I'm in a 10-team keeper league and need to retain two players from Ben Roethlisberger, Edgerrin James, Thomas Jones, Jamal Lewis, Chad Johnson, Chris Chambers, Santana Moss, Brandon Stokley and Jason Witten. I'm leaning towards Johnson and Witten. What do you think? -- D. Jacobson, California
Michael Fabiano: It's uncommon not to retain a running back, but in this case I don't think James, Jones or Lewis warrant greater consideration than Roethlisberger or Johnson. Big Ben posted 3,154 passing yards and an impressive 34 total touchdowns last season, and there's no reason to believe he can't record monster totals again in 2008. He also plays a position that has seen an overall rise in value in the world of fantasy football.
Witten was also a fantasy superstar last season, but there should be a number of solid tight ends available in the re-draft of a 10-team league. Elite quarterbacks, however, will be harder to find. Johnson, who is targeting an 1,800-yard season in Cincinnati, remains a top-notch wideout and should also be retained.
With a quarterback and a No. 1 wideout locked into your roster, I would focus on the running back position in the first two or three rounds. At worst, you can re-acquire one or more of the three running backs you'll release back into the pool of available players.
Hey Mike, I've been offered Marques Colston for Ronnie Brown and Anquan Boldin. I have Joseph Addai, Ryan Grant and Deuce McAllister at running back and Santonio Holmes and Calvin Johnson at wide receiver. Should I make the move? -- D. Pinxt, Australia
M.F.: It's obvious that you want to upgrade the No. 1 wide receiver on your roster, but Brown and Boldin is far too steep a price for Colston. You could always send a counter offer of Brown for Colston, but I wouldn't offer two players unless its McAllister and Johnson.
I've been offered Frank Gore and Patrick Crayton for Larry Johnson and Wes Welker. My other running backs are Ronnie Brown, Justin Fargas and Willie Parker, and my other wideouts are Bryant Johnson, Randy Moss and Donté Stallworth. Advice? -- Z. Purdy, Bernardsville, N.J.
M.F.: I'd much rather have Gore than Johnson, especially with Mike Martz now at the helm of the San Francisco offense. But the difference in value between Crayton and Welker is a little to large for this deal to work. Crayton is the No. 2 wideout in Dallas after the release of Terry Glenn, but Jason Witten is the real second receiver in that offense. Welker might not duplicate last season's totals, but he should still record around 80 receptions, somewhere around 1,000 yards and six-plus touchdowns.
I'm in a dynasty league where running backs are prized possessions and trades are few and far between. Are there any lesser known running backs out there that might have some value this season? How about Tim Hightower or Pierre Thomas? Your advice is appreciated! -- T. Cornett, Glen Rock, Pa.
M.F.: I think you've mentioned two great options in Hightower and Thomas. Hightower could wind up second on the Arizona depth chart behind Edgerrin James. The rookie might also be used as a short-yardage and goal-line back, which also improves his value. Thomas has been a shining star in training camp and could see an increase in carries in the New Orleans offense. Other lesser-known backs to watch include Michael Bush, Jamal Charles, Chris Johnson, Ray Rice and Chris Taylor.
I'm in a keeper league and plan to retain Steven Jackson and Randy Moss. I also have the No. 1 overall selection in the re-draft. It looks like Jamal Lewis, Larry Fitzgerald and Chad Johnson will be the best options on the board. Who should I take? Thanks...love the mailbag! -- R. Robinson, Chicago, Ill.
M.F.: First off, does your league hold a separate rookie draft? If not, I'd take Darren McFadden ahead of Lewis, Fitzgerald and Johnson. McFadden and Jackson do have the same bye week, but the rookie's long-term potential is far too good to pass on. If there are no rookies in the re-draft, however, the decision to take a running back ahead of one of the two wideouts depends on the size of the league.
With no rookies available (again, if that's the case) and Lewis listed as the top runner on the board, you could wind up with a less-than-attractive No. 2 back if you retain Fitzgerald or Ocho Cinco. But if it's a smaller league and you feel like a viable No. 2 back will be on the board when it's your pick in Round 2, then I'd keep Fitzgerald.
I'm in an auction league and plan to spend 85-90 percent of my money on starters. After that I'll fill my reserves with cheaper players that have nice upside or sleeper potential. Which running backs and wide receivers can I target for minimal value? -- R. Hammond, Jamestown, N.Y.
M.F.: The one thing you have to remember in an auction is that most owners will over spend on players at the start of the draft, so don't be so quick to spend your fantasy dollars unless it's on a player you really want on your team. What's more, you can sometimes get absolute steals on prominent players, not players with upside or sleepers, that might not be nominated until later in the auction. In the past, I can remember getting the likes of Ronnie Brown, LenDale White and Tory Holt at bargain basement prices simply because they were nominated at a time when most owners had already spent most of their fantasy cash.
In terms of potential values, you could get backs Ahmad Bradshaw, Maurice Morris, Kevin Smith, Ryan Torain (especially now that he'll miss six to eight weeks with an injured elbow) and Ricky Williams for a decent price. Receivers that could turn into decent bargains include Nate Burleson, Jabar Gaffney, Ted Ginn and Bryant Johnson. But again, I wouldn't be at all shocked if you can land more prolific players are cheap prices if you spend your money wisely.
I just had my fantasy draft (standard format) and ended up with David Garrard and Tarvaris Jackson at quarterback, Ronnie Brown, Matt Forte, Jamal Lewis and Ricky Williams at running back and Jabar Gaffney, Santonio Holmes, Vincent Jackson, Randy Moss and Terrell Owens at wide receiver. I'm not thrilled about my backs, so what sort of deal can I make to add a better option at the position? -- A. Ross, Scotland
M.F.: You're stacked at the wide receiver position, so you might want to put Moss or Owens on the trade block and see what offers are made. You could also negotiate a trade that, for example, includes Brown or Lewis and Owens for an elite running back and a nice No. 2 wideout. If you'd rather not part ways with Moss and Owens, another option to consider is to offer Brown or Lewis and Holmes for an productive runner and a lesser wideout.
I'm in a dynasty league and our draft is made up of rookies and free agents. Who do you think has the best short- and long-term value out of Matt Forte, Chris Johnson, Rashard Mendenhall and Kevin Smith? Thanks! -- T. Boswell, New York
M.F.: Forte is already projected to start in Chicago, so he appears to have the best short-term value. Based on the fact that more and more teams are using backfield committees, it's possible that none of these four backs will ever land a true featured role in their careers. Mendenhall might be the most talented player out of these four rookies, and he could earn a starting role in Pittsburgh as soon as 2010. Willie Parker has just two more seasons left on his current deal, so Mendenhall's long-term outlook could improve in the near future. Overall, it's hard to ignore the positive reports and potential of Forte in what will be a run-based Chicago offense.
I need to retain four players from Eli Manning, Philip Rivers, Earnest Graham, Willis McGahee, LaDainian Tomlinson and Chris Cooley. I think Manning, McGahee and L.T. have to be the top three keepers, but who is the fourth? I also don't have a first-round pick in the re-draft. Suggestions? -- P. Bizzari, Utica, N.Y.
M.F.: Based on the fact that you don't have a first-round pick and every team in the league retains four players, I'd keep Graham in order to secure your backs. Graham and McGahee do have the same bye, however, so you will need to deal with that in Week 10. With Manning and three backs on your roster, you'll need to turn your focus on wide receivers and a tight end in the first three to four rounds of the re-draft.
Hi Michael, what should I do now that I've lost Brandon Marshall for two or three weeks? I still have Isaac Bruce, Jerricho Cotchery, Randy Moss and Hines Ward at wide receiver. Should I look at add another wideout in Marshall's absence? -- A. Trow, Denver, Colo.
M.F.: Moss and Ward are your best starters at the position while Marshall is on the sidelines, and Cotchery is an underrated No. 3 fantasy wideout if you're required to start three. Unless you do have to start a trio of receivers, you might not even need to replace Marshall. If you do need to add a wideout, the best course of action might be to add Darrell Jackson. He'll fill in for Marshall and becomes No. 1 wideout in Denver in the interim.