NLL Insider

Let’s face the facts – fantasy lacrosse is still pretty much in its infancy.

It has grown significantly in quality and participation since its inception in 2006, but yes, it still has plenty of little quirks.

One such annoying flaw is the fact that it locks your selections as much as several days before games for the upcoming fantasy week actually start. I myself have encountered this a couple of times, as well as heard an earful from the other fantasy nerds in our NLL Insiders League.

It is certainly an issue, especially since one doesn’t even know which players will be suiting up game-to-game. A prime example is the now much publicized concussion that, at press time, continues to hamper perennial Calgary all-star Tracey Kelusky.

But brace yourselves my fellow fantasy dorks, the NLL has come to the rescue.

According to Scott Neiss, director of operations for the NLL, starting in Week 4 of fantasy, participants will be able to shuffle their lineups up until game day for each player’s team. It’s not 5 minutes before the first face-off, but it’s definitely an improvement, and I’ll take it!

So decide away – just don’t let all of that extra time allow you to think yourself out of playing your total locks. I’ve said it many times already, don’t try and outthink yourself. Play the odds.

THE INSIDERS LEAGUE:

Because of the short stack of games from this previous week, not a whole lot to report in our league.

In The Game of the Week between Lauren Ward’s West-leading Check Republic and Paul Tutka’s Van Buren Boys – the beasts of the East – it remains tied at zero, with no players having played heading into Week 7 of league play. Someone’s going down!

In the square off between John Jiloty’s Gary Colemans and Chris Hall’s Waterloo Wannabees, two second place teams both at (1-1), Hall has taken the early lead, 4-0, on the back of a nice performance out of Edmonton’s Mike Accursi (3, 1) against Portland.

In the battle between myself (Albuquerque Isotopes) and Bob Chavez’s Steal Your Faceoff, Chavez has shot out of the gate with a third of a point from his Edmonton goalkeepers and nearly 2 from Ben Prepchuk as well. But then again, none of my players have even touched the carpet yet this fantasy week. I’m not worried. (2-1) here I come.

And rounding out the 8-team league, pulling up the rear are the winless Ted Jenner with his bob mcmahons afro and Brian Shanahan’s Who Owns the Chiefs? Jenner holds a measly .6 lead over Shanny, (2.5-1.9) – both having played one player.

BEST SMACK TALK OF THE WEEK:

Aside from bragging rights of course, I was hoping that we might be able to settle upon some sort of prize to the winner of our league. Tutka persisted that it needed to be some greenbacks – or whatever color Canadian bills are – so that he could feed his kids. But straight cash, homie, is probably out of the question because we’re all just a bunch of poor writers. However, we were had by Jiloty when he told us that the winner would receive an autographed copy of the book he co-wrote, Lacrosse for Dummies.

Yours truly has never read it, but from what I hear, it’s phenomenal, as well as readily available – for the low, low price of $16.49 new on www.amazon.com!

Your welcome for the plug John-John. Now get with the real prize producin’.

STUDS:

On to the meat of our program. It was an abbreviated week, but once again, the glorious wheat separated itself from the chaff.

Jeff Zywicki (SJS): (3, 3) vs. New York, (5, 4), 10 LB vs. Minnesota: (8, 7) 15 points
Named both the Week 6 Offensive and Overall Players of the Week, Zywicki also leads the entire league in scoring with 33 points (17, 16) through 5 games. This third-year forward has shown no signs of slowing down and is making a stand as a strong candidate for MVP.

Sean Pollock (MIN): (2, 4) vs. San Jose
Pollock turned his second very strong performance in a row and has proven that he is a strong leader on a still undefeated Swarm squad heading into Week 7. Who saw that coming? Regardless, if you’ve got him, keep leaning on his proven production.

DUDS:

Chris Gill (EDM):
The former-Colorado Mammoth standout and 60+ point scorer from last season with Edmonton has floundered through the Rush’s first 4 games. 7 goals is 7 goals, but no assists to go with it is unforgivable. No question, his (4, 0) game against Chicago in Week 5 was phenomenal, and almost even landed him on the Sleepers section of my Jan. 31st column, but where’s the consistency?! Bench him!

Bill McGlone (CHI):
Through 3 games, the former-Maryland Terrapin has shown nothing close to his 40-point (22, 18) brilliance from a year ago. I personally had inflated hopes for this guy in 2008 – probably because I drafted him – but c’mon, 2 goals in 3 games, give me a break. Maybe this helps to explain why the Shamrox are currently (1-2), on the outside looking in on the playoffs.

START ‘EM:

Mike Accursi (EDM): (3, 1) vs. Portland
In the Jan. 24 edition of my column, I called out Accursi for having only 8 points (1, 7) through 2 games. Since then, he’s rattled off (6, 4) in the next two for a total of 18 points through 4 games in an effort to help shut me up. He is the unquestioned go-to guy for the Rush and has answered the bell since I put in my two cents. I say, if you’ve got him, dangle him as trade bait, but insert him into your lineup for weeks to come, no matter the match-up. I mean, Edmonton has to win at some point, right?

Craig Point (MIN): (2, 5) vs. San Jose
The column poster boy himself. This Rook continues to impress as he vies for the ROY award. I still think Merrick Thomson, who took Rookie of the Month accolades earlier in the week, will end up taking it, but Point is undeniably giving him a run for his money. With yet another strong performance, Point landed himself the Rookie of the Week award for the second time this season. He also ranks third on the undefeated Swarm in scoring with 21 points (8, 13). Play him! Play him! Play him!

SIT ‘EM:

Andrew Lazore (BUF):
Don’t even think about it, buster. The trade from Chicago to Buffalo to bolster the Bandits injury riddled lineup is a sexy move to add depth, but don’t jump the shark just yet – you like the one Chavez? Lazore’s short career has shown nothing but potential, a bunch of potential. Until he can find his niche with his new team and starts producing, he’s worth maybe a free agent pick up, and nothing more. So for now, go with the wait and see approach on this one.

Peter Morgan (POR):
Not only do I hate his match-up against Colorado this upcoming week, but he has done a whole lot of nothing up to this point in the season, (1, 3) through 3 games. This is a definite surprise considering that he is only a year removed from a 50+ point season in 2006. If he doesn’t step up in Denver, it might actually be time to give him the permanent heave-ho and look for help on your lineup elsewhere. Give him one last week with the troupe, but anymore than that if he fails again, and you’ve now been fooled twice.

PICKUPS OF THE WEEK:

Instead of picking sleepers again this week, I figured I’d switch it up a bit and give you some of the players that you should do your best to get onto your roster if you can work a sweet trade, and especially if they are available as free agents in your league.

Brendan Mundorf (NYT): (3, 0) vs. San Jose
Mundorf wasted no time shaking off the rust, returning to the Titans starting lineup for his second season. Mundorf had yet to sign with the team up until that point, but showed he was well worth shelling out the extra dough. This should be sign of things to come. If he’s available, one way or the other, snap him up ASAP!

Brent Bucktooth (BUF):
The man expected only to improve upon his 26-point (12, 14) season in 2007, who has been on the shelf due to a hip injury before the start of the season, should be ready to go soon. Reports had him missing upwards of 6 weeks, but that timeframe is about to be hit, and a waiver wire steal of Bucktooth would be a wise decision at this point. That is, assuming someone else didn’t beat you to it.

(T) Jimmy Quinlan (EDM): (3, 2), 9 LB vs. Portland
Numbers like that easily garnered Quinlan the Transition Player of the Week award for Week 6. If by some stunner you can land him at no or very little cost, pick him up, because the cat will be out of the bag shortly, if not already. If Edmonton is going to start putting tallies in the ‘W’ column this season, it will be in large part due to this guy’s play.

CLOSING NOTES:

As always, shoot me your questions, comments and insights to nllfantasyinsider@nllinsider.com. Please make sure to include your name and location, because the best e-mails will be included in next Thursday’s column.

Best of luck to you all this week!

Fixler played lacrosse at the University of Denver and has been a freelance writer and Inside Lacrosse contributor since graduating from DU in 2006. Email him at kevin.fixler@nllinsider.com.

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