Todd's big fantasy

Mike VanVelson, 25, of Spencerport kept his winning streak alive in the insider Fantasy Football League as his team, Shake 'n Bake, won its third-straight game after scoring 144 points in Week No. 3.

VanVelson got strong games from Philadelphia quarterback Donovan McNabb, who threw for 381 yards and four touchdowns; Oakland running back LaMont Jordan, who rushed for 121 yards and a touchdown; and wide receivers Donald Driver of Green Bay, and Roddy White of Atlanta, who each had more than 100 yards receiving and one touchdown.

"I put my faith into McNabb as my quarterback hoping he'll remain healthy for the whole season," VanVelson says. "Philadelphia loves to pass the ball, and McNabb finally got back to form this week throwing against Detroit's weak defense. The Eagles won't play such an easy defense every week, but I think McNabb will continue to get the job done."

The Pittsburgh Steelers was VanVelson's starting defense/special unit, which scored a touchdown, logged two sacks and forced a turnover.

VanVelson has running backs Travis Henry, Cedric Benson, Maurice Jones-Drew, along with wide receivers Amani Toomer, Dwayne Bowe and Andre Johnson on his roster.

"I thought I drafted a pretty solid team and so far my players have performed well," says VanVelson. "I should have a chance to win every week ... as long as my team can stay consistent. I'm just hoping Cedric Benson and Maurice Jones-Drew shape up and start playing like I expected them to. Then, I'll be really happy with my team."

Mike's roster
Donovan McNabb, QB, PHI
Travis Henry, RB, DEN
LaMont Jordan, RB, OAK
Cedric Benson, RB, CHI
Donald Driver, WR, GB
Roddy White, WR, ATL
Benjamin Watson, TE, NE
Steelers, D/ST
Nick Folk, K DAL
Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, JAC
Bears, D/ST
Vernon Davis, TE, SF
J.P. Losman, QB, BUF
Amani Toomer, WR, NYG
Dwayne Bowe, KC, WR
Andre Johnson, WR, HOU

Week 3 standings
1. Mike VanVelson, 3-0 (374 points*)
2. Todd Clausen, 3-0 (263)
3. Jim Salamone, 2-1 (356)
4. Don Wolfe, 2-1 (355)
5. Mark Miller, 2-1 (281)
6. Renee Piccirillo, 2-1 (239)
7. Chuck White, 1-2 (345)
8. Dan Dixon, 1-2 (293)
9. Joby Knapp, 1-2 (262)
10. Jim Tharrett, 1-2 (254)
11. Omar Al-Sinjari, 0-3 (273)
12. Hy Swartz, 0-3 (241)
(*=points are cumulative)

Sleeper's
These guys might still been free agents in your league, if so look at picking them up.

Carolina tight end Jeff King has 13 catches, 130 yards and one touchdown.

Jacksonville quarterback David Garrard has 630 yards passing and 3 touchdowns.

Detroit running back Kevin Jones is back after scoring a touchdown last week. He didn't play much though since the Lions were forced to play from behind.

Detroit wide reciever Shaun McDonald continued to impress with five catches for 76 yards and a touchdown last week. McDonald could be even a bigger target with Calvin Johnson hurting his back last week.

Green Bay's Greg Jennings played in his first game Sunday, catching four passes for 82 yards, including a 57-yard touchdown. James Jones, who caught six passes for 79 yards, has been a strong fill-in for Jennings.

Keep an eye on Cincinnati running back Rudi Johnson, who was hurt last week. His backup Kenny Watson could get the start against New England this week.

Rule of 3
Finally, the rule of three. If someone like Lee Evans or Drew Brees is stinking up your team, then don't play the player until they break out of the funk.

If they stink for three weeks in a row and you are still playing the player, then you desrve to lose. Sorry.

Chuck White, 34, of Rochester used his flex position to start three amigos, er wide receivers, instead of a third running back, and watched his team, Duck's Dudes, win its Week No. 2 insider fantasy football game by scoring 152 points.

White got monster performances from Steve Smith, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Joey Galloway, who combined for 357 yards receiving and scored a whopping seven touchdowns.

"I've always been one who looks more at playing three wide receivers rather than three running backs," says White. "I just find that it's more entertaining to watch all the games that way every Sunday."

White's running backs are Carnell Williams, Michael Pittman, Mike Bell, Dominic Rhodes and Sammy Morris.

"Besides, have you seen my roster? Most of my running backs are, just like me ... watching the game," White says. "Of course, they have a better view of it from the bench!"

White's starting tight end, Kellen Winslow, also had a strong performance with 100 yards receiving and one touchdown.

Chuck's Roster
Peyton Manning, QB, IND
Carnell Williams, RB, TB
Sammy Morris, RB, NE
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR, CIN
Steve Smith, WR, CAR
Joey Galloway, WR, TB
Kellen Winslow, TE, CLE
RAVENS, D/ST
Matt Stover, K
Mike Bell, RB, DEN
Anthony Gonzalez, WR, IND
Santonio Holmes, WR, PIT
Eric Johnson, TE, NO
Michael Pittman, RB, TB
Bobby Engram, WR, SEA
Dominic Rhodes, RB, OAK

Week 2 standings
1. Mike VanVelson, 2-0 (230 points*)
2. Todd Clausen, 2-0 (198)
3. Renee Piccirillo, 2-0 (173)
4. Chuck White, 1-1 (253)
5. Don Wolfe, 1-1 (252)
6. Jim Salamone, 1-1 (209)
7. Dan Dixon, 1-1 (191)
8. Mark Miller, 1-1 (173)
9. Jim Tharrett, 1-1 (165)
1o. Omar Al-Sinjari, 0-2 (168)
11. Hy Swartz, 0-2 (163)
12. Joby Knapp, 0-2 (130)

* total points throughout the season

Quick takes
So Jamal Lewis busted loose for 216 yards last week but I'd trade him if he was on my team and try to get something better. His next four games are against teams with tough defenses: Oakland, Baltimore, New England and Miami. Not easy.

Expect Steve Jackson (157 total yards and 0 touchdowns) and LaDainain Tomlinson, who is averaging 1.9 yards per carry to turn things around. Jackson plays against Tampa Bay, while Tomlinson goes against Green Bay this week.

Tampa Bay quarterback Jeff Garcia (116.8 QB rating) and Houston quarterback Matt Schaub (111.4 QB rating) are both completing more than 67 percent of their passes. Expect more of the same this week, Garcia plays St. Louis and Schaub goes up against Indianapolis. We'll see if the 2-0 Texans are for real this week.

Buffalo's Lee Evans has only four catches. Unfortunately for Bill's fans, I don't expect things to get much better. Buffalo plays New England this week. After that it's the Jets, Cowboys, and Ravens.

Smack talk
Last week, Don Wolfe's team, Rochacha Jets, jumped out to a quick 1-0 start, while Mark Miller's Team Miller went 0-1. The two teams were separated by 111 points.

After Week No. 2, both teams are now 1-1, with Team Miller scoring 130 points with a 200-yard game from Jamal Lewis and six touchdowns from Carson Palmer.

Miller described the game on the league’s chat board as "the feel-good story of the year, a true modern-day David-and-Goliath matchup."

"Yes, that's right true believers, this week, in our very own league, we had the pleasure of watching as the 12-seed systematically dismantled Don (the sacrificial lamb) Wolfe," Miller wrote. "Team Miller unloaded on (the Rochacha Jets), who probably, thought that (Tony) Romo would bail him out again. Jamal Lewis shocked the naysayers in the NFL as well as our league."

The replies:
Miller's comment did receive some replies on the league's ESPN Web site. Here are some of them:

"At least Rudy played on a team with an actual nickname ... aka Fighting Irish! It wasn't Team Ruettiger..."
- Chuck White

"Hey Chuck, what are you doing, a little late night drunken typing, all your posts are at 2 a.m. This is Rochester, not Mayberry, Otis, so take it easy before the sheriff makes you sleep it off in one of the cells.

P.S. You might want to bolster your running backs a little - they are laughable at best. It's a good thing you have three receivers who went nuts this week, because starting (Carnell) Williams along with (Michael) Pittman is a fools errand, or should we call it a 'Chuck's errand' from now on.

Prediction: Four wins for you at best, even with (Peyton) Manning, your running backs are atrocious! You'll be in the toilet bowl with your pansy-ass logo (Donald the Duck). What are you, like five years old? You sure seem like an infant with a lobotomy, or a dolt if u will. Smarten up pudding head, don't you know running backs win these leagues!"
- Mark Miller

"I think the only thing that's laughable is how bent you got over my comment! I can only imagine if I would've wasted more of my time on you ... I had just gotten home from work ... ignoramus."
- Chuck White

"I am glad that you got your first win behind a freakish game. How often will your players be involved in one of the five-highest scoring games in NFL history? Lewis for 200 yards ... that happens once every four years ... Now enjoy the fall back down to the 12th seed."
- Don Wolfe

Don Wolfe, 27, of Rochester is insider's fantasy football owner of the week. His team, Rochacha Jets, scored 154 points, thanks to 345 yards passing and five touchdowns by Dallas quarterback Tony Romo and 183 yards receiving and one touchdown by New England's Randy Moss.
"Romo in the seventh round is going to be this year's best value pick in our draft," Wolfe says. "As for Moss, I know that I can't count on those numbers each week as (New England quarterback Tom) Brady does spread the ball around well, but I do think he (Moss) is good for at least 60 to 70 yards and one touchdown a week."
Wolfe also has LaDainian Tomlinson, Edgerrin James and Calvin Johnson on his roster, but he points out that it only takes one injury to "destroy" a good fantasy team.
"The rest of the league had better watch out, because if my team doesn't sustain an injury I will be taking the title," he says. "Just look at my score for the first week, and that was with LT (Tomlinson) have having a bad game by his standards."

Don's fantasy advice:
"The only thing that I do every week is check the free-agent wire and see if there are any surprises that may help my team based on situations," he says.
"As for setting my lineup each week, I just keep an eye on the injuries to my players as well as the injuries to the opponents of my players as that may have an effect on the match-up. Then I just start whoever I think has the most favorable match-ups for the week."

Finally, the season begins. It's time to grab some drinks, chips and huddle around someone's high-definition television.

Chuck White, 34, of Rochester is an owner in the Insider Fantasy Football League who recently sent me an e-mail about the things he's left wondering about after talking about football with the boys. He's labeled them M.I.M.s (Maybe It's Me). Here are his MIMS for this week:

5. Maybe It's Me ... but what I'm most looking forward to this week is the match-up between the defending champs Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints Thursday night. Peyton Manning versus Drew Brees. They could score as many points as an arena league game.

4. Maybe It's Me ... but I think they could have found a better Monday night game than Arizona and San Francisco. It must suck to live on the West Coast. They couldn't pay me to watch this game. But since I'll be at work, I guess SOMEBODY will be paying me to watch it.

3. Maybe It's Me ... but I feel the week AFTER week one can be a very busy one for fantasy owners. Don't be surprised to see guys you never heard of being claimed off your fantasy league's waiver wire. Keep an eye on those John Does or no-names. There's usually several quality players to be had after week one.

2. Maybe It's Me ... but the sooner the games begin, the less that I'll have to hear about all the off-season troubles that the NFL has had. With all the arrests, fines and suspensions I've heard about, it'll be refreshing to hear about statistics, which are more important to most fans. Wins and losses!

1. Maybe It's Me ... but the worst position for an NFL'er to play is on one of those dreaded position by committees. This is where two or three guys divide the minutes and plays called for them. It's almost like being put in the friend/drinking-buddy zone. The coach likes you a lot but wants to date other running backs too and see what else is out there. Even worse is me being a fantasy owner of a player by committee. How does that make me feel?? One word ... rhymes with committee and means crappy!

Chuck's roster

Peyton Manning (left), QB, IND
Carnell Williams, RB, TB
Anthony Thomas, RB, BUF
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR, CIN
Steve Smith, WR, CAR
Joey Galloway, WR, TB
Kellen Winslow, TE
Ravens, D/ST
Matt Stover, K, BAL
Dominic Rhodes, RB, OAK
Mike Bell, RB, DEN
Maurice Morris, RB, SEA
Anthony Gonzalex, WR, IND
Santonio Holmes, WR, PIT
Eric Johnson, TE, NO


Heading into the weekend ...

NFL.com reports that Oakland Raiders quarterback Josh McCown will start over Dante Culpepper, at least until Culpepper can learn more of the offense and stop fumbling the ball.

Also, the following players practiced this week and look ready to start in week one, despite previous injuries:

Randy Moss (pictured), WR, NE
Thomas Jones, RB, NYJ
Brandon Jackson, RB, GB
Don Driver, WR, GB
Frank Gore, RB, SF
Clinton Portis, RB, WASH






Who to start in Detroit?

Tatum Bell looks like the clear starter for week one in Detroit with T.J. Duckett possible stealing some carries. However, Kevin Jones, who has been bothered by a foot injury, could be the starter down the line.

If you have another running back, start them over these guys if you can until the situation has stabilized.

Waiver wire

Call me crazy, but I would take a shot by selecting one of these players off the waiver wire.

1. Joey Harrington. A guy with no pressure and lots of weapons like Alga Crumpler, Joe Horn, Warrick Dunn and Jurvius Norwood and a nice defense.

2. Stash away one of the three running backs, Michael Bennett (KC) Kenton Kieth (IND) and Adrian Peterson in (Chi). If Larry Johnson, Joseph Addai or Cedric Benson go down early, you'll be a nice position to work a trade or have immediate-depth at running back.

3. Brandon Jones, a 6-1, 212-pound receiver with the Tennessee Titans. He's a deep threat with 4.4 speed and a favorite target of Vince Young's inside the 20-yard line. Jones had a team-high four touchdown receptions and a total of 27 receptions for 384 yards last year. Now in his third year, he's poised to have a break-out season.

(Photos of Peyton Manning and Randy Moss were taken by the Associated Press)