Luke Basha fantasy football: NFL players aren’t just fantasy figments
This week was a perfect example of why fantasy football is such a great thing.
On a Sunday when our hometown team had the week off, fantasy players were not at a loss for other games to watch. I took the opportunity to see how some of my players actually played. It’s entirely different than just watching the numbers add up, and it gave me a stake in the action.
Speaking of numbers adding up, I finally went 5-0 across my five leagues last week. It was a long time coming, and helped pad my 20-5 overall record this season. Oh, and one team is sitting at 5-0.
But on another, more somber note, this week was also a reminder that fantasy football is a game, but it’s also a game based on real players’ performance – and real players’ health. Chiefs’ running back Jamaal Charles, one of the all-time greats, is injured and out for the season. As fantasy players, it can be far too easy to forget all of this and immediately say, “Who’s the next man up?” While responding to injuries is part of a good fantasy strategy, please remember that these are real men getting hurt, not just video game characters. Now on to the good stuff …
Week 6 waiver wire targets
Colin Kaepernick (QB, SF): Bad Kaepernick has been playing for the Niners recently, so there’s a great chance he’s available in your league. Good Kaepernick showed up last week, tossing two TDs against a struggling Giants secondary. Better Kaepernick is likely to show up this Sunday at home against a Ravens defense that let Josh McCown rack up 457 yards and two scores.
Charcandrick West/Knile Davis/Ben Tate (RB, KC): West is the hot name to add in fantasy football this week after Jamaal Charles tore his ACL. The Chiefs will likely use a committee of RBs, but West seems to have taken the role of lead dog, as evidenced by his seven carries to Davis’ two. The Chiefs also signed Ben Tate this week, and all three backs should provide some value and their rankings on the depth chart are subject to change by performance.
Willie Snead (WR, NO): Snead has been trending upward in a Saints offense that has yet to truly wake up this year. The Saints really don’t face any terrible defensive matchups for the rest of the season, so Snead could pay dividends down the road.
Gary Barnidge (TE, CLE): Barnidge was the main beneficiary of Josh McCown’s aforementioned explosion against the Ravens. He’s been receiving heavy volume and capitalizing on it, scoring a TD in each of the past three weeks. The going will get tough against the Broncos this week, but you could certainly do worse at the TE position.
Derek Carrier (TE, WAS): For those in deeper leagues in need of a TE, Carrier is still a dart throw, but he seems to be trending upward. He nabbed a TD last week and he has a chance to do it again this week with the Jets’ cornerbacks shutting down the Redskins’ deeper threats.
A lesson in contracts
If there’s one lesson I’ve taken from my law school contracts class, it’s that contracts are (mostly) irrevocable. Once you sign on the dotted line, you’re stuck with that deal … for better or worse. Luckily for us in fantasy football, your “contracts” with your players are not binding. Frustrating or under-performing players can be kicked to the curb or traded. So with that in mind, here are several players whose fantasy team “contracts” might need some revisiting.
C.J. Anderson (RB, DEN): Quite possibly the definition of a “bust,” Anderson has fallen flat on his face this year, despite being anointed a top-five pick by “experts.” He still has the upper hand against teammate Ronnie Hillman at the moment, but that isn’t saying much considering Hillman’s poor performance as well. I’m giving Anderson one last chance against the Browns’ porous rush defense this week before I’m kicking him to the curb.
Peyton Manning (QB, DEN): Man, this is painful to write. No one likes seeing a top-tier athlete like Tiger Woods or Manning struggle past their prime. Sure, the Broncos’ O-Line is horrendous, but fantasy football is a numbers game – and this far into the season, the numbers simply aren’t there for No. 18. The all-time touchdown king has had three games when he scored less than ten fantasy points. Years ago this would have been blasphemy, but there are simply better fantasy QBs out there. Trade him away on name recognition if you can.
Lamar Miller (RB, MIA): Miller lit up the preseason and made his owners giddy. Unfortunately, the Dolphins have devolved from a Super Bowl contender to an absolute dumpster fire. The upside is certainly still there and he merits a roster spot, but not a spot in your lineup until he can prove that the Dolphins offense as a whole won’t drag him into the dirt.
This story was originally published October 14, 2015 at 4:18 PM with the headline "Luke Basha fantasy football: NFL players aren’t just fantasy figments."