When in Doubt, Gut it Out
For those of us fortunate enough to be playing in a championship game this week, it all comes down to this. Every gut-wrenching week was preparation for determining your championship starting lineup. As we all have done throughout the course of the season, this is not the time to get cute with playing a matchup or second guessing yourself. There’s a reason we’re all here and that is because more often than our opponents this season, we chose starters who out performed the competition. Remember their names and start them this week. Forget the weather reports, toss out the rankings for the defenses they’re playing against. It’s all about studs this time of year and when in doubt, gut it out. I read a message board thread about sitting DeAngelo Williams because he was going up against the Giants in the Meadowlands. That’s precisely the kind of move I am advocating against. Unless the guy he’s being benched for is named
Championship Game previews
Whom to keep?
With so many strong fantasy performances this season, it is hard to pinpoint one guy to protect at all costs this offseason. I could easily make a case for Adrian Peterson but that might be too obvious. The one guy who I think will continue to churn out incredible numbers and should be kept if the opportunity presents itself is Mr. Calvin Johnson. Through 14 games, he is fifth in receiving yards (1,165), tied for second with 10 touchdowns and for receivers with at least 40 catches, he’s third in yards per catch (17.9). I was fortunate to draft him as a number three receiver this season and he’s performed like a solid number one. What is even more remarkable is he has amassed his production with the likes of Jon “gimpy back” Kitna, Dan “who am I?” Orlovsky and Daunte “still got my roll on” Culpepper. Since it’s only Calvin’s second season in the NFL and he’s still improving, I really can’t think of any player more valuable in a keeper league format. If the chance to snag him from a leaguemate is possible, do what is necessary to add him to your roster. The Lions can’t get any worse, and if they happen to bring in a quality starting quarterback, Calvin’s numbers will continue to improve.