Headhunting for a Beckham replacement
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Talk trash all you want. Some pushing and shoving and lag-inducing antics can be tolerated. But when you start headhunting, maliciously playing with injurious intent, putting yoursel in the crosshairs o suspension, well, then you’ve gone too ar, because now you’re messing with our antasy prospects.
This isn’t meant to trivialize the dangerous nature o Odell Beckham Jr.’s spearheading tactics Sunday in his battle with Carolina cornerback Josh Norman. That type o action has no place in ootball — whether intentional or unintentional, responsive or instigating. No amount o trash talk justifies that kind o play. That is why Beckham will be suspended or this week’s pivotal clash with the Vikings, pending an appeal.
But the minions o the antasy- ootball realm can be a heartless lot. Mainly, we just want to have players we can rely on, and now it seems there will be one ewer this week. I Beckham has been the anchor o your team’s run to the title game this season, well, please sit down. I’ve got some bad news. There is no replacing Beckham. There are just a handful o “matchup-proo ” players on the antasy circuit, and nearly all o them are quarterbacks. Beckham is one o the other ew — along with Antonio Brown, Rob Gronkowski … umm … umm … is that it? Is that really how long this list is? We can’t even put Adrian Peterson on here at this point.
So i you have Beckham on your antasy team, and you’re heading into yo u r league championship, it’s OK to throw your own te mper t a nt r um at this point, because your options aren’t good. In most leagues, you probably already missed out on Ted Ginn Jr. and Tyler Lockett. Stefon Diggs and Willie Snead left the waiver wire months ago. Anquan Boldin and Andre Johnson might be the most recognizable names available, but this isn’t 2008.
The only thing you can hope to ind is a player who possibly could have a breakout game. You’re not concerned about how low a player’s loor is, you just need a high ceiling. You want to look primarily at matchups and QBs. Later in the week, check on the weather — none o these options are so good that a small actor can’t sway you in a different direction. And remember to use all that information on a sliding scale.
The easiest replacement is Rueben Randle. But the Madman isn’t overly happy about that option. Try Dorial Green-Beckham irst. He has become a signi icant part o the Titans’ offense. After that, close your eyes and throw a dart at Randle, Markus Wheaton, Devin funchess, Marques Colston, Brandon Coleman, DeVante Parker, Jermaine Kearse, Dontrelle Inman, Dwayne Harris, Nelson Agholor or Jamison Crowder.
Now go outside, kick some dirt, shake your ists in the air and scream at the heavens. You deserve it, because this is an awful way to end a glorious antasy run.