I will be heading to St. Louis this weekend to watch the Cubs game Friday night and Saturday night, and to check out the city during Saturday afternoon since I haven't visited the downtown area of St. Louis before. I won't be able to update practice reports for Friday, and I won't be getting back into town until right around gametime on Sunday, so I can't promise that I'll have an inactive list for everyone on Sunday morning. If I get back on time I will, but if I don't, I'll definitely have the fantasy-relevant inactives for the 3:15 PM CST games.
Have a great weekend and see you guys (girls?) on Sunday!
Friday, September 14, 2007
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
NFL Week 2: Injury Report
Instead of creating a new post each day, I will update this list here throughout the week as I read updated news on the injuries of fantasy-relevant players.
QB:
Eli Manning - He did not practice Wednesday or Thursday and his week 2 status remains in doubt. He said he could play if he practices on Friday, but that seems like quite a long shot. Odds are he's your backup QB anyways.
Josh McCown - He did not practice Wednesday, but he returned to practice on Thursday. He and Daunte Culpepper split first team snaps. His week 2 status is in question, but Culpepper is getting closer to starting. Once head coach Kiffin feels comfortable with his grasp of the playbook, he'll be starting. McCown has very little fantasy value.
Steve McNair - He did not practice Wednesday, but was limited in practice on Thursday. His week 2 status remains in doubt.
RB:
Clinton Portis - He has practiced fully this week and should receive more week than in week 1. He's a strong RB2 play.
Thomas Jones - He was limited in practice on Wednesday on Thursday, but doesn't appear to be in risk of not playing in week 2. Still, he has a very rough matchup against the Ravens and you should consider your other options.
Cadillac Williams - He was limited in practice on Wednesday, but returned fully to practice on Thursday. He has a good shot to play this week now, but his role could still be somewhat reduced. He'll get New Orleans on Sunday, which projects to be a favorable matchup.
Kevin Jones - He was limited in practice on Thursday and has a chance of being active this week. Do not start him, but this indicates that he's recovering well.
Brandon Jacobs - He was walking around just fine on Wednesday. He's definitely out this week, but it seems like he'll return sooner than later.
Chester Taylor - He was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday. His week 2 status is in question, and all Adrian Peterson owners have to be smiling.
Jesse Chatman - He did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday. Chatman himself doesn't have much fantasy value, but his absence from the active list on Sunday would make Ronnie Brown a much better play.
T.J. Duckett - He did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday. Tatum Bell will see a full load this weekend, and Kevin Jones seems to be progressing well. He can be dropped in all leagues.
WR:
Mark Clayton - He was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday. He still seems to be dealing with a bit of an ankle problem, and he appears questionable to start week 2.
Greg Jennings - He practiced on Wednesday, but was sore on Thursday and was limited in practice. After appearing to be ready to play in week 2, he seems rather questionable at this point.
Drew Bennett - He practiced on Wednesday and appears ready to play in week 2. You shouldn't be starting him unless you're desparate, however.
TE:
None.
K:
Shayne Graham - He practiced fully on Thursday, but remains an injury risk. He's a very good fantasy kicker when healthy, but there's no upside to risking starting him. Go with a safer option.
D:
Ray Lewis - The MRI showed that it's a tricep strain and not a tear. He plans to play in week 2.
QB:
Eli Manning - He did not practice Wednesday or Thursday and his week 2 status remains in doubt. He said he could play if he practices on Friday, but that seems like quite a long shot. Odds are he's your backup QB anyways.
Josh McCown - He did not practice Wednesday, but he returned to practice on Thursday. He and Daunte Culpepper split first team snaps. His week 2 status is in question, but Culpepper is getting closer to starting. Once head coach Kiffin feels comfortable with his grasp of the playbook, he'll be starting. McCown has very little fantasy value.
Steve McNair - He did not practice Wednesday, but was limited in practice on Thursday. His week 2 status remains in doubt.
RB:
Clinton Portis - He has practiced fully this week and should receive more week than in week 1. He's a strong RB2 play.
Thomas Jones - He was limited in practice on Wednesday on Thursday, but doesn't appear to be in risk of not playing in week 2. Still, he has a very rough matchup against the Ravens and you should consider your other options.
Cadillac Williams - He was limited in practice on Wednesday, but returned fully to practice on Thursday. He has a good shot to play this week now, but his role could still be somewhat reduced. He'll get New Orleans on Sunday, which projects to be a favorable matchup.
Kevin Jones - He was limited in practice on Thursday and has a chance of being active this week. Do not start him, but this indicates that he's recovering well.
Brandon Jacobs - He was walking around just fine on Wednesday. He's definitely out this week, but it seems like he'll return sooner than later.
Chester Taylor - He was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday. His week 2 status is in question, and all Adrian Peterson owners have to be smiling.
Jesse Chatman - He did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday. Chatman himself doesn't have much fantasy value, but his absence from the active list on Sunday would make Ronnie Brown a much better play.
T.J. Duckett - He did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday. Tatum Bell will see a full load this weekend, and Kevin Jones seems to be progressing well. He can be dropped in all leagues.
WR:
Mark Clayton - He was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday. He still seems to be dealing with a bit of an ankle problem, and he appears questionable to start week 2.
Greg Jennings - He practiced on Wednesday, but was sore on Thursday and was limited in practice. After appearing to be ready to play in week 2, he seems rather questionable at this point.
Drew Bennett - He practiced on Wednesday and appears ready to play in week 2. You shouldn't be starting him unless you're desparate, however.
TE:
None.
K:
Shayne Graham - He practiced fully on Thursday, but remains an injury risk. He's a very good fantasy kicker when healthy, but there's no upside to risking starting him. Go with a safer option.
D:
Ray Lewis - The MRI showed that it's a tricep strain and not a tear. He plans to play in week 2.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
NFL Week 1: Injury Wrapup
Here are all the fantasy-relevant injuries from week 1. I mentioned most of them in my game wrapups, but I know it'll be easier to keep track of them with a list. This was a brutal week for injuries...I don't remember one this bad before.
QB
Eli Manning - Sprained AC Joint. This injury was originally rumored to be a separated shoulder, but the doctor's report that came out this evening stated that it was a sprained AC joint instead. Marc Bulger missed several games with this injury in both 2004 and 2005, but apparently Manning can play as long as he can tolerate the pain. If I remember correctly he continued playing for a bit Sunday night, so there's a chance that he can play this week. I'll report if he practiced or not during the week.
Chad Pennington - High ankle sprain. He's out 1-2 weeks. Kellen Clemens will start if he can't go.
Josh McCown - Cracked finger. He's questionable for week 2, and Daunte Culpepper would start if McCown can't go. Just another reason not to waste a roster spot on him.
RB
Brandon Jacobs - Sprained MCL. He's out 3-5 weeks. It looked like he probably tore his ACL from the play, so he's lucky that it's not worse. Hang onto him, and pick up backup Derrick Ward if you can from waivers this week.
Cadillac Williams - Bruised ribs. He's out for week 2, and week-to-week after that. Michael Pittman will start for him, and it seems like Earnest Graham will see action as well. Pittman is a decent flex option.
Chester Taylor - Oblique contusion. His status for week 2 is questionable. Adrian Peterson owners need to keep an eye on this.
WR
D.J. Hackett - High ankle sprain. He's out indefinitely and worth dropping in fantasy leagues.
K
Josh Scobee - Strained quad. He's out for a few weeks. Drop him in fantasy leagues.
OL
Orlando Pace - Torn labrum/rotator cuff. He's out for the season. The Rams offense don't have Todd Steussie available right now to back him up, so their offensive line definitely takes a hit here.
Jonathan Ogden - Hyper-extended toe. He's out indefinitely. This is a huge blow to the Ravens offensive line who lack a quality replacement for Ogden. Downgrade McGahee and the passing game a bit.
Jon Jansen - Broken ankle. He's out for the season. The Redskins have a viable alternative in Todd Wade, but he's definitely not on the same level that Jansen is.
Defense
Ray Lewis - Torn right tricep. He's likely out for the year. There's a lot of varying reports coming out about this, but this appears to be the case. If this is true, downgrade Baltimore's defense with Lewis gone. Don't do anything until it's made official, however.
Lito Sheppard - Sprained right MCL. He's out for week 2, and week-to-week after that. Santana Moss and Randle El get an easier time of it this weekend.
Mike Brown - Torn ACL. He's out for the season. The Bears defense is not the same without Brown, especially the run defense. Daniel Manning will start, but downgrade the Bears D a bit. They suffered a decent dropoff when he got hurt last year, but don't panic.
Dusty Dvoracek - Torn ACL. He's out for the season. He was a young run stopper who was starting, but the Bears D has a quality alternative in Darwin Walker.
Osi Umenyiora - Torn MCL. He's out 4-8 weeks. This hurts the pass rushing ability of the Giants defense, although after watching the game against Dallas Sunday night, it's not like you'd want to use them anyways.
Jason Ferguson - Torn right bicep. He's out for the season. The Dallas defense was thought of highly headed into the season, but with Ferguson gone and Newman on the mend, they are hardly a good play right now.
B.J. Sams - Torn ACL. He's out for the season. Not a big name, but he's been a solid returner for the Ravens when healthy.
QB
Eli Manning - Sprained AC Joint. This injury was originally rumored to be a separated shoulder, but the doctor's report that came out this evening stated that it was a sprained AC joint instead. Marc Bulger missed several games with this injury in both 2004 and 2005, but apparently Manning can play as long as he can tolerate the pain. If I remember correctly he continued playing for a bit Sunday night, so there's a chance that he can play this week. I'll report if he practiced or not during the week.
Chad Pennington - High ankle sprain. He's out 1-2 weeks. Kellen Clemens will start if he can't go.
Josh McCown - Cracked finger. He's questionable for week 2, and Daunte Culpepper would start if McCown can't go. Just another reason not to waste a roster spot on him.
RB
Brandon Jacobs - Sprained MCL. He's out 3-5 weeks. It looked like he probably tore his ACL from the play, so he's lucky that it's not worse. Hang onto him, and pick up backup Derrick Ward if you can from waivers this week.
Cadillac Williams - Bruised ribs. He's out for week 2, and week-to-week after that. Michael Pittman will start for him, and it seems like Earnest Graham will see action as well. Pittman is a decent flex option.
Chester Taylor - Oblique contusion. His status for week 2 is questionable. Adrian Peterson owners need to keep an eye on this.
WR
D.J. Hackett - High ankle sprain. He's out indefinitely and worth dropping in fantasy leagues.
K
Josh Scobee - Strained quad. He's out for a few weeks. Drop him in fantasy leagues.
OL
Orlando Pace - Torn labrum/rotator cuff. He's out for the season. The Rams offense don't have Todd Steussie available right now to back him up, so their offensive line definitely takes a hit here.
Jonathan Ogden - Hyper-extended toe. He's out indefinitely. This is a huge blow to the Ravens offensive line who lack a quality replacement for Ogden. Downgrade McGahee and the passing game a bit.
Jon Jansen - Broken ankle. He's out for the season. The Redskins have a viable alternative in Todd Wade, but he's definitely not on the same level that Jansen is.
Defense
Ray Lewis - Torn right tricep. He's likely out for the year. There's a lot of varying reports coming out about this, but this appears to be the case. If this is true, downgrade Baltimore's defense with Lewis gone. Don't do anything until it's made official, however.
Lito Sheppard - Sprained right MCL. He's out for week 2, and week-to-week after that. Santana Moss and Randle El get an easier time of it this weekend.
Mike Brown - Torn ACL. He's out for the season. The Bears defense is not the same without Brown, especially the run defense. Daniel Manning will start, but downgrade the Bears D a bit. They suffered a decent dropoff when he got hurt last year, but don't panic.
Dusty Dvoracek - Torn ACL. He's out for the season. He was a young run stopper who was starting, but the Bears D has a quality alternative in Darwin Walker.
Osi Umenyiora - Torn MCL. He's out 4-8 weeks. This hurts the pass rushing ability of the Giants defense, although after watching the game against Dallas Sunday night, it's not like you'd want to use them anyways.
Jason Ferguson - Torn right bicep. He's out for the season. The Dallas defense was thought of highly headed into the season, but with Ferguson gone and Newman on the mend, they are hardly a good play right now.
B.J. Sams - Torn ACL. He's out for the season. Not a big name, but he's been a solid returner for the Ravens when healthy.
NFL Week 1: Monday Night Game Wrapup
Baltimore vs. Cincinnati
Steve McNair - 20/34, 203 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 1/0, 3 FL. A disasterous game for McNair who not only turned the ball over 4 times, but he also overthrew numerous open WRs during the game. He shouldn't be anywhere near a starting lineup right now, but he's a lower end QB2 as he'll have better days.
Carson Palmer - 20/32, 194 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 3/0. A solid performance against the elite Baltimore defense. Palmer mostly took what the defense gave him, although he definitely turned in a poor 2nd half. Still, this is what you get from an elite QB against an elite D...solid production that won't hurt your team whatsoever.
Willis McGahee - 19/77, 3/34. A solid effort from McGahee. Many people were worried when Musa Smith stole a rushing TD early in the game, but McGahee was in there on the final drive, although he only received 2 carries out of the 7 plays inside the 5 that Baltimore had in the closing minutes of the game. Billick has to be to blame here, although McGahee isn't known for his short yardage proficiency. Baltimore raved about his redzone work in the preseason, but he was stuffed on both goalline carries this game. Hopefully this won't be a problem.
Rudi Johnson - 18/50, 3/26, 1 FL. About what owners should have expected against the Baltimore D. It's a shame he didn't get a chance to score to save his day, and he coughed up what would have been a key fumble had Baltimore not stalled near the goalline to end the game. He should rebound next week, so no worries here. It was nice to see him a bit more involved in the passing game.
Derrick Mason - 7/76. Mason did a great job finding open spots and moving the chains. He is what he is at this point in his career, a solid possession receiver. He's a steady WR4.
Mark Clayton - 0/0. He was targeted twice, including once in the endzone, but Demetrius Williams saw more of the field than Clayton did throughout the game. I'm not sure what's going on here, but perhaps his ankle was sore and it prevented him from playing like he usually does. Keep an eye to see if he practices this week.
Todd Heap - 4/29. Heap had a TD to tie the game in the closing minutes, but was flagged for a bullshit pass interference call. This was definitely not a good week for TEs not named Gates and Witten, but thus is the nature of the position. Heap remains a solid TE1.
Chad Johnson - 5/95, 1 TD. Unfortunately this was his stat line at halftime. Baltimore clamped down on the passing game in the 2nd half and CJ didn't manage another catch. He still burned Samari Rolle for a 39 yard TD and doned a beige "HOF" jacket on the sideline as his celebration. Pretty clever given the limitations.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh - 9/50, 1 TD. Housh did an excellent job of taking what the Baltimore defense gave him, and he put up a great line in PPR leagues. Housh remains an excellent WR2.
Arizona vs. San Francisco
Matt Leinart - 14/28, 102 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, 6/35. This was just a flatout ugly game on both sides. Two normally mediocre defenses put forth a good effort. Leinart was on the run most of the game, and his WRs weren't getting open for him. Let's hope Wisenhunt and Grimm get this straightened out for next week.
Alex Smith - 15/31, 126 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 3/36, 1 FL. Much like Leinart above, he encountered some protection problems, and he also lost a TD thanks to a Darrell Jackson drop. Smith remains a QB2 with upside, but the offensive play calling has to take better advantage of the skill players around him for them to succeed.
Edgerrin James - 26/92, 2/20, 1 TD. Edge had a great first half with 11 carries for 56 yards, but the SF defense clamped down on him after halftime and he didn't even manage 2.0 YPC during the 2nd half. Run blocking continues to be a problem, and Edge never regained the speed he possessed prior to his torn ACL years ago. The blocking should get better with improved talent and coaching, but Edge remains a RB2 without much upside.
Frank Gore - 18/55, 1/21, 1 TD. Gore also struggled in this game to find running room after a solid 1st half. Worth noting here is the 2 drops he had as his broken hand appears to be less than 100%, but he'll be much better going forward.
Larry Fitzgerald - 3/20. Arizona needs to go back to the drawing board and learn how to use Fitzgerald and Boldin properly. Fitzgerald is at his best in jumpball situations down the field, but Arizona just didn't have enough time to throw it deep. They must fix this in order for Fitzgerald to have WR1 value like he was drafted. I'm a bit worried about his production here, but it's only week 1.
Anquan Boldin - 4/22, 1/14, 1 TD. Thanks to his late TD, Boldin turned in a decent outing. Read above, but Boldin is at his best after the catch. Utilizing him on screens and hitting him on slants and patterns that allow him some space to work with will benefit him the best.
Darrell Jackson - 4/36. He dropped a TD pass, and all in all he was very overrated heading into the season. He was a force when healthy on Seattle, but the health of his toe remains a question, and his signature drops continue to be a problem. He's a weak WR3 until he proves otherwise, but he will improve as Smith gains chemistry with him.
Arnaz Battle - 5/60. Battle quietly continues to be the best WR on the 49ers. He's not a speedster and won't light up the scoreboard, but he's a steady WR who Smith can count on to make the catch. He's not a bad guy to stash as your WR5, depending on your roster.
Vernon Davis - 2/4. Well, at least he got his worst game of the season out of the way early. SF needs to utilize him like San Diego does with Gates...he's easily the most talented receiving option the 49ers have. Let's hope that starts next week, but Wisenhunt barely used the TE in his offense in Pittsburgh. That's something I didn't consider when drafting him in all of my leagues.
Steve McNair - 20/34, 203 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 1/0, 3 FL. A disasterous game for McNair who not only turned the ball over 4 times, but he also overthrew numerous open WRs during the game. He shouldn't be anywhere near a starting lineup right now, but he's a lower end QB2 as he'll have better days.
Carson Palmer - 20/32, 194 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 3/0. A solid performance against the elite Baltimore defense. Palmer mostly took what the defense gave him, although he definitely turned in a poor 2nd half. Still, this is what you get from an elite QB against an elite D...solid production that won't hurt your team whatsoever.
Willis McGahee - 19/77, 3/34. A solid effort from McGahee. Many people were worried when Musa Smith stole a rushing TD early in the game, but McGahee was in there on the final drive, although he only received 2 carries out of the 7 plays inside the 5 that Baltimore had in the closing minutes of the game. Billick has to be to blame here, although McGahee isn't known for his short yardage proficiency. Baltimore raved about his redzone work in the preseason, but he was stuffed on both goalline carries this game. Hopefully this won't be a problem.
Rudi Johnson - 18/50, 3/26, 1 FL. About what owners should have expected against the Baltimore D. It's a shame he didn't get a chance to score to save his day, and he coughed up what would have been a key fumble had Baltimore not stalled near the goalline to end the game. He should rebound next week, so no worries here. It was nice to see him a bit more involved in the passing game.
Derrick Mason - 7/76. Mason did a great job finding open spots and moving the chains. He is what he is at this point in his career, a solid possession receiver. He's a steady WR4.
Mark Clayton - 0/0. He was targeted twice, including once in the endzone, but Demetrius Williams saw more of the field than Clayton did throughout the game. I'm not sure what's going on here, but perhaps his ankle was sore and it prevented him from playing like he usually does. Keep an eye to see if he practices this week.
Todd Heap - 4/29. Heap had a TD to tie the game in the closing minutes, but was flagged for a bullshit pass interference call. This was definitely not a good week for TEs not named Gates and Witten, but thus is the nature of the position. Heap remains a solid TE1.
Chad Johnson - 5/95, 1 TD. Unfortunately this was his stat line at halftime. Baltimore clamped down on the passing game in the 2nd half and CJ didn't manage another catch. He still burned Samari Rolle for a 39 yard TD and doned a beige "HOF" jacket on the sideline as his celebration. Pretty clever given the limitations.
T.J. Houshmandzadeh - 9/50, 1 TD. Housh did an excellent job of taking what the Baltimore defense gave him, and he put up a great line in PPR leagues. Housh remains an excellent WR2.
Arizona vs. San Francisco
Matt Leinart - 14/28, 102 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, 6/35. This was just a flatout ugly game on both sides. Two normally mediocre defenses put forth a good effort. Leinart was on the run most of the game, and his WRs weren't getting open for him. Let's hope Wisenhunt and Grimm get this straightened out for next week.
Alex Smith - 15/31, 126 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 3/36, 1 FL. Much like Leinart above, he encountered some protection problems, and he also lost a TD thanks to a Darrell Jackson drop. Smith remains a QB2 with upside, but the offensive play calling has to take better advantage of the skill players around him for them to succeed.
Edgerrin James - 26/92, 2/20, 1 TD. Edge had a great first half with 11 carries for 56 yards, but the SF defense clamped down on him after halftime and he didn't even manage 2.0 YPC during the 2nd half. Run blocking continues to be a problem, and Edge never regained the speed he possessed prior to his torn ACL years ago. The blocking should get better with improved talent and coaching, but Edge remains a RB2 without much upside.
Frank Gore - 18/55, 1/21, 1 TD. Gore also struggled in this game to find running room after a solid 1st half. Worth noting here is the 2 drops he had as his broken hand appears to be less than 100%, but he'll be much better going forward.
Larry Fitzgerald - 3/20. Arizona needs to go back to the drawing board and learn how to use Fitzgerald and Boldin properly. Fitzgerald is at his best in jumpball situations down the field, but Arizona just didn't have enough time to throw it deep. They must fix this in order for Fitzgerald to have WR1 value like he was drafted. I'm a bit worried about his production here, but it's only week 1.
Anquan Boldin - 4/22, 1/14, 1 TD. Thanks to his late TD, Boldin turned in a decent outing. Read above, but Boldin is at his best after the catch. Utilizing him on screens and hitting him on slants and patterns that allow him some space to work with will benefit him the best.
Darrell Jackson - 4/36. He dropped a TD pass, and all in all he was very overrated heading into the season. He was a force when healthy on Seattle, but the health of his toe remains a question, and his signature drops continue to be a problem. He's a weak WR3 until he proves otherwise, but he will improve as Smith gains chemistry with him.
Arnaz Battle - 5/60. Battle quietly continues to be the best WR on the 49ers. He's not a speedster and won't light up the scoreboard, but he's a steady WR who Smith can count on to make the catch. He's not a bad guy to stash as your WR5, depending on your roster.
Vernon Davis - 2/4. Well, at least he got his worst game of the season out of the way early. SF needs to utilize him like San Diego does with Gates...he's easily the most talented receiving option the 49ers have. Let's hope that starts next week, but Wisenhunt barely used the TE in his offense in Pittsburgh. That's something I didn't consider when drafting him in all of my leagues.
Monday, September 10, 2007
NFL Week 1: Late Game Wrapup
Detroit vs. Oakland
Jon Kitna - 27/36, 289 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT, 3/17. A great game from Kitna against a solid secondary. The Lions will throw early and often all year along, and even moreso with Kevin Jones recovering from his foot injury. Kitna utilized his new WRs Calvin Johnson and Shaun McDonald well and spread the ball around efficiently. Kitna had a great fantasy season last year, and with improved weapons around him along with a similar propensity to throw, and he could be in for a big year.
Josh McCown - 30/40, 313 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT. McCown was fairly solid, utilizing his weapons and making a few horrible throws as well. The starting situation is up in the air still despite his performance, so don't waist your waiver priority on him.
Tatum Bell - 15/87, 4/6, 1 TD. An impressive performance from Bell against what projected to be a fairly tough Oakland defense. Duckett sprained his ankle and is questionable for next week, so if he's out, Bell has even more value. Minnesota's outstanding run D is up next, however, so his matchup is not favorable despite being on turf.
LaMont Jordan - 15/70. 9/89, 1 TD. Jordan is back. Forget how incredibly brutal the Oakland offense was last year, because that offense and Jordan's injuries were what held him back, not his talent. Jordan is back as a RB2 alternative for all teams and will remain an even better force in PPR leagues.
Roy Williams - 4/20, 1 TD. Nmamdi Asomugha is to blame for this as he is quietly one of the best CBs in the NFL today. Roy is still the focal point of this offensive attack and Kitna wisely utilized his other options. Luckily he got open in the endzone and scored to save his fantasy day.
Calvin Johnson - 4/70, 1 TD. While not the starter, he saw the field plenty and made a couple of great plays. He's a solid WR3 in a pass happy offense that will use him more and more as the season moves along. His skills are freakish, and he's just a mean old bully after the catch.
Shaun McDonald - 6/90, 1 TD. Don't pick him up. He's the 4th WR on this offense and will not be posting stats like these with any regularity unless someone gets hurt in front of him. He'll be on the field a decent bit given how often the Lions will go 4 wide, but he's not going to be a fantasy option.
Ronald Curry - 10/133, 1 TD. Use your waiver wire spot to grab him if he's available...Curry is for real. After playing QB in college, he's adjusted himself to the WR position at the NFL level and is incredibly talented. He will be Oakland's #1 WR, and their offense is much improved over last year thanks to the coaching change. He's a solid WR3.
Zach Miller - 3/23, 1 FL. He's a rookie TE and can't be relied upon, but he should become a factor in their passing game and has solid receiving skills. Keep an eye on him.
Chicago vs. San Diego
Rex Grossman - 12/23, 145 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT. He predictably struggled against the imposing SD defense. He didn't win the game, but he didn't lose the game either. He's not a bad QB2 if you have an elite starter, and Grossman has a good matchup the week of your starter's bye. Grossman has shown he can carve up weaker secondaries.
Phillip Rivers - 22/31, 190 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 5/-1. It was not to be against the elite Chicago defense. He'll have much better days when he's not facing Chicago.
Cedric Benson - 19/42, 1 FL. He looks sluggish even when he does have an opening. He'll exploit weaker defenses, so don't read too much into a horrible matchup against the vaunted SD rush defense. He's a decent RB2, but you should consider your options based on what Benson's matchup is.
LaDainian Tomlinson - 17/25, 7/51, 1 TD, 1/1, 17 yards, 1 TD. The greatest fantasy RB ever to play the game. Even on a day when Chicago engulfed him, he still managed to find paydirt on a great run in the redzone, and he found Gates for a TD on a RB toss/pass play.
Bernard Berrian - 5/83. He is clearly Grossman's go-to guy and is a solid WR3 with a bit of upside. He did have a boneheaded play where he gave up on a route which allowed McCree to have an easy INT of a Grossman pass, but fantasy owners could care less about that.
Muhsin Muhammad - 1/8. He's a WR5 at best.
Antonio Gates - 9/107, 1 TD. The game's best TE comes up with a huge game against a great opponent. There's a reason he goes in the 3rd round as he's worth the investment to those willing to take a WR that high.
Vincent Jackson - 3/28. He was an overhyped "sleeper" who will likely be inconsistent from week to week. He has the ability to get open deep and is great in the red-zone, but with LT and Gates hogging most of the TDs, I'm not sure how many he'll score this year. He won't put up consistent yardage thanks to the offensive system and how he's essentially the 3rd option in the passing game despite being the #1 WR.
Jeff Garcia - 19/27, 201 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 1/3. He's a mediocre QB2 with little upside given the weapons around him.
Matt Hasselbeck - 17/24, 222 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 2/7. Solid game against a solid defense, but I honestly don't think he'll crack the top 12 starters come year's end despite being drafted as one. He'll have some great games, but he's better as a matchup starter.
Carnell Williams - 12/60, 2/14, 1 FL. He was running well before getting hammered and hurting his ribs. Reports have him missing at least one game, so hopefully you drafted a RB3 early given the risk surrounding Cadillac. It's questionable when he'll return right now. Pick up Michael Pittman if he's avaiable as he'll start while Williams is hurt.
Shaun Alexander - 27/105, 2/12, 1 TD. He had a couple big runs late in the game, but I believe his fantasy value these days is closely tied to a big workload, and given his age, I don't think he can handle it. I'm very pessimistic regarding Alexander this year, and I advise you to think about selling high after a strong first game. The 3.9 YPC just isn't vintage Alexander.
Joey Galloway - 5/72. He's still a great wide receiver with incredible speed for his age. He has no problem getting open and will be a solid WR3 this season assuming he stays healthy.
Deion Branch - 0/0. Just what owners wanted, right? No? WTF. No explanation for this.
D.J. Hackett - 1/7. Hackett suffered the dreaded high ankle sprain, so he's out indefinitely. Go ahead and drop him unless you have a deep bench and don't like the WW guys this week. Nate Burleson will start, and he's not the worst guy you could have stashed. Don't waste your waiver wire priority on him, however.
New York Giants vs. Dallas
Eli Manning - 28/41, 312 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT, 1/2. What a start to the season for Eli. He shredded the Cowboys defense, throwing often as his team got down quickly and stayed down for much of the contest. The bad news, however, is the reported sprained AC joint that he endured. There's conflicting reports as to what exactly his injury is, but that's what it is being called at the moment. Stay tuned for his real status, but consider him out for this week.
Tony Romo - 15/24, 345 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT, 3/11.. Ditto for Romo, proving that his ADP was no fluke. Romo is for real as a great NFL QB and he showed it in this one, shredding the Giants secondary with big plays to both Owens and Witten all game long. Very few QBs can put up 300+ yards with only 15 completions.
Brandon Jacobs - 6/26. Jacobs left early in the 2nd QTR with a knee sprain, and luckily it's turned out to be a sprained MCL and not a torn ligament. He's being called week-to-week right now, but he should definitely be out for this coming week. Here's to a quick recovery for a RB I thought was severely undervalued in drafts this year.
Julius Jones - 16/66, 1/11. Jones got more of the carries, but looked like the worse RB, just like last season. This is going to be more of a 50/50 split unless he starts to run better. He's a questionable RB3.
Marion Barber - 11/65, 1/29, 1 TD. He seems to be the better of the two RBs to everyone but the Cowboys' coaching staffs. Still, he should start to see more carries if he continues to outproduce Jones. I can't imagine Phillips being as patient with Jones as Parcells was. Barber is a great RB3 with upside for more.
Plaxico Burress - 8/144, 3 TD. Holy crap. Burress torched the Cowboys secondary all game long and was in complete rhythm with Eli. He got open more than he was thrown to and could have had an even bigger day. His owners have to hope that Eli's injury isn't too serious as he'll definitely lose value while Eli is out.
Amani Toomer - 9/91. He's rosterable again as a WR5, but is unusable with Eli out. With Eli healthy, he's not a bad bye-week fill-in.
Jeremy Shockey - 5/41. You'd assume bigger numbers from him given the score, but Burress stole most of the throws. Shockey looked healthy and is a TE1 in all leagues.
Terrell Owens - 3/87, 2 TD. Still elite. He made the most of his 3 catches by getting open deep and outrunning defenders. He's a great WR1.
Jason Witten - 6/116, 1 TD. He torched the middle of the Giants secondary all game long and was in complete rhythm with Romo. He's a great TE1 with Romo starting as Romo loves looking his way.
Patrick Crayton - 3/51. He's the third receiving option on the team, but he's worth owning as a WR5 while Glenn is out, possibly for the season.
Jon Kitna - 27/36, 289 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT, 3/17. A great game from Kitna against a solid secondary. The Lions will throw early and often all year along, and even moreso with Kevin Jones recovering from his foot injury. Kitna utilized his new WRs Calvin Johnson and Shaun McDonald well and spread the ball around efficiently. Kitna had a great fantasy season last year, and with improved weapons around him along with a similar propensity to throw, and he could be in for a big year.
Josh McCown - 30/40, 313 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT. McCown was fairly solid, utilizing his weapons and making a few horrible throws as well. The starting situation is up in the air still despite his performance, so don't waist your waiver priority on him.
Tatum Bell - 15/87, 4/6, 1 TD. An impressive performance from Bell against what projected to be a fairly tough Oakland defense. Duckett sprained his ankle and is questionable for next week, so if he's out, Bell has even more value. Minnesota's outstanding run D is up next, however, so his matchup is not favorable despite being on turf.
LaMont Jordan - 15/70. 9/89, 1 TD. Jordan is back. Forget how incredibly brutal the Oakland offense was last year, because that offense and Jordan's injuries were what held him back, not his talent. Jordan is back as a RB2 alternative for all teams and will remain an even better force in PPR leagues.
Roy Williams - 4/20, 1 TD. Nmamdi Asomugha is to blame for this as he is quietly one of the best CBs in the NFL today. Roy is still the focal point of this offensive attack and Kitna wisely utilized his other options. Luckily he got open in the endzone and scored to save his fantasy day.
Calvin Johnson - 4/70, 1 TD. While not the starter, he saw the field plenty and made a couple of great plays. He's a solid WR3 in a pass happy offense that will use him more and more as the season moves along. His skills are freakish, and he's just a mean old bully after the catch.
Shaun McDonald - 6/90, 1 TD. Don't pick him up. He's the 4th WR on this offense and will not be posting stats like these with any regularity unless someone gets hurt in front of him. He'll be on the field a decent bit given how often the Lions will go 4 wide, but he's not going to be a fantasy option.
Ronald Curry - 10/133, 1 TD. Use your waiver wire spot to grab him if he's available...Curry is for real. After playing QB in college, he's adjusted himself to the WR position at the NFL level and is incredibly talented. He will be Oakland's #1 WR, and their offense is much improved over last year thanks to the coaching change. He's a solid WR3.
Zach Miller - 3/23, 1 FL. He's a rookie TE and can't be relied upon, but he should become a factor in their passing game and has solid receiving skills. Keep an eye on him.
Chicago vs. San Diego
Rex Grossman - 12/23, 145 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT. He predictably struggled against the imposing SD defense. He didn't win the game, but he didn't lose the game either. He's not a bad QB2 if you have an elite starter, and Grossman has a good matchup the week of your starter's bye. Grossman has shown he can carve up weaker secondaries.
Phillip Rivers - 22/31, 190 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 5/-1. It was not to be against the elite Chicago defense. He'll have much better days when he's not facing Chicago.
Cedric Benson - 19/42, 1 FL. He looks sluggish even when he does have an opening. He'll exploit weaker defenses, so don't read too much into a horrible matchup against the vaunted SD rush defense. He's a decent RB2, but you should consider your options based on what Benson's matchup is.
LaDainian Tomlinson - 17/25, 7/51, 1 TD, 1/1, 17 yards, 1 TD. The greatest fantasy RB ever to play the game. Even on a day when Chicago engulfed him, he still managed to find paydirt on a great run in the redzone, and he found Gates for a TD on a RB toss/pass play.
Bernard Berrian - 5/83. He is clearly Grossman's go-to guy and is a solid WR3 with a bit of upside. He did have a boneheaded play where he gave up on a route which allowed McCree to have an easy INT of a Grossman pass, but fantasy owners could care less about that.
Muhsin Muhammad - 1/8. He's a WR5 at best.
Antonio Gates - 9/107, 1 TD. The game's best TE comes up with a huge game against a great opponent. There's a reason he goes in the 3rd round as he's worth the investment to those willing to take a WR that high.
Vincent Jackson - 3/28. He was an overhyped "sleeper" who will likely be inconsistent from week to week. He has the ability to get open deep and is great in the red-zone, but with LT and Gates hogging most of the TDs, I'm not sure how many he'll score this year. He won't put up consistent yardage thanks to the offensive system and how he's essentially the 3rd option in the passing game despite being the #1 WR.
Jeff Garcia - 19/27, 201 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT, 1/3. He's a mediocre QB2 with little upside given the weapons around him.
Matt Hasselbeck - 17/24, 222 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 2/7. Solid game against a solid defense, but I honestly don't think he'll crack the top 12 starters come year's end despite being drafted as one. He'll have some great games, but he's better as a matchup starter.
Carnell Williams - 12/60, 2/14, 1 FL. He was running well before getting hammered and hurting his ribs. Reports have him missing at least one game, so hopefully you drafted a RB3 early given the risk surrounding Cadillac. It's questionable when he'll return right now. Pick up Michael Pittman if he's avaiable as he'll start while Williams is hurt.
Shaun Alexander - 27/105, 2/12, 1 TD. He had a couple big runs late in the game, but I believe his fantasy value these days is closely tied to a big workload, and given his age, I don't think he can handle it. I'm very pessimistic regarding Alexander this year, and I advise you to think about selling high after a strong first game. The 3.9 YPC just isn't vintage Alexander.
Joey Galloway - 5/72. He's still a great wide receiver with incredible speed for his age. He has no problem getting open and will be a solid WR3 this season assuming he stays healthy.
Deion Branch - 0/0. Just what owners wanted, right? No? WTF. No explanation for this.
D.J. Hackett - 1/7. Hackett suffered the dreaded high ankle sprain, so he's out indefinitely. Go ahead and drop him unless you have a deep bench and don't like the WW guys this week. Nate Burleson will start, and he's not the worst guy you could have stashed. Don't waste your waiver wire priority on him, however.
New York Giants vs. Dallas
Eli Manning - 28/41, 312 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT, 1/2. What a start to the season for Eli. He shredded the Cowboys defense, throwing often as his team got down quickly and stayed down for much of the contest. The bad news, however, is the reported sprained AC joint that he endured. There's conflicting reports as to what exactly his injury is, but that's what it is being called at the moment. Stay tuned for his real status, but consider him out for this week.
Tony Romo - 15/24, 345 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT, 3/11.. Ditto for Romo, proving that his ADP was no fluke. Romo is for real as a great NFL QB and he showed it in this one, shredding the Giants secondary with big plays to both Owens and Witten all game long. Very few QBs can put up 300+ yards with only 15 completions.
Brandon Jacobs - 6/26. Jacobs left early in the 2nd QTR with a knee sprain, and luckily it's turned out to be a sprained MCL and not a torn ligament. He's being called week-to-week right now, but he should definitely be out for this coming week. Here's to a quick recovery for a RB I thought was severely undervalued in drafts this year.
Julius Jones - 16/66, 1/11. Jones got more of the carries, but looked like the worse RB, just like last season. This is going to be more of a 50/50 split unless he starts to run better. He's a questionable RB3.
Marion Barber - 11/65, 1/29, 1 TD. He seems to be the better of the two RBs to everyone but the Cowboys' coaching staffs. Still, he should start to see more carries if he continues to outproduce Jones. I can't imagine Phillips being as patient with Jones as Parcells was. Barber is a great RB3 with upside for more.
Plaxico Burress - 8/144, 3 TD. Holy crap. Burress torched the Cowboys secondary all game long and was in complete rhythm with Eli. He got open more than he was thrown to and could have had an even bigger day. His owners have to hope that Eli's injury isn't too serious as he'll definitely lose value while Eli is out.
Amani Toomer - 9/91. He's rosterable again as a WR5, but is unusable with Eli out. With Eli healthy, he's not a bad bye-week fill-in.
Jeremy Shockey - 5/41. You'd assume bigger numbers from him given the score, but Burress stole most of the throws. Shockey looked healthy and is a TE1 in all leagues.
Terrell Owens - 3/87, 2 TD. Still elite. He made the most of his 3 catches by getting open deep and outrunning defenders. He's a great WR1.
Jason Witten - 6/116, 1 TD. He torched the middle of the Giants secondary all game long and was in complete rhythm with Romo. He's a great TE1 with Romo starting as Romo loves looking his way.
Patrick Crayton - 3/51. He's the third receiving option on the team, but he's worth owning as a WR5 while Glenn is out, possibly for the season.
NFL Week 1: Early Game Wrapup
Denver vs. Buffalo
Jay Cutler - 23/39, 304 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 4/18. Cutler put together a great 2007 debut as he moved the offense effectively against Buffalo for most of the game. The only problem was the 5 FG attempts versus 1 TD as they often stalled as they got close. Still, he showed excellent chemistry with Javon Walker, which bodes well for the season.
J.P. Losman - 12/21, 97 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 2/13. With Champ Bailey hounding Lee Evans all day, the lack of WR depth for the Bills proved to be a large problem. Considering how stout the cornerbacks are for Denver, I'm willing to give him a pass, especially given how strong he closed the 2006 season. Still, it's a concern against defenses with a shutdown corner moving forward.
Travis Henry - 23/139, 3/44. Bigtime yardage numbers as they hype about Henry proved real. They often stalled near the redzone which prevented Henry from scoring, but given how well the offense moved the ball, he'll be scoring plenty soon enough.
Marshawn Lynch - 19/90, 1 TD, 2/9. Lynch had an excellent debut versus a very good Denver defense. Hopefully he'll start to get more involved in the passing game going forward so that Losman has a reliable safety valve, and his skills definite support such growth.
Javon Walker - 9/119. Great first game for Walker who didn't have much of a chemistry with Jay Cutler last season, but proved his doubters wrong with a great first game. He'll remain both the primary target and the primary deep threat, and should come close to posting WR1 numbers all year long.
Brandon Marshall - 5/52, 1 TD. Marshall showed off his redzone skills with a great catch near th sidelines for the only Denver TD of the game. He was a popular sleeper heading into the season as a WR5, and he could prove to have WR3 upside depending on how much Shanahan wants Cutler to throw the ball. He should be a solid bye-week fill-in at worst this season.
Lee Evans - 2/5. As mentioned before, this was Champ Bailey's doing. Evans was drafted as a WR2, and I was high on him heading into the season until reading about how brutal his schedule is to start the season as he faces. Up next is Pittsburgh with their aggressive blitzing and then Asante Samuel, so Evans might become a great buy-low after 3 weeks.
Pittsburgh vs. Cleveland
Ben Roethlisberger - 12/23, 161, 4 TD, 0 INT, 1/2. A great start of the season for my favorite fantasy QB heading into the season. He wasn't the most accurate and didn't throw for a lot of yards, but he had great protection and had 2 scoring strikes of 20+ yards along with a couple 5 yard TD passes. The short TD passes are of not here as Pittsburgh is traditionally a smashmouth team on the ground, and this indicates the change of guard with new coordinator Bruce Arians. Big Ben will become even more efficient as he continues to learn the new offense.
Browns QB Situation - Frye was pulled due to complete ineptitude, but Anderson wasn't much better after he took over. Brady Quinn will be starting sooner than later, and owners of both Edwards and Winslow can only pray that it's as soon as week 2.
Willie Parker - 27/109, 1/-2, 1 FL. Great yardage totals, but he didn't convert on his chances inside the 10, and Pittsburgh threw twice from the 5 yard line. His TD totals might drop a bit because of Pittsburgh's new scheme, but Pittsburgh will continue to use him plenty as long as his fumbling doesn't become a consistent problem. I imagine he'll be passed to more often as the season moves along as well.
Jamal Lewis - 11/35. Pittsburgh didn't give him any room and got up big early, but don't let that sway you from the fact that Jamal Lewis sucks. They even threw playaction from the 1 yard line.
Hines Ward - 3/51, 1 TD. Workman like game from Ward, and expect him to post better yardage totals as the season progresses and Pittsburgh throws more often when they aren't leading by 200. He's a good WR2.
Santonio Holmes - 2/55, 1 TD. Another preseason sleeper favorite who posted a solid first game. He'll be a bit inconsistent as Pittsburgh's secondary option and primary deep threat, but he'll probably post at least one big play each game. He's a good WR3.
Heath Miller - 4/35, 1 TD. Pick him up if he's still out there. He was incredibly under-utilized since being drafted, but he has great receiving skills and will likely break out this season. He'll be a borderline starter.
Braylon Edwards - 3/49. His QBs are a joke. He's a borderline WR3 while Frye and Anderson exchange poor performances, but he'll become a much better option once Quinn takes over.
Kellen Winslow - 4/83. What a great performance coming off microfracture surgery. Winslow produces regardless of who is under center, and he is a great TE1. Perhaps he is a soldier afterall?
Philadelphia vs. Green Bay
Donovan McNabb - 15/33, 184 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 4/9. Green Bay was in his face all game long, and he looked a bit rusty to boot. As I mentioned in my pre-season QB summary, it might take McNabb a bit to get adjusted, but he'll be fine soon enough. The thing to note here is how good GB's defense is, and to watch their performance over the next few weeks to see if they're ready to join the great NFL defenses this season. They have a ton of talent.
Brett Favre - 23/42, 206 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT. Favre should be a solid fantasy backup this season, but he's going to be erratic. He's best owned when your starter has a bye week the same week that Favre has an advantageous matchup. His history versus Philly wasn't good, and he struggled once again. It'll take a bit for him to get used to all the youngsters that surround him.
Brian Westbrook - 20/85, 6/46. Westbrook had yet another great yardage game. McNabb's ineffectiveness prevented Westbrook from having a strong chance of scoring, but he'll get more chances once McNabb re-acclimates himself.
Brandon Jackson - 15/40, 4/35. Philly was brutal against the run last season, but re-loaded their LB corps and did a good job here. The GB line projects to be pretty solid, but I'm not sold on Jackson's skills. He's a RB3 if for nothing else other than his workload, but he's going to have to show more than this over the next few weeks.
Reggie Brown - 1/14. A victim of poor QB play and a tough GB secondary. I expect much better results moving forward.
Kevin Curtis - 2/53. He made a couple big plays and makes for a solid WR3. He'll get more consistent as McNabb finds his game.
Donald Driver - 6/66. He'll continue to rack up the catches as Favre's clear go-to guy this season. He looks recovered from his preseason foot injury and should be a good WR2 this season. Expecting a repeat of last year's top 5 finish would be foolish, however.
Kansas City vs. Houston
Damon Huard - 22/33, 168 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT, 1/0. He just doesn't have much to work with at the WR position, and Tony Gonzalez might be asked to block more often depending on how the line holds up this season. Not only that, but Brodie Croyle will probably take his job after KC gets off to an inevitable slow start. There's no upside to owning him in 1 QB leagues.
Matt Schaub - 16/22, 225, 1 TD, 1 INT, 1/-1. Schaub showed up exactly as advertised, showing solid pocket presence and a strong arm. He remains a solid QB2, but the lack of an established secondary threat across from Andre Johnson limits his upside. Look to Phillip Rivers' progression last year as Schaub's potential this season.
Larry Johnson - 10/43, 7/44. He was saved in PPR league scoring, but very mediocre in standard scoring. LJ is going to be the victim of a poor offense, but expect more carries moving forward since KC simply doesn't have anything else. He's likely close to 100% game shape now.
Ahman Green - 16/73, 4/23. Green should remain a solid RB3 this season. Owners might be annoyed at only 16 carries in a win, but given Green's injury history and propensity to wear down as the season progresses, along with his age, Houston will be smart to limit his touches.
Eddie Kennison - 0/0. Kennison left hurt, and given the pathetic passing game, dropping him for someone like Ronald Curry, Brandon Marshall, or even Antwaan Randle El wouldn't be frowned upon. Plus he's old.
Tony Gonzalez - 5/28. He's still a fine TE, but his surrounding offense will limit him. He's probably going to have some huge games, but he'll be less consistent than usual thanks to the lack of talent around him.
Andre Johnson - 7/142, 1 TD, 1 FL. So that's what he can do with a real NFL QB. Schaub hit him for a 77 yard bomb that went for a TD, ironically the longest catch of his career. Schaub will have some rough games mixed in since he's still relatively unexperienced in NFL games, but he's going to help take AJ to a borderline WR1 this season for once and utilize his tremendous physical skills. The progression of rookie playmaker Jacoby Jones will help as well.
Owen Daniels - 1/14. Don't forget about him, and don't drop him if you own him as a TE2. Schaub will start to use him more as the season moves along.
Tennessee vs. Jacksonville
Vince Young - 11/18, 78 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 11/22, 1 TD. This is why he's an overrated QB1. His passing skills need work, and his receivers are among the worst in the NFL. He'll obviously have better games than this, but Jacksonville presents a strong defensive opponent, and he'll have to get used to using what he has.
David Garrard - 17/30, 204 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 5/24. Garrard remains a solid QB2 option who won't put up huge passing numbers, but he should be solidly consistent and add good rushing totals as well.
Chris Brown - 19/175. Possibly the biggest surprise of week 1. Brown shredded Jacksonville's run defense for the weekly high in yardage. No one was ever doubted Brown's skills, and he might finally be over the turf toe injury that lingered. His durability remains a huge concern, but he's definitely created an RBBC situation. LenDale White owners aren't happy.
LenDale White - 18/66. White ran tough, but he just doesn't possess the same game-slashing, breakaway ability that Brown possesses. He's still a vital member to this now RBBC situation, and Chris Brown could go down at any time. He's well worth owning given this.
Maurice Jones-Drew - 7/32, 3/28, 1 FL. This is exactly why Jones-Drew was a bad pick this year. He was incredibly overrated, going as high as the early 2nd round in some drafts. His owners are speculating on Fred Taylor's injury, and while it's probably Taylor will miss a few games, that's exactly what needs to happen for Jones-Drew to have considerable value. He made the most of his touches per usual.
Fred Taylor - 6/16. Jacksonville just didn't run much and Taylor's numbers suffered. He's still a solid RB3 as he'll probably be far closer to 20 carries than 6 most weeks.
TEN/JAX WRs - It's arguable that no WRs from these two teams are worth owning. Matt Jones didn't even catch a pass, and he's probably the most owned from this group. Brandon Jones is worth stashing as a WR5 unless the WW options available to you this week are more enticing. Young just won't make him very consistent whatsoever.
Atlanta vs. Minnesota
Joey Harrington/Tavaris Jackson - Neither of these guys are worth owning in 1 QB leagues. They are bottom of the barrel NFL starters who don't have very much talent to throw to.
Warrick Dunn - 22/55. Petrino needs to quickly learn that Dunn's time has passed and that his true value at this stage in his career is as a 3rd down specialist/backup. If he's smart, this will be Dunn's year-high in carries unless Norwood gets hurt.
Jerious Norwood - 5/33. His time is coming, so be patient.
Chester Taylor - 3/18, 1/3. He left the game with an oblique contusion, which is new to me. The reports right now have him returning to practice as soon as later this week, but since he's likely no better than an RB3 on your squad, I doubt you're very concerned.
Adrian Peterson - 19/103, 1/60, 1 TD. Hello, Adrian Peterson. This kid's talent is undeniable, and he's an outstanding RB2 if Chester misses any time. Keep an eye on Chester's health this week before plugging him into your lineup for week 2.
Alge Crumpler - 4/40. Harrington still looks his way, but this offense is definitely not the same without Vick. Crumpler should still remain a decent TE1 as he remains the focal point of the passing game.
Joe Horn - 1/14. Don't let the big name fool you, Horn is not the same, and he's on one of the NFL's worst passing attacks. Don't let him near your starting lineup unless you have no other options.
Roddy White - 4/29. If Harrington could get the ball down the field, White will benefit as the team's best deep threat. He's not worth rostering, but you should keep an eye on him.
New England vs. New York Jets
Tom Brady - 22/28, 297 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT, 1/4. Brady likes his new toys. He'll be among the best fantasy QBs this season, as he always is.
Chad Pennington - 16/21, 167 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 1/3. Pennington left with a badly swollen ankle, and he'll likely miss at least a game. Mangini doesn't reveal much about injuries, but it'd be a shock if he practiced this week. Kellen Clemens will take over, and he might have a shot to be the starter the rest of the season depending on how well he performs, and if Pennington misses several weeks.
Laurence Maroney - 20/72. Pretty boring game from Maroney, especially considering the Patriots scored 38 points. The passing game should eventually open up holes for Maroney, but he still dances too much and isn't decisive about where he's running. I like him much better as a RB2, but he was likely drafted as your RB1.
Thomas Jones - 14/42. Jones has a brutal start to the season, facing the Patriots yesterday, and then Baltimore and Miami are up the next two weeks. He's a weak RB2 play in the meantime, but things get easier after that. Hopefully Clemens fills in capably for Pennington to keep the defenses from stacking 8 in the box.
Randy Moss - 9/183, 1 TD. All he needed was a team that actually wanted to win. NE likely played it safe with their new acquisition after his hamstring injury, but he proved he's just fine with yesterday's monster performance. I remain skeptical that he'll post big numbers this season given the Patriot's tendency to spread the ball around, but he's far and away the best WR Brady has ever had or currently has, so hopefully for us owners he'll be utilized consistently as such.
Wes Welker - 6/61, 1 TD. He should be owned in all leagues and remains a great WR4/WR5 bye-week fill-in. Brady trusts him over the middle and Welker is very quick and good after the catch.
Donte Stallworth - 1/19. He's fast, but he's just not that great of a WR. Who knows if he's healthy, and best of luck trying to figure out when his random big games will be. He's not a bad WR4, but starting him every week just isn't worth it.
Ben Watson - 2/9, 1 TD. Like Stallworth, Watson might get lost on occasion among all the receiving threats NE has now. He remains a good TE2 for your bye week and potential injuries, but starting him every week isn't advised.
Laveraneous Coles - 7/59, 2 TD. Pennington loves Coles, and Coles owners hope that Clemens loves Coles as well. Downgrade him a bit when Clemens starts, but he's still arguably the best WR on the team. Clemens has a much better arm than Pennington and could use Coles on deeper routes more often, but as I said before, his consistency will be questionable.
Jerricho Cotchery - 6/57. Cotchery is great after the catch and will remain a solid WR3 this season. Clemens might slow the offense down somewhat, so as with Coles, downgrade him a bit with Clemens until we see him in action. Nobody knows who Clemens' favorite target might be.
Carolina vs. St. Louis
Jake Delhomme - 18/27, 201 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT, 3/12. Delhomme still adores Steve Smith, but who doesn't. The possible emergence of Drew Carter and the hopefully in-season progression of Dwayne Jarrett will give him additional targets. He remains a solid QB2, and given the lack of options alongside Steve Smith, he's better suited as a backup to those who have an elite QB1.
Marc Bulger - 22/42, 167 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 3/18. A very ho-hum day for Bulger. The biggest news of the game here is the season-ending injury to Pro-Bowl LT Orlando Pace. His loss is a big downgrade to the offensive line and will affect all Rams players. They'll turn to youngster Alex Barron at LT now, and who knows who they'll plug in at RT. His protection won't be as good.
DeShaun Foster - 17/94, 1/7, 1 FL. An impressive performance from Foster who's well suited for the new zone-blocking scheme. DeAngelo Williams remains the more talented player, but Foster was quite talented in his own right prior to the microfracture knee surgery he underwent early in his NFL career. He had a great preseason and started off strong here. His value is on the rise and he might be a solid RB3 with the right matchup.
DeAngelo Williams - 15/62, 1/13, 1 FL. Williams ran well too, but Foster outproduced him. Fox has always shown loyalty to Foster, and given his better fit in the new running scheme, Williams' value remains questionable at the moment. He's still a part of this RBBC and his passing game skills are superior to Foster's, but Fox might start using Foster more going forward. Keep an eye on things.
Steven Jackson - 18/58, 1/3, 2 FL. Thud. Jackson looked terrible, and Pace's injury hurts his value. On the bright side, Carolina has a very good run defense when Dan Morgan is healthy, so don't read too much into this. Just hope that the line can find a suitable replacement with Pace out for the year.
Torry Holt - 8/73, 1 TD. A solid game, but his long of 18 is a bit worrisome. Holt has struggled to gain separation from cornerbacks since his knee troubled him again towards the end of last year. Holt remains a no-brainer every week starter and an elite route runner, but throwing in a big catch would help him keep his yardage consistent. This remains a slight source of concern.
Isaac Bruce - 3/20. Bruce turned in a fine season last year when on the field and remains one of the best route runners in the game, but WRs at his age start to slow down a bit, and that loss of separation does hurt their production. That being said, this is only one game, but keep an eye on him if you're starting him as your WR3.
Randy McMichael - 2/24. Given the other weapons on offense and the Rams' long history of not using their TE very much, and I find it hard to believe that McMichael will be a TE1 this year. He's better off served as your TE2.
Miami vs. Washington
Trent Green - 24/38, 219 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT. Green might be a decent QB2 this year if he picks up Cam Cameron's offense, and odds are he will. He doesn't have the weapons to have much upside, and he's an injury risk thanks to his severe concussion last year and his advanced age. Still, he'll probably post fairly solid numbers this year.
Jason Campbell - 12/21, 222 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT, 4/29. Campbell is a QB with upside, but the season-ending injury to RT Jon Jansen is a blow to their offensive line. Luckily they have a capable backup in Todd Wade, but he's not as dominant as Jansen is. Campbell should improve as the season progresses.
Ronnie Brown - 11/32, 6/40. Brown owners have to be fuming at the timeshare situation that has developed in Miami. Brown is still the superior talent, so Cameron must see something in Chatman, or he must be frustrated with something he sees with Brown. He's a very risky RB2 until he wins the job outright.
Clinton Portis - 17/98, 1 TD. He looks healthy to me. Portis exploded for a 19 yard TD in the 3rd quarter and had several nice runs throughout the game. He should start to seize the featured RB role as soon as next week and is a great RB2 play.
Ladell Betts - 17/59, 1/16. Betts was solid, but Portis outplayed him and remains the superior talent. Look for Betts to have his role reduced as the weeks progress, but he remains a great RB4 due to Portis' questionable durability.
Chris Chambers - 6/92. Revived! Green and Chambers showed solid chemistry, and Chambers has emerged as a solid WR3 target with upside. He's the clear #1 on this team, and despite his overrated talent, he should emerge as a consistent fantasy option with Green as his QB now.
Santana Moss - 3/28. Campbell just didn't do a good job getting him the ball when he was open. Expect this to be one of the worst days of his season as Campbell will start connected deep with him, and Randle El's big game will give the defense something else to think about.
Antwaan Randle El - 5/162. A huge game and likely one of the most popular week 1 pickups. Given Moss' role as the #1 WR, I just cannot see this happening again. If you pick him up for depth, don't start him unless he shows consistency.
Chris Cooley - 1/10. Just a bad game, so don't overreact. Cooley is a TE1, and Campbell will do a better job as the season moves along.
Jay Cutler - 23/39, 304 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 4/18. Cutler put together a great 2007 debut as he moved the offense effectively against Buffalo for most of the game. The only problem was the 5 FG attempts versus 1 TD as they often stalled as they got close. Still, he showed excellent chemistry with Javon Walker, which bodes well for the season.
J.P. Losman - 12/21, 97 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 2/13. With Champ Bailey hounding Lee Evans all day, the lack of WR depth for the Bills proved to be a large problem. Considering how stout the cornerbacks are for Denver, I'm willing to give him a pass, especially given how strong he closed the 2006 season. Still, it's a concern against defenses with a shutdown corner moving forward.
Travis Henry - 23/139, 3/44. Bigtime yardage numbers as they hype about Henry proved real. They often stalled near the redzone which prevented Henry from scoring, but given how well the offense moved the ball, he'll be scoring plenty soon enough.
Marshawn Lynch - 19/90, 1 TD, 2/9. Lynch had an excellent debut versus a very good Denver defense. Hopefully he'll start to get more involved in the passing game going forward so that Losman has a reliable safety valve, and his skills definite support such growth.
Javon Walker - 9/119. Great first game for Walker who didn't have much of a chemistry with Jay Cutler last season, but proved his doubters wrong with a great first game. He'll remain both the primary target and the primary deep threat, and should come close to posting WR1 numbers all year long.
Brandon Marshall - 5/52, 1 TD. Marshall showed off his redzone skills with a great catch near th sidelines for the only Denver TD of the game. He was a popular sleeper heading into the season as a WR5, and he could prove to have WR3 upside depending on how much Shanahan wants Cutler to throw the ball. He should be a solid bye-week fill-in at worst this season.
Lee Evans - 2/5. As mentioned before, this was Champ Bailey's doing. Evans was drafted as a WR2, and I was high on him heading into the season until reading about how brutal his schedule is to start the season as he faces. Up next is Pittsburgh with their aggressive blitzing and then Asante Samuel, so Evans might become a great buy-low after 3 weeks.
Pittsburgh vs. Cleveland
Ben Roethlisberger - 12/23, 161, 4 TD, 0 INT, 1/2. A great start of the season for my favorite fantasy QB heading into the season. He wasn't the most accurate and didn't throw for a lot of yards, but he had great protection and had 2 scoring strikes of 20+ yards along with a couple 5 yard TD passes. The short TD passes are of not here as Pittsburgh is traditionally a smashmouth team on the ground, and this indicates the change of guard with new coordinator Bruce Arians. Big Ben will become even more efficient as he continues to learn the new offense.
Browns QB Situation - Frye was pulled due to complete ineptitude, but Anderson wasn't much better after he took over. Brady Quinn will be starting sooner than later, and owners of both Edwards and Winslow can only pray that it's as soon as week 2.
Willie Parker - 27/109, 1/-2, 1 FL. Great yardage totals, but he didn't convert on his chances inside the 10, and Pittsburgh threw twice from the 5 yard line. His TD totals might drop a bit because of Pittsburgh's new scheme, but Pittsburgh will continue to use him plenty as long as his fumbling doesn't become a consistent problem. I imagine he'll be passed to more often as the season moves along as well.
Jamal Lewis - 11/35. Pittsburgh didn't give him any room and got up big early, but don't let that sway you from the fact that Jamal Lewis sucks. They even threw playaction from the 1 yard line.
Hines Ward - 3/51, 1 TD. Workman like game from Ward, and expect him to post better yardage totals as the season progresses and Pittsburgh throws more often when they aren't leading by 200. He's a good WR2.
Santonio Holmes - 2/55, 1 TD. Another preseason sleeper favorite who posted a solid first game. He'll be a bit inconsistent as Pittsburgh's secondary option and primary deep threat, but he'll probably post at least one big play each game. He's a good WR3.
Heath Miller - 4/35, 1 TD. Pick him up if he's still out there. He was incredibly under-utilized since being drafted, but he has great receiving skills and will likely break out this season. He'll be a borderline starter.
Braylon Edwards - 3/49. His QBs are a joke. He's a borderline WR3 while Frye and Anderson exchange poor performances, but he'll become a much better option once Quinn takes over.
Kellen Winslow - 4/83. What a great performance coming off microfracture surgery. Winslow produces regardless of who is under center, and he is a great TE1. Perhaps he is a soldier afterall?
Philadelphia vs. Green Bay
Donovan McNabb - 15/33, 184 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 4/9. Green Bay was in his face all game long, and he looked a bit rusty to boot. As I mentioned in my pre-season QB summary, it might take McNabb a bit to get adjusted, but he'll be fine soon enough. The thing to note here is how good GB's defense is, and to watch their performance over the next few weeks to see if they're ready to join the great NFL defenses this season. They have a ton of talent.
Brett Favre - 23/42, 206 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT. Favre should be a solid fantasy backup this season, but he's going to be erratic. He's best owned when your starter has a bye week the same week that Favre has an advantageous matchup. His history versus Philly wasn't good, and he struggled once again. It'll take a bit for him to get used to all the youngsters that surround him.
Brian Westbrook - 20/85, 6/46. Westbrook had yet another great yardage game. McNabb's ineffectiveness prevented Westbrook from having a strong chance of scoring, but he'll get more chances once McNabb re-acclimates himself.
Brandon Jackson - 15/40, 4/35. Philly was brutal against the run last season, but re-loaded their LB corps and did a good job here. The GB line projects to be pretty solid, but I'm not sold on Jackson's skills. He's a RB3 if for nothing else other than his workload, but he's going to have to show more than this over the next few weeks.
Reggie Brown - 1/14. A victim of poor QB play and a tough GB secondary. I expect much better results moving forward.
Kevin Curtis - 2/53. He made a couple big plays and makes for a solid WR3. He'll get more consistent as McNabb finds his game.
Donald Driver - 6/66. He'll continue to rack up the catches as Favre's clear go-to guy this season. He looks recovered from his preseason foot injury and should be a good WR2 this season. Expecting a repeat of last year's top 5 finish would be foolish, however.
Kansas City vs. Houston
Damon Huard - 22/33, 168 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT, 1/0. He just doesn't have much to work with at the WR position, and Tony Gonzalez might be asked to block more often depending on how the line holds up this season. Not only that, but Brodie Croyle will probably take his job after KC gets off to an inevitable slow start. There's no upside to owning him in 1 QB leagues.
Matt Schaub - 16/22, 225, 1 TD, 1 INT, 1/-1. Schaub showed up exactly as advertised, showing solid pocket presence and a strong arm. He remains a solid QB2, but the lack of an established secondary threat across from Andre Johnson limits his upside. Look to Phillip Rivers' progression last year as Schaub's potential this season.
Larry Johnson - 10/43, 7/44. He was saved in PPR league scoring, but very mediocre in standard scoring. LJ is going to be the victim of a poor offense, but expect more carries moving forward since KC simply doesn't have anything else. He's likely close to 100% game shape now.
Ahman Green - 16/73, 4/23. Green should remain a solid RB3 this season. Owners might be annoyed at only 16 carries in a win, but given Green's injury history and propensity to wear down as the season progresses, along with his age, Houston will be smart to limit his touches.
Eddie Kennison - 0/0. Kennison left hurt, and given the pathetic passing game, dropping him for someone like Ronald Curry, Brandon Marshall, or even Antwaan Randle El wouldn't be frowned upon. Plus he's old.
Tony Gonzalez - 5/28. He's still a fine TE, but his surrounding offense will limit him. He's probably going to have some huge games, but he'll be less consistent than usual thanks to the lack of talent around him.
Andre Johnson - 7/142, 1 TD, 1 FL. So that's what he can do with a real NFL QB. Schaub hit him for a 77 yard bomb that went for a TD, ironically the longest catch of his career. Schaub will have some rough games mixed in since he's still relatively unexperienced in NFL games, but he's going to help take AJ to a borderline WR1 this season for once and utilize his tremendous physical skills. The progression of rookie playmaker Jacoby Jones will help as well.
Owen Daniels - 1/14. Don't forget about him, and don't drop him if you own him as a TE2. Schaub will start to use him more as the season moves along.
Tennessee vs. Jacksonville
Vince Young - 11/18, 78 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT, 11/22, 1 TD. This is why he's an overrated QB1. His passing skills need work, and his receivers are among the worst in the NFL. He'll obviously have better games than this, but Jacksonville presents a strong defensive opponent, and he'll have to get used to using what he has.
David Garrard - 17/30, 204 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 5/24. Garrard remains a solid QB2 option who won't put up huge passing numbers, but he should be solidly consistent and add good rushing totals as well.
Chris Brown - 19/175. Possibly the biggest surprise of week 1. Brown shredded Jacksonville's run defense for the weekly high in yardage. No one was ever doubted Brown's skills, and he might finally be over the turf toe injury that lingered. His durability remains a huge concern, but he's definitely created an RBBC situation. LenDale White owners aren't happy.
LenDale White - 18/66. White ran tough, but he just doesn't possess the same game-slashing, breakaway ability that Brown possesses. He's still a vital member to this now RBBC situation, and Chris Brown could go down at any time. He's well worth owning given this.
Maurice Jones-Drew - 7/32, 3/28, 1 FL. This is exactly why Jones-Drew was a bad pick this year. He was incredibly overrated, going as high as the early 2nd round in some drafts. His owners are speculating on Fred Taylor's injury, and while it's probably Taylor will miss a few games, that's exactly what needs to happen for Jones-Drew to have considerable value. He made the most of his touches per usual.
Fred Taylor - 6/16. Jacksonville just didn't run much and Taylor's numbers suffered. He's still a solid RB3 as he'll probably be far closer to 20 carries than 6 most weeks.
TEN/JAX WRs - It's arguable that no WRs from these two teams are worth owning. Matt Jones didn't even catch a pass, and he's probably the most owned from this group. Brandon Jones is worth stashing as a WR5 unless the WW options available to you this week are more enticing. Young just won't make him very consistent whatsoever.
Atlanta vs. Minnesota
Joey Harrington/Tavaris Jackson - Neither of these guys are worth owning in 1 QB leagues. They are bottom of the barrel NFL starters who don't have very much talent to throw to.
Warrick Dunn - 22/55. Petrino needs to quickly learn that Dunn's time has passed and that his true value at this stage in his career is as a 3rd down specialist/backup. If he's smart, this will be Dunn's year-high in carries unless Norwood gets hurt.
Jerious Norwood - 5/33. His time is coming, so be patient.
Chester Taylor - 3/18, 1/3. He left the game with an oblique contusion, which is new to me. The reports right now have him returning to practice as soon as later this week, but since he's likely no better than an RB3 on your squad, I doubt you're very concerned.
Adrian Peterson - 19/103, 1/60, 1 TD. Hello, Adrian Peterson. This kid's talent is undeniable, and he's an outstanding RB2 if Chester misses any time. Keep an eye on Chester's health this week before plugging him into your lineup for week 2.
Alge Crumpler - 4/40. Harrington still looks his way, but this offense is definitely not the same without Vick. Crumpler should still remain a decent TE1 as he remains the focal point of the passing game.
Joe Horn - 1/14. Don't let the big name fool you, Horn is not the same, and he's on one of the NFL's worst passing attacks. Don't let him near your starting lineup unless you have no other options.
Roddy White - 4/29. If Harrington could get the ball down the field, White will benefit as the team's best deep threat. He's not worth rostering, but you should keep an eye on him.
New England vs. New York Jets
Tom Brady - 22/28, 297 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT, 1/4. Brady likes his new toys. He'll be among the best fantasy QBs this season, as he always is.
Chad Pennington - 16/21, 167 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 1/3. Pennington left with a badly swollen ankle, and he'll likely miss at least a game. Mangini doesn't reveal much about injuries, but it'd be a shock if he practiced this week. Kellen Clemens will take over, and he might have a shot to be the starter the rest of the season depending on how well he performs, and if Pennington misses several weeks.
Laurence Maroney - 20/72. Pretty boring game from Maroney, especially considering the Patriots scored 38 points. The passing game should eventually open up holes for Maroney, but he still dances too much and isn't decisive about where he's running. I like him much better as a RB2, but he was likely drafted as your RB1.
Thomas Jones - 14/42. Jones has a brutal start to the season, facing the Patriots yesterday, and then Baltimore and Miami are up the next two weeks. He's a weak RB2 play in the meantime, but things get easier after that. Hopefully Clemens fills in capably for Pennington to keep the defenses from stacking 8 in the box.
Randy Moss - 9/183, 1 TD. All he needed was a team that actually wanted to win. NE likely played it safe with their new acquisition after his hamstring injury, but he proved he's just fine with yesterday's monster performance. I remain skeptical that he'll post big numbers this season given the Patriot's tendency to spread the ball around, but he's far and away the best WR Brady has ever had or currently has, so hopefully for us owners he'll be utilized consistently as such.
Wes Welker - 6/61, 1 TD. He should be owned in all leagues and remains a great WR4/WR5 bye-week fill-in. Brady trusts him over the middle and Welker is very quick and good after the catch.
Donte Stallworth - 1/19. He's fast, but he's just not that great of a WR. Who knows if he's healthy, and best of luck trying to figure out when his random big games will be. He's not a bad WR4, but starting him every week just isn't worth it.
Ben Watson - 2/9, 1 TD. Like Stallworth, Watson might get lost on occasion among all the receiving threats NE has now. He remains a good TE2 for your bye week and potential injuries, but starting him every week isn't advised.
Laveraneous Coles - 7/59, 2 TD. Pennington loves Coles, and Coles owners hope that Clemens loves Coles as well. Downgrade him a bit when Clemens starts, but he's still arguably the best WR on the team. Clemens has a much better arm than Pennington and could use Coles on deeper routes more often, but as I said before, his consistency will be questionable.
Jerricho Cotchery - 6/57. Cotchery is great after the catch and will remain a solid WR3 this season. Clemens might slow the offense down somewhat, so as with Coles, downgrade him a bit with Clemens until we see him in action. Nobody knows who Clemens' favorite target might be.
Carolina vs. St. Louis
Jake Delhomme - 18/27, 201 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT, 3/12. Delhomme still adores Steve Smith, but who doesn't. The possible emergence of Drew Carter and the hopefully in-season progression of Dwayne Jarrett will give him additional targets. He remains a solid QB2, and given the lack of options alongside Steve Smith, he's better suited as a backup to those who have an elite QB1.
Marc Bulger - 22/42, 167 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 3/18. A very ho-hum day for Bulger. The biggest news of the game here is the season-ending injury to Pro-Bowl LT Orlando Pace. His loss is a big downgrade to the offensive line and will affect all Rams players. They'll turn to youngster Alex Barron at LT now, and who knows who they'll plug in at RT. His protection won't be as good.
DeShaun Foster - 17/94, 1/7, 1 FL. An impressive performance from Foster who's well suited for the new zone-blocking scheme. DeAngelo Williams remains the more talented player, but Foster was quite talented in his own right prior to the microfracture knee surgery he underwent early in his NFL career. He had a great preseason and started off strong here. His value is on the rise and he might be a solid RB3 with the right matchup.
DeAngelo Williams - 15/62, 1/13, 1 FL. Williams ran well too, but Foster outproduced him. Fox has always shown loyalty to Foster, and given his better fit in the new running scheme, Williams' value remains questionable at the moment. He's still a part of this RBBC and his passing game skills are superior to Foster's, but Fox might start using Foster more going forward. Keep an eye on things.
Steven Jackson - 18/58, 1/3, 2 FL. Thud. Jackson looked terrible, and Pace's injury hurts his value. On the bright side, Carolina has a very good run defense when Dan Morgan is healthy, so don't read too much into this. Just hope that the line can find a suitable replacement with Pace out for the year.
Torry Holt - 8/73, 1 TD. A solid game, but his long of 18 is a bit worrisome. Holt has struggled to gain separation from cornerbacks since his knee troubled him again towards the end of last year. Holt remains a no-brainer every week starter and an elite route runner, but throwing in a big catch would help him keep his yardage consistent. This remains a slight source of concern.
Isaac Bruce - 3/20. Bruce turned in a fine season last year when on the field and remains one of the best route runners in the game, but WRs at his age start to slow down a bit, and that loss of separation does hurt their production. That being said, this is only one game, but keep an eye on him if you're starting him as your WR3.
Randy McMichael - 2/24. Given the other weapons on offense and the Rams' long history of not using their TE very much, and I find it hard to believe that McMichael will be a TE1 this year. He's better off served as your TE2.
Miami vs. Washington
Trent Green - 24/38, 219 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT. Green might be a decent QB2 this year if he picks up Cam Cameron's offense, and odds are he will. He doesn't have the weapons to have much upside, and he's an injury risk thanks to his severe concussion last year and his advanced age. Still, he'll probably post fairly solid numbers this year.
Jason Campbell - 12/21, 222 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT, 4/29. Campbell is a QB with upside, but the season-ending injury to RT Jon Jansen is a blow to their offensive line. Luckily they have a capable backup in Todd Wade, but he's not as dominant as Jansen is. Campbell should improve as the season progresses.
Ronnie Brown - 11/32, 6/40. Brown owners have to be fuming at the timeshare situation that has developed in Miami. Brown is still the superior talent, so Cameron must see something in Chatman, or he must be frustrated with something he sees with Brown. He's a very risky RB2 until he wins the job outright.
Clinton Portis - 17/98, 1 TD. He looks healthy to me. Portis exploded for a 19 yard TD in the 3rd quarter and had several nice runs throughout the game. He should start to seize the featured RB role as soon as next week and is a great RB2 play.
Ladell Betts - 17/59, 1/16. Betts was solid, but Portis outplayed him and remains the superior talent. Look for Betts to have his role reduced as the weeks progress, but he remains a great RB4 due to Portis' questionable durability.
Chris Chambers - 6/92. Revived! Green and Chambers showed solid chemistry, and Chambers has emerged as a solid WR3 target with upside. He's the clear #1 on this team, and despite his overrated talent, he should emerge as a consistent fantasy option with Green as his QB now.
Santana Moss - 3/28. Campbell just didn't do a good job getting him the ball when he was open. Expect this to be one of the worst days of his season as Campbell will start connected deep with him, and Randle El's big game will give the defense something else to think about.
Antwaan Randle El - 5/162. A huge game and likely one of the most popular week 1 pickups. Given Moss' role as the #1 WR, I just cannot see this happening again. If you pick him up for depth, don't start him unless he shows consistency.
Chris Cooley - 1/10. Just a bad game, so don't overreact. Cooley is a TE1, and Campbell will do a better job as the season moves along.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Noteable Inactives
RB Lorenzo Booker
RB Chris Henry
RB Vernand Morency
WR Drew Bennett
WR Greg Jennings
WR Dwayne Jarrett
WR Reggie Williams
Make sure to get them out of your lineup if you had planned on starting them.
RB Chris Henry
RB Vernand Morency
WR Drew Bennett
WR Greg Jennings
WR Dwayne Jarrett
WR Reggie Williams
Make sure to get them out of your lineup if you had planned on starting them.
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