Ian Allan answers your fantasy football questions. Special burning torches edition. What the heck is up with Phil Dawson? When is Chris Johnson going to score? Why isn't Daryl Richardson better? Who sucks more -- Golden Tate or T.Y. Hilton?

Question 1

It seems the most prevalent draft strategy coming into this season was to wait on QBs because of the depth at the position. I was curious as to whether that strategy needed reassessment based on how the season has gone thus far. I'm in a ten-team league that starts 2 QBs. Also 3-4 RBs, 4-5 WRs, 1-2 TEs. Granted, RBs are important, but two of us drafted QBs with our first two picks (Brees and Brady, Rodgers and Manning) and we seem to be in much better shape going forward. Guys are scrambling for production at the QB spot and RBs have been pretty much a crapshoot. There is no doubt both of us are weak at RB (Lacy, Ridley, BGE, Joique, Quizz), but with the lack of production and injuries at the position it seems our strategy has worked thus far. Any thoughts?

BOB THURBER (LAWRENCE, KS)

The game has changed. It’s not about running backs anymore. This is like the touch football we used to play in the street. The quarterback is everything. Manning, Brady, Brees, Rodgers. In the NFL, the franchises with those kind of quarterbacks are winning. Passing numbers are going through the roof. They’ve been climbing every year. Now they’re just getting ridiculous. We’re at the quarter-pole mark, and teams are averaging 266 passing yards per game. If this pace holds, we’re going to see 833 touchdown passes – an average of 26 per team. This makes it much easier, of course to find quarterbacks who’ll average about 270 yards and throw about 27 TD passes. Think Philip Rivers, Matt Schaub and Ben Roethlisberger. But that’s not good enough. Every year now, we’re going to see multiple quarterbacks blasting past the 40-touchdown mark and putting up over 5,000 yards. Get one of those guys on your fantasy team, and you should win a bunch of games. It doesn’t really matter if your starting tailback is Ray Rice, Jamaal Charles or Eddie Lacy. Now if you’re in a league with double quarterbacks and you’ve two of those guys. Well, you can start planning the year-end banquet you’ll be hosting. To me, it looks like your only mistake is publicizing this trend. If you keep quiet, maybe you can draft another two big-time quarterbacks next year.

Add Comment

Question 2

Love the emails from disgruntled subscribers. They are hilarious - more entertaining than hearing from fishing for compliments guy, who wants to know whether to start Peterson, Jamaal Charles, or Shady McCoy. Have you ever thought about doing a Complaint of the Week feature in your mailbag? Maybe you don't get enough complaints to warrant it, but they sure are fun to read.

DANIEL FORD (ROCHESTER, NY)

Being annoyed at errors made during drafts, that’s part of the game. And if you’ve paid money to get advice from a guy and that contributed to the error, that makes it even worse. I get that. That’s fair. I welcome discussion about picks – where we went wrong on certain selections and why. We try to be as scientific during this process as we can. We carefully look at each team and player, looking at previous year’s statistics and trends, reading all the articles and watching all the games. Using that data, we try to build the best draft board possible. But we will miss on some selections, and when that happens, I recognize that we’ll hear about it. That’s part of the deal.

2 Comments | Add Comment

Question 3

When do you admit you were wrong about Chris Johnson?

JAMES TALLEUR (HIGHLAND, NY)

I’ve getting a nervous about Johnson. He’s a great talent, and the system looks better this year, but we need to see the results in the field. Now we knew in the preseason that there was a good chance he’d be pulled in goal-line situations. But I have been burned in the past by undervaluing other, similar-type backs. There are players who are good enough that they’ll score plenty of touchdowns without those 1-yard pokes. James Brooks, Barry Sanders, Tiki Barber, Thurman Thomas, Darren Sproles. And that’s not to say this is just a case of him having missed on a couple of 1-yard scores. The structure of the offense has been more passing oriented than I expected; 7 TD passes versus only 2 TD runs after four weeks. And Johnson isn’t catching passes. But I’m not giving up on him just yet. The Locker injury could help to tweak that offense more in his favor. The offensive line is good enough, and he’s still a very talented back.

Add Comment

Question 4

I realize how difficult it is to project who will be the next big fantasy stars. An inexact science for sure. That said, I bought into your preseason ratings for T.Y. Hilton, Golden Tate and Daryl Richardson and am paying the price for it now. Hilton and Tate look too small to be reliable fantasy WRs, and Richardson and the entire Rams offense has regressed. I’m about ready to bail on all three of these guys? Any reason why I shouldn’t?

Paul Owers (WEST PALM BEACH, FL)

With the Rams, I don’t think it’s a running back problem. I think it’s a scheme problem. They’re playing two lightweight tight ends. Both Jared Cook and Lance Kendricks missed blocks that blew up plays against San Francisco. They’re basically just a run-and-shoot team. Think Oilers and Falcons of the late ‘80s and early ’90s. (Somewhere, some high school or college kid is reading this, and I’m like the old guy going on and on about the Colts and Giants in the ‘greatest game ever played’ in the ‘50s.) Richardson tweets he’s not starting this week. Presumably that means they’re going with Benny Cunningham, Zac Stacy or Isaiah Pead. Disappointing. I would very much like to see Richardson play against that weak Jacksonville defense. For Tate and Hilton, they’re different guys. Hilton has shown some playmaking ability. I think he scored about 3 TDs in the preseason; dude makes big plays. He’s like a young Steve Smith. He just needs more opportunities. They’re bringing him along slowly, as their No. 3 behind Darrius Heyward-Bey (who’s more of a field stretcher). When DHB got hurt in the Miami game, Hilton went over 100 yards. With Tate, I bought into the notion that he would be their No. 1 receiver. Harvin got hurt, Rice was in Switzerland getting his knee worked on, and the stories coming out of camp suggested Tate was the clear No. 1 and going to be a good receiver. With Russell Wilson ready to do more as a passer, the ingredients seemed to be in place for Tate to catch about 75 balls. But now that we’re in the real games, the reality is setting in. The size and speed aren’t there; he’s not winning the one-on-one battles outside. They’ve got a bunch of wide receivers, and it’s more of a rotational, matchup-type offense. Tate isn’t going to break out of this funk and start catching 5-6 passes every week.

1 Comment | Add Comment

Question 5

My entire running backs have been a disaster so far. Trent Richardson, C.J. Spiller, and the NE RBs. I am in a point-per-reception league and we can keep 10 players every year. I am seriously considering putting Richardson up for trade. My question is, what other running back would be fair value for Richardson? I am talking to another team owner for Ray Rice.

JOHN SHELBROCK (FRANKENMUTH, MI)

We do not alter the plan. We stick to the plan. Isn’t that what Hans Gruber taught us back in the ‘80s? You’ve got Richardson. For better or for worse, he’s the guy you married. Now let’s give him a chance to do his thing. He’s going to get to play a lot this weekend. Ahmad Bradshaw has the neck deal, so Richardson’s going to play almost full-time. The only other two marquee running backs to switch teams during the season in the last 30 years both went over 130 yards in their first games at home – Eric Dickerson and Herschel Walker. Not up that he’s quite up there with those guys, but I expect Richardson will go for 80-plus and probably a touchdown. Did you see the running back factoid I posted yesterday? Seattle on the road isn’t anything like Seattle at home. Now way do you trade Richardson for Rice, who’s already played his best ball. Rice has had four really big season. You don’t bring him in now in a keeper league, right as he’s starting to slow down.

2 Comments | Add Comment

Question 6

Drafted Phil Dawson who was ranked the #1 kicker at the time ... he's currently sitting at #32. We give distance bonuses and penalize 3 points for missed field goals, even those of the 70+ yard variety. I know you preach to hold on to kickers from winning teams, and that Dawson is on some of your teams this year. My question is, should I bail on him now for one of the many available guys like Novak (#5) Carpenter (#7) Gould (#12)? Heck, even the Jets kicker is in the top 10 right now.

Gregory Wells (LAKE FOREST PARK, WA)

If, after making the waiver more, do you retroactively get their points from Weeks 1-4? If so, then by all means make the switch. But if we’re looking at just Weeks 5-17, then probably best to stick with Dawson. The 49ers will be better than those teams, and I think Dawson will come around. San Francisco scored 166 kicking points two years ago. Davis Akers scored 131 points last year, and he really should have been up around 150 – he missed 13 field goals. Stay the course, a President once told us. Stick to the plan. (But if you’re in an alley-fight type game this week, then it might make sense to make a short-term switch to Nick Novak or Robbie Gould.) Always nice, by the way, to get a submission from the 425. It's not quite up there with Kenmore, with the LFP feels like home.

Add Comment

Question 7

I love you and the Index and have used you for years. You hit a grand slam with Alfred Morris last year and won me a league. That being said can you please admit your complete strikeout with Chris Johnson. Good god he stinks. He was not even on anybody's radar until you had him ranked 2 or 3 overall. Your terrible advice trashed many of our first round pick. You can gloat when your right, which is plenty, but step up when your dead wrong and admit it. Thanks man.

CHRISTOPHER TONELLA (SAINT LOUIS, MO)

I touched on the Chris Johnson issue in the other letter. Let’s hope he turns it around. Did you see the remarks he made on Twitter earlier this week, telling fantasy leaguers to quit complaining? “Public service announcement: I can care less about fantasy football. Key word fantasy. As long as we win I’m happy. I rush for 200 n lose y’all happy.” To me, that tweet fails on multiple levels. First of all, it’s not even grammatically sound. He could NOT care less. By writing that he “can care less”, it implies that he cares a lot (leaving room for him to care less). More notably, this is the guy whose lone goal in 2009 was to run for 2,000 yards, right? He was very happy to put up big individual stats that year, even while his team was going only 8-8. He even gave himself the nickname CJ2K. Back in July, he was bragging about how he was going to have another big season. “I know I have another 2,000-yard season in me.” Now, all of a sudden, Johnson doesn’t care about individual numbers anymore? I’m not buying. (I’m also not giving up on him; let’s see what he does on Sunday against Kansas City.)

2 Comments | Add Comment

Question 8

i have rwad that the NYG have three o-linemen out...question is when are they expected back?...I picked up d. wilson off waiver wire (surprised) in hopes of a turn around when linemen are back. also wondering when andre brown will be back. Surely he wll get a chance to start when healthy. Consideringdropping Nicks..he just looks old..plus if ya cant pass protect teams usually can get SOMETHING out of the running game...thanks ian

Jeff Foster (chico, CA)

Agreed on all points. Giants have offensive line issues. Looks like guard Chris Snee (hip) is out for the year. That hurts. He’s been a Pro Bowler. David Baas (neck) didn’t play at Kansas City. Tackle David Diehl is coming back from thumb surgery; he hasn’t played all year but should be back soon. The offensive line has contributed significantly to their problems. Eli Manning is getting sacked, which hasn’t happened in the past. But let’s not write them off in the NFC East. There’s no dominant team there. The Broncos probably will be the Cowboys this week, and the Giants should beat the Eagles. That will put New York one game out of first, and they still get to play a home game against Dallas later in the year. It’s early. Plenty of time. Also with you on New York Nickerbocker. He got shut out two weeks ago. At Kansas City, he failed to catch three balls I think he would have gotten in previous years. No way are they re-signing him at the end of the year.

2 Comments | Add Comment

Question 9

Help me out. I just got your 10-1 Redrafter and I am looking in vain for Julian Edelman on the list of Wide Receivers and I cannot find him. He had over 100 yards on Sunday, and he is averaging 10 fantasy points per game (in my league). I know he is not Dez Bryant, and I know Amendola is coming back ... but Edelman is not in the top 65 wide receivers? If you really mean that, then he has to be the Ian Allen "Yo-Yo Redrafter Player of the Year (goes from low to high to low on the chronological redrafters without having injuries causing the change).

David Krug (OVERLAND PARK, KS)

Edelman is a short-term guy. When Amendola is out, then Edelman is their slot guy, and a solid-gold option in a PPR format – a guy who’ll catch 7-9 balls every week. At one point with the Amendola injury, it looked like he might be down for about 6-7 weeks. Now he’s starting to look healthy and probably ready to roll this weekend. Once Amendola is back in the lineup, than Edelman becomes just a bit player.

4 Comments | Add Comment

Question 10

Short quick question for a standard scoring 12-team league. Okay I have been offered Adrian Peterson and Demaryius Thomas for Jamaal Charles and Dez Bryant. To me it's about dead even, what do you think?

TIM ZEUCH (MASON, OH)

Well, I’ve got Peterson at 17.8 per game, and Charles at 15.6. About a 2.2 point difference there. I’ve got Bryant at 12.0 and Thomas at 11.2. So overall, the Peterson-Thomas tandem comes out ahead 1.4 points per week. For what it’s worth, you can also factor in that Peterson has more more game left than those other guys – he’s had his bye.

Add Comment