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© St. Petersburg Times, published October 2, 2002
With apologies to Curtis Martin and Randy Moss, Kurt Warner may have wrapped up the 2002 Flop-of-the-Year Award Sunday. The honor is mostly of his own doing, considering he has thrown eight interceptions in three-plus games. But throw in the broken pinkie finger he sustained against Dallas, which will keep him out 8-10 weeks, and you have a complete waste of what was likely the No. 1, 2 or 3 pick in your league.
Unless he comes back in time for the last game or two, Warner is likely to pull off a first -- the first consensus top-three pick in the history of fantasy football to finish with negative points for a season.
His backup, Jamie Martin, is the most logical replacement on your team if you can get him. Despite an 0-4 start, it's hard to let go of the image of the high-scoring Rams. There's a chance Martin can bring them back.
OUT AND IN: With Arena football poster boy Warner out, how ironic that another Arena alumnus would emerge as an interesting proposition: Pittsburgh's (and former New Jersey Red Dog) Tommy Maddox.
Proceed with caution. Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher is leaning toward starting fantasy train wreck Kordell Stewart Sunday.
TIP OF THE WEEK: Warner's rookie counterpart is Cleveland's William Green, the apple of many an eye in the preseason. But with a 105-yard, one-touchdown (and another called back) effort, Jamel White is the man in Cleveland. You still might be able to get him.
HEAR THAT: For those trying to trade for Seattle's Shaun Alexander, who had 110 yards in the first three games this season and was being peddled in many leagues, the price just went up after he had maybe the greatest fantasy performance of all time Sunday night.
Thanks to 231 total yards and five touchdowns (all in the first half), Alexander's value is now right back where it was in the preseason, as one of the league's top running backs.
Those seeking to get top value for Alexander should certainly be doing so. Those willing to pay it need to consider his performance came against what might be the worst defense in the NFL.
TRIVIA QUESTION: Who was the last NFL player to score five touchdowns in one game?
SCARY: As each scoring update showing Jacksonville's Stacey Mack had scored one ... two ... three touchdowns flashed across the screen Sunday, some fantasy players had this sinking thought: How serious is Fred Taylor's injury?
Turns out Taylor wasn't hurt. Mack took away some of his touchdowns in short yardage situations, but Taylor still got his 237 total yards (more than Alexander, by the way) and one touchdown.
JUNKYARD HEAP: The Hurry-and-Pick-up-at-Halftime award this week goes to Baltimore's Todd Heap, who in a weak tight end field is on a lot more rosters today than he was at 11 p.m. Monday.
So is Rickey Dudley, one of the few Bucs worth having on your team. Brad Johnson (as a back-up) and Keenan McCardell would be the others.
FLASHBACK: Remember just three years ago when the Bucs defense was one of the best in the league but a useless fantasy entity because it just didn't score touchdowns? Well, it scored a touchdown for the third consecutive week.
CONFUSION: (shake of head) Rich Gannon (shake of head).
BRANCHING OUT: For those keeping count at home, the streak of breakout rookie wide receivers is now at four weeks and counting as New England's Deion Branch caught 13 passes for 128 yards.
Paging Javon Walker, paging Javon Walker.
TRIVIA ANSWER: James Stewart in 1997.
-- John Cotey can be reached at cotey@sptimes.com.