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.