Kitrick Taylor

You've gotta like what Leon has done with his opportunites so far. However, you are in need of a QB, and if Rivers is available, he'd be an upgrade for you. Honestly, I might try to see what you can get for Thomas Jones. please see mine: http://www.fftodayforums.com/forum/index.p...howtopic=247055

Maroney doesn't hold much value right now in redraft leagues. He's just not getting enough carries. Reggie Brown is looking extremely good, and may be better served on your team. I'd start him, and look to trade one of your bigger named WRs (Wayne) for a RB. I wouldn't do this trade if I were the other team however. He's too thin at RB to really deal Dunn. please see mine: http://www.fftodayforums.com/forum/index.p...howtopic=247055

Losing Philips and Merriman is going to hurt SD badly. I don't think they are a starting DEF without them. I will hold onto them as I have them in a dynasty league, but I plan on picking up another defense this week. I'd cut bait entirely with them in redraft. Philips and Merriman are their two best defenders at wreaking havoc. Plus Igor was out last week too. Not good things going on down their right now. please see mine: http://www.fftodayforums.com/forum/index.p...howtopic=247055

I'd drop Maurice Morris before Mason. Mason isn't what we thought he'd be this year, but he's a borderline starting WR. Morris isn't good even when he is playing, and that playing time will come to an end soon. Be careful with Brunell however, Campbell's time is coming. Get him too if you can. please see mine: http://www.fftodayforums.com/forum/index.p...howtopic=247055

Yeah, I'd do that trade. Hasselbeck could be in serious trouble after that hit yesterday, and Leinart is going to have some good weeks coming up. I also think that CJ is going to get hot soon. This is coming from a TJ owner. Its definitely buy low time on him. please see mine: http://www.fftodayforums.com/forum/index.p...howtopic=247055

I am currently offering Fred Taylor + Jerry Porter + Tony Scheffler + a 4th round pick (rookie draft) for Tiki + a 3rd round pick (rookie draft) Its a 12 team dynasty league with 7 teams that are good to excellent and 5 that are in various states of disrepair. I currently am the defending champ and have no immediate holes to fill on the team. (my roster is below). However, two of the very best teams are starting combos of Portis/DeShaun Foster and LT2/Corey Dillon. I think Tiki would be a serious upgrade for either one of them. Is this a solid move in a dynasty league?

Props to Waldman for this article on Gradkowski. Its only one week, but its also his first against a real NFL defense. Gradkowski's numbers today: 20/31 225 yards, 2 TDs, 0 Ints, 19 rush yards. Plus he made a beautiful throw down the sideline for 38 yards to I Hilliard that would have set them up for at minimum a tying field goal, if not another score. It was called back by penalty. Waldman's article (preseason) Bruce Gradkowski Becomes The 2006 Fantasy Waiver Wire Darling By Week 8: If you’ve never heard of the Bucs 6th round pick out of Toledo, you haven’t been reading any of The Gut Check’s columns prior to August. Jon Gruden loves this young quarterback for his mobility (runs a sub-4.5, 40-yard dash), accuracy, and leadership. Gradkowski reminds his new head coach of Rich Gannon. Gradkowski didn’t disappoint in his first preseason appearance—11 for 13 for 103(?) yards and 2 touchdowns—and delivered an 11 for 14, 193-yard 1 td, 1 int (off a tipped ball) effort in week two. Yeah, he faced second-team defenses but so did Jay Cutler, and he’s getting accolades throughout the football media. No offense to the Broncos rookie—Yours truly has Cutler as the top rookie QB of the 2006 class—but The Gut Check thinks Gradkowski is the Marc Bulger/Tom Brady player of this group—a much better player than others graded him. Gruden has come out and said that it will take a lot of screwing up on his part for Chris Simms to fail as a quarterback. Still, it only takes one play for the franchise to go a different route (just ask Drew Bledsoe, Kurt Warner, and Tommy Maddox). The Tampa offensive line is still a unit under construction. The run blocking should be fine, but the Bucs were among the worst dozen units in sacks allowed in 2005. Simms has some mobility, but he’s known more for standing in the pocket to make the tough throw. Personally, the Gut Check believes Simms has a chance to be special due to his arm and quiet mental toughness. But as strange as it sounds, Gradkowski could potentially wind up the better overall leader. The rookie has a reputation among his former teammates as a vocal leader who exuded the kind of charisma in the huddle reminiscent of what other players said of Montana. Gradkowski doesn’t’ have Simms arm, but he has the accuracy and mobility to be a special west coast quarterback. If the Bruce Gradkowski Cinderella story plays out in 2006, you heard it here first. Thanks Wildman! Always great picking up a QB on the cheap in dynasty......

Here's the numbers: (Big Plays defined as Running plays > 16 yards, Receptions > 20 yards) Reggie Bush: 44 carries-141 yards, 3.2 ypc 0 TDs 24 recepts-193 yards 8.0 ypc 0 TDs Big plays: 18 yard run, 32 yard reception, 23 yard reception Laurence Maroney: 60 carries-294 yards, 4.9 ypc 3 TDs 6 recepts-76 yards, 12 ypc 0 TDs Big plays: 47 yard run, 25 yard TD run, 27 yard run, 31 yard reception DeAngelo Williams: 25 carries 135 yards, 5.4 ypc, 1 TD 7 recepts 41 yards, 5.9 ypc, 0 TD Big plays: 31 yard run, 23 yard run Joseph Addai: 46 carries-207 yards, 4.5 ypc 1 TD 11 recepts-72 yards, 6.8 ypc 1 TD Big plays: 16 yard run, 21 yard TD reception Maurice Jones-Drew: 20 carries-118 yards, 5.9 ypc 0 TDs 9 recepts-91 yards, 10 ypc 2 TDs Big plays: 26 yard run, 51 yard TD reception Jerious Norwood: 26 carries-217 yards, 8.3 ypc 1 TD 1 recept 12 yards, 12 ypc 0 TDs Big plays: 78 yard TD run, 23 yard run, 16 yard run The thing that jumps out at me is how good Maroney has been. Big plays, along with a healthy YPcarry. Also Jones-Drew and Norwood have done more with less touches. Both pretty explosive players. IMO Reggie Bush is going to have his hands full trying to be the best RB out of this class. There are some very strong candidates here.

Please keep us up to date on how this turns out. I think you're uncle's got ya beat though. As for the topic, I do think Moats is a decent pickup. Westbrook is obviously sketchy for this season. Buckhalter has now proven not only to be very injury prone, but also a fumbler. IMO if Westy is out for an extended period, it will be RBBC, but Moats will be put in the role that Westy usually plays, and Buckhalter will get the carries between the tackles. It didn't happen that way Monday night, but I think with the fumbles, it will be different next time. MHO.

I think Dunn's age is the primary issue here. He's still got it this year, and barring injury will remain the workhorse all year. But the odds are starting to stack against him in the near future. Here's a look at the age, and production of some of the all time greats. Emmitt Smith. 32 years old | 2001 dal | 14 | 261 1021 3.9 3 | 17 116 6.8 0 | 33 years old | 2002 dal | 16 | 254 975 3.8 5 | 16 89 5.6 0 | 34 years old | 2003 ari | 10 | 90 256 2.8 2 | 14 107 7.6 0 | 35 years old | 2004 ari | 15 | 267 937 3.5 9 | 15 105 7.0 0 Curtis Martin 31 years old 2004 nyj | 16 | 371 1697 4.6 12 | 41 245 6.0 2 | 32 years old 2005 nyj | 12 | 220 735 3.3 5 | 24 118 4.9 0 | Walter Payton 31 years old 1985 chi | 16 | 324 1551 4.8 9 | 49 483 9.9 2 | 32 years old 1986 chi | 16 | 321 1333 4.2 8 | 37 382 10.3 3 | 33 years old 1987 chi | 12 | 146 533 3.7 4 | 33 217 6.6 1 Marcus Allen 33 years old 1993 kan | 16 | 206 764 3.7 12 | 34 238 7.0 3 | 34 years old 1994 kan | 13 | 189 709 3.8 7 | 42 349 8.3 0 | 35 years old 1995 kan | 16 | 207 890 4.3 5 | 27 210 7.8 0 | 36 years old 1996 kan | 16 | 206 830 4.0 9 | 27 270 10.0 0 | 37 years old 1997 kan | 16 | 124 505 4.1 11 | 11 86 7.8 0 | These guys are all HOFers. (Martin will be IMO). Not one of them put up 1000 yards after 32 years of age. Out of all the top guys I looked at only John Riggins put up great stats at an advanced age (34 + 35). Those were the superbowl years with the HOGs blocking for him though. I think there is an excellent chance that Norwood is the feature back there next season. This is Dunn's 10th year in the league, and he's nearing 2500 touches. That's amazing for a guy his size. As I said earlier, I think Dunn has still got "it", but RB's lose it quickly once they hit 30+ years. The number of guys that have been productive at 32 years of age is very limited. MHO, Norwood has a 60% chance of surpassing Dunn next year.

Team Management Questions Belong On The "A Little Help" board.

1. Winslow.........Big part of the offense already, and a playmaker 2. Gates.............Connection hasn't happened yet, but its early. He's just too good not to be top 2. 3. Watson..........Only a couple of bad passes from Brady separating him from having 2 TDs now, which would put him #1. 4. LJ Smith..........Only issue is can he stay healthy 5. Heap...............McNair is only marginally better than Boller right now. 6. Shockey..........Third option, and G-Men were overated. 7. Crumpler..........Vick is his QB, and doesn't look as quick this year. 8. Gonzo..............Huard looked only his way in week 1, but teams have already adjusted. 9. Witten..............Too many good options in big D. 10. McMichael........Culpepper blows.

It seems like they are trying to limit Taylor to about 20 touches a game. He had 22 yesterday. Maybe less fantasy points per game, but its possible he'll last a lot longer too.

I am a Steve Smith owner. (disclaimer). To me I think there are a few options here that are real possibilities. 1. The team, and team doctors are pressuring him to come back. He doesn't feel that he's ready. Thus he goes to the best in the business to get a second opinion. 2. The second hamstring isn't healing on the same time schedule as the first and he want's to know why. Thus second opinion. 3. There is more serious damage than what has been reported, and he's going in for further testing to confirm it. I personally think option one is the most likely situation. The team is suffering offensively without him, and desperately wants him back to improve their offense and get them out of a 0-2 hole. He's looking around the league and seen players come back too soon from hammy's before only to reinjure them. I think he's trying to sit out an extra week or two, rather than come back a week or two too early, and the team doesn't like it.

One thing that may be an advantage for KJ here over Addai, is the fact that its probably KJs last best chance to make it. If he washes out again this year, his chances of getting another feature job are about zero. i.e. you don't have to waste a roster space there trying to figure out if the guys worth anything. As for the crystal ball, what I wouldn't give to have that. I've got 2 cases of Miller for anyone that can provide one!