The Run-Down

Last year on the Office, there was an episode where the whole theme was the interim boss (forget his name, but he was mean and liked soccer) asked Jim for a "run-down," and Jim goes around asking everybody and their mother what a run-down is because his job was actually on the line. I'm still not sure what it is, but here's my interpretation of it:

Run-down on best fantasy football players and their positions so far this season and prospects of keeping it up, using the "strongly like/strongly dislike" system (remember, again, this is more "rolling of the dice," "throwing darts at a dartboard" for me.....), as per my maxim about fantasy football....

1.) Chris Johnson- outside of a 285 yd, 3-TD by-air-and-by-land performance, Johnson hasn't done that much in the other two games. On an 0-3 team, he might have problems getting a lot of 20-touch games especially w/ LenDale White still vulturing attemps at goal line. Probably will drop to right around 10-11th best RB by end of year.

Prognosis: Lukewarm.

2.) Adrian Peterson- He's not even human. And his team is even better this year. Savor it, all you #1-overall-pickers. Any questions?

Prognosis: Dynamic.

3.) MJD- as expected, putting up good numbers, although like Johnson, did most of damage against Houston. I think the lesson's probably, just start everyone and their mother against the texans D as opposed to how good these guys are, but oompa loompa should still be booming this season.

Prognosis: Explosive.

4.) Brees/Manning (QB's)- did I not tell y'all before the season that manning's still gonna be manning. Doesn't matter if it's reggie wayne, anthony gonzalez, pierre garcon, pee-wee herman, toute le monde (French reference), or chocolate fondue, this guy's gonna throw to them and throw for 300 yars. Deal with it.

Prognosis: Bastions of the QB position

5.) Matt Schaub: This guy's interesting cuz he's faced Tennessee v. Jackson and thrown 7 TD's total (why is this post so enamoured with these Houston/Tennesse/Jacksonville players who only played each other? It's like trying to assess guys after they play high school teams). Urg, for the record I say teams start shutting down Andre Johnson and subsequently Schaub, but this could go either way.

Prognosis: Debbie Downer, cut bait (Translation: Sell high!)

6.) Julius Jones/ Cedric Benson: How these kids found their way into the fantasy elite and not in their own backwards reliving glory days is a mystery to me, but Cedric the Unentertaining looked good breezing past the Pitt D on his way to a crucial TD last week, so I should theoretically give him the benefit of the doubt, but I'm not............too many fumbles as a Bear for me to give him any love. I HAVE Julius and I still can't love him, the player not even a manager could love.

Prognosis: Danglers (as in, dangle them to other managers as much as possible and milk as much as you can out of them).

7.) Brent Celek (TE): Who? Sounds like a vegetable. Apparently Kevin Kolb has been a busy little boy and thrown to this guy along w/ DeSean Jackson (who, although not to be mentioned in this post, has firm hold ofthe heart of at least one fantasy manager, but I think this may be too good to be true.....Brian Westbrook and McNabb, like the ugly stepdaughters, will be back soon when the clock strikes midnight, so the young guys will take the hit.

Prognosis: Livin' the Dream, eliminate before wake-up.

8.) Denver D: The #1-ranked Yahoo! Defense is in for a rude awakening this weekend as Romo goes to Mile-High w/ arsenal loaded......like the team, the D will get exposed and Denver gives up 24+ points at home, en route to another mediocre 8-8 season and division loss to the Chargers.

9.) To avoid signing off on down note, here's a guy I'm high on: Vincent Jackson. Huge target, huge hands, huge opportunity w/ Phillip Rivers as QB, who (say it with me cuz i've been preaching this), it's his team. This is like the arrival of Delhomme/Smith, Culpepper/Moss, Bulger/Holt: Lots of production for a long time.

Prognosis: Ride the gravy train, toot toot!

Fantasize on,

Robert Yan

(Btw, personal pledge of making up for a lackluster Aug/Sept. with a prolific October....plan on it. This month should have updates of NBA fantasy draft, my trips to Price is Right + Jeopardy, Chinese moon festival, + your favorite, random ramblings.)