Doug's Dynasty Den - Shark Food Chain
The updates continue!! Not much movement in and out of the list this time around, in fact just one new face this week. Busy time of year so let's get right into it....
Just to recap the rules, this is a ranking of players strictly for this purpose of dynasty leagues. Taking into account only keeper/dynasty status, and a basic scoring system. We'll count up from #50 to #1. The way it will work is that you would keep the #49 guy on the list over the #50 guy on the list, but not the #48 guy. You'd keep the #9 guy on the list over the #10 guy on the list, but not the #8 guy, etc. The #1 guy on the list is a player you would keep over any and everyone. A player's ranking from the last posting is listed in parenthesis. As is usually the case with these things, it's subjective. If you think I'm way off base, sound off: dcoutts@fantasysharks.com.
Falling off the list:
RB Kevan Barlow, San Francisco (44) - Word is he won't be a starter this year, but will get time and future is bright so he's still close to being on this list.
50 (unranked) WR Tai Streets, San Francisco - This week's only debut, was just on the outside before the Progno's article.
49 (50) QB Chad Pennington, NY Jets - Gotta include some young QBs on this list, too.
48 (49) RB Stephen Davis, Carolina - Could really surprise this year, but long term prospects aren't that great.
47 (48) WR Torry Holt, St.Louis - Tough to move up the list, but deserves to be here. Could move up if Ram offense returns to form.
46 (47) QB Drew Bledsoe, Buffalo - Proved he can put up the numbers wherever he plays.
45 (46) TE Tony Gonzalez, Kansas City - Where'd he go last year? Surely that was an aberration, right? Falling fast in this survey.
44 (45) RB Charlie Garner, Oakland - Often catches more passes than your top WR.
43 RB Curtis Martin, NY Jets - Once again people are saying his production will go down this year, who are these 'people'?
42 (33) QB Jeff Garcia, San Francisco - Back spasms have to be a concern.
41 WR Jerry Porter, Oakland - Think about it, Rice and Brown aren't going to be there forever, right?
Obviously this ten is the most subjective of all the players here, Tai Streets the only new face in this week's ranking relacing Barlow since it appears he won't be the starter this year, but eventually he will. Garcia the biggest drop in the survey this time around, back spasms before the season even begins are a concern, and he's no spring chicken to begin with.
40 (41) WR Koren Robinson, Seattle - Despite the hype, I just can't move him higher on this list - yet.
39 (40) WR Charles Rogers, Detroit - Should contribute right away and into the future.
38 (39) TE Jeremy Shockey, NY Giants - There aren't too many TEs that can contribute, may as well keep a good one.
37 (38) WR Chad Johnson, Cincinnati - Burst onto the scene out of no where, is he a flash in the pan? I'm thinking no.
36 (37) RB Tiki Barber, NY Giants - Can do many things good, none great, but many good.
35 (36) WR Joe Horn, New Orleans - Great season last year, but not his best.
34 (35) QB Aaron Brooks, New Orleans - Young gun deserves to be in this spot.
33 (29) RB Fred Taylor, Jacksonville - Here we go already with the injuries...
32 (31) WR Peerless Price, Atlanta - Another prime candidate for a break out season.
31 (30) TE Todd Heap, Baltimore - Sky is the limit for this young man.
If you're in a TE required league, you have to think about keeping one. Solid grouping of WRs that are young, and good. Robinson moves up into the 40s range, everyone here benefits a spot from Garcia's fall. Taylor's already up to his usual injury tricks, watch out.
30 (31) WR Darrell Jackson, Seattle - Don't let last year's low season totals keep you away.
29 (34) RB Eddie George, Tennessee - Should rebound from a disappointing season, still moving up the list as he still should have a couple more seasons left in the tank.
28 QB Rich Gannon, Oakland - Ageless, yet you can't keep him off this list if you want to win in the short term.
27 WR Hines Ward, Pittsburgh - Numbers can't lie, can they?
26 WR Donald Driver, Green Bay - A star in the making.
25 WR Laveranues Coles, Washington - Situation is prime for a break out season...or a bust.
24 QB Peyton Manning, Indianapolis - Young and tough. Rarely even misses a snap, nevermind a game.
23 WR Amani Toomer, NY Giants - Can you imagine what he can do with a supporting cast?
22 WR Plaxico Burress, Pittsburgh - Emerging as a threat.
21 RB Corey Dillon, Cincinnati - The Bengals have to become a decent team at some point, no?
Starting to move into the real talent that will pay dividends now and into the future. Well, except for Gannon, but how can you keep him off this list, especially if you want to win it all this year or next? Jackson makes a move into this grouping, not sure why no one else is as high on him as I am (perhaps I'm the one that's high?). George is another that makes the move up here, hard to call him a sleeper this year, but he could be.
20 (16) RB Ahman Green, Green Bay - I don't know what it is, just not getting a good feeling about him this year.
19 (20) WR David Boston, San Diego - Only thing that keeps his ranking "low" is moving to a new team.
18 (19) RB William Green, Cleveland - A tough one to figure out where he belongs on this list, but being a young RB.....
17 (18) WR Eric Moulds, Buffalo - Should be able to survive the loss of Price without problem.
16 (17) QB Donovan McNabb, Philadelphia - Nicked up by injury here and there, but deserves this spot in the order.
15 (14) RB Jamal Lewis, Baltimore - Injury worries should be behind him.
14 (13) QB Duante Culpepper, Minnesota - Young gunner that can run wild.
13 (12) WR Randy Moss, Minnesota - If only he can keep off the field things from distracting him.
12 (16) RB Priest Holmes, Kansas City - Looked strong and healthy. Could move up even higher, though he's no young buck anymore.
11 RB Marshall Faulk, St.Louis - Tough to rank him so "low" on this list, but age is a big factor in these rankings. I have no doubts that he'll have another studly season this year.
Getting close to the top players. Hard to keep guys like Marshall, Moss, Culpepper, and McNabb out of the top 10 since they are close, but the talent at the very top keeps them out. Holmes moves up quickly based on him appearing in uniform on a field for a few plays, and rightly so.
10 RB Travis Henry, Buffalo - Quietly puts up incredible numbers. No worries about McGahee, Henry will be a stud somewhere.
9 (5) WR Terrell Owens, San Francisco - Another guy that all of a sudden isn't giving me a great feeling. Still a good feeling though.
8 (9) WR Marvin Harrison, Indianapolis - Stud no matter how you slice it.
7 RB Shawn Alexander, Seattle - Is out to prove that last year's low numbers were a fluke, but were they?
6 (8) RB Duece McAllister, New Orleans - Can get the job done in many ways.
5 (6) RB Edgerrin James, Indianapolis - If he's fully recovered from injury, he could move up this list even further.
4 QB Michael Vick, Atlanta - Strange to see a QB this high on a Coutts ranking list, isn't it? Sky is the limit as long as he stays healthy.
3 RB Clinton Portis, Denver - The only thing keeping him from being higher is that he hasn't played a full season as "the guy".
2 RB Ricky Williams, Miami - Proved he can once again dominate, shouldn't slow down this year.
1 RB LaDanian Tomlinson, San Diego - Has twice proven can carry a huge load for an entire season, no reason that should change.
The creme de la creme, best of the best. Shocking, I know, that I could put together a list where a three non-RBs crack the top ten, but their rankings are well deserved. Harrison and Owens certainly belong here, and you can only argue a higher ranking for Vick, he's that good...and so young. Tomlinson continues to edge out Williams for top honors, but barely. You would be very happy with any of these ten guys on your team no matter how you acquire them. Owens slides a bit based on the Garcia situation, but don't overlook him.
