Sunday ritual

What are Sunday mornings for? They are for sleeping in, starting your day slowly, and setting your fantasy lineups.

We're all fans of tradition. One of my favorites is setting my three fantasy lineups, or in most cases, resetting them. I like to have the first go-round early in the week before any injuries are settled and to make sure that I have no bye-week guys in the lineup. While I used to tinker, I'm pretty good with what I have save a couple of last-minute adjustments.

In my local keeper league I'm playing a 6-3 team. The strange bedfellow that is fantasy football sometimes splits your loyalties. The team I'm playing will start Chris Johnson and Randy Moss. In a strange twist of scheduling, all of his players will be done after the 1 p.m. games and all but two of my guys play at 4. I'm not sure if I prefer having a huge lead and holding on or coming back. I guess I prefer the comeback, assuming that I do come back to win. I'm 7-2, lead the league in scoring, and finally broke my win two/lose one streak last week. The top seed used to mean nothing in this league but now the waivers are reversed in the playoffs which means I'd get top waiver claim throughout the playoffs if I maintain my spot.

In Zealots 17 I have the top spot in my "conference" which is probably more important because the top seed gets a first-round playoff bye. I'm playing a 5-4 team that needs a win to stay in the playoff hunt. Michael Turner did not give me the hot start I needed with a staggering 3.9 points. The Falcons clearly decided early on that they were going to win through the air. I do still have an all-star starting lineup of Peyton Manning, Adrian Peterson, Percy Harvin, Mike Wallace, Reggie Wayne, Mike Williams, Jacob Tamme, that crappy Dallas kicker, Jared Allen, Trent Cole, Lance Briggs, Cameron Wake, Patrick Willis, Oshiomogho Atogwe, Louis Delmas, and Cody Grimm. Tough guys to bench were Dwayne Bowe, Aaron Hernandez, and Dave Ball. Yeah, Dave Ball has more fantasy points than Jared Allen. Allen goes against the Bears so if he can't get some sacks today, he might be officially on the career downhill.

In Zealots 34 I feel like my season is almost over, so the temptation to subtly tank is there. I'm playing the team that's been in the last four championship games. I'm riding the Freeman train. Unlike z17, in which I have six or seven startable receivers, I have Nicks, Crabtree, and Mike Thomas. Chris Cooley could start scoring touchdowns whenever he's emotionally ready. This team is my least consistent, which explains the 4-5 record. I'm three games out of a playoff berth with four to go, so unless the two teams in front of me lose this weekend I can start scouting college players.

We're almost done with the college football season and I have no idea who the top rookies for 2011 are going to be. I know there are a lot of receivers coming out who might grade as high as Dez Bryant. I'm not sure what there is in terms of running backs and if the top QBs are that good.