NLL Insider

Like the fruitless claims of the South – at least to this point – I believe that my team shall indeed rise again!

Heck, after getting torched by nearly 10 to a guy that was in last place only two weeks ago (could I really be speaking about anyone else besides Ted Jenner?) the only thing that keeps a smile on my face is the exploits of this here Dancin’ Homer. He worked for the Springfield Isotopes, why can’t he work for me and my team?

Unfortunately, due to scheduling, I won’t get another crack at him in the regular season, but trust me, a postseason whoopin’ is certainly in store.

The Insiders League:

As was previously noted, Jenner and the ‘fro got the best of me this past week, 23-14. Lucky for me, I wasn’t the only one out of the West to drop a game. In fact, very much unlike the NBA, the East is making itself out as the class of the league.

Every team in the East is at .500 or better, with the two teams tied for the top record (3-1) both residing there as well. On the other hand, the best record out of the West is (2-2). This division also possesses the miserable record, (0-4), of the embarrassing Brian Shanahan.

The good news for everyone else in the league though, Paul Tutka’s Seinfeldian luck finally fell short to John Jiloty, losing the week 23-21. More importantly, Tuts also lost his undefeated record, bringing an end to his three-week streak.

Here’s how they stand:

Eastern Division:

The Van Buren Boys (Paul Tutka) (3-1)
Waterloo Wannabees (Chris Hall) (3-1)
bob mcmahons afro (Ted Jenner) (2-2)
Steal Your Faceoff (Bob Chavez) (2-2)

Western Division:

Gary Colemans (John Jiloty) (2-2)
The Check Republic (Lauren Ward) (2-2)
Albuquerque Isotopes (Me – Kevin Fixler) (2-2)
Who owns the Chiefs? (Brian Shanahan) (0-4)

Smack Talk of the Week:

Aside from the endless back-and-forth aimed at staking a claim to the best 80s television shows/intros, this week, Jenner got another one his jabs in to claim the weekly crown.

In reality, it’s not even that good. Call it a love affair with the original Nintendo, or call it the fact that no one put in a serious effort this week to challenge anyone else’s fantasy fortitude. But the claim of this being Jiloty and Chavez on there day off, I can’t help but chuckle:

Studs:

John Grant, Jr. (ROC): (4, 6) vs. CGY
Shockingly enough, “Junior” is making his first appearance in the Studs section of the column. There has never been a question that you obviously keep this guy in your lineup every week, but with the inflated expectations for Grant, Jr., we anticipate better than (1, 1) versus Toronto the week before. The NLL’s Overall and Offensive Player of the Week is still one of the best in the league. Congrats on point number 750!

Athan Iannucci (PHI): (5, 3) vs. COL
Eight points versus what is still the best defense in the league (10.7 GA per game) is impressive, especially when they come at opportune times in a close victory, and on the road. Iannucci might just be the purest shooter in the league today, and a leading MVP candidate. His 7.25 points-per-game is better than Jeff Zywicki’s 6.83 mark, and he hasn’t scored fewer than 4 goals in a game this season, and at least 6 points in all four games he’s played. He’s as good as gold.

Duds:

Ken Millin (ROC):
(2,8) through 6 games might work in Edmonton, but Millin, the fifth forward for the K’Hawks, is worth a drop if you own him. His under 2 points-per-game are solid role player numbers, but not good enough to land a starting spot on a fantasy roster. In fact, I don’t even think he’s worth a bench space.

Peter Veltman (SJS):
Based on projections, he should surpass his career-high 26 points (13, 13) from 2005 with Arizona, but the four-year Sting-transfer hasn’t quite taken on in San Jose just yet. He might still be worth holding onto on your bench if you’ve got him, but don’t go out of your way to pick him off waivers if he’s still a free agent in your league.

Start ‘Em:

Jason Wulder (COL):
This guy scores so many clutch goals for the Mammoth, it’s ridiculous. The trade that brought him to Denver for Ben Prepchuk has very visibly swung in favor of Colorado so far. 21 points (9, 12) through 6 games, and third in scoring on one of the most potent offenses in the league, Wulder is an everyday start.

Mike McClellan (NYT):
The third-year player, in his second season with the Titans, sits fifth on the squad in points with 26 (14, 12), which is well on surpassing his career high of 44 from a season ago. Might be a great sell-high kind of player if you’re looking to package him a trade to improve your team. Could also be a great mid-season pick-up if you need depth.

Sit ‘Em:

Dane Dobbie (CGY):
Through 4 games, the rookie has had a couple pretty solid performances, as well as a pair of forgettable games. Inconsistency and not knowing if he will start each week has made him a Sit ‘Em candidate until further notice.

(T) Nenad Gajic (COL):
Definitely a terrific real-time transition man, but that doesn’t transfer over to being a weekly fantasy start. 12 points (4,8) though 6 games puts him right on pace to match his 37 points from 2007, but like Dobbie, inconsistency hurts his prospects as a fantasy start.

Closing Notes:

E-mail me at nllfantasyinsider@nllinsider.com with fantasy questions, comments, or your Top-10 Simpsons episodes of all-time. Please include your name and location, as the best e-mails will be published in next week’s column.

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