Week One: Set Your Team in Motion

 

 

The mock drafts are over, the real drafts are complete, and we are done with the preseason games that showed us limited action of our prized studs. Cross your fingers that your players are truly healthy and get ready to set your lineup. The first week of the season should be looked at as your test run week. You have your team, and your playing your best lineup but until the real games begin, your not 100% sure what your team is capable of. You always want to get off to a good start but if you lay an egg the first week, don’t get discouraged because week one sometimes produces unexpected results. Some players will begin hot while others get off to a slow start.

 

Let’s look at week one of the 2007 to see which players were one-week wonders and had owners in your league rushing to the waiver wire. These players ended up disappointing and back on the waiver wire weeks later.

 

Ronald Curry, WR, Oakland Raiders – Last year with the departure of Randy Moss, everyone was looking at Jerry Porter and Ronald Curry to carry the Raiders offense. Curry exploded in week one with 10 catches for 133 ReYDs and a TD. If he wasn’t drafted, he was surely claimed the week after. He stunk it up in week two and only had one other 100+ YD game (in week 11).

 

Tatum Bell, RB, Detroit Lions (now a Free Agent) – With Martz in

Detroit and Jones looking like he would be on PUP, some owners took a flyer on

Bell in leagues. In week one

Bell posted 87 RuYDs and a TD. He then posted just 95 RuYDs the next four games and didn’t see any carries after week 5.

 

 

The weekly highlight of Fantasy studs and duds is back for 2008. Even though we have yet to start the season, there were some preseason players who make the list to start the season off.

 

The Golden Mug Award

Awarded to the fantasy player who came through for their team.

Week 1 Preseason: David Clowney NYJ – 163 ReYDs two TDs, one TD went for 71 YDs.

Week 2 Preseason:

Justin

Forsett

SEA – 136 RuYDs, one TD

Week 3 Preseason: DeAngelo Williams CAR – 101 RuYDs, one TD; TD went for 60 YDs.

                  

        Jonathan Stewart CAR – 100 RuYDs, one TD; TD went for 50 YDs.

Week 4 Preseason: Keary Colbert DEN – 105 ReYDs, one TD; TD went for 87 YDs.

        (I think Colbert saved his job on that play).

 

The Urinal Cake Award

Awarded to the fantasy player who you would like to, well you know.

Cedric Benson – Benson had a golden opportunity, and he let it go to waste. Benson drafted 4^th overall in 2005. He couldn’t beat out Thomas Jones for the starting job so they traded him. Benson then had a sub-par 2007. He rushed over 100 YDs just once last year (in week 2) and finished with only 678 RuYDs and four TDs. In the offseason, Benson was arrested for boating while intoxicated in May and then his DUI in June lead to his release. He has yet to get any interest from teams.

 

 

MATCH-UPS

The match-ups

I like this week for QB’s:

Jon Kitna

– Although Mike Martz has left

Detroit, Kitna still has two reasons to still be productive: Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson.

Detroit also has a run game that will hopefully add some balance to the offense, but Kitna will still throw the ball. Week one they face the Falcons, a team that gave up 25.9 PPG (29^th) and 228.4 PaYDs on average (23^rd). The Falcons are starting a rookie QB, have a new head coach, a bad offensive line and questions on defense. Look for Kitna to be smiling this week.

 

Brett Favre – With all the media and hype in the offseason, Favre returns under center with a new team. The Jets have made a lot of moves this offseason, and there is enough talent around Favre to be productive. In week one they will face the league’s worst team in 2007, the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins gave up 27.3 PPG (30^th) and have made a lot of changes to the team also. Look for Favre to carve up the Fins and make

Green Bay fans moan.

 

The match-ups

I like this week for RB’s:

Selvin Young – Young needs to get off to a good start to silence his critics and show he is the starting RB in

Denver. He faces the Oakland Raiders this week. The Raiders last year gave up 24 RuTDs (32^nd) and 145.9 RuYDs a game (31^st).

Oakland has offensive concerns and will rely on their running game to keep

Denver at bay. Like the Jags/Titans matchup, this should be a run often game.

 

Joseph Addai – The Colts should have Peyton Manning back for week one, but I think they will run the ball more to give Manning some time to get back into rhythm and try not to put to much strain on his knee. Addai faces the Bears defense that gave up 17 RuTDs (29^th) and 122.9 RuYDs a game (24^th). The Bears D might get back to their old form, but they will be tested early with this Colts offense.

 

The match-ups

I don’t like this week for QB’s:

David Garrard – Garrard played well last year, but faces a start to the season with a lot of question marks at WR. When Matt Jones is your dependable guy, there is something wrong there. The Jaguars will likely lean on the run to compensate for their banged up receiving corps. They face the Titans, a division rival that gave up just 18.6 PPG (8^th) and only 199.2 PaYDs (10^th). With the Titans also anemic in the passing game, look for both sides to eat the clock with the run game and keep it a close low-scoring game.

 

Kyle Orton – Congrats to Kyle for winning the starting job on an offense that will struggle in 2008. Your reward? You get to play the Colts in week one. The Colts last year gave up just 16.4 PPG (1^st) and allowed just 172.8 PaYDs (2^nd). If Manning is under center healthy, the defense could be in for a long day and Orton could be playing from behind early.

 

The match-up

I don’t like this week for RB’s:

Ahman Green & the Texans RBs – Green took a pay cut to stay on the roster and has not been healthy, while the Texans RB group is a mystery to which one will emerge. In week one they face the Steelers which gave up just six RuTDs (1^st) and only 89.9 RuYDs per game (3^rd).

 

Chris Perry – Perry won the starting job, and the Bengals cut Rudi Johnson who just signed with the Lions. Perry will face

Baltimore which gave up just nine RuTDs (7^th) and 79.2 RuYDs per game (2^nd). The release of veteran Willie Anderson can’t help his situation either. We’ll see if he can stay healthy in 2008.

 

Week One: how happy I am that it is finally here. I’ve been staying up late every night combing over my teams and looking at the matchups. When considering the matchups, always keep in mind that you play your studs! It’s the other players that you can use the favorable games to help you get those extra points that may decide the game.

 

This Thursday kicks off the season with my New York Giants. This marks the 5^th year the NFL opens the season with the Super Bowl Champions. In 2004 the Patriots won, 2005 the Patriots won again, 2006 the Steelers won and last year the Colts won. This makes the champs 4-0 on Opening Day, and they all won their games pretty convincingly. Here’s hoping tradition continues with a Giants win!

 

Good Luck to everyone in Week One, make sure you start a legal lineup and get back in the swing of things because it’s going to be a great season.

 

Cheers!