Case made for fantasy revisions

A couple of weeks ago we advised leagues to consider auctions in light of the ridiculous production generated this year by LaDainian Tomlinson and Shaun Alexander (in evidence again Sunday).

Another player makes the case for using unconventional fantasy scoring. Stephen Davis (who we did recommend in the preseason when everyone was busy drafting DeShaun Foster) has authored 11 TD runs this year from distances of 1, 1, 1, 1, 11, 1, 1, 7, 1, 4 and 1 yards. He’s averaging 3.1 yards per carry and is a zero in the passing game with five total receptions.

Seven of Davis’ TDs could have been scored by running backs on every team’s taxi squad. Yet he has more points in many leagues than a player like Brian Westbrook, who has considerably greater real-life value.

Fantasy leagues should strive to minimize the importance of players like Davis who generate points more because of play-calling and circumstances than as a result of their talent.

The first suggestion is simple: award one point for every catch. While Davis would still get points for his TDs under this system, his owners would be hurt as a result of him being a non-factor in the passing game. Whereas Davis would have nine receiving points thus far in 2005, Westbrook would have 90 (for his 43 catches plus one point for every 10 of his 478 receiving yards).

Secondly, leagues must recognize that not all TDs are equal. An objective way to differentiate them is distance. Reward owners when their players score from greater distances. This reward can be merely a bonus or it can be even more significant than the TD itself when the length is great enough. There’s much more excitement in distance leagues. For example, it’s a huge deal when a running back is tackled near the goal line after a long run. In conventional leagues, it adds up about the same way if the back merely scores on a subsequent play.

Buy

Reggie Brown (WR, Eagles): With Terrell Owens suspended for the rest of the season, enter the rookie Brown. Given that Donovan McNabb throws 70 percent of the time, expect Brown to be a solid No. 3 fantasy receiver despite his lack of playing experience.

Bryant Johnson (WR, Cardinals): Anquan Boldin will be out another one to three weeks with a deep bone bruise on his knee. The Cardinals (65 percent pass plays) have no running game and a rotten defense; so the balls will be filling the air no matter who is at QB.

Samkon Gado (RB, Packers): A waiver-wire flyer in deep leagues. At 230 pounds, Gado looks like a fullback. But he reportedly runs a 4.4 forty. Give Gado’s effort against Pittsburgh (26-62-1) extra points for degree of difficulty. Tony Fisher’s broken rib reportedly exposes his heart and lungs.

Hold

Ernest Wilford (WR, Jaguars): Wilford gets a real pass defense next week after coasting against the Rams and Texans. But he’s the clear-cut starter now and has size and speed. He also benefits from the attention paid to teammate Jimmy Smith.

Neil Rackers (K, Cardinals): He needs 14 field goals the next eight games to break the NFL single-season record and is a difference-maker for all his owners (and is thusly reviled by everyone else).

Sell

Aaron Brooks (QB, Saints): Capitalize on Brooks’ decent Week 9 against the Bears. He hasn’t thrown a TD in half his starts and has been held under 200 yards passing six times. Plus, he’s no garbage man, with just two second-half TDs all season.