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Fantasy Mastermind Moment 2001 midseason fantasy football awards
By Michael Nazarek, Special to CNNSI.com With nine weeks in the books, we've reached the midway point of the 2001 season. Seems like only yesterday that fantasy owners were conjuring up their player lists for draft day. As in seasons past, there have been some ups and downs this year, not to mention some key injuries. Well, let's just say there have been many key injuries. The following teams represent the good, the bad, the injured, and the comebacks. A few of these lists aren't pretty, but I think it represents the fantasy season to date pretty well...
Midseason All-Fantasy teamQB Peyton Manning, IND: Manning edges out Jeff Garcia on the strength of his consistently big passing yardage games, having averaged nearly 260 yards per game. The 17 passing TDs were boosted by three rushing scores, almost unheard of by Manning. Playing with a fractured jaw will only increase the legend this guy is creating. RB Curtis Martin, NYJ: My favorite Martin has taken consistency to a new level. His 907 rushing yards and 10 scores just goes to show you a solid STUD RB can become a star in a new West Coast offense if he's used properly. Beefing up his workout regimen in the offseason didn't hurt either. RB Shaun Alexander, SEA: Surprise, Surprise! The little guy from Alabama showed everyone the Seahawks knew what they were doing by drafting him in the first round a few years ago by rushing for a gaudy 758 yards and nine scores in only five full games. Looks like Ricky Watters will be running to a new team next season! WR Rod Smith, DEN: Smith has taken it to a new level since Ed McCaffrey was lost for the season in Week 1. Those 923 pass receiving yards are simply ridiculous for one half season of play. The eight scores ain't bad either. If Smith rebounds quickly from his sprained ankle, we could be looking at a 2,000-yard season. WR Terrell Owens, SF: 768 yards and 10 scores! Yes, Owens has a big mouth, but he also has the big time abilities to back it up on the field of play. Scoring twice in the fourth quarter and again in overtime to beat Atlanta earlier this season proves that point. TE Tony Gonzalez, KC: No one has been quieter and still led his position with 605 yards, but only three scores. Gonzo is good, but even he has been a bit of a disappointment compared to the hype that followed him earlier this summer. PK John Carney, NO: Well lookie here! It's one of my all-time favorite kickers. So much for not being worth the money, eh, San Diego? All John has done is make 21 of 22 field goals to the lead the league. 'Nuff said. Honorable Mention: Jeff Garcia, Daunte Culpepper, LaDainian Tomlinson, Priest Holmes, Marvin Harrison, Desmond Clark, Wade Richey. Now for the fun part! Yup. It's the team that no fantasy owner wants! That's right, these players didn't bust out. They just plain busted ...
Midseason All-Bust teamQB Matt Hasselbeck, SEA: The second coming of Brett Favre to Mike Holmgren in Seattle, right? Hardly. Three passing TDs and just 945 yards passing quickly turned this fantasy sleeper into a constant sleeper that never woke up. RB Emmitt Smith, DAL: 398 rushing yards, ZERO scores, and a bum knee. Unfortunately, Emmitt is limping his way towards the all-time NFL rushing record. Yes, the Cowboys were supposed to stink this season, but zero scores really hurts. RB James Stewart, DET: 467 total yards and one score. And many owners thought this guy was better than Curtis Martin. I hope you didn't draft him at the start of the second round in your fantasy league this summer. WR Randy Moss, MIN: The production hasn't been that bad at 538 yards and three scores, but considering that most owners drafted him in the middle of the first round, he's probably the biggest healthy bust of all. WR Eric Moulds, BUF: 343 yards and two scores. Yeah, you are definitely worth that fat money deal you signed in the offseason. TE Ken Dilger, IND: 153 yards and no scores. That famous 1-2 TE punch in Indy has become a one-man show and his name is Marcus Pollard. PK Gary Anderson, MIN: This just goes to show you that kickers are a true crap-shoot. Remember a few years back when Anderson led the league with a perfect record of more than 30 FG's made? At the halfway point this season, he's kicked just 7 of 8 field goals and 14 PAT's. And this is coming from the vaunted Vikings offense? YUCK. Dis-Honorable Mention: Elvis Grbac, James Allen, Tiki Barber, Travis Taylor, Muhsin Muhammad, Stephen Alexander, Mike Hollis. It seems like this season has been the "year of the injury," but every year has it's broken bones, torn knees, and dislocated ankles. It just makes it seem that much worse when top players go down. Talk about wrecking one's fantasy season...
Midseason All-Injury teamQB Drew Bledsoe, NE: Sheering a blood vessel in your chest trying to get that extra yard gives new meaning to the phrase "working hard for your money." Personally, I'm just happy to see Drew standing on the sideline holding a clipboard, but he has other things on his mind. Bravo! RB Fred Taylor, JAX: Never again! I drafted this guy for the first time in one league this season at No. 4 overall, and he goes down with a torn groin in Week 2. He's still on the bench and may never make it back this season completely healthy. RB Jamal Anderson, ATL: Poor guy. Just when he's back in his groove two years removed from a torn ACL, he rips the other one. Worst of all, he may never make it back or he could re-injure it again. Why? It was the torque of his own body that tore the knee ligament. Freakishly amazing. WR Marcus Robinson, CHI: First it was his back, then just when he's looking good, he tears an ACL. Well, Mr. Robinson, you best work hard in rehab if you want to return as the Bears No. 1 WR. There's a young kid by the name of David Terrell who just can't wait to become the new big man on campus. WR Germane Crowell, DET: Surprise! Another serious knee injury. At least he doesn't have to go through the pain of playing an entire season for a winless team. TE Cam Cleeland, NO: When he plays, he can be golden. The only problem is that Cleeland can't seem to play more than two games in a row without suffering an injury. PK Tim Seder, DAL: Oh, those nasty ankle sprains. One bad snap and the next day you can't walk and are on injured reserve. The only good thing here is that since you play for the Cowboys, not many fantasy owners owned you. Since we're only halfway through the 2001 season, I though it appropriate to offer my choices for comeback team of the second half. These players didn't perform well for one reason or another in the first half, but will kick it up a notch and produce for fantasy owners. In other words, these guys are the ones you want on your fantasy team as we head into the home stretch...
Second-half comeback teamQB Rich Gannon, OAK: In the past two weeks, Gannon's already showing signs of snapping out of his mini-funk to lead his team to the promised land. Thinking of trading for a moderately priced QB to boost your fantasy team? He's your man. RB Duce Staley, PHI: You knew this was coming. I can't talk about sleepers and comeback players with mentioning my boy, Duce. Yes, the Vikes have a terrible defense, but Staley showed everyone last week he's finally 100 percent and ready to kick some serious bootie in these final eight games. If the Eagles have any plans to win the NFC East, it will include a heavy dose of the Duce. RB Stephen Davis, WAS: He's healthy and coming off a bye. The guy gets no respect because he's only scored once. Heck, he still ran for most of his 666 yards on a winless team. The Redskins are settling down and have learned that to win, they must run Davis. Look for at least another six scores in the second half. WR Randy Moss, MIN: Don't give up on him yet. The Vikings are entering a critical part of their schedule. If they don't turn it around now, they never will, and you can bet they know they must get that ball to the hands of their big-play man. It's Showtime. WR Amani Toomer, NYG: Toomer has scored just once since Week 1. It's time to put up or shut up. The Giants need their big-play receiver to step up his play to get them into the playoffs and possibly the Super Bowl again. Remember, Toomer struggled at midseason last year only to finish fast. This could be another Memorex moment. TE Shannon Sharpe, BAL: If the Ravens are to repeat, they must get Sharpe more involved in the offense. To be blunt, Elvis Grbac needs to be told there are other options beside Qadry Ismail in the passing offense. That message will get across, and Sharpe will score at least three times in the second half after only one score to date. PK Ryan Longwell, GB: Kickers may be a crap-shoot, but when technique becomes the issue, you have a major problem. Longwell nipped that problem in the bud and made both kicks last week after missing several in a row. The Pack will give him plenty of chances in the second half to redeem himself and he'll do just that! My previous Deep Sleeper of the Week, WR Reggie Wayne, has seen significant action with both WR Jerome Pathon and WR Terrence Wilkins injured. Of course, the object here is to lock onto a little-known target who will actually score. Let's see who the crystal ball brings to the forefront today ...
Deep sleeper of the weekWR Freddie Mitchell, PHI: While WR Todd Pinkston has been doing a slow fade, rookie Mitchell has seen his on-field action increase. He's the solid No. 3 WR now with his eyes on the No. 2 position. The Eagles could probably beat the Cowboys without Mitchell, but this rookie wants to prove his worth and will do so by scoring his first career NFL TD this week.
Final ThoughtsIn closing, I'd like to say this season has been a very interesting but tough one for fantasy owners to date, especially in the RB category. When was the last time so many STUD RBs have experienced such major injuries? Yes, Terrell Davis and Jamal Anderson torn their ACLs in past seasons, but this year we've seen Anderson go down again as well as Edgerrin James. Fred Taylor has missed nearly the entire season with a torn groin. Eddie George has suffered through a wide assortment of nagging injuries that have kept him from excelling. James Stewart has an ankle injury that can't seem to heal. Duce Staley missed a few games and most of several others with a bum shoulder. Tiki Barber and Warrick Dunn have also missed significant time with hamstring and foot injuries. Ricky Watters cracked his shoulder and may never regain his starting job. Emmitt Smith has missed a few games with a knee injury, as has Tyrone Wheatley. Tim Biakabutuka is lost for the season with a broken foot. Terry Allen may not return this season with a broken hand. And of course, Davis is currently out after experiencing another knee injury. What have all these injuries taught us as fantasy owners? Depth is the key to winning. Owners that have continued to work the free agent waiver wire as well as player trades to ensure a roster full of players that can step into the starting lineup are probably leading their division right now. Now is the time to beef up that roster if you haven't already. The stretch drive is here! If you plan on making the playoffs, you must work for it. Believe me, the bragging rights of winning it all will make it well worth the effort. See you next time! Michael Nazarek is the Fantasy Football Mastermind, and has more than a dozen years of fantasy related experience. His company offers an NFL draft kit, preseason draft guide, a weekly newsletter, and free fantasy news (updated daily) at its web site. For more information go to http://www.ffmastermind.com or call 256-851-1749.
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