| Should Michael Vick still be considered a No. 1 Fantasy QB? |
| Michael Hurcomb | Jamey Eisenberg |
 I am starting to feel sorry for Brenda Vick. After toughing out a situation in which her son Marcus experienced some legal troubles, now she has to endure another very public situation with her other son Michael. The Falcons QB was recently indicted for an alleged role in a dog fighting operation. The impact might have serious repercussions that trickle all the way down to Fantasy Football. I am no legal expert, but when the government is involved, you know it is bad news. Vick is set to appear at a bond hearing on July 26 -- the first day the Falcons are scheduled to practice under new head coach Bobby Petrino. A trial might come in the next 4-6 months -- right in the heart of the football season. I would advise Fantasy owners to draft Vick as a No. 2 quarterback. I know it is exciting to see Vick take over an explosive offense that Petrino had great success with in college, but you can't overlook the distractions. The combination of the distraction and Vick trying to grasp a new offense could be disastrous. Football won't be the only issue on Vick's mind. On top of the fact that commissioner Roger Goodell is trying to clean up the NFL's image, I wouldn't be surprised if he suspends Vick during the season to address his legal issues. You can no longer hang your Fantasy season on a quarterback who clearly has a lot of "ifs" surrounding him. |  OK, let's start with the obvious: If Michael Vick did hold dog fights at his home, which is what he was indicted for on federal charges Tuesday, he should be punished for the crime. It's a disgusting act, and no one should hurt animals like that. But we're not talking about PETA here, we're talking Fantasy Football. And the question is would you want Vick as your No. 1 QB for 2007. I still say yes. He hasn't been convicted yet, he hasn't been suspended and he's too talented to keep on your bench if he's able to play. Unless the Falcons or NFL commissioner Roger Goodell decide to suspend Vick prior to his hearing, which could be in 4-6 months, he will still play in the majority of games this season. Granted, when drafting your Fantasy team, select a solid backup in case Vick's fate is decided prior to the season. Some quality No. 2 Fantasy QB options are Philip Rivers, Matt Leinart, Ben Roethlisberger, Eli Manning and Brett Favre. All would make decent starters in the event Vick is banished for the season or longer. But if you plan on using Vick as your starter and that works out, you get a player who passed for 2,474 yards, 20 touchdowns and 13 interceptions last year and rushed for 1,039 yards and two touchdowns. That's a pretty good season for a pretty good player -- even if he is caught up in a horrible mess. |
Do you agree with Michael or Jamey? Which rookie do you think will make a big splash? Send your thoughts to DMFantasyFootball@cbs.com and we'll post the best responses. Be sure to put Attn: Vick in the subject field. Include your full name, hometown and state.
