The Fantasy Season Tipping Point

We're hurtling towards week 9 of the fantasy football season, and at this point you're supposed to have a pretty good handle on which direction your team is headed. For many leagues, week 10 or thereabouts is usually when a trading deadline comes into effect, so if you're going to make any significant moves to improve your team, be it for this or next season (keeper leagues), the time to act is now.

If you're team is in playoff contention, it might be a wise idea to start thinking about trading from area(s) that you are strongest/deepest to fill holes in your lineup elsewhere. Injuries are part of the game, we all know that. Having depth at running back for example, is a big luxury to have during the regular season. Knowing you can withstand a ding or two to your backfield, or have an extra RB to throw in when your top guys have bye weeks, really gives you a solid footing of confidence. But as the regular season winds down, it's a good idea to begin shifting your priority away from depth issues, and more towards trying to maximize points from your starting lineup. The fantasy football season is a long race, so bulking up with supplies at the beginning helps you survive the rigors of most of the journey, but near the end, it's time to trim the fat, and make a sprint for it.

If your team is in the thick of a playoff race, here are a few players you might want to target for the stretch run.

WR, Marvin Harrison - Colts
Wayne's been catching more balls, but Marvin continues to catch touchdowns. If you're in a fantasy playoff game, starting Marvin Harrison is a confidence builder. Why? Because he's scored 7 TD's and had 5 100-yard games during fantasy playoff weeks (14-16) over the last 3 seasons. Marvin's a money guy, and in a money game, you want this guy in your lineup. I'd be remiss however, if I didn't mention a hidden gamble in owning Marvin this year. The Colts are undefeated and poised to lock-up the #1 seed in the AFC potentially very early. Dungy may elect to rest his star players as the season winds down, but will he give them more than week 17 off? That's the question.

WR, Darrell Jackson - Seahawks
This is a shark move. Jackson's been out of sight, out of mind for a month due to knee surgery. He's healing fine, and word on the street has him back in 2-3 weeks. He was having a monster season before getting hurt, and the Seahawks have a fantastic schedule. Getting Jackson at a reduced price now, could be a move that pays massive dividends when you need it most, the fantasy playoffs.

QB, Donovan McNabb - Eagles
I'll admit, this one won't be an easy acquisition. And ideally, if you were going to make a play for McNabb doing it just before or after their bye week 6 would've been better. However, if the McNabb owner in your league has a Drew Brees or Jake Plummer on the bench, maybe you can convince him to fill a hole elsewhere and deal McNabb. The Eagles have a nice schedule against the pass, and while McNabb is not 100% healthy, he continues to deliver elite-level production.

RB, Kevin Jones - DET
Kevin Jones has been a fantasy bust this season, no question about it. But the good news is that he continues to get the Lions share of the touches out of the backfield, and the better news is that Detroit has a wonderful schedule against the run going forward. Maybe the Jones owner in your league has reached max frustration with this guy, maybe that owner is ready to wash his hands of him, if so, you should be there to offer him a towel and relieve him of his burden. Jones could start going off any game now, just like he did at the end of 2004.

TE, Jermaine Wiggins - Vikings
If you've been struggling at TE all season long, and missed on some hot pickups earlier in the year like Heath Miller or Erron Kinney, you may want to consider targetting Jermaine Wiggins for the stretch run. Obviously, this is a risky move, but the payoff could be worthwhile. The Vikings were a tough team to get a handle on before Culpepper's season ended, now it is anyone's guess how good or bad things might get. However, what we do know, is that Brad Johnson boasts neither a strong arm nor anything that resembles mobility, so he may struggle making downfield throws, and it's hard to imagine the Vikings not playing catch-up in most games. So he's likely going to need to throw the ball early and often, but will probably look to make quick throws and reads, and feast on the underneath, intermediate routes. All of which would seemingly, and literally play into the hands of Jermaine Wiggins. It's a gamble. But if you can get him at the right price, he could be the tight end you've been looking for all season long.

Something to keep in mind as well; when you're working out possible trade offers to put out there, look for trades that are mutually beneficial. I can't say this enough. The internet has leveled the playing field in such a way where rip-off trades are now a rarity. Any fantasy football neophyte is just one click away from the same information you're using. If you can't honestly put yourself in the other guy's shoes and see the logic and value in what you're offering, chances are in this day and age, you'll get rejected. Once the fantasy playoffs start, it ultimately comes down to which guys show up and have big weeks and which guys don't. It's ok to improve your competition, as long as you improve where you need it. Just focus on making your lineup better.

Coming up next...
You're in a keeper league, your 2005 season has been a nightmare. Here are a few players to target in a trade that could help your team in 2006.

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The Fantasy Season Tipping Point

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