By Arlo @ 10/19/2008 16:04 :: 475 Views ::
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Player News & UpdatesThere are worlds between calling plays on an NFL sideline and dishing out advice from behind a keyboard, but in one respect, fantasy experts and NFL head coaches are remarkably similar: both tend to be afraid of taking risks. Just like most coaches - Mr. Shanahan notwithstanding - will kick the extra point when down by one and no time left on the clock, so too will most experts side with tried-and-true performers when creating rankings. Their motivations are the same: both fear being left looking foolish if an unorthodox call doesn't work out. Yet both leave plentiful opportunities untapped.
Case in point: this week's running back rankings. Most pundits ranked all-universe rusher LaDainian Tomlinson ahead of waiver wire pickups such as Mewelde Moore and Dominic Rhodes, who both received the call this week due to injuries to their teams' starters.
Needless to say, when Tomlinson is healthy, he is one of the best running backs in the game and an every-week fantasy starter. Yet he isn't healthy; his turf toe has caused problems all season long and will likely continue to do so.
Meanwhile, Moore and Rhodes found themselves in nearly perfect situations this week, carrying the ball for strong offenses against opponents who have plenty of trouble stopping the run. Moore's Steelers squared off against the winless Bengals who have allowed 156.8 yards on the ground per game so far, fifth-worst in the league. Rhodes's outlook was equally promising, with the Packers, who have allowed a league-worst 5.1 yards per carry, on the schedule.
Yet most experts recommended starting Tomlinson against the Bills over either Moore or Rhodes, simply for fear of winding up with egg on their faces on Monday morning if they turned out to be wrong. Owners facing a similar decision who examined each running back's situation and opted to bench Tomlinson, on the other hand, wound up reaping a sizeable reward in the form of two touchdowns from Rhodes and three from Moore, not to mention more than 110 cambined yards from each. Tomlinson? 67 combined yards, no scores.