It's another session of "Sink or Swim" Fantasy Football FanHouse's weekly look at the underachievers still lurking on many fantasy rosters. You've got the tough choices to make and we help you decide which direction to take. Do you cut the bait or give 'em one more chance to swim?We are only two weeks into the season, so this is not the time to let your preconceived notions -- or preseason hype -- cloud your train of thought. This is the time to make clear and concise decisions about the future of your team. First and foremost, you never cut your stars. But if somebody that kinda-sorta-marginal-to-decent guy ain't performing up to par, don't think twice before cutting him.
Today, we are inviting the Denver Broncos travesty of a wide receiving corps to the party. Sans a freak catch by Brandon Stokley against the Bengals in Week 1, the Broncos trio of WR's has a combined total of 17 catches for 169 yards. Where do we start?
Well, first the question that obviously lingers in Denver these days still circles around Jay Cutler. Is it the quarterback that makes the wide receivers or vice versa? So far, with the Broncos, we've got a mixed bag of reviews. However, it'd certainly be safe to say that perhaps Cutler did make those wide receivers just a little better. Of course, we may need more time to judge -- or Kyle Orton may need just a little more time to get on the same page as his receivers.
The hype throughout much of the preseason was that Eddie Royal would certainly emerge as an old reliable for Orton and a solid option for fantasy owners. Remember how a lot of folks were saying he'll be the "Wes Welker-type" of this offense? They did so with good reason, because after all, it was Josh McDaniels who helped orchestrate Welker's role as the premier slot receiver in the game. Insert Royal, and we thought fantasy greatness was next.
Through two games, though, Royal has a grand total of five catches for 38 yards and zero TDs. I hate to be the one to tell you how to run your fantasy team, but it's probably time to bid farewell to Royal. I know it can be painful, but unless he's not hogging up a roster spot and/or your waiver wire is completely barren, I don't see the point in holding on. He's gonna have his moments, but those will be few and far between and will most likely happen when he's on your bench.
An interesting note is that Royal has been dumped by just over 700 teams on Fleaflicker in the last 24 hours alone. It's not always right to follow the masses, but that's surely a testament to the fact that, if you dump Royal and you want him back at some point, you probably know where to find him. A waiver-wire wonder a year ago might become a waiver-wire fixture this year.
However, Royal's counterpart on the other side of the field is a completely different story. Nobody really knew for sure if Brandon Marshall would even play for the Broncos this season. He was, and still is, the biggest enigma when it comes to No. 1 wide receiver fantasy options. We know he's got loads of talent and the potential to be on par with the elite fantasy options.
Yet, there are just so many questions. Is his heart really into it? Will he even play the full season in Denver? Could he get traded or, even worse, suspended? Does he know the playbook? Does he secretly despise Orton? Can Orton actually get him the ball? Is he gonna quit trying? Does he ever really try? Are he and McDaniels going to fight to the death?
You get my point.
And even after all that, I say you hold steady with Marshall. You just can't sink a guy with that potential, for obvious reasons. You aren't going to ever just cut a guy you most likely drafted in the first six rounds. However, the other downside in trying to deal Marshall to another owner is that you probably aren't going to get much by way of return. Let's face it: there is a stigma attached to Marshall and not many are willing to trust him.
You should ride it out and hope for the best. Marshall could easily turn it on and begin to produce the stat lines with which we became familiar last season. It's not a guarantee, but you'll be kicking yourself if it does happen. It's not like the potential is missing. In a best-case scenario, he gets traded and plays with an enormous chip on his shoulder for his new team. It's certainly something to ponder.
Let the record show, Stokley probably is where he already belongs (on the waiver wire) unless you're in a deep league. Anyhow, you know the drill. It's time to make decisions if you own anybody in the Denver receiving corps. And my stance is pretty clear cut, don't hold out hope for Royal, but take a wait and see approach with Marshall. Really, I can't see how it could be viewed in any other way. Of course, this point is moot if Marshall ends up suspended for insubordination.
