By JIMMY D / NFL fantasy top picks| Jimmy's archive

Larry Johnson.

Shaun Alexander.

LaDainian Tomlinson.

If you have a Top 3 pick in your upcoming NFL fantasy draft and another name comes out of your mouth, then you deserve the fate that befalls you.

Because heading into 2006, the aforementioned running backs are 1A, 1B and 1C at the top of the leader board.

Jimmy has searched high and low and far and wide across the Internet trying to find some expert opinion, some fantasy justification, some sensible mathematical prognostication for selecting someone else and here’s what he came up with: squat!

Yahoo! fantasy leagues account for millions of players and the quartet of experts writing about them have Chief Johnson, Seahawk Alexander and Charger Tomlinson 1-2-3.

Over at ESPN.com, it’s the same story, although one dude has Peyton Manning at No. 8 overall. While Mr. Change-Every-Play-at-the-Line-of-Scrimmage is clearly the best QB, rating him higher than the second round is only for those with squishy noodles in their heads.

But, Jimmy, what about Tom Brady and all his championships? Or Big Ben Roethlisberger is Pittsburgh?

Fantasy could care less about championships, even by men as handsome as Tom Brady. And very few NFL starters generate fewer fantasy stats than Roethlisberger. Not to mention the wisdom of selecting a dude who thinks riding a motorcycle without a helmet is a bright idea.

But, Jimmy, what about that Reggie Bush Heisman stud muffin down in New Orleans?

Fantasy cares less about college stats and pays more attention to the fact that Deuce McAllister is already a Saint.

Remember folks, you are not picking the All Handsome Team or the All I-Heard-of-That-Dude Team.

Jimmy wants you to do some homework this week, check out the preseason games, visit the fantasy sites and read the hometown newspapers so you will up to speed next week when he lays the straight fantasy goods on you.

In the meantime, some good rules to follow:
1. Running backs are the studs of fantasy football. In a 12-team league, all of you should have an RB penciled in at the end of Round 1. Most of the second picks should be RBs too, except for those who pluck Manning at QB, Steve Smith and Chad Johnson at WR and Terrell Owens (if he’s back on the Cowboys practice field this week).

2. Michael Vick is as good a fantasy QB as he is a real QB – not very. Do not make him a Top 15 QB selection.

3. Kurt Warner is yesterday’s man, but also has Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald at wideout. He is a Top 10 pick at QB.

4. Clinton Portis is a stud with a sore shoulder. Watch this closely as it dictates whether you pick him fourth overall or further down the RB list.

5. Denver’s RB situation is brilliantly screwed up. Before you call out Tatum Bell or Ron Dayne, make sure some new dude like Mike Bell hasn’t won the job in preseason. The beauty of it is, whomever they insert in the lineup performs like magic.

6. The Bears, Panthers and Steelers are consensus Top 3 if you must pick a defense in your league. Pencil in the Jags, Bucs and Colts right after them, but do not make such a pick until about 100 deep in your draft.

Dumb and Dumber

MLB Advanced Media and the MLBPA lost a court ruling last week that had threatened to stagnate fantasy baseball and drive some of the innovators out of business.

A judge ruled that stats – even when the player’s name is attached to them – are public domain. As such, MLB cannot charge gazillions of dollars in licensing fees to a few big fantasy providers and shove everyone else out of the way.
Still, baseball expressed disappointment with the ruling and indicated it will appeal.

“We continue to believe that the use of the players, without their consent, to create this type of commercial venture is improper,” reads a statement from MLB offices.

Instead of charging fantasy operators, how about actually paying them to help their efforts in promoting the sport?

Baseball has so many problems that it should be awarding hero biscuits to every fantasy operator who has helped retain interest in a game where there are as many hoots of stee-roid as stee-rike.

It wasn’t the battle of Andro-infused muscle blimps Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa a few years back that saved baseball – it was the growth of fantasy baseball, ya big stupids!

That’s enough Jimmy ranting for one week.

In the meantime, check out the NFL preseason for fantasy updates and check back next week.

Stay busy and stay lucky.

Jimmy D JPoole@herald.ca