Here is a mix of interesting questions I received from fantasy players this past week, and the response provided. If you have a question for the HTH Mailbag, just drop me an email.

Note that not all questions will be answered because it just isn't possible to respond to them all. Also there are no certainties in fantasy football. The responses represent one opinion to consider in your final decision managing your fantasy team. Overall, I just Hope This Helps...

Question: Mike, I have a trade question for you. I'd love your advice before I pull the trigger on this one or refuse it. Would you send Michael Pittman to get Koren Robinson?

I have LT & Henry and am seeking a solid #2 WR (as solid as the 2004 season is allowing) to join Chad Johnson & Jimmy Smith.

I like Pittman, but am thinking Koren might help me more. Thoughts?

Phil

I could be jaded from last year but unless the guy pulls his career together a la Thomas Jones late last season, we're looking at 3 yards and a cloud of dust from him. He does not break a lot of tackles. I told someone else that I'd be shocked if he breaks off a 10 yard run. The guy just has no wheels...or at least didn't last year. Maybe he will come in re-invigorated.

Koren I still think will come around. The talent is there. He is younger and playing in a much better offense. WR does seem to be more a position of need for you.

I would do that trade. I think Pittman is being slightly overvalued right now, likely because of all the RB injuries that have occurred so people are looking to anyone who might help resurrect their team. Based on what I saw last year, Pittman will disappoint.

Question: One of my friends recommended this and I want your advice. I won my first game after big weeks from Thomas Jones and Javon Walker. I think my roster is in decent shape for the rest of the season (barring injury) but it was suggested I trade Thomas Jones now.

QB: McNair, Kerry Collins, Volek
RB: Taylor, Jones, Foster, Suggs
WR: Harrison, Mason, Walker, Gabriel, Curry
TE: Jolley and Wrighster

I start 3 WRs. Do you think I should trade Jones for a QB? I'm concerned if I do so, I might not get starter production from Foster or Suggs. I believe Suggs will be fine, but Butch Davis is now starting to worry me. My friend thinks Grossman was doing well enough to keep defenses honest. Statistically speaking, it looks like Quinn doesn't have to do much to help Jones out but I didn't see Grossman play at all so I don't know if I should trade Jones now. What do you think?

G.C.

I think Thomas Jones is one of those players on the "do not trade" list right now, don't you? I mean, every player has a price, but there are always a handful of players you just can't get good value for because either (a) no one would be willing to properly pay when you have them, or (b) they are hopelessly overpriced if you try to get them from someone else. Right now guys like Javon Walker, Reggie Wayne, Thomas Jones, Chris Brown kind of fit in that category.

McNair has really sucked, no doubt about that, and I do have QB issues myself - one league with McNair, one with Garcia - but I'd prefer to ride it out than trade someone of Jones' stature for a QB. Even without Grossman, I don't see that much of a drop-off for Jones. He will get his touches (plenty of touches) and based on his first three games, he is making the absolute most with those touches.

Jones has justified himself as a 1st or 2nd round pick, so about the only QB you'd accept would be Manning, McNabb or Culpepper. And, I doubt the owners of any of those guys are willing to trade them for Jones. I'd stick with it if I was in your shoes, and see what Collins/Volek can do. The Titans QB situation cannot remain that bad all season.

Question: Hi Mike, I liked your analysis of the trade involving Brian Westbrook, Marvin Harrison, and Michael Clayton for Fred Taylor, Tiki Barber, and Eric Moulds. I'm a FF rookie and I really need some further guidance on the subject of collusion. I'm in two leagues that are very competitive and so far no trades have been offered. Recently I joined a free Yahoo league with a late draft just for fun and a learning experience. Our draft was Wednesday, and the next day, two teams approved this deal:

Shaun Alexander, Eric Moulds and Trent Green for

Eddie George, Kevin Johnson and Byron Leftwich

I don't think we need to talk about the value of these players. Let's toss out Leftwich and Green, assuming they are about even (both teams have stud starting QBs anyway). There is no way that anyone with any sense would think this is a fair trade. To me, it is an insult. It's a trade involving Team A's 1st and 3rd round picks for Team B's 4th and 11th rounders which happened one day after the draft. We can beat the lopsided nature of this deal to death, but we're both smart enough to see how ridiculous it is.

Now, forget the fact that it's a free Yahoo league and I should expect this kind of BS. I understand that, and my seriousness about this league has now plummeted. My question is, how should I approach the situation? Is it appropriate to automatically suspect collusion and request that the parties withdraw the trade? I voted against it and we need 3 more votes to reject it. I've sent e-mails and posted messages to the board but so far no one is responding. If the trade is approved, I would consider the league to be completely compromised and would either leave, or just become an unbearable bastard, posting hateful messages to the board insulting both teams for the remainder of the season. Would love to hear your take.

Thanks, Matt

Hey Matt. I'm sorry to hear about your situation here. This trade is obviously a joke. You've taken the step to vote it down which is good and about the only thing you can do at this point.

If it was me, and this kind of thing goes through, then I would have to seriously question if the same person is running a couple of teams in the same league. Why a person would bother doing this I have no idea but at the same time would it surprise me? Absolutely not.

Certainly the league would be compromised if this went down (perhaps it is compromised already), and I would probably just pull the plug on my involvement in the league. You could continue to complain, but realistically, in something like this you will probably get yourself more upset than it will actually do any good, I would guess. Put your primary focus on your other leagues and see how this plays out. If there is no satisfactory resolution to it, then feel no guilt by bailing out. I hate giving that advice but in this extreme set of circumstances, it is about the only thing I can come up with that makes any sense.