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"Ask the Docs" Mailbag Replies

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NFL Week 17: "Ask the Docs" Replies

Friday, January 1

Happy New Year! We have football, football, and more football with all the Bowls in full swing and Week 17 of the NFL on tap. Life doesn't get much better than this, unless of course you have your league title on the line in Week 17. Faced with finding table scraps off the waiver wire as key starters for your team all season long see little to no action as their respective NFL Teams rest them in preparation for the playoffs, we feel your pain. Never fear! We are happy to field your questions and will do everything we can to offer our best advice to try to help put your team over the top. Without further adieu, let's get to the mailbag.

"Aloha, unfortunately for my league the championship game is in Week 17. I know most of the teams that clinch a playoff spot will sit a lot of there starters, and I'm in need of some advice. I have P. Manning and started him last week despite having a gut feeling about starting Moore. Now I'm wondering if Moore will have as good of a game with Steve Smith inactive. On my waiver wire there's Henne, Campbell, Cassel, Freeman, and Sanchez. Is any one of those QBs worth starting over Moore?? Any advice is greatly appreciated."
--Tyler, Kaneohe, HI

Docs: Aloha Tyler! We feel your pain as you, along with many other owners across this great land, are forced to face the cold realities of a Week 17 Championship game. As you are already well aware, Week 17 provides maximum chaos and eliminates so many key players on fantasy team rosters as NFL teams clinch playoff slots and rest starters. Without Peyton Manning, you are dealing with a very tough situation. Given your available pool of QBs listed, we would go with Josh Freeman. It could go a multitude of ways as a key TD pass or INT either way could make or break the game for any of these QBs, but we feel Freeman stacks the fantasy odds in your favor the best this week. Naturally, he comes with a load of risk as rookie QBs are very prone to wild swings in play (ahem... turnovers) as they adjust to the NFL. However, all the other candidates you listed come with substantial risk as well due to a host of reasons unique to each of their respective situations. On the plus for Freeman, he is facing a Falcons' secondary that is absolutely banged up, and for the most part, in shambles. He will be playing at home and will want to show the fans what they have to look forward to in 2010. Last, he has shown he can flash a 300 yard passing game and a multi-TD game, and he has improved his play in each of his last three games. Here's hoping that momentum continues to move in the positive direction and that Freeman can come through for you in the clutch.

"I need advice for the following positions, based on who will perform and play most of the game:

I need two starters @ RB: Larry Johnson, Jerome Harrison, Brandon Jackson, Pierre Thomas, Joseph Addai, Ahmad Bradshaw, Chad Simpson

I need two starters @ WR: Chad Ochocinco, Wes Welker, Robert Meachem, Donald Driver, Jabar Gaffney

I need one TE: Antonio Gates or Heath Miller

DEF: New Orleans or Arizona"
--Omari, Camden, NJ

Docs: Hi Omari, let's see if we can help. At RB and due to a host of injuries to the players you have listed, we would go with Harrison and Johnson. Harrison is far and away your best RB option, and you hope Johnson will get more carries this week as the Bengals get ready for the playoffs. They will need both him and Benson playing well to make a playoff run. At WR, we give the rock to Wes Welker and Donald Driver. Both of these WRs are fairly reliable options for your team, although they most likely won't play the full game in Week 17. However, we like them the best out of the options you have listed. At TE, we go with Miller. The Steelers are fighting for their playoff lives, and Miller is a key cog to their offensive game plan. Last, at defense, we go with the Saints. Neither the Red Birds or the Saints defenses are attractive options this week, but we lean to the Saints. Hope this helps and good luck!

"Would you start Vince Young over Aaron Rodgers this week with the chance that Rodgers may sit? Also, at flex: M. Morris, D. Aromashadu, or B. Jackson (Or pick-up Bowe)? I have Steven Jackson, who might not play, and Anquan Boldin, who may be limited. Thanks!"
--Beth, Rapid City, SD

Docs: Hi Beth, first off, it is REALLY cold in Atlanta, so we can only imagine how you are surviving in South Dakota! The good news is that there is plenty of football to watch with the Bowl Games in full swing and Week 17 on tap in the NFL, so start a big pot of chili, a crackling fire, and settle into your favorite chair. To try to help make things even a little better for you, here is our best shot at fine tuning your fantasy roster. First, at QB, we lean to Vince Young. He has a great match-up and extra motivation to prove to the Titans he is their future at QB for 2010 and beyond. It is so tough to bench Aaron Rodgers, who has been nothing short of spectacular this year, but so goes life in Week 17 of the NFL. If we understand your second question correctly, it involves your flex spot, where Steven Jackson and Anquan Boldin are also options in addition to the ones you have listed. Between Boldin and Jackson, we lean to Boldin. It is well within reason to want to go with Jackson, and since we do not know your particular fantasy scoring format, it is possible it favors RB. If that is the case, note that Jackson's back held him out Friday, so you will need to check that right up until kickoff as he surprised the fantasy nation (and his head coach) last week as a late scratch. If by chance you were just offering that Boldin and Jackson were already starters on your team and not flex options, then we go with Aromashadu out of the options listed for your flex. Most of the receiving corps in Chicago is hurt, Aromashadu is coming off a big game, and they have a very favorable match-up with fantasy friendly Detroit. Trusting Jay Cutler to get Aromashadu the ball is no walk in the park, but the circumstances couldn't be much better for that to happen. Here's hoping it does. Good luck!

Thanks to everyone who sent a question this week! It is always fun reading them, and we wish you all the very best of luck this weekend.