San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson has been absolutely incredible. He has scored at least three touchdowns four times and is second in the league with 932 yards rushing. He is inarguably the best back in football. All those fantasy owners who took Larry Johnson over Tomlinson with the No. 1 pick are kicking themselves.
Now the bad news: The Chargers? next five opponents are all very good defending the rush. So it?s possible this run of success could come to a quick end. L.T. owners, be wary of how much longer he?ll be able to carry your team, especially with the fantasy playoffs right around the corner.
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On the flip side, Tiki Barber owners are slightly disappointed this year. The Giants? back boasts a league-leading 971 rushing yards, averaging 5.1 yards a carry. But he only has one rushing touchdown. Anytime the Giants get near the goal line, in comes Brandon Jacobs.
This has made for agonizing Sundays for many Barber owners. They can expect this pattern to continue for the remainder of the season. (By the way, in keeper leagues, Jacobs is an excellent option as you look forward to 2007.)
In many leagues, the trade deadline is fast approaching, and it?s time to make those final moves that will put your team over the top. Review your team closely and assess what you can afford to lose to fill your weaknesses.
For example, at this point in the fantasy season, depth is not quite as important since there are no more bye weeks. So instead of keeping a good position on the bench from week to week, why not move them for a position where you need help?
At this time of year, you might want to make a trade you wouldn?t have considered during the regular season. If you own three good running backs and only one stud receiver, you might want to move one of those backs now to fill your receiver needs.
Here?s my fantasy advice for week 9:
Give them the ball
» Warrick Dunn: Ray Lewis may not play, and Dunn won?t miss him. The Falcons will look to regain their running dominance this week.
» Willie Parker: He should have another big week against the Browns.
» Tom Brady: The Patriots face Green Bay, which is last in the league defending the pass. Look for Brady to end the Patriots? losing streak with a big week.
» Donovan McNabb: He?ll have even more fun with the Titans? defense than Ravens did last week.
Show them the pine
» Phillip Rivers: He won?t enjoy the same success against the Broncos that he did against the Bengals.
» Ahman Green: The Patriots will come out swinging, and the Packers might have to abandon the run game early. Green might not see many carries.
» Chad Pennington: The Bears are coming totown, meaning Pennington won?t be doing much Sunday.
» Plaxico Burress: The Jaguars have good defense, and Burress and the Giants are struggling right now.
Good luck in Week 11 … and keep in mind, I?m only an accountant.
Ryan Wilson is the controller for the Baltimore Examiner. You can reach him at [email protected].
