Fantasy Football: Two Weeks Down, Time to Hit the Panic Button

Well, two weeks are officially in the books for the 2010 fantasy season.

There have been the normal breakouts, letdowns, and nights sobbing yourself to sleep over making the wrong lineup choice, I am sure.

Guess what: You are not alone!

No matter how good or bad your draft was, every owner out there is wrestling with decisions week-in and week-out, but this article will try and touch on some key things to consider as an owner, whether you are 2-0, 0-2, or at 1-1 and wondering which team is going to show up each week.

Before you hit the panic button and start dropping Maurice Jones-Drew and Randy Moss, everyone take a big step back from the edge of the cliff.

Although the fantasy football season is shorter than any other sport, there is still plenty of time and no reason to go and start making bonehead trades and dropping long-term studs because you see one guy who had a blowout week.

Your entire goal right now should simply be to get into the playoffs. That’s it.

Typically, the team that dominates a regular season ends up disappointed at year's end, anyways.

I am going to highlight the players to not give up on, those you should, and those in between, as well as a couple of strategies to keep in mind as you approach Week 3:

Players to Not Give Up On

Maurice Jones-Drew: Yes, he has started off slow, and there is reason for concern. But he is still a beast.

They face the Eagles and the Colts the next two weeks, who both rank in the bottom 10 in run defense so far. MoJD will find the endzone and turn the corner.

DeAngelo Williams: One of my personal letdowns here.

I don’t think it is time to cut loose on Deangelo. He hasn’t had amazing yardage, but his numbers haven’t been terrible.

He simply isn’t getting in the endzone.

With the move from Matt Moore to Clausen, and the fact that John Fox knows his job is on the line, expect the Panthers to go all-in with their running game and Williams' numbers to pick up.

Randy Moss: Yes, he is disgruntled, but the Pats have faced two pretty decent secondaries to start the season in the Jets and Bengals.

Not to mention, the Pats have a legit slot option in Wes Welker. As defensive coordinators shift their focus slightly to compensate for Welker, expect the long ball to Moss to get more frequent.

Seriously, did you see his catch for a TD last weekend? He is in the freak category with Andre Johnson and Calvin Johnson.

Never bench Moss, EVER!

Shonn Greene: Another one I was high on who has started slow.

LT looks fresh, and has been more versatile, but he can’t run between the tackles. That is where Greene excels and the Jets had to face Baltimore and NE to start the year.

With Miami and Buffalo up next on the schedule, expect to see more Greene and him putting up solid weeks.

Marques Colston: Let’s face it, Drew Brees is incredible and every bit as good in a spread offense as Peyton.

Colston has been decent, but not extraordinary thus far because Brees likes to spread the love. Colston is still the No. 1 and a premier WR, and as defenses do everything they can to cover what looks like 23 WRs each week, Colston will see more single coverage and a boost in points.

Jason Witten/Felix Jones: I am no football expert, but I just have to put my money on the fact that Jason Garrett is not a moron.

Romo has been solid, and defenses will start to quadruple-team Miles Austin if they have to. Witten was pretty adamant last week, and expect the Cowboys (0-2) to get back to the basics, establish the run if it kills them, and look to get Witten more involved in the playaction.

Players to Move If You Can

Dwayne Bowe: I loved this guy heading into drafts, but I have lost all confidence in Matt Cassel.

The fact that this guy has had two terrible weeks as the No. 1 with players like Thomas Jones and Jamaal Charles (who have also struggled) is amazing. Don’t drop Bowe, but if you can package him and a decent RB option for a top-tiered WR, I'd say do it.

Larry Fitzgerald: Sell high on the name, because I had concerns when Derek Anderson was throwing to him.

I don’t even know who the new guy is, so, at the least, it may be time to bench Fitz until you see what the new guy can do. Either way, I think you can sell on his name and potential and get a better option in a better QB situation.

Brandon Marshall: Again, this one relates to the QB and lack of ability to establish the run.

They do face the Jets. Without Revis, their secondary is iffy.

But if Marshall lays an egg in Week 3, I would look to move him because Henne has not been very good.

Beanie Wells: Throw the baby out with the bath water, but I think his injuries will be a problem all year.

Hell, he can’t make it through practice, apparently.

With Hightower looking good early in the year and a better PPR option in general, I would look to package Beanie in a trade if I owned him.

Brandon Jacobs: He is not the starter, and the situation is just not looking good for him.

Heck, the guy can’t even keep his helmet on the sidelines, so his ability to produce on the field seems low. He will have a big week or two here and there, but I just don’t think he is going to be a good solution other than a bye-week filler.

Other Tidbits

• I do want to highlight that the article I wrote earlier in the year that touched on Clinton Portis and Matt Forte being great bounce-back candidates is making me look like a genius. Portis is obviously the go-to guy, and will be. As a Skins fan, I have already started to see the epic cutback run game start to emerge. Expect some big games from Portis to continue.
• I like Jordan Shipley a lot in PPR leagues.
• I don’t like Flacco anymore. I have been high on this guy for years, but he now has a great O-line, premier WRs, and one of the best backs in the game, not to mention a stellar defense. And he still can’t complete a pass.
• Jahvid Best, Arian Foster, and Frank Gore have all surpassed my expectations for this year by Week 2. For those that took the chance, congrats on a great risk-reward. Ryan Mathews, on the other hand, should cause concern.

Strategies to Keep In Mind

1) WORK YOUR WAIVER WIRE: Obviously, we are big fans of this here, but I could have already filled a team with the amount of undrafted players that have made a big impact.

Keep working the wire. Hatty’s video each week is great for keying in who your top targets should be, and we also publish other players in the forum as well.

2) Know your matchups: Now that we have a feel for what defenses are legit, it should be a part of your thinking each week. Sometimes you have to sit someone who is hot if the matchup just doesn’t make sense.

3) Trust your studs: In lieu of the above comment, it is essential to trust your big-time players. They will break out; some guys just start slow.

4) Always eye trades: If you wait until your guy goes down for the year, you are stuck like chuck. Those players that aren’t your studs, you should sell high on for more consistent players.

Always check with the Hatty or myself either via e-mail or through the forums first. Let’s not give up on this year's Miles Austin for Santana Moss!

Please feel free to e-mail me directly if you have any questions about players, lineups, articles I have written, the weather, or anything else related to helping you win your league. I am usually pretty quick to respond. You can also use the forums and get the advice from our other readers, as well.

E-mail me at [e-mail].

So far this season, my teams have started off well to the tune of 9-3 across six leagues. We are always interested to hear how our readers are faring, as well.