Keeping up with Keepers: August 2010

After many restless nights, all the Gurus have finally come to the conclusion of which players they will return to the battlefield with and those that were laid to waste. Of course, now is the time to rank the teams after keepers have been selected.

PLAYOFF TEAMS

1. Aikman's Arsenal
- The Arsenal dealt two franchise players (Fitzgerald and Turner) to free up some salary space and be more flexible in future years. The defending champs have definitely slipped back towards the pack, but we still have them as a slight favorite going into the season.
Best Keeper: Chris Johnson $14
Questionable Call: Tony Romo $28

2. Achilles's Boys
- Most people forget that the Boys were the regular season champs last season. This is probably the Boys last chance at a title run due to salary cap reasons, but a run they will make.
Best Keeper: Ray Rice $13
Questionable Call: Cadlillac Williams $12 (still like it)

3. Irish Bulldawgs
- The Bulldawgs made it to the Finals last season and this year pulled off quite the deal with the Arsenal. The future was sold for the GGW Trophy to reside in the O'Sullivan's residence in 2011.
Best Keeper: Michael Turner $29
Questionable Call: Vincent Jackson $11

4. Old Brigade
- The keepers better produce, because not much help will come from the draft with only $35 for 10 spots. Miles Austin and Vernon Davis will need to prove last year wasn't a 1-yr wonder.st
Best Keeper: Miles Austin $8
Questionable Call: Steven Jackson $63

5. Irish Pride
- If Shonn Greene and Pierre Thomas can live up to preseason hype, this team will be dangerous with Matt Schaub, Roddy White and a combo of Nicks, Crabtree and Meachem. Right now we'll keep them as a fringe playoff team.
Best Keeper: Matt Schaub $19
Questionable Call: Donald Brown $26

6. Wolf Packers
- The 2009 champ is coming off a dismal season, but we expect the magazines to be flying around as the over-the-hill 40 year old gets down and dirty to research. Tom Brady, DeAngelo Williams and Sidney Rice are a good start.
Best Keeper: DeAngelo Williams $17
Questionable Call: Tom Brady $50

CONSOLATION TEAMS

7. Baxter Beasts
- Going on a limb here, but Willy will spend the big bucks quickly on the top players remaining to team up with Manning and Ricky Williams. Expect the Beasts to get off to a quick start, but fade down the stretch as the owner forgets to make lineup adjustments.
Best Keeper: Peyton Manning $42
Questionable Call: Kellen Winslow $8

8. Springsteen Groupies (Baker)
- The rookie owner will take his bumps and bruises this year trying to learn on the fly against a bunch of gurus, but the foundation is there for a solid team. Favre will be playing and Gore, Clark are elite at their positions.
Best Keeper: Dallas Clark $17
Questionable Call: Brett Favre $12

9. Show Me Your TD's
- MJD and Mendenhall could be the 2nd best RB duo (AP and Rice #1) in the league and the money will be out there to spend. We just can't go any higher on this team until Hamp proves he can win some games.
Best Keeper: Maurice Jones-Drew $43
Questionable Call: Mike Sims-Walker $13

10. Team Daws
- We expect to see major improvement in ownership for this team. Aaron Rodgers and Cedric Benson is not a bad start, but it will be an uphill climb with so few keepers. It will be interesting to see how all that money is spent.
Best Keeper: Aaron Rodgers $16
Questionable Call: Cedric Benson $21 (by default)

11. Orton Hears a Who
- This ranking could come back to haunt us, but we still think this team is at least one year away. Moreno and Beanie could explode into fantasy RB elite, but even so this is still an incomplete team that needs a good draft. Cory doesn't draft good.
Best Keeper: Beanie Wells $20
Questionable Call: Brandon Marshall $28

12. Dr. Kenneth Noisewater
- I really don't see much difference between teams 6-12, but somebody has to be #12. The one time champ has fallen on hard times the past few seasons and this year doesn't look to promising either. None of the keepers really stick out that well, but the one thing going for them is an owner who should have a solid draft and will work the waiver wire to try and make things happen.
Best Keeper: DeSean Jackson $13
Questionable Call: Joe Flacco $11

Good luck drafting Gurus, looking forward to another fun year!