Help you team or block your opponent - How would you play this?

[jwlincy]

14 team 1/2PPR league. My brother is a considerable underdog in the 2nd round of the playoffs. His starting line up is:

QB: R. Wilson at NYG
RB: McCoy at MIN
WR: Colston at STL
WR: Burleson vs BAL
RB/WR: A. Holmes vs KC
TE: Jul. Thomas vs SD
K: Henery: at MIN
DEF: SF at TB

His opponent has:

QB: P. Manning vs SD
RB: Gore at TB
WR: Cal. Johnson vs DET
WR: A. Johnson at IND
RB/WR: Vereen at MIA
TE: Eifert at PIT or Chandler at JAX or Ertz at MIN
K: Gostkowski at MIA
DEF: Seattle at NYG

His opponent's only weak spot is at TE where Pitta (at DET) is available on waivers. My brother is looking at some guys to start over A. Holmes at RB/WR (and possibly over Burleson at WR). The top waivers guys are:

RB: D. Thomas vs NE, Green-Ellis at PIT, Starks at DAL, Todman vs BUF, Reece vs KC, Blount at MIA
WR: Patterson vs PHI, D. Rogers vs HOu, Hunter vs ARZ, Jac. Jones at DET, LaFell vs NYJ, A. Sanders vs BUF, McCluster at OAK
TE: Pitta at DET, Housler at TEN, Fasano at OAK, Tamme at SD, M. Lewis vs BUF, Gresham at PIT, Pettigrew vs BAL, Quarless at DAL, Celek at MIN

Would you grab one or two of the RB/WR guys with your first waiver or would you block your opponent from getting Pitta (who is the clear top TE option available)?

Also how would you rank the top 5 or 6 RB/WR guys?

Thanks in advance.

[jwlincy]

I told him that I'd strongly consider blocking him on Pitta because I don't know if there is a big difference between Patterson, Rogers, Thomas in a 1/2 PPR league so he could possibly get Pitta and one of the other guys on the 2nd pass of waivers.

But maybe there is a drop off at some point where he would want to make sure he got one of a certain list of guys. Maybe the drop off is after the first 3 guys (Patterson, Rogers and Thomas)?

Just wanted to get some other thoughts.

[Erik]

Pitta's coming off a major injury, we can't assume he's going to put up 2012 numbers. I'd focus on helping my own team. I'd snag Patterson and Rogers and play them over Holmes and Burleson. He needs high-ceiling guys if he's gonna pull this out, and those two have incredibly high ceilings (but also low floors).

[revo]

I'd put Todman at the top of the list, because MJD may not play. Reece is looking likely as the starter this week again. I'd take either of those two (or both, if possible) over Pitta anyway.

[jwlincy]

I like Starks a bunch too if Lacy doesn't play this week.

[revo]

I'd put Todman at the top of the list, because MJD may not play. Reece is looking likely as the starter this week again. I'd take either of those two (or both, if possible) over Pitta anyway.

Jennings was cleared, so scratch Reece.

[jwlincy]

Well, waivers went pretty good. My brother got Pitta, Patterson & D. Rogers (dropped R. Woods, OAK DST & B. Brown. I would have liked to see him grab Starks (nobody grabbed him). His opponent grabbed Quarless & T. Wright.

So now the decision is (pick 2):

Burleson vs BAL
A. Holmes vs KC
Patterson vs PHI
D. Rogers vs HOU

His opponent has the following options at TE: Chandler at JAX, Quarless at DAL, T. Wright vs SF

Which 2 WRs would you roll with? Thanks in advance.

[Erik]

As I said, I would play Patterson and Rogers, because your brother is in a situation where he needs a huge game from everyone to have a chance at winning, and Patterson and Rogers are the most likely to have a huge game in that bunch.

[jwlincy]

Would anybody even consider starting Cutler at CLE over Wilson at NYG? My brother just emailed me and asked my opinion on his QB situation now that Cutler has been named the starter.

I told him that I'd still tend to trust Wilson more since its Cutler's first week back from injury. But honestly Chicago throws the ball more than Seattle does and Cutler has been weapons to throw to (Marshall, Jeffrey, Forte & M. Bennett versus Harvin, G. Tate, Z. Miller, Lynch).

What do you think? It looks like he's going for upside and starting Patterson at WR and D. Rogers at RB/WR (over Burleson & A. Holmes).

[Pogues]

My suggestion is your brother skips the middle man, signs up for an RJ account, and ask us himself.

[jwlincy]

My suggestion is your brother skips the middle man, signs up for an RJ account, and ask us himself.

I'm living vicariously through his team since I didn't make it into the playoffs this year. I'm his unofficial co-manager/guy who give him too much advice even when he doesn't ask for it.

Plus, I don't want him on here where he can lurk around my questions next year.