The official student newspaper of University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire since 1923.

The Spectator

The official student newspaper of University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire since 1923.

The Spectator

The official student newspaper of University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire since 1923.

The Spectator

    Quite Frankly: Underachievers ready to be dealt

    Owning players in a Fantasy football league is like being in a relationship. When you’re not getting what you want from someone, you need to get rid of them eventually.

    I advised readers at the beginning of the season that it was important to hold on to players for a while before making any drastic moves. Now that we’re almost halfway through, we’ve gotten a decent enough sample size to start passing judgment on guys.

    Below is a list of players who I believe were drafted much higher than their production suggests they should have been. Under each player is a list of guys I would trade them for in the right situation (ultimately, it all depends on who else you have on your team, how many teams are in your league, and what your league’s format is).

    Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, Jaguars (Position Rank by Points – 15, Average Draft Spot at Position – 3)

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    MJD was a top-three pick in just about every league and has had a few weeks that showed he deserves it. However, he has been incredibly inconsistent and even more banged up than usual.

    He’s averaging career lows in almost every category, and just had a starter in his offensive line go down. Unfortunately, I think things will only get worse.

    Trade for:

    Darren McFadden, RB, Raiders (PRP – 3, ADSP – 39), LeSean McCoy, RB, Eagles (PRP – 6, ADSP – 18), Peyton Hillis, RB, Browns (PRP 8, ADSP – 60)

    Beanie Wells, RB, Cardinals (PRP – 48, ADSP – 13)

    Believe it or not, but Wells has just 22 points on the season. That number has been eclipsed by running backs in a single game 21 different times this season.

    That’s pretty sad for a guy who many drafted as their second running back, and some drafted as their first. The Cardinal’s have no passing game and opposing defenses will just continue to focus on stopping the run because of it.

    Trade for:

    Thomas Jones, RB, Chiefs (PRP 21, ADSP – 35), Ryan Torain, RB, Redskins (PRP – 23 ADSP – 61), BenJarvus Green-Ellis, RB, Patriots (PRP 28, ADSP – 62)

    Drew Brees, QB, Saints (PRP – 5, ADSP – 1)

    OK, I realize the guy is still a top-five scorer at his position, but something doesn’t seem right about Brees or the Saints this year. For starters, he already has 10 interceptions, which ties him for second worse in the league.

    Considering many reached to grab him early in the first round, he has not held up his end of the deal. Much like how Wells suffers from a lack of a passing attack, Brees will continue to suffer until the Saints can get their running game under control. Pierre Thomas might be out for the year, and Reggie Bush is still yet to practice, so there’s a chance that might not happen at all.

    Trade for:

    Phillip Rivers, QB, Chargers (PRP – 2, ADSP – 6), Kyle Orton, QB, Broncos (PRP 3, ADSP – 22), Ben Rothlisberger, QB, Steelers (PRP – 30, ADSP – 16)

    Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Cardinals (PRP 40, ADSP – 3)

    It’s truly hard to comprehend really how bad of a year he is having. You can’t really blame the poor guy either; he’s dealt with some of the worst quarterbacking in the league thus far.

    He hasn’t had a touchdown since week three, and is yet to eclipse the 100 yard mark in a single game. The result: fewer points on the season than guys like Jabar Gaffney and Mike Williams (Tampa Bay).

    Trade for:

    Kenny Britt, WR, Titans (PRP – 3, ADSP – 53), Percy Harvin, WR, Vikings (PRP – 15, ADSP – 19), Mike Wallace, WR, Steelers (PRP – 19, ADSP – 26).

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    Quite Frankly: Underachievers ready to be dealt