Welcome to the Gridiron Guru, where we'll answer all of your Fantasy Football questions and give you the advice you'll need to have a successful draft. We invite you to send your questions, comments and scouting reports on players to: gridguru@commissioner.com. Please include your full name, city and state. You'll have the chance to be heard by thousands of Fantasy players just like yourself!

Michael K. Hayes, Whitewater, Wis.: Is the Tony Gonzalez contract squabble going to affect his play this year? Is there a chance he won't play? I am in a keeper league and am teetering on the edge of keeping him or Byron Chamberlain. I know that if he plays, Gonzalez is the best out there, but Chamberlain won't be a slouch either. I can't keep them both, so one has to go.

G.G: Many Fantasy owners have the same concerns as you, but the chances are very good that Gonzalez will play this year, and not for the Miami Heat. Gonzalez and the Chiefs might be involved in a contract dispute at this point, but we expect it to be resolved in time for the standout tight end to be on the field when Kansas City opens its season at Cleveland on Sept. 8. Chamberlain is a solid Fantasy player and does rank among the best tight ends in the league, but keeping both Gonzalez and Chamberlain is not a good idea. Despite the contract dispute, the easy choice here is Gonzalez.

Earl Millett, Baltimore, Maryland: I need your help to keep me from making a biased decision. My league allows two keepers, and I am definitely holding onto Curtis Martin, but the second choice is tough. I have Brian Griese and Stephen Davis, who plays for my favorite team, the Washington Redskins. We start one quarterback and two running backs in my league, and I do not pick till very late in my draft. What should I do?

G.G: You’ll be very happy to hear that keeping Davis is the right move to make, but it is smart to think twice about making a move with your heart and not your head. You’ll have a great one-two punch in your backfield in Martin and Davis, which gives you a nice advantage over the competition. Griese has the potential to be very productive, but he has also been quite injury-prone during his short career. Don’t worry about picking late in your draft, either. You’ll be surprised how many good quarterbacks will be on the board when it’s your turn to pick later on.

Richard Campbell, Edwards Air Force Base, California: The Cowboys have a revamped defense and a solid offensive line. Do you think Emmitt Smith would be a good second running back or do you go with someone else?

G.G: The problem with Dallas has never been its defense or offensive line play, but rather the inability of its quarterbacks to produce in the passing game. Ever since Troy Aikman retired, the Cowboys' passing attack has been punchless, which has left Smith looking at eight-man fronts. New offensive coordinator Bruce Coslet’s version of the West Coast Offense does include a power running game, but whether Quincy Carter can learn the system, run it effectively and balance the offense is a huge question mark. Smith is a surefire Hall-of-Famer, but he can’t be considered a quality No. 2 Fantasy back anymore.

Don Allen, Las Vegas, Nev.: How well do you think Tiki Barber will do this year? Can he come back after a disappointing season and make a real Fantasy impact?

G.G: While Barber is one of New York’s most versatile weapons, there are several reasons to believe he won’t be worthy of a starting role in most Fantasy leagues. The Giants lost three starters from last year’s offensive line, and the absence of Greg Comella in the backfield brings up major questions in the team’s running game. Ron Dayne will take carries away from Barber as well, including most of goal line looks. Barber will be a major part of New York’s offense, but he just doesn’t get into the end zone frequently enough to be considered anything more than a Fantasy reserve.

Christopher Thomas, Waterbury, Conn.: Which of these tailbacks do you think has the best chance to stay healthy and put up good numbers this season: Edgerrin James, Fred Taylor or Jamal Lewis?

G.G: While it’s difficult to foresee how healthy a player will be in a given year, we’ll say that James has the best chance to stay out of the trainer’s room. Taylor seems to be snake-bitten when it comes to injuries, and Lewis has now had major surgery on both knees and is a risk to break down during the season. That’s not to say that James isn’t a gamble, because it always seems to take a player at least one year before he is completely comfortable running and cutting on a reconstructed knee. James is the only player of the three that is not considered “injury-prone,” however, and will put up better numbers than either Taylor or Lewis.

Marc Balanda, Salem, Mass.: How do you see Antowain Smith faring this season? He had a huge year for New England in 2001, but I’m afraid he might be a “one-year” wonder and don’t know where to rank him among running backs.

G.G: Smith certainly came out of nowhere last season and became one of the better tailbacks in Fantasy Football. But as you’ve mentioned, there will be fear among Fantasy owners that Smith will fall on his face now that his expectations are so high. It might be too much to ask for Smith to equal last season’s totals – 2001 has to be considered a career year and one not likely to be duplicated. However, there is no real competition for Smith in New England’s backfield, which means he will get the majority of the carries and scoring opportunities for the defending champions. We think Smith will post 1,000 yards rushing, seven to nine touchdowns and should be ranked in the Top 12 among tailbacks.

Phil Stearns, San Diego, California: Will the absence of Jon Gruden mean less production from Oakland’s offensive players this season?

G.G: Gruden may no longer be the head coach in Oakland, but his offensive system will remain. Bill Callahan, who had been with Gruden since his days in Philadelphia, will continue to run the same type of offense that Gruden implemented. Veterans like Rich Gannon, Charlie Garner, Tim Brown and Jerry Rice are so familiar with this system that they could run it by themselves, so there is no reason to believe that Gruden’s departure will have a negative effect on their Fantasy values.