons, Hanover, Mass.

Given Taylor's penchant for injury (although he played all 16 games last year), it would be good to have all three running backs in place, especially since you've got the flex position. It's a very solid running back corps that should make up for most deficiencies among your wideouts.

From the looks of your wideouts, you've got a bunch of No. 2 fantasy receivers, although both Rogers and Lelie have the potential for big years. Lelie, in particular, could emerge as a star this year as he's being incorporated more into the Broncos passing game and starts overtaking veterans Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey. I would sit tight with Lelie and hope for the best.

Last year Emmitt Smith was a disappointment. This year, with his move to Arizona, how do you like his prospects of posting some good numbers?--Mark Geesey, Charleston, S.C.

Unfortunately, I don't think Emmitt's fantasy value changes in Arizona. He didn't have much in Dallas last year, and he won't with the Cardinals, either. Emmitt has lost a few steps, but could be motivated in a couple of games, especially when he plays the Cowboys in Week 5, but he could share time or even be overtaken by Marcel Shipp sooner rather than later. The Cardinals don't have much of a passing game to draw attention from Emmitt, and that awful defense seemingly will be putting Arizona in many games, forcing the Cards to throw a lot more.

James Quintong is Fantasy Sports Producer at SI.com.