The fantasy football season is almost over — hopefully, your teams are still playing this weekend for obvious reasons — so it’s time to look back and recognize the season’s biggest studs. Without further ado, here is my 2009 All-Stud Fantasy Squad. [Drumroll, please.]

QB: Drew Brees, Saints. Brees, the first quarterback taken in most leagues, didn’t disappoint. His 33 passing touchdowns through 15 weeks are tied for tops in the NFL, and he’s thrown for 4,130 yards to boot. Honorable mention: Aaron Rodgers, Packers.

RB: Chris Johnson, Titans. Johnson was selected in the middle of the first round in most leagues, but he turned out to be a pleasant surprise for owners who wound up with him. He’s closing in on 2,000 rushing yards, and has been a major factor in the Titans’ passing game, too. He’s my pick for 2009 fantasy MVP, too. Honorable mention: Ray Rice, Ravens.

WR: Andre Johnson, Texans, and Reggie Wayne, Colts. Johnson leads all NFL receivers with 1,433 receiving yards, and though his eight touchdowns are a bit below expectations, that’s still pretty good. Meanwhile, Wayne has put up impressive receiving totals as well, including 11 touchdowns, which ties him with Larry Fitzgerald for the league lead. Honorable mention: Fitzgerald, Cardinals, and Miles Austin, Dallas. Read the rest of this entry »

So your keeper team has sucked this year, its playoff chances are slim to none and you’re already thinking about how you’ll do things differently at next year’s draft. My advice: Go ahead and throw in the towel.

The reason: If your team isn’t playoff bound, you can trade one of your few good players before the trade deadline for an up-and-coming player who will help your squad in 2010 (remember, this advice is for keeper leagues only). I know that would be waving a white flag, but you’re in it to win it, right?

For example, I would have no objection to trading an effective older back like Thomas Jones or Joseph Addai for a young stud like Knowshon Moreno, Rashard Mendenhall or LeSean McCoy, who look to be poised for big seasons in 2010. The same thing goes for getting a struggling, yet über-talented wideout like Calvin Johnson or Greg Jennings.

If you can’t win year league this time around, you might as well get the early edge for next season. Read the rest of this entry »

If we’ve learned anything about fantasy D/STs this season, it’s that all they need is a matchup against a terrible QB or a shoddy offensive line to have a big week.

So if you don’t own a stud D/ST such as the Saints’ or Vikings’ right now, you can still thrive in the fantasy playoffs by picking up one with two or three juicy matchups off the scrap heap. Here are three to consider:

[1] Ravens: Yes, they’re available in some leagues, which is extra sweet since they play the Lions, pick-happy Jay Cutler and the oft-sacked Big Ben in Weeks 14-16.

[2] Texans: You can’t beat three games against one-dimensional teams (Seattle, St. Louis and Miami), especially with Houston’s run defense playing better.

[3] Cardinals: They play the Alex-Smith-led Niners, Lions and Rams. ’Nuff said.

Or if you want to live on the wild side, you can go week-by-week with three so-so D/STs. Try Buffalo in Week 14 (versus K.C.), Seattle in Week 15 (Tampa Bay) and Oakland in Week 16 (Cleveland). It’s risky, sure, but it might get it done. Read the rest of this entry »

With the fantasy football playoffs set to start next month (and trade deadlines looming), now’s the time to start thinking about making a deal or two. You might have drafted a sweet team that’s sitting pretty in first place, but there’s always room for improvement.

I’m in four leagues, and I made a trade in two of them over the weekend. One was a minor deal, while the other was an eight-player blockbuster that landed me Peyton Manning, Antonio Gates and more. In both cases, my teams, both playoff-bound already, got even better. And trust me, I’m not done dealing.

If you’ve stockpiled talent, you have an excellent opportunity to land a stud while not sacrificing anything from your starting lineup. The bye weeks will be over soon, meaning you could have excess talent on your bench. Pull the trigger on a big 2-for-1 deal (or 3-for-2) and make your squad that much more dangerous. Read the rest of this entry »

The rookie seasons of Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan a year ago were crazy good. Remarkable. Unbelievable. Nothing short of amazing.

But rookie debuts like Flacco’s and Ryan’s aren’t the norm. That’s why they were, well, so noteworthy. We won’t see it happen again any time soon.

So don’t waste your time — and a valuable roster spot — with the two rookies who were recently named the starting quarterbacks of their respective teams: the Lions’ Matthew Stafford and the Jets’ Mark Sanchez. Steer clear of the Bucs’ Josh Freeman when he ascends to the starting lineup later in the season, too.

Take a wait-and-see approach with these guys (the same goes for rookie wideouts) and pluck them off the waiver wire if they prove worthy of a roster spot.

One last thought: Miami’s Pat White will get playing time in the Wildcat, but his production will be limited. Don’t even bother. Read the rest of this entry »

OK, so you’re a total homer when it comes to fantasy football.

You’re the guy or gal who insists on having four or five or 15 Ravens on your roster every year. You’ve drafted bums like Tony Banks, Devard Darling and B.J. Sams. Heck, you even traded Randy Moss to get Travis Taylor once — and you actually thought it was a steal.

Letting your purple pride dictate how you run your squad isn’t a recipe for success when it comes to winning your league. But if you’re so wacko for Flacco and the gang that you insist on drafting as many Ravens as humanly possible, at least let me help you be frugal about it. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s never too early to start thinking about fantasy football season, and during the NFL draft, I couldn’t help but consider how the ’09 class would affect my fantasy squads.

Admit it. You were doing it, too.

So for the nuts out there who want to get a jump on putting together their fantasy draft boards, here are the 13 rookies who will have the biggest fantasy impact this season.

[1] Chris Wells | RB | Cardinals: With the Edgerrin James era officially over in Arizona, Wells will pretty much be handed the starting job. He should put up solid numbers despite playing in the Cardinals’ pass-happy offense.

[2] Knowshon Moreno | RB | Broncos: The super-talented Moreno will have to earn the Broncos’ starting gig in training camp, but they took him 12th overall for a reason.

[3] Michael Crabtree | WR | 49ers: Crabtree, the best wide-out in the draft, will start immediately and could have the same level of impact that Detroit’s Calvin Johnson had in ’07. Read the rest of this entry »