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Warden Report
It's time to put up or go home
Posted: Friday December 14, 2001 2:09 PMUpdated: Friday December 14, 2001 2:28 PM
Donovan McNabb struggled in his last game against the Redskins but should bounce back this week. |
By Ryan E. Houston, Special to CNNSI.com
After 13 weeks of fantasy domination, the playoffs are upon us (most of us anyway). Now is the time when you must assure you are fully prepared for your weekend matchup. A simple oversight could send your team home for the winter and leave a bitter taste in your mouth. Imagine the horror of being a No. 1 seed in your bracket and having your bench outscore your starters due to poor management. How do you avoid this you ask? Here are three rules to follow to assure this doesn't happen:
1. Research: One of the best place to get information is the local papers for every team in the NFL. They normally have very impressive coverage and provide outstanding insight into players status, availability and updates. A must stop on the FF information superhighway. Don't stop there. Check every available FF information site, major site or any other preferred site to gain as much insight as possible.
2. Avoid questionable players: If your stud is a game time decision (yuck) or is listed as doubtful on Friday, don't even consider the risk. Go with your healthy backup and hope for the best. The last thing you need is a zero out of your QB position simply because YOU thought Brian Griese would play.
3. Go with what got you there: Now is not the time to sit a guy like Chris Chambers simply because one of your other options has a better matchup. You drafted your studs to win a championship, not to be on your bench during the playoffs. You don't realize how many e-mail I get asking me questions like:
"Should I start Chris Chandler this week vs. Indy and sit Donovan McNabb?"
I wouldn't consider starting Chandler against anyone, let alone over McNabb. This is not the time to insert a decent player who has little chance of finishing any ball game over one of your top three players! Matchups aren't everything, they just increase your odds.
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Furthermore, the Web provides you with countless tools to help guide you in making these critical decisions. You will ultimately make the decisions that affect your team. Let's assure that those decisions are well thought out and the lineup you put in has a legitimate shot at winning. That is all you can ask for. If you do that and still lose, start focusing on next year. Some things can't be avoided, but lack of research CAN BE!
Seems like I can't catch a break on my Upset of the Week pick. Overall I am a very respectable 7-3. One of the highlights of my analysis last week was: "Priest Holmes will have a field day against a below average Raider run defense, but in the end, Gannon will prove to be too much for Vermeil and the men in red." I think I hit the nail on the head with that one. Let's keep it up and see how we can do the rest of the way. Here are my picks for this week...
Arizona Cardinals @ New York Giants
Pick: Cardinals: The Giants are an awful football team and after a humiliating loss this week to the upstart Cards we will finally be able to call last year a fluke.
Philadelphia Eagles @ Washington Redskins
Pick: Eagles: I have a feeling the Redskins "woke up" the Redskins a few weeks back and they will be very prepared for this one. Look for McNabb to take control of this one early and dominate the Redskins.
New England Patriots @ Buffalo Bills
Pick: Patriots: The Patriots are on a roll and the Bills keep rolling further and further down the mountainside. Like Bubba Sparxxx would say "This game is getting Ugly ... Ugly ... UGLY!"
Upset Pick of the Week: Minnesota Vikings @ Detroit Lions
Pick: Lions: This is the week we finally get to see Matt Millen in a jovial state rather than that frustrating state we have seen him the last several weeks. Well OK, make it 13 weeks!
Blowout Pick of the Week: Atlanta Falcons @ Indianapolis Colts
Pick: Colts: Something tells me this won't even be close and that Peyton Manning will quiet his critics. Expect a huge week from him along with Marvin Harrison and Marcus Pollard.
You Suck Award!
This week's "You Suck" award goes to Nate Newton. Note to Nate Newton: Dude, what are you thinking? First you get caught with a 213 pounds of weed and then you get caught again in a car pool with 175 more pounds. Now, I am not one to judge what people do in their own home, after all, you did go to the Pro Bowl 6 times and earn three Super Bowl rings. But I hardly think you needed 388 pounds of weed for your own consumption. Your lawyer contends you had no idea drugs were in the car you apparently were not driving. Let me give you a piece of advice: You can pick your friends and you can pick your nose but you can't pick your friends nose while driving down the interstate with 185 pounds of marijuana in the trunk of your car.
Eight things you should know about Week 14:
1. Brian Griese will be listed as questionable on the injury report but Gus Frerotte will get the start this week.
2. Rod Smith practiced on Thursday and it appears he will play this weekend. How he plays is a different story, but it appears he will start.
3. Jerome Bettis will be listed as doubtful and will not be able to run over Ray Lewis this week (Not that I thought would happen or anything). I would stay far away from Bettis this week.
4. Todd Bouman will start this week. It looks as if Daunte Culpepper re-aggravated his injured knee this week and will sit. Bouman will make a great start against the Lions this week.
5. After rumors were swirling that the Chargers were considering going with Drew Brees the rest of the year, Mike Riley made an official announcement declaring Flutie his starter: "For the sake of this team, for what we've tried to accomplish and what we're still trying to accomplish this year, I want to show them in every way that we're trying to win," Riley said. "I think Doug is our best chance to win. There are arguments to [play Brees], for sure. But I think you just get into a whole lot of stuff."
6. David Boston returned to practice and will play this week. That is great news for Boston owners.
7. In an article published early Friday, New Orleans Times-Picayune staff writer John Reid reported that Albert Connell remains on the Saints' active 53-man roster, but it appears his brief and troubled career with the team is over. Don't expect anything from him for the rest of the season!
8. It appears that Bob Christian, Rodney Thomas, and a touch of Maurice Smith will get plenty of carries this week as the Falcons attempt to get something going on the ground.
Nate Sprat ...
Nate Newton, can smoke no crack,His trunk could fit no more green,
so betwixt his two drug arrests ...
much better days he has seen.
Surprises and disappointments
INSANEX Playoff Picture
This is the last game in the regular season for the INSANEX league. Here is the updated status.FantasyAsylum.com: Ryan Houston's squad has clinched the division title in the North and a No. 1 seed throughout the playoffs.
Footballguys.com: Clayton Gray has clinched the division title in the South and a No. 2 seed throughout the playoffs.
WildCard Sports: Brian Kreklau continues his surprising turnaround and overtook the Trade Rumors team for the No. 3 seed. A win this week and Brian clinches the #3 seed and a matchup with Clayton Gray in Round 1.
TradeRumors.com: Shawn Bryant and company seem to be in a bit of trouble. With Ricky Watters now the No. 1 RB in Seattle, Trade Rumors have no viable RBs available. Fortunately they have a one game lead for the last playoff spot and can clinch the No. 4 seed with a win this week.
Interesting Matchup
This week features a very interesting matchup when the Asylum squad travels to the Footballguys arena for a No. 1 and No. 2 seed regular season finale. Should be a very interesting game.
Outside Looking In
FanEx Football: Terry Cannon needs a win this week and a Trade Rumors loss to have a chance. All bubble teams have identical division records and the last playoff spot may come down to PF (Points Scored). Unfortunately TC will have to beat a very tough and emerging Wild Card Sports team who has a 4 game winning streak on the line.
Jackpot Sports: Mark Bond's squad is in the same situation as the FanEx team above. Needs a Trade Rumors loss and a win this week against the Komments.com team to have a chance. Interesting note: If it comes down to PF, Mark Bond's team has a 45+ point lead against the rest of the 6-7 teams.
The Winning Formula: Dave Cooper will need a win this week coupled with a Jackpot Sports loss and hope he outscores the FanEx team. He's not out of it yet and it should be interesting.
| INSANEX Experts League Update | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Owner | Record | Points |
| Fantasy Asylum | Ryan "The Warden" Houston | 11-2 | 1325 |
| Footballguys | Clayton Gray | 8-5 | 1220 |
| Trade Rumors | Shawn Bryant | 7-6 | 1218 |
| Wild Card Sports | Brian Kreklau | 8-5 | 1178 |
| Jackpot Sports | Mark Bond | 6-7 | 1089 |
| Fanex Football | Terry Cannon | 6-7 | 1044 |
| Winning Formula | Dave Cooper | 6-7 | 1043 |
| Komments.com | Greg Kellogg | 5-8 | 1033 |
| CNN/SI | James Quintong | 5-8 | 1033 |
| Prognosticator | Tony Holm | 3-10 | 981 |
| For all the details check out the INSANEX page on FantasyAsylum.com. | |||
Ryan Houston is the co-owner of FantasyAsylum.com. His column "The Warden Report" can be found there along with other great tools to help increase your Fantasy Football knowledge. Follow The Warden and James Quintong of CNNSI.com as they do battle in INSANEX -- The Insane Experts League, only on FantasyAsylum.com. The Fantasy Football Institute for Insane Fans! Get Committed...To Winning!
| Related information | |
| Stories | |
 Warden Report: Week 13Sunday's Best: Week 13Fantasy File: Keeping tabs on dinged-up playersBack Page: Finding safety in numbers | |
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