Here's the condensed Wide-Right predictions for Week One:
Detroit at Atlanta
Seattle at Buffalo
Jacksonville at Tennessee
New York Jets at Miami Dolphins
Kansas City at New England
Tampa Bay at New Orleans
St. Louis at Philadelphia
Houston at Pittsburgh
Cincinnati at Baltimore
Carolina at San Diego
Arizona at San Francisco
Dallas at Cleveland
Chicago at Indianapolis
Minnesota at Green Bay
Denver at Oakland
Fantasy Picks:
QB:
Brett Favre NYJ
Drew Brees NOS
Ben Roethlisberger PIT
Kurt Warner ARI
Matt Schaub HOU
Carson Palmer CIN
Tony Romo DAL
Peyton Manning IND
RB:
Brian Westbrook PHI
Jerious Norwood ATL
DeAngelo Williams CAR
Jamal Lewis CLE
Adrian Peterson MIN
Chester Taylor MIN
Justin Fargas OAK
Darren McFadden OAK
WR:
Roy Williams DET
Calvin Johnson DET
Matt Jones JAX
Ted Ginn Jnr. MIA
Laveraneus Coles NYJ
Jerricho Cotchery NYJ
Dexter Jackson TBB
DeSean Jackson PHI
Santonio Holmes PIT
Hines Ward PIT
Andre Johnson HOU
Kevin WalterHOU
Chad Ochocinco CIN
T.J. Houshmanzadeh CIN
Vincent Jackson SDC
Braylon Edwards CLE
Josh Cribbs CLE
Donte Stallworth CLE
Terrell Owens DAL
Reggie Wayne IND
Devin Hester CHI
Greg Jennings GBP
Donald Driver GBP
TE:
Tony Gonzalez KCC
L.J. Smith PHI
Donald Lee GBP
Dallas Clark IND
Antonio Gates SDC
Team D/ST:
Buccaneers Defence
Tennnessee Defence
Seattle Defence
Baltimore Defence
Bears Defence
Oakland Defence
K:
Robbie Gould CHI
IDP's:
Patrick Willis SFO
Manny Lawson SFO
Justin Smith SFO
Drops:
QB:
Jake Delhomme CAR
Joe Flacco BAL
Jeff Garcia TBB
Marc Bulger STL
Kyle Orton CHI
Jay Cutler DEN
Aaron Rodgers GBP
Tarvaris Jackson MIN
J.T. O'Sullivan SFO
RB:
Julius Jones SEA
T.J. Duckett SEA
Maurice Morris SEA
Fred Taylor JAX
Maurice Jones-Drew JAX
Ricky Williams MIA
Ronnie Brown MIA
Laurence Maroney NEP
Earnest Graham TBB
Reggie Bush NOS
Steven Jackson STL
Steve Slaton HOU
Ahman Green HOU
Rashard Mendenhall PIT
Willis McGahee BAL
Chris Perry CIN
Edgerrin James ARI
Kevin Jones CHI
Matt Forte CHI
Ryan Grant GBP
WR:
Joey Galloway TBB
Sidney Rice MIN
Bernard Berrian MIN
Team D/ST:
Lions Defence
New York Jets Defence
Cowboys Defence
Denver Defence
K:
Adam Vinateri IND
Each week we'll assess each game and how our predictions stacked up against what happened as we progress through the week. For now though, keep an eye on injury reports, and good luck in your fantasy games.
Saturday 6 September 2008
2008 Week One Preview - Part Three
The final part of our
Sunday, 4:15pm EST (cont)
Arizona at San Francisco
The easy-to-mock NFC West throws up yet another classic matchup. Sarcasm aside, this could be an interesting litmus test for two veteran Quarterbacks who have beaten out high first round draft picks during Training Camp. Arizona's Kurt Warner holds the advantage in terms of experience, and it will likely be that and the weapons at his disposal (Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin) which makes the difference. Neither Defence is particularly good in coverage, so expect a shootout if the Mike Martz offence takes off as it has done in St. Louis and Detroit.
Fantasy Pick:Warner is the kind of guy who can throw for 400yds, 5 TD's, 6 INT's and lose four fumbles after being sacked. We think that adds up to positive totals in most leagues, and he could even get away with some of his more rubbish throws tommorow against the 49ers hit-and-miss secondary. We also like the 49ers Defence for IDP leagues. Patrick Willis, Manny Lawson, Justin Smith et al should bring the heat and rack up an impressive number of tackles.
Fantasy Drop: For similar reasons, we can't see Edgerrin James having too big a day against a decent front-seven. If Rookie Tim Hightower is getting goal line carries too, Edge's fantasy value plummets. O'Sullivan is a risky play, though if he gets going, he could put up good numbers in the Martz offence. We'd give it a few weeks before making that call though, and we will, because the idiot writing this has O'Sullivan as his backup QB in his 16 team dynasty league.
Dallas at Cleveland
A horrendous matchup that we'd really avoid if you're into the old gambling. On the one hand, the Cowboys have a great all-round roster, and a Defence that is amongst the top five in the league. What makes us pick the Browns? Playmakers. Sure T.O is great, and so is Jason Witten, but past that, what proven playmakers do the Cowboys have? The Browns have Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow jnr., Donte Stallworth, and Josh Cribbs. All four are viable receiving targets that can open up rushing lanes for Jamal Lewis and a highly talented O-line.
Fantasy Pick: Lewis is a safe fantasy pick, as neither Jason Wright or Jerome Harrison is a threat to carry much. Any Cleveland receiver should be played, especially Edwards, who we predict could lead the league in receiving yards this season. For the Cowboys, Owens is the only obvious play, though QB Tony Romo could have a good day if another receiver steps up to the plate.
Fantasy Drop: We'll be bold here: Don't pick the Cowboys Defence this week. If any team has the chance to surprise the Cowboys early, it's Cleveland, and they have a well rounded offence that can really put up huge numbers, even if they lose. We'll wager the 'boys D counts for less than 10pts in most fantasy formats this weekend.
Sunday, 8:15pm EST
Chicago at Indianapolis
Here's what we think: The Bears Offence should be demoted to the Arena Football League until they learn how to play properly. Let's be honest though, if there was a Defence that Peyton Manning wouldn't want to face in his first game back from injury, it'd be the Bears. In the end the scoreline will be less relevant than whether Manning escapes without any after effects following the inevitable sacks he will take. Despite that pressure, the Bears Offence is honestly just too bad to take advantage of anything it is given.
Fantasy Pick: If you're lucky enough to own them, Peyton Manning, Dallas Clark and Reggie Wayne are obvious starters, and if you needed us to tell you that, it's best that you give up now, because you will not win your league this year. Actually that's not true, you probably will, but it will be a hollow victory built on luck. Think of us with J.T O'Sullivan when you nonchalantly select Manning every week. For the Bears, apart from the Defence, Devin Hester is worth a look, as any points will likely be generated through him, and of course, Kicker Robbie Gould will finish off most drives after they stall.
Fantasy Drop: Kyle Orton is not a viable starter until he shakes the 'game manager' tag. We expect him to be slightly looser than when he started in 2005, but still very much a backup in both real life and fantasy football. Similarly, Matt Forte and Kevin Jones both have issues that will need addressing before we find out how valuable they'll be this year. For now, assume them to be projects until one or the other breaks out. One player who could make this list every week is Colts kicker Adam Vinateri, who's main jobs in life are 'kicking extra points' and 'missing field goals'.
Monday, 7pm EST
Minnesota at Green Bay
We've gone for Green Bay on Monday, despite Aaron Rodgers making his first regular season start for the Packers. Put simply, there are still more question marks over Tarvaris Jackson than Rodgers, and the Packers Defence is one of the most under-appreciated units in the league. Of course, Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor are still rushing threats for the Vikings, but when your offence is that one-dimensional, its hard to establish a running game.
Fantasy Pick: Greg Jennings will likely overtake Donald Driver as the Pack's best receiving threat, but both are good plays this week. Also likely to see extensive work is TE Donald Lee, as Rodgers adjusts to his starting role and leans on his Tight End slightly more than usual. For the Vikings, either Peterson or Taylor is a decent option in most leagues. It will be interesting to see how that dynamic develops over the course of the season, however.
Fantasy Drop: Neither Aaron Rodgers or Tarvaris Jackson can be considered safe QB plays. Rodgers should be slightly better, but both could easily throw as many picks as Touchdowns. We also don't like either Sidney Rice or Bernard Berrian until Jackson shows what he's made of. Ryan Grant is a slight injury worry for the Pack, so keep an eye out for his status come game time. Packers coach Mike McCarthy did a lot of shuffling in the backfield last year, so Grant isn't that great an option even when healthy.
Monday, 10:15pm EST
Denver at Oakland
The final game of the week, and it's on at a particularly stupid hour. If this game is deciding your fantasy matchup, then we feel sorry for you, mainly because it means you must be tied to one of these terrible teams in some way. The Raiders have a decent enough rushing attack, however, and the porous Broncos run defence should give ample opportunity for them to put up big numbers on the ground. Denver are without Receiver Brandon Marshall, who is suspended, and Rookie Running Back Ryan Torain, who is injured. Overall, that just adds up to a big handicap to overcome.
Fantasy Pick: Any Oakland Running Back. Justin Fargas will start, but Darren McFadden will likely see extended playing time, so both are relatively safe picks. The Oakland Defence will likely never have an easier day than Sunday, so if they're available in your league, consider them if you're facing an unfavourable matchup.
Fantasy Drop: If you own the Denver Broncos Defence, you seriously need to have a quiet word with yourself and ask 'is fantasy football the game for me?', because they are an atrocious unit in all facets of the game. Also on dicey territory this week is Broncos QB Jay Cutler, who quite simply has nobody to throw to. We like Cutler long term, and feel like he is alreayd the best QB of the '06 class, ahead of Matt Leinart and Vince Young, but he is not a fantasy stud yet, and needs a stable running game to keep defences honest.
That's our full preview of week one. To help you make your picks, we'll condense all the pertinent information into one handy list for you. Don't say we never do anything for you.
Sunday, 4:15pm EST (cont)
Arizona at San Francisco
The easy-to-mock NFC West throws up yet another classic matchup. Sarcasm aside, this could be an interesting litmus test for two veteran Quarterbacks who have beaten out high first round draft picks during Training Camp. Arizona's Kurt Warner holds the advantage in terms of experience, and it will likely be that and the weapons at his disposal (Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin) which makes the difference. Neither Defence is particularly good in coverage, so expect a shootout if the Mike Martz offence takes off as it has done in St. Louis and Detroit.
Fantasy Pick:Warner is the kind of guy who can throw for 400yds, 5 TD's, 6 INT's and lose four fumbles after being sacked. We think that adds up to positive totals in most leagues, and he could even get away with some of his more rubbish throws tommorow against the 49ers hit-and-miss secondary. We also like the 49ers Defence for IDP leagues. Patrick Willis, Manny Lawson, Justin Smith et al should bring the heat and rack up an impressive number of tackles.
Fantasy Drop: For similar reasons, we can't see Edgerrin James having too big a day against a decent front-seven. If Rookie Tim Hightower is getting goal line carries too, Edge's fantasy value plummets. O'Sullivan is a risky play, though if he gets going, he could put up good numbers in the Martz offence. We'd give it a few weeks before making that call though, and we will, because the idiot writing this has O'Sullivan as his backup QB in his 16 team dynasty league.
Dallas at Cleveland
A horrendous matchup that we'd really avoid if you're into the old gambling. On the one hand, the Cowboys have a great all-round roster, and a Defence that is amongst the top five in the league. What makes us pick the Browns? Playmakers. Sure T.O is great, and so is Jason Witten, but past that, what proven playmakers do the Cowboys have? The Browns have Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow jnr., Donte Stallworth, and Josh Cribbs. All four are viable receiving targets that can open up rushing lanes for Jamal Lewis and a highly talented O-line.
Fantasy Pick: Lewis is a safe fantasy pick, as neither Jason Wright or Jerome Harrison is a threat to carry much. Any Cleveland receiver should be played, especially Edwards, who we predict could lead the league in receiving yards this season. For the Cowboys, Owens is the only obvious play, though QB Tony Romo could have a good day if another receiver steps up to the plate.
Fantasy Drop: We'll be bold here: Don't pick the Cowboys Defence this week. If any team has the chance to surprise the Cowboys early, it's Cleveland, and they have a well rounded offence that can really put up huge numbers, even if they lose. We'll wager the 'boys D counts for less than 10pts in most fantasy formats this weekend.
Sunday, 8:15pm EST
Chicago at Indianapolis
Here's what we think: The Bears Offence should be demoted to the Arena Football League until they learn how to play properly. Let's be honest though, if there was a Defence that Peyton Manning wouldn't want to face in his first game back from injury, it'd be the Bears. In the end the scoreline will be less relevant than whether Manning escapes without any after effects following the inevitable sacks he will take. Despite that pressure, the Bears Offence is honestly just too bad to take advantage of anything it is given.
Fantasy Pick: If you're lucky enough to own them, Peyton Manning, Dallas Clark and Reggie Wayne are obvious starters, and if you needed us to tell you that, it's best that you give up now, because you will not win your league this year. Actually that's not true, you probably will, but it will be a hollow victory built on luck. Think of us with J.T O'Sullivan when you nonchalantly select Manning every week. For the Bears, apart from the Defence, Devin Hester is worth a look, as any points will likely be generated through him, and of course, Kicker Robbie Gould will finish off most drives after they stall.
Fantasy Drop: Kyle Orton is not a viable starter until he shakes the 'game manager' tag. We expect him to be slightly looser than when he started in 2005, but still very much a backup in both real life and fantasy football. Similarly, Matt Forte and Kevin Jones both have issues that will need addressing before we find out how valuable they'll be this year. For now, assume them to be projects until one or the other breaks out. One player who could make this list every week is Colts kicker Adam Vinateri, who's main jobs in life are 'kicking extra points' and 'missing field goals'.
Monday, 7pm EST
Minnesota at Green Bay
We've gone for Green Bay on Monday, despite Aaron Rodgers making his first regular season start for the Packers. Put simply, there are still more question marks over Tarvaris Jackson than Rodgers, and the Packers Defence is one of the most under-appreciated units in the league. Of course, Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor are still rushing threats for the Vikings, but when your offence is that one-dimensional, its hard to establish a running game.
Fantasy Pick: Greg Jennings will likely overtake Donald Driver as the Pack's best receiving threat, but both are good plays this week. Also likely to see extensive work is TE Donald Lee, as Rodgers adjusts to his starting role and leans on his Tight End slightly more than usual. For the Vikings, either Peterson or Taylor is a decent option in most leagues. It will be interesting to see how that dynamic develops over the course of the season, however.
Fantasy Drop: Neither Aaron Rodgers or Tarvaris Jackson can be considered safe QB plays. Rodgers should be slightly better, but both could easily throw as many picks as Touchdowns. We also don't like either Sidney Rice or Bernard Berrian until Jackson shows what he's made of. Ryan Grant is a slight injury worry for the Pack, so keep an eye out for his status come game time. Packers coach Mike McCarthy did a lot of shuffling in the backfield last year, so Grant isn't that great an option even when healthy.
Monday, 10:15pm EST
Denver at Oakland
The final game of the week, and it's on at a particularly stupid hour. If this game is deciding your fantasy matchup, then we feel sorry for you, mainly because it means you must be tied to one of these terrible teams in some way. The Raiders have a decent enough rushing attack, however, and the porous Broncos run defence should give ample opportunity for them to put up big numbers on the ground. Denver are without Receiver Brandon Marshall, who is suspended, and Rookie Running Back Ryan Torain, who is injured. Overall, that just adds up to a big handicap to overcome.
Fantasy Pick: Any Oakland Running Back. Justin Fargas will start, but Darren McFadden will likely see extended playing time, so both are relatively safe picks. The Oakland Defence will likely never have an easier day than Sunday, so if they're available in your league, consider them if you're facing an unfavourable matchup.
Fantasy Drop: If you own the Denver Broncos Defence, you seriously need to have a quiet word with yourself and ask 'is fantasy football the game for me?', because they are an atrocious unit in all facets of the game. Also on dicey territory this week is Broncos QB Jay Cutler, who quite simply has nobody to throw to. We like Cutler long term, and feel like he is alreayd the best QB of the '06 class, ahead of Matt Leinart and Vince Young, but he is not a fantasy stud yet, and needs a stable running game to keep defences honest.
That's our full preview of week one. To help you make your picks, we'll condense all the pertinent information into one handy list for you. Don't say we never do anything for you.
2008 Week One Preview - Part Two
Continuing on from last night's preview, we'll be posting the other two thirds today. Here's Part two for you:
Sunday 1pm EST (cont.)
Tampa Bay at New Orleans
This is far from an easy pick. The Saints' passing attack has fired well in preseason, but the ground game will be critical against a strong Bucs secondary. The Bucs Defence will have to be on top form to keep Drew Brees from dissecting them, but more important is how fit Jeff Garcia is. The 38yr old QB is limited by a finger injury sustained this week in practice, and without him, the Bucs odds lengthen dramatically.
Fantasy Pick: Drew Brees should be your starter if you own him anyway, but in case you weren't starting him: DO IT. Bucs receiver Dexter Jackson would not usually get a namecheck, but in leagues that count return yards, he comes up against a weak Saints coverage unit. He's worth a shot if you are struggling for a flex play. It goes without saying that the Bucs Defence should always be in any lineup.
Fantasy Drop: Where to begin? The backfield dynamic for both teams is so questionable that you won't find out for a couple of weeks who is a fantasy starter. In the meantime, avoid Earnest Graham and Reggie Bush if you have other options. Joey Galloway will suffer from both his and Jeff Garcia's injuries, which makes both players borderline fantasy picks.
St. Louis at Philadelphia
Like Kansas City, St. Louis will be lucky to get any respite outside of Missouri. The Eagles though, have question marks at Receiver which could severely affect the spread, so if you can get -10pts or more, take St. Louis to beat it. The Rams could actually push the Eagles close if they can establish a lead, but don't count on the Defence stopping many Eagles drives.
Fantasy Pick: Brian Westbrook will profit from the receiver issues, as well as being Donovan McNabb's favourite checkdown option. For the same reason, L.J. Smith could have a surprisingly good game. None of the Eagles backups are worth a play, but DeSean Jackson is a worthwhile pickup, especially as he also returns kicks. For the Rams, just don't pick anyone.
Fantasy Drop: Any Rams player, but especially Steven Jackson. Don't be surprised to see him get limited action in the first 2-3 weeks of the season, much like Larry Johnson last year after his own preseason holdout. The Rams will roll as their O-line rolls, but Marc Bulger is likely to be sacked enough that he is not worth a pick this week.
Houston at Pittsburgh
It pains us to say it, but the Texans probably can't win this. Houston aren't our favourite team (the pain of being impartial), but it's hard not to want them to do well after 6 years of absolutely abysmal play. Even after getting back on an upward trajectory last year, the Texans will still struggle to beat one of the better AFC teams. Having said that, the spread we've seen (-6-7pts) seems generous, and we think at that price, it's worth a punt.
Fantasy Pick: Ben Roethlisberger is fantasy gold, and so is Santonio Holmes, who could even overtake Hines Ward as Big Ben's favourite target this season. Ward is still a viable pick though, and sorely underrated around the league. As we've made clear, the Matt Schaub-Andre Johnson-Kevin Walter passing attack seems to be firing if preseason is anything to go by.
Fantasy Drop: Steve Slaton has all the potential to emerge as the starter in Houston, but while Ahman Green is still in the mix, and the team allegedly even considers bringing Tatum Bell in for a visit, you have to think that Slaton won't get enough carries to be a viable fantasy proposition. Rashard Mendenhall is in a similiar position in Pittsburgh. Basically be careful of any RB in this game.
Cincinnati at Baltimore
This epic clash of the titans could decide who represents the AFC in the Superb... nah, we can't do it. Neither team has any shot at winning much this year, and realistically it's coin-toss time, as the two teams are strong in opposite areas. The Bengals will bring an incredibly powerful attack against one of the best D's in the league, wheras the Ravens have pretty much never had any kind of Offence. The key factor could be whether Ravens Safety Ed Reed plays after suffering a nerve injury during preseason. Reed is not just a great player, he is one of the most intelligent football players in the league, and his absence would leave the team missing one of it's key components.
Fantasy Pick: Er... Pick someone else. No, seriously, if you have to pick someone, pick the Bengals passing attack of Carson Palmer, Chad Ochocinco, and T.J. Houshmanzadeh or the Ravens Defence. They can't all have bad games. We actually like Bengals RB Kenny Watson this year, but he'd be a desperation play this week.
We think...
Fantasy Drop: Joe Flacco may be the starter, but he'll need time to bed in before he's considered a safe fantasy bet. Avoid Willis McGahee too, who is hampered by injury and may not see as much action as normal. Any Bengals RB is a risk, but Chris Perry is a shambles at the best of times, let alone against the strong Ravens Defence.
Sunday, 4:15pm EST
Carolina at San Diego
No question that the Chargers are the better team on paper here. With the Panthers missing talismanic WR Steve Smith, they'll be relying on the injured D.J. Hackett, the ancient Muhsin Muhhamed, and the just plain bad Dwayne Jarrett to carry the load. That won't cut it against a relatively strong secondary, and as if that wasn't enough, this is the first true test of Panthers QB Jake Delhomme's surgically repaired elbow. None of this bodes well for Carolina.
Fantasy Pick: We still think DeAngelo Williams will be the beneficiary of Jonathan Stewart's selcetion in the draft this year. He has the speed to capitalise on weary Defences, and the Chargers D is almost constantly banged up. One player we do like is Chargers WR Vincent Jackson, who could finally be used as something other than a blocker for TE Antonio Gates - who is still the best TE in fantasy terms, in case you were wondering.
Fantasy Drop: Jake Delhomme may be a solid enough QB, but against the Chargers, in San Diego, with a distinct lack of playmakers at his disposal? We'd rather start Daunte Culpepper, who would at least guarantee that you wouldn't end up with negative points this week from your Quarterbacks.
The final part of our week one predictions will be up by the end of the day. We promise. Ok we don't promise, but if it's crime for a man to ignore his girlfriend in favour of an evening spent writing about men who beat the crap out of each other, then Warden, chain me the hell up, because we're as guilty as O.J. in a hardware store trying on childrens gloves.
Sunday 1pm EST (cont.)
Tampa Bay at New Orleans
This is far from an easy pick. The Saints' passing attack has fired well in preseason, but the ground game will be critical against a strong Bucs secondary. The Bucs Defence will have to be on top form to keep Drew Brees from dissecting them, but more important is how fit Jeff Garcia is. The 38yr old QB is limited by a finger injury sustained this week in practice, and without him, the Bucs odds lengthen dramatically.
Fantasy Pick: Drew Brees should be your starter if you own him anyway, but in case you weren't starting him: DO IT. Bucs receiver Dexter Jackson would not usually get a namecheck, but in leagues that count return yards, he comes up against a weak Saints coverage unit. He's worth a shot if you are struggling for a flex play. It goes without saying that the Bucs Defence should always be in any lineup.
Fantasy Drop: Where to begin? The backfield dynamic for both teams is so questionable that you won't find out for a couple of weeks who is a fantasy starter. In the meantime, avoid Earnest Graham and Reggie Bush if you have other options. Joey Galloway will suffer from both his and Jeff Garcia's injuries, which makes both players borderline fantasy picks.
St. Louis at Philadelphia
Like Kansas City, St. Louis will be lucky to get any respite outside of Missouri. The Eagles though, have question marks at Receiver which could severely affect the spread, so if you can get -10pts or more, take St. Louis to beat it. The Rams could actually push the Eagles close if they can establish a lead, but don't count on the Defence stopping many Eagles drives.
Fantasy Pick: Brian Westbrook will profit from the receiver issues, as well as being Donovan McNabb's favourite checkdown option. For the same reason, L.J. Smith could have a surprisingly good game. None of the Eagles backups are worth a play, but DeSean Jackson is a worthwhile pickup, especially as he also returns kicks. For the Rams, just don't pick anyone.
Fantasy Drop: Any Rams player, but especially Steven Jackson. Don't be surprised to see him get limited action in the first 2-3 weeks of the season, much like Larry Johnson last year after his own preseason holdout. The Rams will roll as their O-line rolls, but Marc Bulger is likely to be sacked enough that he is not worth a pick this week.
Houston at Pittsburgh
It pains us to say it, but the Texans probably can't win this. Houston aren't our favourite team (the pain of being impartial), but it's hard not to want them to do well after 6 years of absolutely abysmal play. Even after getting back on an upward trajectory last year, the Texans will still struggle to beat one of the better AFC teams. Having said that, the spread we've seen (-6-7pts) seems generous, and we think at that price, it's worth a punt.
Fantasy Pick: Ben Roethlisberger is fantasy gold, and so is Santonio Holmes, who could even overtake Hines Ward as Big Ben's favourite target this season. Ward is still a viable pick though, and sorely underrated around the league. As we've made clear, the Matt Schaub-Andre Johnson-Kevin Walter passing attack seems to be firing if preseason is anything to go by.
Fantasy Drop: Steve Slaton has all the potential to emerge as the starter in Houston, but while Ahman Green is still in the mix, and the team allegedly even considers bringing Tatum Bell in for a visit, you have to think that Slaton won't get enough carries to be a viable fantasy proposition. Rashard Mendenhall is in a similiar position in Pittsburgh. Basically be careful of any RB in this game.
Cincinnati at Baltimore
This epic clash of the titans could decide who represents the AFC in the Superb... nah, we can't do it. Neither team has any shot at winning much this year, and realistically it's coin-toss time, as the two teams are strong in opposite areas. The Bengals will bring an incredibly powerful attack against one of the best D's in the league, wheras the Ravens have pretty much never had any kind of Offence. The key factor could be whether Ravens Safety Ed Reed plays after suffering a nerve injury during preseason. Reed is not just a great player, he is one of the most intelligent football players in the league, and his absence would leave the team missing one of it's key components.
Fantasy Pick: Er... Pick someone else. No, seriously, if you have to pick someone, pick the Bengals passing attack of Carson Palmer, Chad Ochocinco, and T.J. Houshmanzadeh or the Ravens Defence. They can't all have bad games. We actually like Bengals RB Kenny Watson this year, but he'd be a desperation play this week.
We think...
Fantasy Drop: Joe Flacco may be the starter, but he'll need time to bed in before he's considered a safe fantasy bet. Avoid Willis McGahee too, who is hampered by injury and may not see as much action as normal. Any Bengals RB is a risk, but Chris Perry is a shambles at the best of times, let alone against the strong Ravens Defence.
Sunday, 4:15pm EST
Carolina at San Diego
No question that the Chargers are the better team on paper here. With the Panthers missing talismanic WR Steve Smith, they'll be relying on the injured D.J. Hackett, the ancient Muhsin Muhhamed, and the just plain bad Dwayne Jarrett to carry the load. That won't cut it against a relatively strong secondary, and as if that wasn't enough, this is the first true test of Panthers QB Jake Delhomme's surgically repaired elbow. None of this bodes well for Carolina.
Fantasy Pick: We still think DeAngelo Williams will be the beneficiary of Jonathan Stewart's selcetion in the draft this year. He has the speed to capitalise on weary Defences, and the Chargers D is almost constantly banged up. One player we do like is Chargers WR Vincent Jackson, who could finally be used as something other than a blocker for TE Antonio Gates - who is still the best TE in fantasy terms, in case you were wondering.
Fantasy Drop: Jake Delhomme may be a solid enough QB, but against the Chargers, in San Diego, with a distinct lack of playmakers at his disposal? We'd rather start Daunte Culpepper, who would at least guarantee that you wouldn't end up with negative points this week from your Quarterbacks.
The final part of our week one predictions will be up by the end of the day. We promise. Ok we don't promise, but if it's crime for a man to ignore his girlfriend in favour of an evening spent writing about men who beat the crap out of each other, then Warden, chain me the hell up, because we're as guilty as O.J. in a hardware store trying on childrens gloves.
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