T1B

Big game coming up this week against the first place team in my division. With a win, I can tie for the division lead. I tied this same team back in Week 5. My team has come on of late and has rattled off 4 straight wins including a win over the last unbeaten team in the league last week...I did benefit from him not having the services of Tomlinson but I beat him by 30 points so I think I could've won anyway.

Here's the situation, I can start either 2 WR/2 RB or 3 WR/1 RB...here is my current starting lineup:

QB: Eli Manning (vs. PHI)
RB: Clinton Portis (vs. OAK)
RB/WR: Joe Horn (@ NE)
WR: Terry Glenn (vs. DET)
WR: Joey Galloway (@ ATL)
TE: Tony Gonzalez (@ HOU)
DEF/ST: Carolina (@ CHI)
K: Mike Vanderjagt (@ CIN)

My bench:
QB Brad Johnson (@ GB)
RB Kevan Barlow (vs. SEA)
RB Fred Taylor (@ TEN)
RB Jamal Lewis (vs. PIT)
RB Adrian Peterson (vs. CAR)
WR Derrick Mason (vs. PIT)
WR Eric Moulds (@ SD)
WR Donte' Stallworth (@ NE)

My opponent's starters (as of today):
QB: Mark Brunell
RB: LaMont Jordan
RB/WR: Warrick Dunn
WR: Santana Moss
WR: Brian Finneran
TE: Jason Witten
DEF/ST: Chicago
K: Neil Rackers

If Fred Taylor was actually healthy, I don't think I'd have a conflict over who to play but with this being a big game, I don't want to make the wrong decision.

Thanks in advance!

Here's who I would start.

QB: Eli Manning (vs. PHI)
RB: Clinton Portis (vs. OAK)
RB/WR: Eric Moulds (@ SD)
WR: Terry Glenn (vs. DET)
WR: Joey Galloway (@ ATL)
TE: Tony Gonzalez (@ HOU)
DEF/ST: Carolina (@ CHI)
K: Mike Vanderjagt (@ CIN)

Portis has scored in 3 of his past 4 outings. I know, I have him in one of my leagues. He's starting to get those red zone touches and scores that add up to big FFL points. As yeams are now forced to balance their defense to counter Brunell, Moss and Cooley, look for Portis to continue to rack up points. If I were you, I'd consider a trade for Taylor if possible.

BSmack wrote:If I were you, I'd consider a trade for Taylor if possible.

I had original picked up Taylor in a post-draft trade for Kerry Colbert...which turned out to be a great deal since Colbert has been a flop and the other guy eventually waived him. I picked him back up for a couple weeks but waived him myself. Who should I get for Taylor?

Shoalzie wrote:

BSmack wrote:If I were you, I'd consider a trade for Taylor if possible.

I had original picked up Taylor in a post-draft trade for Kerry Colbert...which turned out to be a great deal since Colbert has been a flop and the other guy eventually waived him. I picked him back up for a couple weeks but waived him myself. Who should I get for Taylor?

That depends on who's available and what your scoring system is. I'm not saying that you should go fire sale on him. But if you can get value for him, I'd consider pulling the trigger. In your position, without knowing any of the other facts, I'd consider a trade for Thomas Jones or a top WR.

Or, you could trade Peterson for Greg Jones.

Just some thoughts.

BSmack wrote:

Shoalzie wrote:

BSmack wrote:If I were you, I'd consider a trade for Taylor if possible.

I had original picked up Taylor in a post-draft trade for Kerry Colbert...which turned out to be a great deal since Colbert has been a flop and the other guy eventually waived him. I picked him back up for a couple weeks but waived him myself. Who should I get for Taylor?

That depends on who's available and what your scoring system is. I'm not saying that you should go fire sale on him. But if you can get value for him, I'd consider pulling the trigger. In your position, without knowing any of the other facts, I'd consider a trade for Thomas Jones or a top WR.

Or, you could trade Peterson for Greg Jones.

Just some thoughts.

I appreciate your input. I'll look at some of the teams out of contention and see who's available. It'll be tough for another contending team to give up a player I might need to compete with them. Ideally, I'd like to have a team where I have sure-fire starters for each week and not the current situation where some guys might be better than others from week-to-week...especially since I don't have to worry about any more bye weeks.

I've been big on using the waiver wire to get me from out of the division cellar. Out of my regulars, I got both Manning, Glenn and Galloway off waivers. My drafted QB was Culpepper and he became a throw away player after his knee injury. On the bench, the only two who are original drafts picks are Barlow and Mason and I got Taylor in the trade...the rest are all waiver additions. I just added Peterson off waivers today with Jones being not at 100% and Benson out several weeks.

Shoalzie wrote:I appreciate your input. I'll look at some of the teams out of contention and see who's available. It'll be tough for another contending team to give up a player I might need to compete with them. Ideally, I'd like to have a team where I have sure-fire starters for each week and not the current situation where some guys might be better than others from week-to-week...especially since I don't have to worry about any more bye weeks.

I've been big on using the waiver wire to get me from out of the division cellar. Out of my regulars, I got both Manning, Glenn and Galloway off waivers. My drafted QB was Culpepper and he became a throw away player after his knee injury. On the bench, the only two who are original drafts picks are Barlow and Mason and I got Taylor in the trade...the rest are all waiver additions. I just added Peterson off waivers today with Jones being not at 100% and Benson out several weeks.

Thomas Jones isn't even on the injury report. But Jones' owner might not know that. I guess it all depends on the other owners. In the JFFL, the guys all seem to think they're on the floor of the NY Stock Exchange the way they trade. Yet my other league you hardly ever see trades.

I think there may have been only one or two other trades done this year in my league on ESPN besides my Taylor-Colbert trade. Everyone seems active but just not looking to make trades. There's always a lot of waiver activity so I've been amazed to get some of the guys I've picked up throughtout the season.

*BUMP* in case some one wants to give me a second opinion...

Why are you even second-guessing this?

orcinus wrote:Why are you even second-guessing this?

Not sure...my previous weeks' decisions have been working for me. Just wanted to get some feedback from some of you guys. I'm sticking with my starting lineup...I'm just waiting for a compelling argument that would get me to make a change.

BSmack wrote: In the JFFL, the guys all seem to think they're on the floor of the NY Stock Exchange the way they trade. Yet my other league you hardly ever see trades.

I don't remember exactly the number of trades in previous seasons, but there were definitely a lot fewer. For whatever reason this year has been an active one.

I lost, 71-62...

Eli led the way with 22 points but got single digits out of the rest of the starters including a goose egg from Galloway and only 3 points from Glenn. My top performer on the bench was Stallworth with 19 points.

His team didn't do much better but he had Chicago's defense against the Carolina defense on my team...he won that matchup, 19-6. Rackers had another production kicking day...edged Vanderjagt, 14-9. Those were his two high point producers. Brunell had only 5 points. He made a late change to the lineup and started Bobby Engram...turned out to be a pretty good move. He had 9 points compared to Finneran with just 5 points. His top players on the bench were Brees with 29 and Kevin Jones with 11.

My teams falls to 5-5-1...2 games out of first. The fourth place team in the division won to improve 5-6...I play that team in Week 13, our last week of the regular season. The second place team lost, his record is now 6-5. My Week 12 opponent, who was 3-6-1 entering this week won 90-70. Must wins in these next two games if I want to make the playoffs.