Todd's big fantasy
A close one
A one-point victory in the insider Fantasy Football League has given Joby Knapp's Big South squad a 6-6 record, putting it in position to make the eight-team playoffs. "We talked about it in the locker room before the game, and they understood that if we lost, it's a long, cold winter ahead," remarked Knapp, a Rochester resident. "Ever since we lost Ronnie Brown and Deuce McAllister to injuries early on, we have been on the lookout for adequate replacements. "It’s a revolving door on who is going to start, and we keep scouring the waiver wire looking for running backs." Kansas City running back Kolby Smith, was one such pickup. Smith started due to injuries to Larry Johnson and Priest Holmes and rewarded the Chiefs by rushing for 150 yards and two touchdowns last week. Three of Knapp's most consistent players, wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald of Arizona and Braylon Edwards of Cleveland and running back Joseph Addai, performed well with more than 250 combined yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns. "Yeah, these guys have been great, and I couldn’t imagine where I would be without them," says Knapp. Starting quarterback Philip Rivers of San Diego also chipped in for three touchdowns and nearly 250 yards passing, while Minnesota running back Chester Taylor ran for 77 yards and one touchdown. Week 12 standings 1. Don Wolfe, 10-2 (1,323 points*)
2. Dan Dixon, 7-5 (1,045)
3. Mark Miller, 7-5 (964)
4. Renee Piccirillo, 7-5 (994)
5. Omar Al-Sinjari, 6-5-1 (1,050)
6. Joby Knapp, 6-6 (1,181)
7. Mike VanVelson, 6-6 (1,112)
8. Todd Clausen, 6-6 (948)
9. Jim Salamone, 5-6-1 (1,103)
10. Chuck White, 5-7 (1,115)
11. Hy Swartz, 3-9 (1,001))
12. Jim Tharrett, 3-9 (817)
(*=points are cumulative)
Two-headed monster
Dan Dixon's Canandaigua Celticfusion team saw its fantasy football record jump over the .500 mark and improve to 6-5 by defeating Jim Salamone's Team Twinhorse 107-95 last week.  The win was the second in as many weeks for the Celticfusion, and has Dixon is position to make the playoffs, where the top eight teams qualify. "I would like to think that I'll make the playoffs, but I'm not going to hold my breath," says Dixon. Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre and Dallas Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens have helped carry Dixon's fantasy team all season. Last week, they scored a total of seven touchdowns. "Brett Favre has been pretty invaluable to me," says Dixon, who has seen the quarterback throw for 19 touchdowns this season. "Owens has been completely solid for the last few weeks." Two St. Louis Rams, running back Steven Jackson and receiver Torry Holt, are starting to produce for Dixon's squad. Jackson had 112 total yards from scrimmage in his second week back from injury, while Holt had 55 yards receiving and one touchdown. "Holt has been a solid performer in the past and I really have no concerns on him," says Dixon. "Jackson is just now returning to me after a quite a while on the (injured list), however I'm pretty confident that he will start to kick it up a notch." Dixon also started Tennessee's LenDale White, Houston's Kevin Walter, Indianapolis' Dallas Clark, the Seahawks defense and New Orleans' kicker Olindo Mare. Week 11 standings1. Don Wolfe, 10-1 (1,238 points*) 2. Renee Piccirillo, 7-4 (876) 3. Dan Dixon, 6-5 (936) 4. Todd Clausen, 6-5 (903) 5. Mark Miller, 6-5 (874) 6. Jim Salamone, 5-5-1 (1,016) 7. Omar Al-Sinjari, 5-5-1 (952) 8. Joby Knapp, 5-6 (1,062) 9. Chuck White, 5-6 (1,043) 10. Mike VanVelson, 5-6 (1,015) 11. Jim Tharrett, 3-8 (748) 12. Hy Swartz, 2-9 (869) (*=points are cumulative)
Rushing into the thick of it
After starting the season 0-4, Omar Al-Sinjari's fantasy football team is riding a red-hot four-game streak that includes three wins and a tie.  With a 111-69 victory against Hy Swartz's SteelCity Thunder, Al-Sinjari's team is now 4-5-1, good for ninth place in the insider league and just one spot out of qualifying for the playoffs. The top eight teams go into the playoffs, which begin in two weeks. "I’m starting to feel much better about my team," says Al-Sinjari, a Rochester resident. "Now that Tom Brady's bye is over, I have a pretty solid 1-2 punch and hopefully I will make the playoffs." With 33 touchdown passes on the season, Brady is on pace to break the NFL's single-season mark of 49 set by Peyton Manning in 2004. Philadelphia’s Brian Westbrook has also been a key contributor for Al-Sinjari's team. The elusive running back totaled more than 180 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns last week. Overall, Westbrook has more than 1,200 yards from scrimmage and nine touchdowns. "He does everything, and the Eagles' offense revolves around him, very much like Marshall Faulk was in the late '90s with the Rams," says Al-Sinjari. Al-Sinjari is looking for two late-season pickups to help get his team into the playoffs. He picked Seattle wide receiver Bobby Engram and Green Bay running back Ryan Grant off the free agent wire to help offset injuries to Cincinnati’s Rudi Johnson and Denver's Javon Walker. Engram caught 14 balls for 139 yards and a touchdown in Week 9, and Ryan Grant rushed for 119 yards and a score last week.
Week 10 standings1. Don Wolfe, 9-1 (1,108 points*) 2. Todd Clausen, 6-4 (831) 3. Renee Piccirillo, 6-4 (781) 4. Jim Salamone, 5-4-1 (921) 5. Joby Knapp, 5-5 (961) 6. Chuck White, 5-5 (957) 7. Mike VanVelson, 5-5 (934) 8. Dan Dixon, 5-5 (829) 9. Mark Miller, 5-5 (779) 10. Omar Al-Sinjari, 4-5-1 (857) 11. Hy Swartz, 2-8, (802) 12. Jim Tharrett, 2-8 (667) (*=points are cumulative)
Points leader wins again
Don Wolfe's insider fantasy football team, Rochacha Jets, maintained its two-game lead in first place, and overall lead in points, by winning its Week 9 game.
"I knew from the very beginning that my team was solid and was going to be hard to beat," says Wolfe, a Rochester resident. "All you can do is keep looking at the matchups and pick the players you think give you the best chance to win."
For Wolfe it's easy to pick a starting lineup with players like New England wide receiver Randy Moss, Dallas quarterback Tony Romo, San Diego running back LaDainian Tomlinson and Dallas tight end Jason Witten, who scored a combined six touchdowns in Week 9.
Green Bay wide receiver Greg Jennings also came up big by scoring two touchdowns against the Kansas City Chiefs.
 In second place, it's the commissioner's own team, the Marquette Warriors (yup, that's my team). Rookie running backs Adrian Peterson of Minnesota and Buffalo's Marshawn Lynch, scored a combined five touchdown and ran for more than 450 yards last week. Also, J.P. Losman got the spot start at quarterback and threw for nearly 300 yards and a touchdown. Bye weekThe following teams are on bye this week: Houston Texans, New England Patriots, New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 1. Don Wolfe, 8-1 (1,013 points*) 2. Todd Clausen, 6-3 (766) 3. Jim Salamone, 5-3-1 (837) 4. Joby Knapp, 5-4 (924) 5. Mike VanVelson, 5-4 (847) 6. Renee Piccirillo, 5-4 (709) 7. Chuck White, 4-5 (894) 8. Dan Dixon, 4-5 (724) 9. Mark Miller, 4-5 (705) 10. Omar Al-Sinjari, 3-5-1 (746) 11. Hy Swartz, 2-7 (733) 12. Jim Tharrett, 2-7 (611) (*=points are cumulative)
Team Twinhorse
Jim Salamone's insider fantasy football team won its week No. 8 game to move into a five-way tie for second place.  Pittsburgh wide receiver Hines Ward and San Diego tight end Antonio Gates each caught two touchdown passes to lead Salamone's squad, Team Twinhorse, to victory and a 5-3 record. "I am hanging in there," says the Rochester resident. Also scoring touchdowns for his team were New England wide receiver Wes Welker and Carolina running back DeShaun Foster. "Welker has been a great surprise," says Salamone. "I think Welker will still have some hot weeks because teams will continue to double team (Randy) Moss." Due to the bye week, Salamone had to bench three of his players, Seattle running back Shaun Alexander, Arizona wide receiver Anquan Boldin and Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. "I am extremely disappointed in Hasselbeck and Alexander," he says. "If they can pick it up in the second half, I should be alright." Bye Week
The following teams have byes this week: Chicago Bears, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants and the St. Louis Rams. Week 8 standings1. Don Wolfe, 7-1 (904 points*)
2. Mike VanVelson, 5-3 (775)
3. Joby Knapp, 5-3 (828)
4. Jim Salamone, 5-3 (755)
5. Renee Piccirillo, 5-3 (658)
6. Todd Clausen, 5-3 (621)
7. Dan Dixon, 4-4 (642)
8. Chuck White, 3-5 (780)
9. Omar Al-Sinjari, 3-5 (664)
10. Mark Miller, 3-5 (596)
11. Hy Swartz, 2-6 (644)
12. Jim Tharrett, 1-7 (521)
(* points are cumulative)
Hurt by injuries
Despite injuries to two of his top players, Omar Al-Sinjari's insider Fantasy Football team won it's Week 7 game. It didn't hurt that Al-Sinjari's starting quarterback is New England's Tom Brady. Brady's stat line this week: 354 yards and six touchdowns.  "Tom Brady's performance has been amazing this year," says Al-Sinjari. "He's on fire. I think he will break Peyton (Manning's) touchdown mark."
Al-Sinjari played Kenny Watson, who got the start over injured Cincinnati running back Rudi Johnson. Watson rushed for 130 yards and three touchdowns. Al-Sinjari owns both players, as well as Denver wide receiver Javon Walker, who didn't play due to an injury. Also on Al-Sinjari's team are Denver wide receiver Brandon Marshall, Philadelphia running back Brian Westbrook, Dallas wide receiver Patrick Crayton, Atlanta running back Jerious Norwood, Chicago tight end Desmond Clark, Cleveland kicker Phil Dawson and the Miami Dolphins defense. "I'm not out of it yet," Al-Sinjari says. "I need some players to get healthy, and (I) need to add some depth at wide receiver. My receiving core is hurting right now, but hopefully Javon Walker will come back and blow up." Week 7 standings 1. Don Wolfe, 6-1 (810 points*) 2. Mike VanVelson, 5-2 (713) 3. Renee Piccirillo, 5-2 (591) 4. Todd Clausen, 5-2 (549) 5. Joby Knapp, 4-3 (722) 6. Jim Salamone, 4-3 (654) 7. Chuck White, 3-4 (706) 8. Dan Dixon, 3-4 (564) 9. Mark Miller, 3-4 (539) 10. Omar Al-Sinjari, 2-5 (573) 11. Hy Swartz, 1-6 (564) 12. Jim Tharrett, 1-6 (439) (*=points are cumulative)
These teams have byes in Week 8: Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs and the Seattle Seahawks.
Crowded at the top
 Renee Piccirillo's insider fantasy football team moved into a four-way tie for second place after winning its week No. 6 matchup by 60 points. Her starting quarterback, Cleveland's Derek Anderson (pictured at left), who wasn't even a starter when the season began, threw for 245 yards and three touchdowns. Anderson also ran for another score. Philadelphia wide receiver Kevin Curtis caught five passes for 121 yards and a touchdown and Chicago Bears wide receiver Bernard Berrian had 78 yards receiving and a touchdown for Piccirillo's team. New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson, New York Giants tight end Jeremy Shockey, Chicago Bears kicker Robbie Gould and the Washington Redskins defense filled out her active roster. Piccirillo, along with three other fantasy owners, moved within a game of first place thanks to a 2-point loss by Mike VanVelson's previously undefeated team (to my very own Marquette Warriors). Fantasy AdviceDon't be the one owner who starts a player that has a vacation this week. The teams that have a bye in week No. 7 are the Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers and the San Diego Chargers. Week 6 standings1. Don Wolfe, 5-1 (701 points*) 2. Mike VanVelson, 5-1 (647) 3. Joby Knapp, 4-2 (624) 4. Jim Salamone, 4-2 (552) 5. Renee Piccirillo, 4-2 (483) 6. Todd Clausen, 4-2 (462) 7. Chuck White, 3-3 (626) 8. Mark Miller, 2-4 (468) 9. Dan Dixon, 2-4 (447) 10. Hy Swartz, 1-5 (498) 11. Omar Al-Sinjari, 1-5 (476) 12. Jim Tharrett, 1-5 (369) (*=points are cumulative)
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 I'm Todd and I do some of the behind-the-scenes work at insider, from reading stories and designing pages to working the calendars, posting stuff online and being a general pain in the ass to my co-workers. And no, I don't sell ads or bring coffee to my boss.
I grew up in Irondequoit, graduated from Eastridge High School, and now live in the city. I'm a huge fan of the Buffalo Bills, New York Yankees and Marquette University, where I graduated from college and learned about the Milwaukee Brewers, the Bucks, Al McGuire, SummerFest, Happy Days, Jeffrey Dahmer, among other things. I've run a half-marathon, finished a triathlon and play I softball at Cobbs Hill. I've also been to countless baseball, football and basketball games (some of which I referee).
I started an insider fantasy football league to play fantasy sports at work without getting into trouble. Please don't tell the boss. :)
If you disagree with me about anything I write, that's good. And if you agree, you're probably in the minority. Float me a note in the comment section, e-mail me at Todd's e-mail, or call 258-9883.
Peace.
Want even more of me? Check out Fourth and Long: A Fantasy Football podcast.
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