Turning the page on Bell

Yesterday, my blog was entitled “Welcome to My Nightmare, “ to follow up on Wednesday’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls.” It all been about Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell’s holdout and how it is affecting his fantasy football owners.

I was one of his owners. You may also be one. This has been a quickly-developing story as the deteriorating relationship between the Bell and the Steelers. I concluded that Bell is not coming back anytime soon and made the decision late Wednesday to trade him.

Earlier on Wednesday, I made the decision to pick up James Conner, Bell’s backup. He was available yesterday morning, but ownership in this previously unknown running back increased 56.3% in one day! If you own Bell and aren’t going to trade him, get Conner (if he’s still available).

Later in the day, I floated a couple of deals. The first one was to a team owner/GM in my league that had Devonta Freeman. He was willing to do the Freeman for Bell deal straight up. However, I felt the need to get his handcuff, Tevin Coleman.

This was going to cost me another running back, and I considered trading Carlos Hyde for Coleman. While his owner was willing to do this deal, I decided that was a lot to give up to turn the page on Bell. Next, I contacted another owner to see what he’d offer.

This owner, my own flesh and blood, made it clear that the trade would be costly. He explained that he agreed it was likely Bell would be lost for most of the season to fantasy owners. Still, he was willing take a risk. He wanted Bell, Conner and Devante Adams.

I rejected his first trade offer, which was the three above-mentioned players for Christian McCaffrey, Devin Funchess and Latavius Murray. I like McCaffrey better than Freeman, but Murray is no more than a handcuff for Dalvin Cook on the Vikings.

The counter offer was identical, except Robby Anderson replaced Murray. I accepted this deal because I came away with two WR1 receivers on their respective teams (Funchess and Anderson). Am I happy? Heck, no! But I’m moving on down the road.

Tomorrow: The formula for winning a league championship.