Fantasy Football 2010, Weeks 2 & 3

As rosters are being set in anticipation of tomorrow's match-up with a fellow UM clergy member, I thought I'd go ahead and catch y'all up on the last two weeks of fantasy football.... because you care...

Week 2
Starting Lineup
QB: Brees
RB: Rice, Jackson, Brandon Jackson
WR: Hines Ward, Gaffney
TE: Finley
D/ST: Chiefs
K: empty

High scorer: Brees, 22 points
Low scorer: tie, Hines Ward, K spot, 0 points
Result: Steel Curtain Reborn 91, Hillsboro Rabid Monkeys 77

Three things really stand out to me in this game.

1) I forgot that Hines Ward is bi-polar when it comes to fantasy football scoring.  He either has a 10+ point week, or a 1 point week.  He played well in Week 1 while he was on the bench, and then threw up a stinker in Week 2 when he was in my lineup.  I have nobody to blame but myself, after all, I know that he's worthless after a good week.

2) Making a last minute move to get a new kicker is only beneficial if I remember to install that new kicker into the lineup.

3) I needed to make some changes at WR.  Gaffney is no longer on the team after putting up a 1 point performance.  Ward is sitting until further notice.  My WR position combined for 1 point this week, while the three I had sitting on the bench averaged 9 points... each.  Another loss chalked up to poor managerial choices.

Week 3
Starting Lineup
QB: Brees
RB: Rice, Matt Forte, Jackson
WR: Knox, Mike Williams (TB)
TE: Finley
D/ST: Chiefs
K: Ryan Succop

High scorer: Brees, 28 points
Low scorer: tie, Forte, Williams, 3 points
Result: Team Kermeen 94, Hillsboro Rabid Monkeys 91

This one came down to the Monday night game, where I had Forte, Knox and Finley going.  When it was all said and done, a holding penalty is what killed me.  Finley scored a TD that was negated by a holding call, and there went 7 points that I wasn't going to get back.  In spite of great night from Knox & Finley, I still came up short.  Ironically, because of two guys that I had sitting on the bench in Weeks 1 & 2, who would have won my games if I played them in those weeks.  Forte had an off night, and Williams had a so-so game. Meanwhile, Hines Ward (who was on the bench in favor of Williams)... you guessed it... managed 9 points.

Starting off 0-3 isn't promising, but I do remembering being 3-3 last season, then running the table and winning the championship.  Perhaps the most damaging part of this week was the fact that both Ray Rice and Steven Jackson went down to injury, and are still listed as questionable for Week 4.  Chances are, both are going to be sitting... then they are going to go off and post huge numbers.