By Khalil Garriott
NFLPLAYERS.COM
Roughly halfway into the season, the NFL PLAYERS Fantasy ’09 bragging rights are still up for grabs. Star running back Matt Forté,
whose “Optimus Prime” squad is one of six tied for second place, has his eyes on the prize. Forté, a cornerstone of the Chicago Bears offense, breaks down his roster, talks about how the real NFL impacts fantasy football and much more in this exclusive interview with NFLPLAYERS.COM.
Q: In this two-quarterback league, Matt Schaub is one of your starters. Do you think he will be able to stay healthy the rest of the way?
A: I think he can. He’s done good the first half of the season, and hopefully Andre Johnson can get back out there, too, because that’s his main target. So I think he can stay healthy, and for the sake of my fantasy team, I hope he does.
Q: Your other starter at QB is your Chicago Bears teammate, Jay Cutler. Does Cutler have enough weapons on your Bears offense to be as good as he was in Denver?
A: Yeah, I think so. A lot of people talk about our receivers as if they’re not real “name” guys, but I think he has four different targets he can throw to. I think he does a good job of spreading the ball around and he’ll be just as good as he was in Denver.
Q: Who are those four targets you’re talking about?
A: Earl [Bennett], Devin [Hester], Greg [Olsen], Johnny Knox and myself. You know Hester’s as good as anybody when you hit him on screens and things like that. So, he actually has five targets.
Q: Why do you think the Tennessee Titans still haven’t won a game, even with talented players like Optimus Prime’s own Chris Johnson?
A: I’m not sure. They were undefeated for a while last year, and I thought they had a good team. Defensively, they lost Albert Haynesworth through free agency, but I can’t really put my finger on why they haven’t won yet.
You know Hester’s as good as anybody when you hit him on screens and things like that.
-- Matt Forté
Q: So are you just as surprised as the rest of us that they’ve struggled to get a win?
A: Yeah, I am. I’m very surprised that they haven’t gotten a win—they were a pretty good team last year—but that’s the way it is sometimes. Sometimes you win, but you lose a few games, and sometimes you’re losing and something happens, and you get going after all. There’s no telling, but I hope they don’t go winless the whole year.
Q: Do you like how the Houston Texans are using Steve Slaton, another one of your fantasy running backs, more in the passing game?
A: Yeah. He can also catch the ball on screens and things like that, so they’re utilizing that area of their offense pretty well. I think he’s got a few touchdowns off of screens, so things have been working out pretty well for him.
Q: You’ve got Larry Fitzgerald in there as your top receiver. Are you still waiting for him to break out with that monster game that you need for fantasy points?
A: Yeah, I know he’s a solid receiver. His game is to go out there and do his best, and I continue to start him because he’s a great player, but I think … he’s going to come along eventually.
Q: Why do you think Chad Ochocinco and the Cincinnati Bengals have been able to click this year?
A: I think, offensively, they’re doing the right things. Chad runs some great routes, Carson [Palmer] can get the ball to him, and now that [Cedric] Benson is getting going, they can use that. They’re doing well together—they’re all on the same page—and their defense is playing well, too.
Q: You had a chance to see the Bengals defense up close last Sunday. Did their defense surprise you at all?
A: Well, nothing really surprised me. We got down pretty early so we had to pass a lot, but I don’t think there was anything really surprising.
Q: Your starting defense/special teams, the New York Giants, have a solid defensive unit. But which guys really stick out to you?
A: Well, they’ve got Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora, which are two talented guys on the D-line. And their defensive backfield is pretty good, too, plus you’ve got [Antonio] Pierce at linebacker. So, I picked them as a defense because they’re pretty solid at every position.
Q: Since you’ve got three of your Bears teammates—Cutler, Greg Olsen and Robbie Gould—on your fantasy team, do you joke with them in the locker room and ask them to step up for you?
A: Not too much. Robbie and I talk about it because he’s in the league, too. We talk about who he’s got this week, who he’s putting out there to start and things like that. I don’t really ask all those guys because I know they’re going to go out there and try to perform their best every week.
Q: When Robbie lines up for those clutch field goals, are you thinking about getting fantasy points or are you thinking about helping the Chicago Bears?
A: I’m thinking real life. I’m pretty confident in Robbie just like he’s confident in himself. I know he can make field goals.
Q: So is it extra sweet for you when he performs well, because it benefits your fantasy team and your real team?
A: Yeah, I guess it’s the best of both worlds: fantasy and real life.
Q: I see that you’ve got Eddie Royal on your roster. Why do you think that NFL teams have been trending towards those speedy, small receivers like Royal, DeSean Jackson and Percy Harvin?
A: I would say because, depending on the player, all those guys have great speed and can run good routes. I think it really depends on your route-running, because that’s how you get open—that combined with your speed. So, I think that’s become the trend.
Q: With all that’s going on with the Redskins, what are you going to do with Jason Campbell on your fantasy team?
A: Well, I’m going to have to look on the waiver wire and see if there are any other guys I could pick up or trade for him. I just need to look for another player to help, just because [with] the situation they’re going through over there, you never know what’s going to happen. So yeah, I think I’m going to have to make an addition to my fantasy team.
Q: So you wouldn’t just cut him; you’re looking to trade him, right?
A: Well, maybe both. If I can’t get a good trade for him, I might have to [cut him].
Q: Now that the Ravens offense is throwing the ball more than in the past, would you ever start Todd Heap over Olsen at tight end?
A: I’ve considered it. I might have to bench him (Olsen) until later in the month when we start playing at home. On the road it can be hard to throw the ball, so I might have to start Todd a few games over Greg, and then switch them in and out.
You can follow NFL PLAYERS Fantasy ’09 all season long right here. For the league scoreboard, transactions and much more, check out ESPN.com’s League Office page.