“So, you’ve drafted a pile of shit…” by PBitters

You put in a decent amount of research.  Or, maybe you’re like me, and you put in 15 minutes on a website prior to your draft given that you were invited into your 2nd league 20 minutes before the draft because some dude’s brother-in-law backed out due to familial reasons.  (read: his wife put the kibosh)

Regardless of the pre-come, you’re stuck with the out-come.  If you’re like me, you’re a decent student of baseball and certainly are a strong enough fantasy player that you should be able to make a chAmpion out of a chUmpion.  But not even the greatest Generals could overcome certain odds.  Even Custer realized how ill-prepared he was as he was choking on feathers.  There’s just time in which you have to realize that no matter the research and effort you put into this year’s draft…you’ve ended up with a complete pile of shit.

You’ve recognized the odor coming from you computer is that of your fantasy team.  Your second round pick of Josh Hamilton followed up by your pick of Joe Mauer is more and more feeling like that burrito from Chipotle you dominated last night, and now it’s made it’s way through your lower intestine and is resembling your fantasy season more and more.  Grab the triple-ply and a plunger baby, because this could get ugly.

But wait…there’s hope.  “Give up should not you” as Yoda once said.*  

Just because your team has underperformed thus far this year does not mean that you should write off the year.  Don’t give up hope young Jedi.  There is still time.  One need only dig a little and find those couple guys who will help you start to make you’re way outta the basement.  Now listen, we’re not talking about grabbing a guy who will take you from worst-to-first.  You’d need to have Disney in your pedigree for that story to come true.

You’ve got no Angels in your Outfield, so let’s take a quick look at some guys who could help bring you out of the doldrums**:

• Ryan Roberts, OF, ARI – This is a 30 year-old guy with a couple years ML experience and knows the game.  He is playing well early and picking up games at 3B, meaning his corner qualification may not be far away in your league.  He’s hitting well above .300 with 4 taters and 11 RBI this year so he’s certainly showing he can swing the bat.  He’s certainly the gamble you need to consider.  I’d think of dropping: Angel Pagan, Jason Bay, Austin Jackson. 
• Danny Espinosa, 2B, WAS – This Dirtbag outta Long Beach State is coming up pretty strong.  15 RBI through 18 games is pretty strong for a 2B considering the depth at the position.  Early potential ROY performance (but the season is young, let’s not get carried away yet)
• Bartolo Colon, SP, NYY – Yes, his listed wait might be off by a good 100 lbs, but the guy still can throw a baseball.  And he’s pitching for the New York Yankees.  Last I heard, they are pretty good.  He’ll get wins. He’ll get 1.25 K per inning.  He’ll have a 1.35 whip.  Not great, but if you’re in dead last…he’s better than what you’ve got.
• Matt Lindstrom, RP, COL – Odds are that if you’re in dead last, you need saves.  This proven save hawk already has 2 this year.  He’s a decent pitcher who’s been in the closer role previously, so if things go awry in Colorado, he may get a look.  Better if you have him on your roster now before they schmoes above you get him.

Well, that’s about all I can offer at this point.  If these guys aren’t your magic formula, then you may need to take a closer look at your own personal situation.  Regardless though, you should not give up hope.  You’ve paid in a bit of cash to be a part, so why phone it in the first few weeks?  Your wife didn’t, so why should you?

As always, that’s the Bitters truth:

PBitters

---

*Yoda never said that.  But it sorta sounds like he should’ve, right?

**Recommendations based on a 12-team league, 22-man roster

Digging for Diamonds by Jeffrey Stoltzfus

So your fantasy season didn’t go as planned. Your lineup took more sacks than Brett Favre and understandably you’re upset. It’s been a tumultuous season. Up is down. Left is right. Dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria!

But don’t just sit there sharpening your punji sticks and mumbling to yourself in an alcohol induced haze because you didn’t make the playoffs. Now is not the time to surrender to indifference. This is the time to start scouting for next year. Now is the time to make mental notes, or ink them in the blood of your enemies in your flesh-bound manifesto. Whatever your preference.

Every year there’s going to be some flashy new rookie you’re going to be tempted to draft but rookies are risky. That’s why they’re so sexy. Dez Bryant, Ryan Matthews, and Jahvid Best were all poised to have a phenomenal season but none of them really broke out and each one was sidelined with injury. A better use of your draft picks would have been Arian Foster, Peyton Hillis, and Matt Cassel. None of them had the shiny new toy appeal that the rookies did and most were overlooked in drafts; but each one of them had a limited amount of on-the-field NFL experience, and each one shined. This is the time of year when coaches take a chance on somebody new. When injury and opportunity allow some undrafted second year man to show flashes of what can do, and quite possibly earn a starter’s role the following season.

If you were watching the final two games of last season you would have had Arian Foster on your radar. Or a few years ago, before Michael Turner left San Diego you could have watched him chew up garbage time late in the season. Miles Austin was in the league four years before he suddenly became a number one wide receiver. My point being that these guys are out there right now. You just don’t see them yet.

Plunk your ass down in front of that high-def window into awesomeness with your favorite cookie and do your homework. Somebody is going to start showing their talent. All you have to do is take notice. Then, next year, watch the preseason, watch the talent on the roster, and look for opportunity. When you’re deep in your draft and the obvious starters are gone you’re going to be the one who reaps the benefits. And won’t you feel smug as you cha-cha into the playoffs on the broken dreams of your rivals. How sweet it is.

2010: A Year of Injuries and Waiver Claims by Jeremy Dayton

Wow.  For those that hold the belief that fantasy football is just as much about luck, as it is solid drafting, waiver wire scouting, and starting lineup decisions, this is your year.  In the league that I commission, I had what I thought was a power house after the draft.  And then injuries struck.  Again.  Again.  And again…

My week one starting lineup consisted of Ryan Mathews, Pierre Thomas, DeAngelo Williams, Andre Johnson, Santana Moss, Antonio Gates, and Kevin Kolb.  My bench also included Ben Roethlisberger and Darren Mcfadden.

It all started with Kevin Kolb going down, and the Michael Vick explosion.  My week 5 insurance policy of Ben Roethlisberger never got a chance to be cashed.  Ryan Mathews then rolled his ankle.  Then Andre Johnson.  I then traded away Big Ben and McFadden for Aaron Rodgers, but even injuries happening AROUND Rodgers are affecting his numbers.  I thought I was still in fine position after a 2-1 start.  Then I went on to lose the past 3 weeks, most brutally 2 weeks ago.

When I got blocked in my waiver claim of Michael Vick after Kolb went down, I did stake claim to Mark Clayton.  He was a godsend filling in for my injured running backs at flex, especially being that this is a PPR league.  Of course, injury struck him too.  Two weeks ago Clayton went down early- netting me 1 point.  What I thought was a great move in picking up Rodgers, ending up haunting me, as his overtime interception versus the Redskins, and subsequent two point deduction, handed me a 1 point loss.  Not that I regret the move, but the way it turned out was/is surely regrettable.  Clayton’s injury was the real killer though.

Follow that loss up with the continued absence of Pierre Thomas, who suffered an ankle injury several weeks ago, forcing me into starting Willis McGahee the week he puts up a donut, and things are not going so well for my all-star roster.  Gates injury, plus that donut, led me to another tough defeat this past weekend.  For my own sake, I’m glad the NFL is cracking down on the hard hits some of my offensive studs are taking.  At 2-4, I need some help.  This leads me to what the season is becoming, the year of the Waiver Wire.

I’m sure I’m not alone.  Many of you out there are facing injuries, some more than others.  There is a bright spot that you can gleam from this.  Next Man Up.  The Waiver Wire.  This is where you can try to find the diamonds in the rough that will step up, in the absence of so many injured stars.    So, who are the guys you should target?  I’ll start with the guys suddenly on my roster, whom will be starting on my team this week.  (The first two anyway).

Mike Williams, WR, Seahawks.  The USC product has been given new life in Seattle, and with the departure of Deion Grant, stepped up in a big way this past week.  He’s a huge target for Matt Hasselbeck, and I expect him to continue looking for the former 1st round pick as the season goes on.  I can only hope he duplicates last week’s performance, this week!  Next up…

Denario Alexander, WR, Rams.  The former Missouri Tiger has the makings of a star, and that might pertain to the big screen as well.  The guy has come back from THREE ACL tears and a fractured wrist.  Now finally healthy, and after being passed over by everyone in the draft, he actually has a chance to show the promise he displayed in college.  With good size, solid hands, surprising post surgery speed, and an offense that figures to be passing a lot the rest of the way, he’s a guy to pick up now.  He came up big last week, and I expect him to only get better.  This kid has the makings of a Hollywood screenplay if he can stay on the field this year. Look for Bradford to keep looking the rookie’s way, and now is the time to grab him.  

Deion Branch, WR, Patriots.  Not exactly a surprise, but has to be mentioned.  The chemistry between he and Tom Brady against a tough Ravens defense was obvious.   He stepped right in and had the type of game the Seahawks expected of him when they traded for him four years ago.  Especially in PPR leagues, this is a guy with a lot of value right now, even in an offense that spreads the ball.  Grab him if he’s still around!

Tony Moeaki, TE, Chiefs.  Okay, now this is a guy whose had a lot of buzz, and looks a lot like a younger Tony Gonzalez.  However, he’s still available in almost eighty percent of ESPN leagues.  If you need help at tight end, he’s a guy to pick up now, especially if you’re a Gates owner (like me)!

With injuries popping up literally out of nowhere, guys who yesterday weren’t worth mentioning, today become fantasy relevant.

Today it was announced that not only is Dallas Clark lost for a few weeks, if not more, but also that wide receiver Austin Collie will be lost for a few weeks, after undergoing hand surgery.  Suddenly Blair White looks like a solid guy to have.  Heck, anyone running patterns in Indianapolis is worth starting in a pinch.  Obviously Pierre Garcon’s stock took a major climb with that news as well.  If you can get your hands on any of them, grab away… fast!

A few other guys worth adding, although some are probably already snatched up…

Robert Meachem, WR, Saints – Finally stepping up in a potent offense that loves to pass the ball

Danny Woodhead, RB/WR, Patriots – The little man that could is surprising everyone, and I don’t see why he can’t continue to put up numbers good enough to be a fill-in when needed.  His position flexibility is the kicker.

James Starks, RB, Packers – Brandon Jackson is running out of time.  Starks will get his chance.


Deon Butler, WR, Seahawks – Williams can’t be the only guy catching passes, and his first game replacing the other Deion would’ve gotten more attention, were it not for his teammate Williams.

Chris Ivory, RB, Saints – You probably heard he ran thru the Tampa defense with ease, and he’s probably already on a roster, but I had to mention him anyway.  He’ll have at least one more week to strut his stuff.

Kenny Britt, WR, Titans – A touchdown catch in 4 straight weeks??  How is he not getting more respect?

The list could go on, and I’m sure it will only grow in the coming weeks.  Guys are going down with injuries at a record pace this season, and I’m sure many fantasy dreams are being crushed in the process.  As each and every NFL team must do though, you’ve got to persevere.  When a starter goes down, do some scouting, (or come here for advice), and pick up a replacement.  

Bad luck can be a difference in a winning and losing season, but playing the waiver wire properly can offset those misfortunes if you’re diligent.  So make your waiver claims, set your starting lineups, hope that you’re injured stars heal fast, and cross your fingers that the injury bug will go away!   Or, at the very least, bite somebody else’s team!

Then, sit back, relax, and enjoy some football…

State of the Eagles by Jeffrey Stoltzfus

Being a Philadelphia Eagles fan is tough. First off, everybody hates you. Yeah we threw
snow balls at Santa, and batteries at J.D. Drew, but we also cheered for Donvan McNabb
when he returned to as a Redskin (at least until the game started). We have a lot of
love and a lot of hate. It’s an emotional town. It’s a city that craves a win. The Phillies
winning the World Series was great but it wouldn’t equal the Eagles winning a Super-
Bowl. And while we had mixed feelings when Michael Vick came to town, is there any
doubt we love/need him now?

Fact: With Michael Vick playing a full game the Eagles are 2-0
Fact: With Kevin Kolb as QB the Eagles are 0-2

To be fair Kolb hasn’t played a complete game in 2010. It’s hard to properly critique
Kolb until he’s played at least two complete games. And no, last year does not count.
Those two 300+ yard games look good on paper but I actually watched those games. He
wasn’t that impressive. Nonetheless the preseason had nearly every NFL analyst saying
how he was going to be the next Aaron Rogers, the next Tom Brady. Andy Reid and
owner Jeffery Lurie obviously thought so too. They traded the most prolific passer in
franchise history to their division rival and gave Kolb a new contract. The writing was
on the wall – Kevin Kolb is the future of this team. Scrawled just below that in fine print
was: Just in case he’s not, Vick is our backup plan.

What I saw last week was not a good start. Kolb became a check down Charlie dumping
the ball off to McCoy, full back Owen Schmitt, and occasionally Celek. He didn’t even
look for DeSean Jackson or Jeremy Maclin. Let me tell you about another QB who kept
checking down and rendered his WR’s useless, his name is Trent Edwards. Ask a Bills
fan how that turned out.

A wide receiver doesn’t necessarily need to be open for you to make a play. Flashback
to Monday night September 27th in the year of our lord 2010, Bears vs Packers. A double
chinned Jay Cutler tossed the ball to a blanketed WR and drew a pass interference call
that put them in range for the game winning field goal. If Cutler didn’t make that toss the
game could have gone ended a lot differently.

Here’s what I know – Fantasy Football-wise

When Vick is healthy he’s a must start each and every week. No question. When Vick
plays the value goes up on DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin. The value goes down on
TE Brent Celek. For some reason he just doesn’t look to him that much. If McCoy takes
a hit it’s minimal. Vick is his own running game. It’s both a detriment to McCoy because
he takes yardage from him, and a blessing because he keeps drives alive and potentially
sets up goal line work for McCoy.

When Kolb starts I wouldn’t let him do more than ride my bench. He’s just way to risky
right now. He has a lot to prove and little time to do it. When Kolb plays the value goes
up on Celek and McCoy because they get all those check downs. Jason Avant gets a
boost too. Not enough for regular fantasy relevance but he’ll get a ball or two. Maclin
takes a huge hit. Let’s face it if you’re going to force the ball to anyone it’s going to be
Jackson. But Jackson’s numbers drop so much you almost question starting him.

With McCoy being injured a lot of people will roll the dice on Mike Bell this week. I
don’t see much value there unless you’re really hurting for a flex play RB. The Eagles are
a throw first team no matter who is at QB. That’s not going to change. I like Mike Bell.
I was glad the Eagles got him. But I don’t see much breakout ability for him. He’s not
going to find much space on the run with that weak offensive line. (Jason Peters you’re
overrated and over paid). Most of McCoy’s yards come from spinning and juking after a
five yard catch. Bell doesn’t have the same skill set. He might get a goal line carry but I’d
be surprised. The Eagles have even been known to use RB Eldra Buckley from time to
time. But any fantasy relevance there is purely fantasy. Also consider that McCoy played
most of last week’s game after getting the injury. He’s tough. He’ll be back in the mix
very soon.

The Defense is underperforming, as is the Special Teams. I can’t quite explain this
as I like the talent on the roster but they’re inconsistent. Defensive Coordinator Sean
McDermott talked about making changes this week; trying to plug the holes that
everyone and their momma have been running through. We’ll see if the adjustments
make a difference. Right now I’d play any starting RB against the Eagles defense with
confidence.

I don’t see any young unknowns stepping up to become a fantasy sleeper on the
Philadelphia Eagles any time soon. Riley Cooper looked promising but how much would
you consider a rookie WR that fumbled an onside kick, left the game with a concussion,
and didn’t practice all week. He’s also fourth on the depth chart. Seek your entertainment
elsewhere.

UPS & DOWNS by Jeffrey Stoltzfus

Once is an occurrence, twice is a coincidence, but three times is a pattern. Now that the dust
has settled on week 3, we can finally take a look around and see what we’ve learned from the
first 3 weeks of football.
Todd Haley, you sir are no Andy Reid.
I have mixed feelings about the Kevin Kolb era being delayed in Philly, but Andy Reid made
the smart move by sticking with the resurgent Michael Vick. Vick has thrown for 750 yards and 6
touchdowns, with ZERO interceptions. He’s even rushed for over 170 yards. Reid stuck with the
player who gives him the best chance to win now. So what’s my beef with Haley? Oh, I think
owners of Jamaal Charles have some idea. Thomas freaking Jones? Are you kidding me?
Haley, for some reason, refuses to give Charles the bulk of the work load. Jones has had more
touches in every game thus far: 52 compared to Charles’s 34. And yet Charles has had more
yards per carry and per game. What is the reason for this? Does Haley have Jones on his
fantasy team or something? It’s not like Charles’s big play potential is a secret after last season.
But Charles owners are going to have to endure because the Chiefs are now 3-0. Until they
start losing, Haley might never take the handcuffs off his most valuable offensive weapon and
Charles’s weekly contribution to your roster will remain a big question mark.
Mark Sanchez. I believe now.
In week 1, Sanchez looked exactly like what I thought he was: mediocre and over hyped. While
the media blew smoke up his butt I watched him implode on the battlefield, as the Ravens
tossed his salad. In week 2, I watched him earn respectable numbers versus the Patriots. More
smoke up Sanchez’s butt. But I saw the open receivers he failed to notice as he forced the ball
to Braylon Edwards for a lucky touchdown. And let’s be honest, the New England secondary
ain’t that great. I still did not believe. I foresaw bad things in week 3 as he faced what appeared
to be a solid Miami defense. Instead of humiliation, Sanchez threw for a second straight week of
over 200 yards and 3 touchdowns. And more importantly, he has yet to be intercepted. While
I don’t plan on adding to the Sanchez hype, it’s hard to turn a blind eye to those numbers. He
appears to be coming into his own. At least for now, I believe.

Arian Foster is the real deal.
I don’t know where the Steve Slaton from 2 years ago went, but he’s not coming back any time
soon. In the mean time, everyone behold the awesome ability of Arian Foster - the one-cut
wonder. We saw it in preseason. We damn sure saw it in week one. Not only does he have
speed, he has the power to finish off big runs by fighting for extra yardage. He even catches passes into the flat pretty well. He is a must play, week in and week out.

The Steelers don’t need Ben Roethlisberger.
Steelers defense is back! 5 interceptions, 5 forced fumbles, and one touchdown. Of course
they haven’t really played anyone good yet. But look at the their upcoming schedule: Baltimore, Cleveland, Miami. It will be week 8 before they face an offense of any particular significance.
Until then, Steelers defense rules.

Cleveland hates Jerome Harrison.
Maybe you were optimistic about Jerome after the way he finished last year. It certainly seemed
like the job was his. Then Cleveland goes out and drafts Montario Hardesty. The rookie looks
good. Jerome’s stock dips. Hardesty is injured. Jerome’s stock goes back up. Right? I mean
the guy behind him is Peyton Hillis. It’s not like Hillis is going to get the bulk of the carries and
the goal line looks. Right? Jerome at this point look like Charlie Brown trying to kick the football
only to have Lucy rip out from under him at the last second. And what’s worse, is that after a few
costly fumbles, he doesn’t even deserve the start anymore.
Okay, so that all seemed pretty obvious. You’re looking for some insight into the coming
week. I got that too.

Looking for a running back? Pickens might be slim in week 4. Undoubtedly everyone has
already jumped on the Hillis, Jackson, Snelling, and Tolbert bandwagons. Not to fear. Here’s
three more worth a look. They might not be studs, but with injuries abound you never know when
someone might find a way to be relevent.

Laurence Maroney might not be spectacular, but neither is Correll Buckhalter, and if Kno-play
Moreno misses another game somebody’s going to get opportunities. Maroney has been on the
mend and while he’ll certainly split time with Buckhalter, Maroney can still pound it. Both looked
bad against Indy, but Maroney saw more touches, which leaves me with temporary optimism.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis.  Kevin Faulk is on IR, Fred Taylor is questionable, and that only leaves him and Sammy Morris. Green-Ellis has failed us before but he did get the bulk of the carries after Taylor’s week 3 toe injury. He’d be my pick.

Chris Ivory has been recuperating from a knee injury. With Reggie Bush out for a few weeks,
Ivory was worked in the rotation versus Atlanta. That didn’t go so well. But Ivory is going to have
more opportunities to spell Pierre Thomas in the coming weeks - especially near the goal line.
His value is low right now, but could sky rocket at any point.

Cuff Or Be Cuffed

Ever been in the back seat of a police car in Tijuana, Mexico wearing handcuffs?  Well neither have I.  My friend, who will remain nameless at this time, has though.  Not a good feeling.  The thoughts running through my friend's head went something like this--“I knew I probably shoulda not done that, but at the time it seemed like a good idea…” 

Well, that feeling is being echoed by many fantasy footballers over the country right now, as their stud running backs, and “sleeper” quarterbacks, are going down at an alarming rate. 

Week One saw Ryan Grant go down.  Lucky owners sitting in the pole position of the weekly waiver wire were gifted Brandon Jackson, who may or may not turn out to be a solid player.  Regardless, Grant owners would be much happier owning him, than not.  Kevin Kolb, who I wrote about last week, also went down, and Michael Vick has quickly stepped in and owned the starting job in Philadelphia.  I'm not saying Vick should have been a handcuff necessarily, as that's a tough call with quarterbacks, but with Kolb being unproven going into this year, it wouldn't have been the worst idea.  (Editor's note - I, myself, DID NOT draft Vick, even though I own Kevin Kolb in multiple leagues, and I'm hurting).

Week two, and guys like Michael Turner and Ryan Mathews went down with injuries.  Neither returned to their respective games, but both watched from the sidelines as their backups stepped up in a big way.   Jason Snelling ran for over 125 yards and two touchdowns in relief of Turner.  Mike Tolbert, normally a fullback, showed he might be in the running for this year's version of LaRon McClain.  The bruising runner pummeled defenders as he rushed for 80 plus yards and two scores.

Both of these backs need to be owned, if they are not already.  Right now, there are two concerned owners in your league (of Turner and Mathews), hoping they can sneak these guys on to their squad.  The ones who intelligently handcuffed these backups already can sit back and breathe easy, other than the usual gametime decision stuff they'll mostly likely have to deal with this Sunday.  For those that didn't handcuff during the draft or before this past weekend, good luck.  Hopefully the reason you didn't handcuff them, is because you loaded your team with top quality reserve players, and you can deal with injuries.   Either way, I think the first two weeks has shown us the importance of handcuffing top players.

Back to my friend in the police car.  A quick trip across the border by two of our other friends, and $300 later from an ATM machine, and my friend was uncuffed and allowed to go.  Playing in a money league can bring very similar parallels.  For those of you that refuse to learn the value of handcuffing in fantasy football, you just might find yourself feeling like my friend did that night in Tijuana, Mexico.  Forehead sweating, windows steaming, mind racing, hoping that silly thing you just did or didn't do, doesn't cost you a lot of cash! 

But, most likely, it probably will.

Caught in a Kolb Web - Jeremy Dayton

So you waited on a quarterback during your draft.  You figured you’d stack your lineup with stud running backs and wide receivers, and pick up an unproven or questionable quarterback in the middle to late rounds.  A lot of you ended up with guys like Kevin Kolb, Joe Flacco, and Brett Favre.  

Those that REALLY waited may be saddled with the likes of a Matthew Stafford or Donovan McNabb.   You expected your quarterback to be the Trent Dilfer of the 2000 Baltimore Ravens.  Provide a few points, but just don’t LOSE the game.  

Now, after a week one that saw very little solid quarterback play from anyone outside the top seven, (other than Jay Cutler), you’re probably feeling a bit anxious.  (Especially if your horses were guys like Andre or Calvin Johnson, Ray Rice, Michael Turner… the list goes on.)

But, all is not lost.  

Take a deep breath.  Relax.  

Just like Rex Ryan, tell yourself “it’s only week one, and we’ll get better.”  

The beauty of fantasy football is we have much more control than a head coach does.  Mark Sanchez (I didn’t mention him above, because if you’re counting on him as a starter, you must’ve been on auto-draft, and might as well forfeit.  No, I take that back.  No I don’t.  Yes I do.  This article still applies to you.), will never win you games, but his ability to “not lose” them in the NFL, doesn’t apply to fantasy.  

Maybe when Santonio Holmes' suspension is up, so will his prospects go, but until then, he should be on zero rosters.  So Rex will stick with the USC Golden boy and expect to win with solid running and defense.  Okay, I digress... what’s this got to do with your floundering quarterback situation?  

Maybe not much, but to the point:

If you’re an owner of Kevin Kolb, who suffered a concussion against the Packers and is questionable for this week against the Lions, and you don’t have a reliable backup on your roster, than you’re gonna have to make some decisions this week.  First and foremost, stake a waiver claim on Michael Vick.  Regardless of your league’s scoring system, Vick look rejuvenated and if he’s got the keys to the Philly offense, you should try and do as Reid does, hand them over to the dog lover, ESPECIALLY against the Lions.  

It seems like a strong possibility that Kolb won’t be playing this week, and even if he does, it’ll be limited.  So if you’re team is solid everywhere else, hold steady and see what Vick gives you.  Now, if some shrewd owner decides to block you on your claim, or perhaps a team also with a need at quarterback with waiver priority steals him, there just may be some other value on the waiver wire. 

Here’s a few quick answers that may be available on your waiver wire:  

Matt Hasselbeck.  He’s been completely overlooked, and had a solid week one performance, throwing for 170 yards and two touchdowns, while also running for one.  He may have thrown more if his team hadn’t taken such a commanding lead in the second half.  Denver allowed three touchdown passes through the air to the Jacksonville Jaguars, so Hasselbeck could easily match his week one numbers come Sunday.  

Speaking of the Jaguars…

David Garrard is also a solid pickup as a week two replacement.  Ironically, he also threw for 170 yards, but added three touchdowns via the pass.   A matchup at San Diego, in what could be a high scoring contest, should provide plenty of chances for Garrard to put up another solid game.  Garrard’s counterpart this past week, Kyle Orton, also looks like he may have a bit of value. 

Orton looked pretty solid on Sunday, throwing for just under 300 yards and a score, and could definitely provide some stability at the quarterback position for your fantasy team until an ultimate decision is made on Kolb. 

Lastly, don’t be scared to pick up Matt Cassel this week, as he faces off against the Cleveland Browns.  

Last year, he torched the Browns for over 300 yards and two touchdowns.  With guys like Jamaal Charles and Dexter McCluster showing big play ability, any quick dumpoff pass could end up crossing the goalline.  So if you're really desperate and the other guys are gone, he could be a solid week two play.

Tough matchups and injuries happen all the time.  You have to realize that and not do anything too reactionary after a tough game.  The same goes for an injury, until you know the true extent of it.  

Kolb could end up playing this week, or he could be out a month.  We just don’t know yet.   Patience, as always, is key.  

Flacco, Favre, McNabb and eventually, maybe even Stafford, will have their days to shine.  Some will more than others, but they all will win you some games.  So, if you were a proud drafter of Kevin Kolb this season, don’t sweat it.  Try to get Vick or grab a guy off waivers to fill your roster this week.  However, if you see another team with multiple quarterbacks, don’t hesitate to try and trade.

If your team has enough depth, it’s always a good idea to make a pre-emptive move, so long as you’re not sacrificing too much.   I’m not saying give up a stud running back for Matt Ryan, but maybe a third running back for a Jay Cutler owner, who wants to sell high.  You can never have enough options, but you’ll never know unless you throw out the offers.  

Doing it now, rather than waiting until you’re completely desperate, will help you salvage some value in the players you are willing to part ways with in a trade.

The reality is, you’re not going to win all of your games, and every one of your players isn’t going to perform every week.  It’s only week one, so have faith in your draft.   

Quarterbacks aren’t normally like wide receivers and running backs, where one or two studs show up out of nowhere each year.  Keep your eyes open for trade opportunities, and be diligent on the waiver wire.  

If you do, a little concussion to your ninth round starter shouldn’t be anything more than a speed bump on your way to the championship.  I mean, you didn’t expect him to WIN the championship for you to begin with did you?  That was the responsibility of your first eight picks.  He was only supposed to pull a Dilfer.