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Posted Apr. 14 at 02:24 PM

Publisher Ian Allan fields your questions on strategy, how to run your league, player ratings -- and whatever else you think of. Updated every Friday during the season; Tuesdays and Fridays during the last two months of the preseason. You must be registered and signed-in to submit a mailbag question. After you sign in at the top of the page, the link to submit a mailbag question will become visible.



Question 1:

My question centers around a rookie RB Chris Johnson. I have been enamored with him because of his great speed. I know that he is small but I have watched him on You Tube repeatedly and for me he looks great. My question of course is simply does he have what is takes to start in the NFL someday?


JOHN SHELBROCK [FRANKENMUTH, MI]

A:

I agree with you. His YouTube highlights package looks awesome. He's got great speed -- 4.24 in the 40 -- and he clearly knows how to use it. When he gets into the open field, he's good at then cutting outside and just using that speed to outrun guys. And he'll spin out of some tackles as well. He's not a straight-line guy, who's just track fast but not a football player. So I don't think he'll be another Trung Canidate or Lamar Gordon (fast guys who washed out with the Rams). Instead, Johnson could be an even better version of Jerious Norwood, who's scored 3 TDs from 60-plus yards in two years with the Falcons. I'll be very interested to see where Johnson goes. At 197 pounds, he's not that much smaller than the two Arkansas running backs who are expected to be selected in the first round. He's faster than those guys. The level of competition will be a concern for some, but the stopwatches don't lie. This guy ran a 4.24 at the combine. I don't think he's rugged enough to ever be a full-time back. I don't think you want him getting more than a dozen touches per game. But I think he can be a good pro. He would fit in nicely, I think, with a team that's looking for a second running back and a kick returner. He would combo very nicely with a big, pounding running back. He'd come in and make some big plays, and I expect him to return 1-2 kickoffs for touchdowns this year. Kansas City, Oakland, Cleveland, Baltimore and Green Bay look like potential landing spots for him.


Question 2:

Hello, I am contemplating about doing two different fantasy leagues to combine them into one championship game this year. My plan is to start an 8-team league in which you can only draft AFC players, and an 8-team league in which you can only draft NFC players. If I did more than 8 then some weeks a team wouldn't have a QB, TE, K, DEF, etc. due to bye weeks. The AFC league and the NFC league would be run as separate leagues until Week 16, where the AFC league winner would play the NFC league winner in the "Super Bowl". I would have 15 weeks for regular season and playoff weeks. My schedule would not have AFC and NFC leagues play each other until the Super Bowl. My question is this. How big should the rosters be, starting lineup and bench? I think each roster should have a MAXIMUM 2 quarterbacks, 2 kickers, 2 tight ends and 2 defenses due to bye weeks. I wouldn't want anyone to start a "0" in a starting lineup spot. What advice would you give in setting up a league like this?


Johnny Rocket [Hartsville, TN]

A:

Having two separate leagues would allow you to hold separate draft nights. That's an advantage. But is it fair to tell half of the guys that Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Randy Moss are off limits? I don't think so. When I want to make a waiver claim on Ryan Grant, because Packers starter DeShawn Wynn just got hurt, he's off limits because I'm in the AFC league? That's a problem. And what if a player gets traded from the AFC to the NFC? I believe you'll be better off just going with one 16-team mega-league. Maybe play each opponent once. If you double-booked two weeks in the schedule (maybe weeks 6 and 13), then you could have eight teams entering a playoff tournament that ran in weeks 14-16. If you're going with a big league (like 14 or 16 teams), then I believe you'll want to go with small rosters to ensure there's some talent on the waiver wire. Maybe start QB, PK, TE, DEF, 2 RB and 3 WRs. Let each team have only 3 reserve players. Something like that.


Question 3:

After the projected 1st round running backs (McFadden, Mendenhall, Jones and Stewart), how would you rank the remaining running backs in terms of talent and is there anyone among that group that can be a full-time running back? (Of course, the situation they land in can make a huge difference). Specifically, who would make a better pro between Chris Johnson, Kevin Smith, M. Forte, J. Charles or Ray Rice just based on talent and their respective college careers?


Farhan Hassan [SAINT PAUL, MN]

A:

As John Shelbrock points out, you have to like Chris Johnson's speed. He'll be the fastest running back in the league. Now, he's a relatively small guy, so he'll never be a heavy-duty featured guy, but I think he'll make an impact. And maybe 70 percent of the teams in the league go with some kind of committee approach at tailback nowadays anyway. Jamaal Charles is the same type of back as Johnson -- very fast, but only 200 pounds. Ray Rice also goes under 200 pounds, but he's a different kind of runner -- a short, bowling-ball type of guy. If you're hoping for somebody who might some day carry the ball 20 times per game, then better to go with Kevin Smith or Matt Forte. Those guys probably will play at 220 pounds, but they don't have the playmaking speed. Maybe a year or two or three down the road, one of them will become another Ryan Grant. Of this group, I'd take Chris Johnson, though let's see what teams they wind up with.


Question 4:

Do you have a list (or know where to get one) of unusual touchdowns that will not show up on the "normal" stats (ie Kevin Walters' fumble recovery TD in week 2)? I will need these for the 2008 fantasy season. Thanks.


ZACK LEAVITT [ARVADA, CO]

A:

The only other two for the 2007 season would be the two fumble recovery touchdowns by Kevin Curtis of the Eagles. Twice, teammates fumbled the ball, with the ball rolling into the end zone, and he was able to land on those for touchdowns.


Readers' Comments

Question 1: My question centers around a...

Posted by BARRY BROWN | Apr. 17 at 04:29 PM

Dallas is a possible landing spot as well. They have invited him to work out at the Cowboys' complex and are very interested.

Question 2: Hello, I am contemplating about...

Posted by BARRY BROWN | Apr. 17 at 04:30 PM

My last comment was regarding RB Chris Johnson.

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