Ed Barkowitz| Don't pass on former MVP Warner
SEEING THE CARDINALS turn to Kurt Warner this week as their new starting quarterback makes it only natural to harken back to 1999.
That was the year of Napster, Wayne Gretzky's last skate and all the bluster of Y2K. In the NFL, 1999 was Kurt Warner's year.
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When Rams quarterback Trent Green ripped up his knee
in the preseason that year, St. Louis turned to Warner, a guy most people never heard of and who people around here kept confusing with a former Penn State running back. The Daily News headline summed it up best: "Rams: QB Green out, green
QB in".
But it was shortly after he threw the first of his amazing
41 touchdown passes - and well before his Super Bowl MVP - that year that Kurt Warner the quarterback began distinguishing himself from Curt Warner the running back.
Can he do it again in 2007? That became the fantasy question of the week after Arizona starter Matt Leinart went down with a broken collarbone.
"His story is certainly a remarkable story and it's a credit to perseverance," Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "I guess if you ever say if you ever have a dream, work hard and pursue that dream and don't give up - that's the epitome of that. It's always good to see good guys have success in the league."
Fantasywise, Warner, 36, is
definitely worth picking up if he's somehow still available. While he doesn't have a superstar running back like Marshall Faulk in '99, Warner does have Edgerrin James, gifted wide
receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, who has a hip
injury but should be back in the lineup either this week or next. The offensive line, though, has
issues.
Warner has appeared in relief in the last three games and thrown four touchdowns and one pick. He'll get his first start Sunday against Carolina's 24th-ranked pass defense.
Tom Brady, Carson Palmer and Tony Romo are the only quarterbacks who should absolutely start ahead of Warner
this week. (Peyton Manning is idle.) Anybody else, and Warner is a decent option.
So grab Warner and hope he remains healthy. The Cardinals have a nice schedule following their Oct. 28 bye. And for the record, Tim Rattay is Warner's backup.
Speaking of old QBs . . .
As you've no doubt heard, the Panthers are so desperate for quarterback help they've brought in 43-year-old Vinny Testaverde. He made his NFL
debut for Tampa Bay on Sept. 20, 1987 and was sacked
by William "The Refrigerator" Perry. "Fridge" hasn't been in the league for 13 years.
Three up
* Randy Moss, wide receiver,
Patriots: Owners bummed by last week's three catches for
46 yards should be encouraged by Moss' average of 112.5 yards and 10 touchdowns in six career meetings against Dallas.
* Dominic Rhodes, running back, Raiders: If he's still available on the waiver wire, why not? He's just as worthy as Earnest Graham, DeShawn Wynn
or one of the Texans' running backs. Don't play him this week unless absolutely necessary, though. If you must play a Raider, go with Justin Fargas instead.
* Dwayne Bowe, wide receiver, Chiefs: Nobody gives up points to wide receivers like the
Bengals, this week's opponent. Bowe's a good No. 3 option and would be higher with a more
stable quarterback situation.
Three down
* Laurence Maroney, running back, Patriots: Before jamming him back in your lineup, remember that Dallas is ranked seventh against the run and Sammy
Morris is still in the mix.
Maroney is closer to making a run at bust of the year than at starting No. 1 running back.
* Shaun Alexander, running back, Seahawks: Fullback Mack Strong's career-ending neck
injury is an obvious blow to Alexander's already-sinking value.
* Kenton Keith, running back, Colts: It looks like starter Joseph Addai will be back after the bye. The best play might be to offer him in a trade to the Addai owner, who's probably still in panic mode.
Contest of the week
Let's look at the most interesting game of the weekend, the
Patriots at Cowboys. Who will have more receiving yards, New England's Randy Moss or Dallas' Terrell Owens? As a tiebreaker, include the number of yards each will get.
Send an e-mail to fantasyfootball@phillynews.com or a fax to 215-854-5524 by noon on Sunday. The reader who picks the leading receiver and comes closest to his yardage will win a Daily News Fantasy Football T-shirt. In case of tie, one winner will
be selected randomly. *
Ed Barkowitz, who rode Kurt Warner to the finals of his league in 1999, has been writing about fantasy football in the Daily News since 2001.
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