Living In A Fantasy World...And Not In A Good Way

We're all Living In A Fantasy World these days. This week, we'll make the play on these words mean you are delusional. As in:

If you think the Vikings are going to risk leaving Brett Favre on the field down the stretch here, you are Living In A Fantasy World. Think back to a year ago. There was no hotter team than the New York Jets. Then Favre essentially broke down and the whole thing stalled. Brad Childress is not going to put Favre or the Vikings team into that hole. Look for Favre to see limited time on the field as soon as the playoffs are locked up. It might be too late to find a backup plan at this point, but be prepared to rely on someone else if you make it deep into your fantasy playoffs.

If you think Jim Caldwell is going to leave all of his starters in for extended playing time just so they can go for the undefeated record, you are Living In A Fantasy World. First of all, Caldwell is not your average rookie coach. He has a very experienced front office and coaching staff surrounding him. The Patriots most recently proved the emptiness of 16-0, though injuries down the stretch did not cost them their title. Secondly, there is simply nothing more for this team to prove in the regular season. They have won more regular season games than any other team this decade. It has been their inconsistent and underachieving playoff performances that have separated them from the Steelers and Patriots. Expect to see Caldwell make entering the playoffs as healthy as possible his number one priority. Reggie Wayne, Peyton Manning and Dallas Clark owners...so sorry.

If you think the Ravens are going to make the playoffs, you are Living In A Fantasy World. I have them losing at Green Bay this week and at Pittsburgh over Christmas weekend. That would be seven losses with no room for error. I don't believe they can make it happen. What does this mean to fantasy owners? Well, for starters, you can be sure that Joe Flacco, Ray Rice and Willis McGahee will be on the field the rest of the way. But if Le'Ron McClain is available in your league, for the love of God, pick him up. If the Ravens make any noise down the stretch, it will be McClain that starts putting up some numbers. If you have a feature back that will be rested prior to the playoffs, look for McClain to pick up some slack for you.

If you didn't take into account the matchups in weeks 13-16 at your draft this past summer, you are Living In A Fantasy World! Come on, man! Whether these weeks constitute playoffs or not, these are the weeks that matter most in fantasy football. I understand it is hard to predict who is going to be good and who is going to suck from your vantage point in August. But you can still make an educated guess right? For example, Detroit plays at Cincinnati, at Baltimore, hosts Arizona and then travels to San Francisco in weeks 13-16. On draft night, the following players have added value: Carson Palmer, Chad Ochocinco, Ray Rice, Joe Flacco, Frank Gore, Larry Fitz/Anquan Boldin/Beanie Wells. All of these players had value already, but if you were looking for a reason to extend yourself a little in an auction or reach up a round higher than you otherwise would have, this is the kind of analysis that should have moved you to do so.

We will try and attack this idea from a different perspective next week. Until then, keep on Living In A Fantasy World.