Skill positions are pretty much covered by everyone and teams can game plan for a weakness at guard. Center and tackle depend on the drop-off but experience counts for a lot, two lineman down certainly creates a problem.
MLB is a loss if he is a big run-stopper or dictates the defence, same goes for SS.
Every year I print out a depth chart for each team and highlight where I think injuries will adversesly affect the team. Every team is different given talent and depth.
Just to give a couple, Dan Morgan of Carolina and Albert Hynesworth of The Titans are critical players. I will post a list of players before the season starts in the NFL Forum, also http://www.ourlads.com/secure/index.cfm is as good an updated depth charts there is.
MLB is a loss if he is a big run-stopper or dictates the defence, same goes for SS.
Every year I print out a depth chart for each team and highlight where I think injuries will adversesly affect the team. Every team is different given talent and depth.
Just to give a couple, Dan Morgan of Carolina and Albert Hynesworth of The Titans are critical players. I will post a list of players before the season starts in the NFL Forum, also http://www.ourlads.com/secure/index.cfm is as good an updated depth charts there is.
I think the most important player in college football not to lose is the QB. I remember last year making a huge bet on Marshall against K-State because El Roberson was out that game. KSU's offense was averaging like 42 pts. a game and Marshall beat them AT Kansas State 27-20. K-State's offense could not move the ball very well and the backup QB whoever he was looked like a deer in headlights all day long.
The key phrase in this question is "when you're capping".
Obviously, the most important player on the field is QB. You can't deny that.
But several people have mentioned a good point. When the backup QB is going to start, the point-spread is adjusted in order to reflect that. Plus, even with the adjustment, the public is likely to bet against the backup QB. "How can Philly win with their 3rd string QB? They're gonna get killed!"
But point-spreads are rarely adjusted in order to fully compenstate for injuries to the offensive (and defensive) lines.
I think Cleveland is a good example. Their O-line was decimated by injuries, and their offense was pathetic.
Obviously, the most important player on the field is QB. You can't deny that.
But several people have mentioned a good point. When the backup QB is going to start, the point-spread is adjusted in order to reflect that. Plus, even with the adjustment, the public is likely to bet against the backup QB. "How can Philly win with their 3rd string QB? They're gonna get killed!"
But point-spreads are rarely adjusted in order to fully compenstate for injuries to the offensive (and defensive) lines.
I think Cleveland is a good example. Their O-line was decimated by injuries, and their offense was pathetic.
Many times the line does not get adjusted half as much as it should be when a QB is injured like the KSU / Marshall game. Another game I recall making a ton of money was the line on Kansas versus Iowa St. I think it started out KU -6 then it was announced that Whittemore was going to be the starting QB for KU early in the week and the line slowly crept up by kickoff to -12 which wasn't half as much as it should of been. The line stayed at -9 a day or two and then -10 a day or two. Anyone who caught the news the first day could have easily bet the line -7. At any rate the line was not adjusted accordingly and was an easy winner.
