Last year was definitely a bad year for wide receivers, and while this year looks a little deeper, you don’t want to pay too much for your WR’s production. Follow the do’s and don’ts below and you’ll greatly improve your chances of lifting your Fantasy Football League championship trophy.
Do…
…catch one of the big ones if you can, without breaking the 2 RB in the first 3 rounds rule. If you pick 10th and the top 6 or 7 primary backs are off the board, taking Larry Fitzgerald with your first-round pick may be the way to go. Kurt Warner is back, Boldin is signed and the Cardinals face the most favorable matchups for a passing game in the NFL this year for 17 weeks. The same goes for Randy Moss, Andre Johnson, etc. Just make sure all marquee RBs are off the board.
Do…
…check schedules! A quick look at Buffalo’s schedule shows that there’s only one home game in a freezing cold December at home, and that’s against the lowly Oakland Raiders, so maybe Trent Edwards to Terrell Owens is fine. But don’t overlook the fact that this game is a Week 15 game at 4:00 pm, which means playoff time for us Fantasy Footballers. You’d hate to end your championship run because there was a snowstorm in Denver and the Broncos turned the ball over 40 times.
WHOSE…
… teammates in the draft! Kurt Warner/Larry Fitzgerald or Michael Turner/Roddy White may sound appealing as your mind begins to extrapolate all the huge numbers they could generate on any given Sunday, but the downside is just too great. Stick with players on separate teams, and you’ll limit your handicap, and bye weeks won’t be as hard to manage.
WHOSE…
…wasting time on Rookie WR unless you want to roll the dice in a late round! Yeah, DeSean Jackson was great last year as a rookie WR for the Eagles, but seriously, do you want to risk a mid-round pick in Darrius Heyward-Bey just because he was the first wide receiver to go to the NFL draft? in April? ? “Crazy Al” and Oakland’s passing game can be counted on for one thing … inconsistency. If you’re looking to sneak in a late winner, check out Michael Crabtree in San Francisco. They have a very favorable schedule against week-pass defenses, and Crabtree should start.
Remember, wide receivers can be the most up and down in the fantasy game. All a QB has to do to get the ball from the RB is turn around and hand it to him. A lot has to go right for a WR to get the ball. That is why it is so important to get consistent employees in this position. And when you’re looking for great stats, head over to the NFL website for all of their stats, schedules and information. The Sporting News Fantasy Football guide is also a must. All of the above stats and all of my research came from these 2 resources. This is the second in a series of Draft Day do’s and don’ts to follow in 2009. Be sure to check out my other articles offering Draft Day tips and secrets. When you put them all together, you will have a solid game plan for your Fantasy Football Draft. See you in the playoffs!