Let's Make Fantasy Football Great Again

I’m Ladd Biro, and I approve of this message…

By now, you have probably heard the tape from 2013 when I told my followers to draft C.J. Spiller as their No. 1 pick.

I said it, I was wrong and I apologize if anyone was hurt by that advice.

I’ve written some foolish things over the years, but there’s a big difference between the words and actions of a fantasy guru and the performance of the actual players on the field. Spiller was a total disaster that year, and he’s the one who really should apologize to you.

It’s also true that I called Tom Brady a “pretty boy.” That was locker room banter and I’ve apologized for it. (By the way, his wife is smokin’ hot.)

First of all, nobody respects Tom Brady more than I do, I’ll tell you that. Many people are saying that I am Brady’s biggest supporter. In fact, I even drafted him in the 7^th round this year and started him on Sunday. He was tremendous.

A lot of people are giving me credit for that, by the way.

At least I haven’t deleted thousands of emails with my start/sit recommendations that were absolute disasters.

There is no truth to the rumors that I am trying to bleach away my advice to start Victor Cruz against the Packers. In fact, there’s no evidence whatsoever that I even mentioned Cruz’s name in Friday’s column. Anyone who tells you otherwise is a liar.

There is no hidden meaning behind my consistent recommendations to bench Mohamed Sanu.

It is absolutely false that I was against Mike Wallace before I was for him and now I’m against him again.

I have said repeatedly that I will release my start/sit recommendations from the last five years as soon as every other fantasy guru does the same.

I believe in free and fair trade, but I am on record as having argued against many of the disastrous trade proposals that have been tweeted to me.

I believe that every fantasy player has the right to score more points, and we’re going to start by kicking the Rams and Browns out of the NFL. Their offenses are disasters and they should be ashamed.

I think you could put half of ESPN fantasy guru Matthew Berry’s supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables. Some of those folks are irredeemable. Every week, Berry brags about players he hates. Is that really who you want as your fantasy adviser? Someone who hates Tevin Coleman?

With your help, we’re going to build a big, beautiful wall around Bristol, Conn., and make Berry pay for it.

Oh, by the way, as a lifelong Dolphins fan, I hate Ryan Tannehill.

FREE AGENT PICKS AND PANS

To win a fantasy championship, it helps to start with a great draft. But filling in your roster throughout the season with the right free agents is also important. Here's a look at players worth considering, and others who would look better in someone else's lineup.

Catch ‘em while you can

Brian Hoyer, QB, Bears. Hoyer is the kind of player I almost always tell you not to be fooled about. After all, there’s a reason he’s been let go by the Patriots, and the Cardinals, and the Browns and the Texans. And yet, over his last three starts, he has passed for more than 300 yards (nearly topping 400 on Sunday) with zero interceptions and a pair of TDs each game. There’s no way Jay Cutler gets his job back if Hoyer continues like this.

James Starks, RB, Packers. You know the drill. When Eddie Lacy is injured, Starks steps in and typically performs solidly in his place. Lacy left Sunday’s game with an ankle injury, raising the possibility that he will be sidelined for an undetermined period of time. You know what to do now.

James White, RB, Patriots. His 89-combined-yard performance against the Browns wasn’t particularly exciting, but make no mistake: Brady will continue to look White’s way when he needs to dump off the ball. White will be a reliable PPR contributor in the weeks ahead thanks to his receiving skills and shiftiness in the open field.

Sammy Coates, WR, Steelers. Coates emphatically staked his claim to the No. 2 WR role in Pittsburgh with Sunday’s performance against the Jets. Martavis Bryant thrived in that position in previous years, and Coates now has a chance to benefit from Big Ben’s attention. Markus Wheaton has certainly squandered his opportunities.

Jeremy Kerley, WR, 49ers. Somebody has to catch passes in San Francisco, and that player is inarguably Kerley. At least as long as Blaine Gabbert is quarterbacking the team. (That said, the clock is ticking). With 14 receptions for 190 yards and 2 TDs over the last two games, Kerley is clearly the go-to wideout among the 49ers’ mediocre lot.

Don’t be fooled

Chris Hogan, WR, Patriots. The preseason darling is back on the fantasy radar now that Tom Brady is under center. Assuming his head injury is as minor as first reported, he’ll have an opportunity to keep contributing to the New England passing attack. But Hogan will be no better than a boom-or-bust option as long as he remains below Julian Edelman, two tight ends and even James White in the receiving pecking order.

Brandon LaFell, WR, Bengals. Aside from a brief stretch in 2014 when Brady put him on the fantasy map, LaFell’s career has been mostly underwhelming and inconsistent. Kinda like his first five games as a Bengal, in which he was essentially invisible other than one stellar quarter of garbage time in Dallas.