12/28/06
The top two picks of 2007 fantasy football drafts are obvious. It’s
the next pick that will be tough.
LaDainian Tomlinson will be a unanimous No. 1 overall pick after
he shattered the single-season touchdown record. At No. 2, Larry
Johnson will be chosen after he recorded 2,000-plus total yards
and 16 touchdowns heading into this week.
At No. 3? Many different players can be argued to be worthy of being
selected in that slot. With most fantasy leagues finished, let’s
look ahead to 2007 and the leading candidates to be the No. 3 pick.
Steven Jackson, RB, St. Louis:
Jackson’s 409 touches (321 carries, 88 receptions) ranks only
behind Johnson heading into this week, and his 2,168 total yards
(1,386 rushing, 782 receiving) are only behind Tomlinson. He also
has been a consistent scoring threat, scoring a touchdown in eight
of the last 10 games.
Shaun Alexander, RB, Seattle:
Alexander turns 30 next season, the age when many running backs
start to slow down. But he will be just two seasons removed from
his 28-touchdown season, and has showed signs of his past dominance
with a 140-yard, two-touchdown game last week and a 201-yard game
in Week 12.
Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis:
Many fantasy owners won’t consider taking a quarterback in
the first round, but if one were chosen, it would be Manning. The
Colt has been an elite quarterback in each of his nine years in
the NFL, making him perhaps the safest pick an owner can make.
Rudi Johnson, RB, Cincinnati:
The Bengal likely will not be ranked as the No. 3 player on most
preseason cheat sheets, but, like Manning, if owners want a safe
pick, Johnson is a solid choice. He’s on his way to a fourth
straight 1,400-total-yard, 12-touchdown season.
Others: Frank Gore, RB, San Francisco;
Willie Parker, RB, Pittsburgh; Brian Westbrook, RB, Philadelphia.
Hot Read
Ladell Betts, RB, Redskins:
Clinton who? Since Clinton Portis has been out with an injury,
Betts has been on a tear. In the last five weeks, he’s recorded
678 rushing yards, with at least 100 in each game. Portis owners
who didn’t handcuff him with Betts are regretting it now.
Broken Play(er)
Michael Vick, QB, Atlanta: Vick’s
season totals put him as a top-five quarterback in most scoring
systems. But those numbers are deceiving from a fantasy standpoint.
One of the key traits to a true fantasy stud is consistency. Vick
is far from consistent. Fifteen of his 19 touchdown passes have
come in five games. In 2007, let someone else draft the headache
that is Vick.
Off The Bench
Vincent Jackson, WR, San Diego:
If you have poor matchups or injury problems at wide receiver,
consider grabbing Jackson and starting him this week. The Chargers
face Arizona’s 30th-ranked pass defense, and Jackson has
been hot lately. Last week, he grabbed five passes for 97 yards
and two touchdowns against Seattle in replace of an injured Eric
Parker. He also has 258 receiving yards the last three weeks and
has a good chance to stay hot if Parker doesn’t play.
Safe Bet
Eli Manning, QB, Giants: Don’t
let Manning’s poor performance the last two weeks prevent
you from considering starting him this week. The Giants take on
Washington’s 29th-ranked pass defense that has allowed a
league-high 29 touchdowns. With a playoff spot on the line, expect
Manning to come up big.
Extra Point
If you’re league still is playing this week, be aware of
teams that have nothing to play for with their playoff spot locked
up. Chicago has home-field advantage clinched, New Orleans has
a No. 2 seed wrapped up, and Seattle is locked into a No. 4 seed.
The safe play is to bench any players on those teams, because
they may play little or not at all. Also, keep in mind Philadelphia
and Denver may have nothing to play for in late-afternoon Sunday
games. If Detroit upsets Dallas earlier in the day, the Eagles
will be locked into a No. 3 seed. If Jacksonville beats Kansas
City in an early afternoon contest, the Broncos will clinch a
No. 5 seed as a wild card.
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