Fantasy Guy Ryan Wilson is on assignment for The Examiner. Calling the Fantasy shots this week is staff writer Sean Welsh, owner of the mighty Pratt St. Pigeons.
If you?re leading your Fantasy league right now, don?t get all puffy and big-headed.
It?s time for the playoffs, and even if you had the horses to get your team into the postseason, you?re likely to have some weak spots.
Despite stomping most of the competition, I have concerns for my conference-leading Pratt Street Pigeons (10-2). Tom Brady and Randy Moss, for example, aren?t exactly locks to play if my team is playing for the championship during the final two weeks of the NFL season. If the Patriots are still undefeated, maybe they?ll go all-out to keep their winning streak alive. But with the AFC?s top seed all but locked up, the Patriots and Coach Bill Belichick might be playing their second-teamers when The Examiner Bowl rolls around.
If you have players on title contenders or even top-tier players on hapless cellar-dwellers ? Willis McGahee, for example ? make sure you check their availability closely. This is the time of the season when veterans on bad teams come up with mysterious injuries that can suck the life out of a Fantasy team?s playoff hopes.
Trading deadlines in most leagues likely have come and gone ? the deadline in The Examiner?s league was Wednesday. But if that?s not the case in your league and you?ve got a friend sitting in last place, offer him a free lunch and your injured running back for his superstar. Sure, the rest of the league?s owners will hate you, but you?ll be in the money.
If you?re in a keeper league, you?re in even better shape. Offer up an injured player with little value this year ? Steven Jackson or Rudi Johnson, for example ? for a break-out player who can help you now.
Too bad Fantasy Guy is on assignment with the paper. He has yet to find out I nabbed Carson Palmer, Wes Welker and Edgerrin James for my playoff push. Ryan will be back next week in time for the first week of the playoffs.
And remember, Ryan is only an accountant. And I?ve taken him to the bank twice already this season.
