Fantasy Football

Okay, the first three weeks of the NFL season are history, so now it is time for the serious trade talks to begin in fantasy leagues. Who is available, who should be available, who shouldn’t be available, who should you sell at high value, who should you buy at low value? Let’s try and answer those questions right now.

Sell High

Donovan McNabb (PHI)- There isn’t any better time to get rid of McNabb than right now. Sure, he threw for 381 yards and tossed four touchdowns on Sunday, but he did it against the Detroit Lions defense. Listen, Kevin Curtis is a good receiver and all, but he should not be scorching any defense to the tune of 221 yards and three touchdowns. I’m still not convinced that McNabb’s knee is healthy enough to get him through a 16 game season, and he certainly won’t get to face the Lions on a weekly basis. While he does get the pathetic Giants defense in week 4, the Eagles follow with a week 5 BYE, then get the Jets, Bears, Vikings, Cowboys, Redskins, Dolphins, and the Patriots, which is a very difficult seven game stretch. The only good news regarding McNabb is that his schedule for the fantasy playoffs is cake (SEA, NYG, DAL, NOR, BUF), but that is granted he carries you to the playoffs in the first place. If you own McNabb and you have other quarterback options on your bench, I suggest pulling the trigger for a solid running back or wide receiver if you can get one.

Vince Young (TEN)- Yes, the guy does win football games, but so did Michael Vick, yet his fantasy status never lived up to what owners thought it would be. I realize that Vince Young is very intriguing to owners because of his running ability, but the guy simply doesn’t put up good enough passing statistics on a weekly basis to warrant QB1 status. He has still failed to throw for 200 yards in a game to this point, and he may only reach that mark on a few occasions the rest of the season. However, he did toss two touchdowns on Monday Night Football, which could be enough to get a quarterback hungry owner in your league to bite on his bait. Throw him to the wolves and see what you can get this week.

Torry Holt (STL)- Folks, Torry Holt has lost his mojo, along with the rest of the St. Louis Rams offense. Let’s analyze what has gone right for the Rams so far this season… that would be nothing at all. Steven Jackson has a partially torn groin and will be out for at least a few weeks (I know you’re hoping it will just be one game, but it won’t), Marc Bulger revealed that he is playing with some broken ribs, and Holt’s long catch so far this season is 20 yards. Listen, his knee is not healthy, his yards-per-catch average continues to drop, and the offense around him is beginning to crumble. Don’t hang onto him in hope of his “Best Show on Turf” glory years, as it is time to trade him for good value while you still can.

Adrian Peterson (MIN)- This is one of those guys that I shouldn’t even bother putting on this list, because his owners aren’t parting with him for the world. However, I’m going to make my case anyway. For one, head coach Brad Childress has insisted that Chester Taylor is the starting running back when healthy, which could be as soon as this week. I’m in agreement ( I know what you’re thinking) that Peterson is still going to get the majority of the Vikings’ backfield touches, but don’t think for one second that Taylor’s return won’t effect Peterson’s value. At worst, Taylor will play on 3rd downs and steal some Peterson receptions, which has been a big part of AP’s game to this point (160 yards receiving). The Vikings are also going to be cautious with Peterson’s workload, considering his injury history and the fact that he is their prized rookie. These factors, along with the fact that the Vikings just aren’t a good offensive football team, make me believe that Peterson could be at a season high value at this moment. If you can get a ton of value for the flashy rookie, you couldn’t pick a better time to do so.

As tough as it would be for owners to trade Steven Jackson, now may be the best time to do it.

Steven Jackson (STL)- Jackson is on this list for all the same reasons that Torry Holt is on this list, plus two. One, he has a partially torn groin, which I believe will keep him out three weeks, if not more. You don’t rule a player out on a Tuesday unless he is feeling pretty bad, which is exactly what the Rams did. Two, we all know that tackle Orlando Pace is gone for the season, but what we didn’t know is that it was going to affect the Rams offense the way it has. Marc Bulger has no time to throw and is getting pummeled, while Jackson literally hasn’t had anywhere to run. The Rams offense is falling apart quickly, and I don’t know that I see it being in any better shape when Jackson returns from his injury. As a matter of fact, it wouldn’t be a complete shock to see Jackson return to a team that is without Bulger, who is now nursing a few cracked ribs. As tough as it would be to do, I think it would be best to get all the value you can from Jackson right now. He’ll sell for slightly under his value because of the injury, but you should still be able to get enough to make it worth your while.

LaMont Jordan (OAK)- This is the no-brainer of the list, obviously. Jordan has been a workhorse in the first three weeks of the season, compiling 69 carries and 11 receptions for 471 total yards and two touchdowns. Miami should put a stop to his solid run in week 4, which will be followed by an Oakland BYE and the week 5 return of Dominic Rhodes. The Raiders paid Rhodes a good deal of money in the offseason, so he is going to be a part of their gameplan in some way, shape, or form. Also, the Raiders have serious issues at the quarterback position, which will eventually lead to rookie JaMarcus Russell taking over at some point in the season. Oakland will struggle to move the ball on a consistent basis through the air, and sooner than later (this week) defenses are simply going to stack the line to stop the run. It is time to say goodbye to LaMont, and you should be able to get some pretty good value for him.

Buy Low

Larry Johnson (KC)- If you are trying to trade Larry Johnson, your excuse for doing so shouldn’t be that you didn’t think the Chiefs offense would be this bad. My question to you is… why would you have thought any different? Going into the season, the Chiefs had no real quarterback and no real outside receiving threat, which isn’t going to make for a good offense. It was obvious from the beginning that Johnson wasn’t going to match his 19 touchdown effort from last season, or he would have clearly been the second or third selection in every single fantasy draft. As it stands, Johnson likely went somewhere in the 4-9 range at your draft, and believe it or not, he is going to end up with that type of value at the end of the season. Johnson’s touches have increased every week (17-19-25) as the difficulty of his opponent has gotten better each week (HOU-CHI-MIN). It’s not as if he was absolutely horrendous in the first two weeks of the season either, as he totaled 87 yards in both games. Sure, he only had 37 total yards against the Vikings, but they may have the best run defense in the NFL outside of the Ravens. While Johnson has yet to score, the bottom line is that he is an extremely talented runner who is going to get the ball as much as any running back in the league from here on out. Hang on to him, as it is going to pay off for you in the coming weeks. If you are not an LJ owner, try and snatch him from someone who is ready to deal him.

LaDainian Tomlinson (SD)- If someone is willing to deal Tomlinson after three subpar weeks, by all means, take them up on their offer. He is probably going to have a huge game against the Chiefs on Sunday, so this should be your last chance to get LT if he’s available. If you are a Tomlinson owner, please don’t trade him.

Larry Fitzgerald (ARI)- Anquan Boldin was huge in week 3 as he scored both Arizona touchdowns, leaving Fitzgerald owners with much to be desired. He has yet to score this season, but Fitzgerald is too strong of a redzone threat to let that last much longer. Much like Tomlinson, this will probably be the last week you’ll be able to snatch Fitzgerald away from a disappointed owner.

Lee Evans (BUF)- Evans has 29 yard receiving in three weeks. Yes, you read that right, in three weeks! I hear people talking about how Evans’ value isn’t going to get any better now that rookie Trent Edwards will be taking over for the injured J.P. Losman (knee). What I’m trying to figure out is why people think that would be the case. I would like to know if the same people who are saying that have actually watched an entire Buffalo Bills game with J.P. Losman at quarterback, because I don’t believe they have. The truth is that it can’t get much worse than Losman at quarterback, and I don’t care if it is a rookie with no experience. Saying that a wide receiver is going to lose value with J.P. Losman out is like saying that a wide receiver is going to lose value with Rex Grossman being demoted. As a matter of fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if Edwards (without ever seeing him play) never gives the job back to Losman, because even if he’s just average over the next few games, that will be better than J.P. has ever been. Evans is going to get better, he has to. He’s just too explosive of a receiver to be bottled down for much longer, so go out and get him if you can. His owner is likely to trade him for practically nothing at this point. If you are an owner, don’t give him away.

Laurence Maroney (NE)- The more I watch the replay of the Patriots/Bills game from Sunday, the more it makes me want to trade for Maroney. The idea that Sammy Morris is the goal line back in New England is somewhat bogus. As I watched the replay of the game, it became noticeable that Maroney doesn’t come out in every short yardage situation. Morris is actually playing almost every third series, and if it is his series to run the ball, he will be the one to score on the goal line. However, if it is Maroney’s series to carry the load (which is the majority), the Patriots aren’t just yanking him out once they get down in the red zone. It has actually been sort of a coincidence more than anything that Morris has scored twice, while Maroney has yet to cross the goal line. Does it bother me that Morris takes carries away from Maroney? Absolutely, but the more I think about it, the more I believe that there are going to be plenty of carries to go around on a team that is going to be winning almost every game. Maroney is going to get his touchdowns, and it is going to be sooner rather than later. I also think there is a strong possibility that he is going to contend for the AFC rushing title with the Patriots holding numerous fourth quarter leads. Hold onto Maroney if you own him, and go get him as a RB2 if an owner is ready to deal him.

Drew Brees (NO)- Wow, he’s been so terrible. I realize that he has one touchdown to his seven interceptions, but that means he is at rock bottom value. Deuce McAllister’s season-ending ACL injury actually helps Brees’ fantasy value, contrary to what some might think. Reggie Bush is not the type of running back that the Saints are going to feel comfortable giving 25+ carries a game, so they should turn to the passing game as much as possible. It is obvious that the Saints’ defense is terrible, so Brees and the offense should continue to play from behind and in shootouts. Barring injury, Brees will throw for another 4,000+ yards, even if his touchdown numbers fall a bit. That should be enough for him to remain a solid QB1 in all fantasy leagues.

Santonio Holmes (PIT)- Holmes has only eight receptions in the first three weeks of the season, but that has a lot to do with the Steelers playing three teams (CLE/BUF/SF) who couldn’t score on offense. Pittsburgh has had a 2nd half lead in all three of their games, which has led to more running than passing late in the game. However, Holmes has made a splash with his eight grabs, racking up a lofty 19.6 yards-per-catch average, and he looks very much in sync with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. As soon as the Steelers start playing some closer games, Holmes is going to be a very productive WR3 with the good possibility of being a solid WR2. Go out and get him while his value is still low, and if you’re an owner, keep plugging him into your lineup on a weekly basis.

Maurice Jones-Drew (JAX)- I keep saying it, and I will continue to say it until I can’t say it anymore, and that is Jones-Drew is still going to be one of the most valuable fantasy running backs in the league at season’s end. He is just too explosive to be held down for much longer, and Fred Taylor will not hold up to a heavy workload if the Jaguars decide to go that route. One way or another, Jones-Drew is going to have some monster games in the near future. Don’t bail on him yet if you’re an owner, and by all means trade for him if you can get him for cheap.

Bernard Berrian (CHI)- Rex Grossman is out and Brian Griese is in… do I really need to say anything more than that? Berrian should become much more consistent on a weekly basis with Griese at quarterback, and his touchdowns should certainly be on the rise. Now is the perfect time to make a play for B-squared.

Feel free to email me at Jdimaggio5@aol.com with any questions you might have regarding your fantasy team.

Start

Philip Rivers (SD) at GB- Hey, don’t get me wrong, the Packers defense is much improved this season, but they aren’t the Bears defense and they aren’t the Patriots defense. The Chargers are going to play a good offensive game at Lambeau Field, and Rivers should be a big reason why. If you have been playing him as your QB1, now is not the time to sit him. I’m expecting at least 250 yards and two touchdowns.

Vince Young (TEN) at NO- I can’t believe I’m suggesting to start Young as a QB1, but if you are going to do it, this would be the week. I expect the Saints offense to get it together in a big way Monday night, which should leave the Titans playing from behind in the 2nd half. Young should have to throw enough to allow him to reach 200+ yards and get a score or two through the air. As usual, he will have a solid game on the ground.

Jon Kitna (DET) at PHI- If you have been going with him as your QB1, he has given you no reason to sit him so far. Because both the Eagles and Lions love to throw the ball, this should be one of those lengthy noon games which play well into the three o’clock starts. There should be plenty of incomplete passes and dead clock time, which should lead to a high scoring game. I expect the Eagles to avoid the 0-3 start at home, so the Lions should be trailing late. Anything less than three touchdowns from Kitna would be disappointing.

Ronnie Brown (MIA) at NYJ- Let’s all hope that the Jesse Chatman split carry experiment is over. I think this will be the week that Brown gets the workload he deserves, and the Jets run defense isn’t good enough to stop him if he does. Give Brown one more chance to prove his worth.

Clinton Portis (WAS) vs NYG- If Portis has been riding your bench, wait no longer to get him into your starting lineup. Ladell Betts hardly saw the field on 1st and 2nd down Monday night against the Eagles, and Portis seems in line for his biggest workload of the year in week 3. I am expecting 100+ yards and two touchdowns against a pitiful Giants defense.

The Saints and Deuce McAllister should finally have a 2nd half lead in week 3 against the Titans.

Deuce McAllister (NO) vs TEN- I would put Reggie Bush on the list along with McAllister, but I doubt his owners have resorted to benching him just yet. This should be the perfect matchup for McAllister, as I am expecting the Saints to have a good lead throughout the game in their home opener on Monday Night Football. Deuce should reach 25-30 touches, and I expect him to surpass 100 yards rushing and score at least once.

Vincent Jackson (SD) at GB- Much like the rest of the Chargers offense, Jackson hasn’t been what many fantasy owners expected in the first two weeks. Because I think Philip Rivers and the Bolts will get it together in week 3, I am expecting a very solid game from Jackson.

Wes Welker (NE) vs BUF- After what they have seen in weeks one and two, there is no way the Bills aren’t going to roll coverage Randy Moss’ way the entire game, which should leave Welker with plenty of room to maneuver once again in week 3. This may be the week he breaks the 100 yard mark.

Santana Moss (WAS) vs NYG- Let’s face it, after what we have seen from the Giants secondary in weeks one and two, it would be shocking if Moss didn’t catch at least one 50+ yard touchdown. Plus, Jason Campbell proved Monday night that he can make good throws when he needs them. Start Moss with confidence.

Ronald Curry (OAK) vs CLE- Champ Bailey last Sunday, and now the Browns cornerbacks this Sunday. He probably won’t be as good as he was in week 1, but a solid WR3 game is well within his reach.

Bernard Berrian (CHI) vs DAL- Five catches in both weeks one and two, but he failed to reach 100 yards and score a touchdown in either game. I expect him to do both in week 3.

Owen Daniels (HOU) vs IND- Daniels had a solid game with five receptions in week two, and there is no reason he won’t get at least seven against the Colts with Andre Johnson missing the game because of a knee injury. Daniels should be Matt Schaub’s favorite target in a game the Texans should be losing big in the 2nd half.

Sit

Matt Leinart (ARI) at BAL- This is an absolute no-brainer, as I can’t see Leinart throwing for more than 200 yards and one touchdown. Any option on your bench should be better than Leinart this week.

Matt Schaub (HOU) vs IND- It is hard not to be impressed with what Schaub has done so far this season, but I can’t envision him having a very good game with Andre Johnson on the sidelines. He should be good enough to make Owen Daniels a sufficient start, however, Schuab belongs on fantasy benches in week 3.

Eli Manning (NYG) at WAS- From one quarterback without his number one wide receiver to possibly another. Plaxico Burress is in serious danger of missing week 3 with an ankle injury, according to the New York Daily News, which could spell trouble for Manning. If Burress sits this one out, you might want to bench Manning if you have a good alternative.

Edgerrin James (ARI) at BAL- I put James on my week 2 sit list, and he made me look bad. Not to worry though, as he is going to make me look good in week 3. Not that I’m going out on a limb here, but there is no way James is going to have a good game against the Ravens.

Tatum Bell (DET) at PHI- Kevin Jones is expected to play a few snaps in week 3, but I’m not sure I wouldn’t suggest sitting Bell even if he weren’t. The Lions led their week 2 game against the Vikings almost the entire way, and Bell still wound up with only nine carries (14 yards). His days as the Lions starting running back are numbered, and it is time to put Bell on fantasy benches until further notice, maybe for good.

Julius Jones (DAL) at CHI- Jones has been clearly outplayed by Marion Barber III in the first two weeks of the season, and the Bears defense shouldn’t make things any better in week 3. Jones should continue to lose playing time to Barber, and he shouldn’t do much with the touches he does receive this week.

Jerricho Cotchery (NYJ) vs MIA- I know that Cotchery was big in week 2 against Baltimore, but Kellen Clemens (who will likely start) is still a completely unproven quarterback capable of a terrible game. I am just not sold on Cotchery as a consistent WR3 play.

Darrell Jackson (SF) at PIT- This is two weeks in a row on the sit list for Jackson, and it may not be his last. Alex Smith has been horrendous through two weeks of play, and why should we expect him to get any better on the road against the Steelers in week 3.

Isaac Bruce (STL) at TB- Let’s not make Bruce’s big week 2 (145 yards) into a bigger deal than it should be. It was a great output from the aging veteran, but one that will not be repeated. The Rams will be out of the dome and outdoors in Tampa Bay, which should slow Bruce’s older wheels a bit. Keep him reserved if you have other options.

Vernon Davis (SF) at PIT- Because there aren’t a ton of good tight end options in fantasy football, it would be tough for a Davis owner to bench him in any week. However, with Alex Smith regressing at the pace that he is, it is difficult to envision Davis having a solid game against the Steelers in week 3.

Feel free to email me at Jdimaggio5@aol.com with any questions you might have regarding your fantasy team.

Here is the 2nd half of R&D from the week 2 schedule.

Cardinals 23 Seahawks 20

The fact that the Seahawks couldn’t get it done against a weak Cardinals offense goes to show you how much their own offense has fallen. Matt Hasselbeck had a good game, but it wasn’t great. He had 281 yards and score, but he is being held down by his lack of a big play wide receiver. Deion Branch bounced back as expected, with seven catches for 122 yards, but didn’t reach the end zone. Bobby Engram had another nice game, going for 71 yards on five receptions. Engram should continue to be a good source of yards as a WR4 or WR5, so make sure he’s not on your FA list. Nate Burleson was on the receiving end of Hasselbeck’s 24-yard touchdown, but otherwise only grabbed one ball for 15 yards. I would rather own Engram than Burleson. Shaun Alexander proved once again that he is no longer a fantasy running back worth his top five pick status, running for just 70 yards on 18 carries. Of course he didn’t reach 10+ yards receiving, but he did score a 16-yard touchdown on which he went untouched. Alexander is averaging just 3.9 yards per carry after facing Tampa Bay in week 1 and Arizona in week 2, both of which don’t have stellar defenses. I would trade Alexander and his sprained wrist while you still can.

5.3 yards per carry for Edgerrin James in this one? While I still believe that may be a misprint, I am forced to go with what I see. His 128 yards on 24 carries was impressive, on top of the fact that he scored and had 22 yards on two catches. I suppose he has earned the right to be started as a legitimate RB2, but I still don’t trust him. Unlike Alex Smith, Matt Leinart looked much better in week 2, which of course led to solid games from Larry Fitzgerald (87 yards) and Anquan Boldin (83 yards). It was nice to see Leinart finally throw a deep jump ball to Fitzgerald, one in which he came down with for a 40-yard gain. Boldin on the other hand gained 35 yards on play in which defenders were bouncing off of him as if he were surrounded by a force field. Again, he is one of the toughest wide receivers to tackle in the league. While the touchdowns should come for these two, they may not come in week 3 against the Ravens.

Lions 20 Vikings 17

If anyone needed proof that offensive coordinator Mike Martz wants to throw the ball every single down, I advise you to go back and watch the film of this game. Keep in mind that the Lions were never losing, and Jon Kitna and backup quarterback J.T. O’Sullivan still combined to throw 56 passes. Kitna went out with a concussion early, but Martz wasn’t going to let that affect his gameplan against the tough Vikings run defense. The virtually unknown O’Sullivan threw the ball 23 times for 148 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions in no more than two quarters of play, only to give way to what Kitna described as a “miracle” comeback from a slight concussion. Kitna wound up with 245 yards, one touchdown, and one pick in his 33 attempts while leading the Lions to victory. Kitna’s touchdown went to Roy Williams, while O’Sullivan tossed his touchdown to rookie Calvin Johnson. I noticed that Johnson was not playing in most three wide receiver sets, but it doesn’t affect his value due to the amount of times the Lions go with four wide. The Lions pass happy offense proved once again that they have enough passes to go around, allowing Shaun McDonald seven grabs for 71 yards and Mike Furrey 5 catches for 60 yards. This may be the first time that four wide receivers are startable on the same team, with Williams being a WR1, Johnson being a WR2/WR3, and McDonald and Furrey being possible WR4s. By the way, Tatum Bell was horrendous and wasn’t trusted enough to give the ball to, so Kevin Jones will be working his way back as the starter in the next few weeks. Note to his owners; place him on your bench for good.

There is no one in the Vikings offense worth talking about except for Adrian Peterson. He racked up 118 total yards, and continued to show his unbelievable talent. The Vikings offense just won’t be good enough to allow him to score more than 5-8 touchdowns. Play him as a RB2 until he gets injured.

Cowboys 37 Dolphins 20

Okay, it is very clear now that it won’t be long before Marion Barber III is the starting running back in Dallas. Barber (14 carries/89 yards/2 TD) is simply too explosive and Julius Jones has proven that he is not. Trade for Barber if an owner is trying to sell on what he thinks is high value. If you own him, don’t you dare move him. With the game in hand, Tony Romo only needed to throw for 186 yards, but he did get two scores. Terrell Owens was on the receiving end of 97 of Romo’s 186 yards and one of his touchdowns, and he is proving that he still has plenty left in the tank. Patrick Crayton didn’t catch a pass, but that was partially because he missed a big chunk of the game with a finger issue. He will prove worthy in the coming weeks, so don’t drop him just yet.

If an owner is selling Marion Barber III at “high value” don’t be afraid to be a buyer.

Forget Trent Green’s other statistics, because he threw four interceptions in this one. The only good news is that he is making Chris Chambers (9 receptions/109 yards) into a consistent WR2/WR3. Chambers is on his way to a career year if Green can remain healthy, so feel lucky if you own him. Marty Booker had 79 yards and a score on 4 catches, but he will remain too inconsistent to start. I know Ronnie Brown owners are struggling to find good news after another poor outing, but there is actually reason to be optimistic. Brown had only 33 yards on 11 carries, but Jesse Chatman only received 3 carries total. There is reason to believe the Dolphins may scrap the split carry situation and start giving Brown his due workload, which may happen Sunday against the Jets. I would give Brown one more start if I owned him.

Ravens 20 Jets 13

Because owners should be staying away from both the Ravens and Jets quarterback situation, we will move on to bigger and better things. Don’t you find it discouraging that Willis McGahee can’t even scrap out 100 yards rushing against a semi-weak defense in a game in which they led throughout? Well, I do, and even though he scored a short receiving touchdown and ran for 97 yards, I remain skeptical that McGahee has any big-play ability. Despite the lack of a good quarterback, Todd Heap showed that he can still produce, going for 76 yards and a score. Derrick Mason had 54 yards on eight receptions, but he and the other Ravens wide receivers can’t be trusted on a weekly basis. Mason, Mark Clayton, and Demetrius Williams are all worth a bench spot, but none of them should be near your starting lineup.

Jerricho Cotchery had a huge game, pulling in 7 catches for 165 yards from Kellen Clemens. However, I would be worried if I was consistently starting him as a WR3. Laveranues Coles had 57 yards on 6 catches, and should remain a consistent WR3 yard producer. The fact that Thomas Jones carried all 24 times (67 yards) for the Jets shows how committed the team is to him as their starting running back. While I don’t love him, he seems to be set for a huge workload on a weekly basis as long as he’s healthy, making him a decent RB2 play.

Bears 20 Chiefs 10

Much like the Jets/Ravens game, there isn’t much need to talk about these quarterbacks. Bernard Berrian had 5 catches for 65 yards, proving that Rex Grossman is not bad enough to keep Berrian from being a solid WR2 and an unbelievable WR3 this season. Because this is the case, Muhsin Muhammad can be dropped from many rosters, as he was held to just one catch for seven yards. Cedric Benson went for 102 yards on 24 carries, but was held without a touchdown for the second straight week. It kind of defeats the purpose of being a goal line type back if your team never gets you there, doesn’t it? He will remain a decent RB2 until he gets hurt.

Larry Johnson’s 25-35 touches didn’t come in this game, which proves to me that head coach Herm Edwards and the rest of his staff are completely clueless. It is not as if the Chiefs were ever completely blown out of this game, so the fact that he didn’t get that workload blows my mind. Because Edwards and his staff aren’t very smart, it is going to take them one more game than I thought to realize that Johnson needs to get the ball virtually every down for them to win. Keeping going with LJ, as his big game is coming in week 3 at home against the Vikings. Tony Gonzalez had 4 catches for 43 yards, but had a touchdown stolen from Dwayne Bowe (that’s right, stolen!). Gonzalez will end up with TE1 statistics at season’s end as always, so don’t even think about benching him. Bowe, on the other hand, is worth a roster spot. He had only two receptions for 22 yards, but he is the only wide receiver option the Chiefs have.

Broncos 23 Raiders 20

The best part about LaMont Jordan’s back-to-back great games is that you might be able to sell him at peak value. He had 159 yards in this one, but don’t forget that Dominic Rhodes is coming back in week 5, and he will steal some of Jordan’s carries. Don’t hang onto Jordan too long. Jerry Porter was on the receiving end of Josh McCown’s only touchdown toss of 46 yards, but that was his only catch. Ronald Curry was silent as expected, gaining only 12 yards on two receptions. Curry will be startable as a WR3 in week 3 against the Browns now that Champ Bailey is out of sight and out of mind. Curry is still the wide receiver to own in Oakland, not Porter.

Jay Cutler wasn’t bad, but he wasn’t great either. He threw for 269 yards and a score, but also threw two interceptions. He remains a decent QB2, while he will continue to make Javon Walker a WR1. Walker had another 100-yard game on 8 catches, as he is tied with T.J. Houshmandzadeh for the league lead after two weeks with 17 receptions. Brandon Marshall awoke in week 2, going for 82 yards and a touchdown, while Brandon Stokley had 43 yards and a score. Marshall should be started as a WR3 based on matchup, while Stokley may be pushing for WR5 status. It is obvious that Travis Henry has earned the trust of head coach Mike Shanahan from 10-yard line to 10-yard line, but he hasn’t yet earned his trust near the goal line. Henry compiled 128 yards on 26 carries, but had a touchdown vultured by fullback Cecil Sapp from five yards out. The Broncos goal line situation will be one to watch in the coming weeks. The Shanahan factor may strike yet another Denver running back from fantasy greatness.

Patriots 38 Chargers 14

The only question I have is whether or not the Patriots will lose a game. Tom Brady was huge again, Randy Moss was huge again, and I see no reason why it won’t continue in the coming weeks. Wes Welker is clearly the middle man in the Patriots receiving game, catching another eight passes for 91 yards. He is becoming a legitimate WR3 start on a weekly basis. Donte Stallworth, on the other hand, is becoming the odd man out. I really saw him having a good game Sunday night, but it just didn’t happen. It was clearly Wes Welker underneath and Randy Moss down the field. Brady did attempt to get Stallworth the ball on a few occasions, but it was probably just so he didn’t feel left out. Stallworth clearly belongs on fantasy benches, but shouldn’t be dropped. Tight end Ben Watson got in on the act, catching 5 passes for 49 yards and one touchdown. He should remain a low end TE1 and a great TE2. Laurence Maroney owners are beginning to hate both head coach Bill Belichick and backup running back Sammy Morris. Belichick seems unwilling to commit to a one running back system, and appears ready to give anyone but Maroney a shot to score in the red zone. You shouldn’t cut bait with Maroney unless you can get 1st round value (likely where you drafted him), but he certainly can’t be trusted as a RB1 right now. If you own Maroney and you have a solid receiving core, you may need to think about dealing a wideout or two for a legitimate RB1. By the way, Sammy Morris should not be on your free agent list.

LaDainian Tomlinson literally went nowhere in this game, gaining only 43 yards on 18 carries. While he didn’t score, he did have another four receptions, even though they only went for 15 yards. No need to worry though, Tomlinson is too good and head coach Norv Turner is too running back friendly to let this go bad. Antonio Gates was Antonio Gates, and Philip Rivers will right the ship next week in Green Bay. Start both Rivers and Vincent Jackson, along with Tomlinson and Gates with confidence in week 3. The Chargers will have a big offensive outburst.

Redskins 20 Eagles 12

Jason Campbell looked pretty good in this game, but people are getting a little out of hand regarding his fantasy status. He is worth a bench spot at best, and to be honest, I wouldn’t pick him up if I had the chance. His solid play does do some things for other’s fantasy status, including both Clinton Portis and Santana Moss. Portis is looking every bit like the steal I thought he would be before the year began, taking another touchdown in and rushing for 69 yards on 17 carries in week 2. He has pushed Ladell Betts back to 3rd down running back status, and Portis is looking like a great RB2, and a possible low end RB1. If he has been rotting on your bench, wait not longer to get him in your starting lineup. Santana Moss caught 6 passes for 89 yards, and he should be a solid WR2 and great WR3 for the rest of the season. Antwaan Randle El came back down to earth as expected, gaining just 44 yards on 4 receptions. He remains worth a bench spot at the very best.

Anytime Donovan McNabb fails to throw a touchdown, something is not right. It is obvious that McNabb’s knee is not game ready, and this situation screams trouble. As a matter of fact, it wouldn’t surprise me to see McNabb miss some games in the coming weeks. If you have a decent alternative quarterback option on your bench, it is time to use it. With McNabb having issues, Reggie Brown and Kevin Curtis are skeptical starts at WR. Again, if you have better options at wideout, use them. It became clear Monday night that the Eagles lone option is Brian Westbrook, as he chewed up his usual big yardage. Even Westbrook didn’t escape the game without problems, as a knee issue has suddenly become part of the news. It appears he’s going to be okay for week 3, but this could lead to an eventual failure to play in all 16 games this season.

Feel free to email me at Jdimaggio5@aol.com with any questions you might have regarding your own team.

Once again, the first 8 games of Week 3 R&D will come today, which will be followed shortly by the final 8 games.

Texans 34 Panthers 21

Jake Delhomme now has 6 TDs in 2 weeks and has to be considered a legitimate QB1. With 3 TDs to go along with 153 yards, Steve Smith looks poised to repeat or best his monster 2005 season. Both DeShaun Foster and DeAngelo Williams had poor outings, with Carolina surprisingly playing from behind in the 2nd half. They have almost split carries evenly through 2 weeks, so neither should be considered startable right now. Drew Carter followed up his 2 TD Week 1 performance with 50 yards on 3 catches. He may be forcing the Panthers to try and get him the ball more in the future, and he’s worth a bench spot. Don’t forget TE Jeff King, who had 39 yards on 4 grabs, and is turning into a decent TE2.

Matt Schaub looked great in this one, completing 71% of his passes and tossing 2 TDs to Andre Johnson. Speaking of Andre Johnson, he left the game early with what is being called a sprained knee. It looks like he could miss a week or two, which will hurt Schaub’s value considerably, but boost the value of WRs Jacoby Jones and Kevin Walter, as well as TE Owen Daniels. Ahman Green ran for 71 yards and a TD, but Ron Dayne actually out-carried him 18/15. Dayne was less than stellar with his carries, rushing for only 44 yards. I expected Dayne to take a backseat to Green on Sunday, but it didn’t happen. Continue to play Green as a weak RB2 and a great flex play until Dayne runs his way out of split carry duty. At that point, Green could become a legitimate RB2.

Browns 51 Bengals 45

How do the Browns score 51 points? New starting QB Derek Anderson throws 5 TDs, 2 of them to Braylon Edwards, 2 of them to Joe Jurevicius, and 1 of them to Kellen Winslow, and Jamal Lewis comes out of his shadow to rush for 216 yards to go along with a 66-yard TD run. That is how. Winslow and Edwards have been borderline must-starts since Week 1, but Lewis, Jurevicius, and the newcomer Anderson will now tempt many fantasy owners. I would give Lewis another week to prove he may be back, while I would leave Jurevicius and Anderson on your FA list.

Carson Palmer’s 6 TDs carried many of his owners to Week 3 victory.

This just in….. Carson Palmer is good. Not only did Palmer please his owners by throwing 6 TDs, he also made sure both Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh owners were happy with 2 TDs a piece. Housh caught another 8 balls, giving him a league leading 17 after 2 weeks. This is exactly why I ranked him in my top 5 WRs. Rudi Johnson did what we all expected him to do, except he scored his TD through the air and not on the ground. Rudi will continue to be good against bad Ds and bad against good Ds.

Jaguars 13 Falcons 7

Because I have hyped Maurice Jones-Drew since preseason, I’m going to continue to give his owners the same advice, and that is to keep playing him. It is only Week 3, and I haven’t heard anyone wanting to jump off the LaDainian Tomlinson and Stephen Jackson bandwagon despite their slow starts. LT has only 5 more rushing yards than Jones-Drew, and Jackson has equaled his TD total at 0. Extremely talented players will make extremely talented plays; you just have to be a little patient. The good news for the Jags offense is that David Garrard looks really good throwing the ball. He was 17-for-25 for 272 yards and a score in this one, and he is looking more and more like a decent QB2. Dennis Northcutt had another good game, catching 5 passes for 75 yards. He may end up being the most valuable WR to own in Jacksonville, which makes him a WR5.

Warrick Dunn had 13 carries for 50 yards and a TD, while Jerious Norwood got 9 carries for 30 yards. I’m not looking good on my Norwood prediction at the moment, but things should change soon. Dunn is old and Norwood is young and talented. Roddy White had a nice game for the Falcons, but whether it is Joey Harrington or newly acquired Byron Leftwich throwing the ball, no Falcons WR is worth owning. Alge Crumpler had 53 yards on 3 receptions, and he could benefit slightly if Leftwich takes over soon.

Packers 35 Giants 13

Surprise, Surprise, Eli Manning decided he was well enough to start this game. Now I am convinced, as I am sure others are that the entire separated shoulder story was completely fabricated. It is obvious that someone wanted to make Manning look like less of a sissy for leaving the Week 1 Sunday night game against the Cowboys early. In any event, his miracle appearance allowed Plaxico Burress to find the endzone once again, even though he left the game with a sprained ankle and only ended up with 32 yards. Early indications have him playing in Week 3. With the Giants defense being so horrendous, I am starting to feel great about Manning as a QB1, Burress as a WR1, and Shockey as possibly the best fantasy TE outside of Antonio Gates. Don’t forget about Amani Toomer, who had 48 yards on only 2 catches, as he will hold very good value as the 2nd WR in an offense that will be involved in weekly shootouts. Check your FA to see if he’s available in your league.

While I was hit and miss in my Week 2 start/sit article, Farve was one of my hits. He tossed 3 TDs and approached 300 yards, and he can now be placed back on owner’s benches. Rookie James Jones racked up 75 yards on 4 catches, and Donald Driver looked healthy with 73 yards and a TD. Continue to play Driver as a solid WR2, and store Jones on the bench as a BYE week replacement. The hottest pickup of the week will be Packers rookie RB DeShawn Wynn, who went for 50 yards and a TD on 10 carries in this one. I would let someone else grab him, as 38 of his 50 yards came on one TD run. Do the simple math and we realize that his other 9 carries went for just 12 yards. Brandon Jackson had only 35 yards on 17 carries, so the Packers are starting to realize that the rookie is not ready to be an everydown RB in the NFL. I don’t like Jackson, and I’m suggesting not to grab Wynn, so where does that leave me with the Packers RB situation? Just where I thought it would be when the season began, in Vernand Morency’s hands as soon as he is healthy, which may be as soon as this week. I would grab him off your waiver wire before I would Wynn.

Steelers 26 Bills 3

I’ll save my J.P. Losman ragging for another day, because he and the rest of the Bills were playing with a heavy heart following the Kevin Everett injury in Week 1. Lee Evans is a great buy low candidate with just 22 yards in 2 weeks (yes that is correct). He will remain inconsistent, but he is going to have his yearly 200 yard/3 TD game in the near future. Marshawn Lynch had 85 total yards against the tough Steelers defense, which is all owners could really ask for. He will remain a solid RB2 going forward.

Ben Roethlisberger’s yards were better in Week 2 (242), but he had just the 1 TD toss to 2nd TE Matt Spaeth. Yes, that is 2 TDs in 2 weeks for Spaeth, but leave him alone. Roethlisberger and the Steelers offense look good; they just haven’t had to display it that much in two relatively easy wins. Keep playing Big Ben, Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes, and Heath Miller, as they will all have solid seasons. By the way, Roethlisberger looked Ward’s way several times inside the 10-yard line once again in Week 2, and the underrated WR is poised to score 10+ TDs for the 4th time in his career.

49ers 17 Rams 16

Not that it was any consolation, but it was nice to see Frank Gore and the 49ers get a win as he was playing just after his mom passed away earlier in the week. His fantasy status goes without saying. Alex Smith looked terrible once again in Week 2, and I would seriously consider dropping him if there is a better option on the FA list, which would be almost anyone. Vernon Davis had just 23 yards on 2 catches, while Darrell Jackson had 61 yards on 3 receptions. Jackson is no more than a WR3 this year, as I find it hard to believe he will score more than 5 times. Davis is looking like a low end TE1 unless Smith completely turns his game around in the coming weeks.

Now that is more like the Marc Bulger we have come to know, 368 yards and TD toss. I said last week that someone needed to get downfield for Bulger, but little did I know it would be the soon to be 35-year old Isaac Bruce racking up 145 yards on 8 grabs. Don’t worry, it won’t happen again, but he’s worth owning as WR4 or more realistically a WR5. Torry Holt scored a short TD once again, and wound up with 74 yards on 5 receptions. That is 2 TDs in 2 weeks for Holt, but he still has yet to have a 75+ yard receiving game. I remain skeptical of his knee. Steven Jackson had just 60 yards on 21 carries, but at least he caught 3 passes for 36 yards to somewhat salvage the day. Without All-Pro tackle Orlando Pace for the rest of the season, I’m beginning to wonder if Jackson can repeat his 2006 numbers. Certainly don’t give up on him yet, as it will take just one huge day to make everything better.

Buccaneers 31 Saints 14

The million dollar question….. what in the world is going on with the Saints offense? At least Drew Brees got a late TD, or his owners would really be sour. Marques Colston was on the receiving end of the Brees TD in garbage time, and his final numbers of 8 catches and 70 yards weren’t all bad. Nothing, however, could save Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush, as they both failed to rush for 50+ yards or score. Bush caught 6 passes for 43 yards, but more is expected out of the 2nd year sensation. Now is the time to trade for any and every Saints offensive star, as they will all bust out big Monday night at home against the Titans. Get ‘em while they’re not, and before they get hot. Nothing can be more true of Drew Brees, Reggie Bush, Deuce McAllister, and Marques Colston. Buy low, buy low, buy low!

Jeff Garcia threw only 16 passes, but managed 243 yards and 2 scores doing so. Joey Galloway owners were pleased, as he toasted the Saints secondary to the tune of 135 yards and the 2 Garcia TDs. As the only Garcia option in Tampa, Galloway should remain a solid WR2 and an unbelievable WR3 as long as he is healthy. Carnell Williams gutted through his rib injury to score twice and rush for 61 yards. He didn’t catch any passes, which will remain a constant, but his continued goal line touches with Mike Alstott gone make him a decent RB2. TE Alex Smith caught 2 passes for 45 yards, but he has gotten us all excited before, only to let us down. Maybe Garcia and Smith can develop a connection in the coming weeks, so keep an eye on him as a possible TE2.

Colts 22 Titans 20

Peyton Manning didn’t have the follow-up game we were all expecting, but after all, he is human. He still managed 300 yards despite the fact that he only tossed 1 TD, which went to TE Dallas Clark. Marvin Harrison (87 yards) and Reggie Wayne (70 yards) both had decent days, and they will make up for their lack of scoring Sunday at Houston, a game in which they should both get in the endzone. Rookie slot WR Anthony Gonzalez finally showed up to play, as he caught 3 passes for 49 yards. Once again, the Colts are splitting Dallas Clark out much more than they are putting Gonzalez in the slot, which means the rookie should remain on your FA list. Dallas Clark, however, is becoming a legitimate TE1.

If you are continuing to start Vince Young as a QB1, please stop before it is too late for your team. He has 262 passing yards in 2 games, to go along with only 1 passing TD. He has 75 yards rushing and a score on the ground, but that isn’t enough to make up for his lack of production through the air. I could talk about Roydell Williams solid game (72 yards/TD), and about how Brandon Jones has potential, but why bother when Young is the one throwing them the ball. Because Chris Brown decided not to show up in this one, LenDale White surprisingly out-carried him 15/12. Brown was terrible early, which led to White getting more looks. White went for 64 yards and a TD, but once again looked sluggish and slow doing so. White cannot be discarded as a fantasy factor, but I would still rather own Brown.

Feel free to email me at Jdimaggio5@aol.com with any questions you might have regarding your own team.

Start

Larry Johnson (KC) at CHI- I shouldn’t have to advise people to start Larry Johnson, but based on other fantasy material I’ve been reading that suggests sitting LJ, I guess it’s necessary. I understand all the logic in this situation. Johnson and the Chiefs did nothing against the lowly Texans defense last week. The Bears completely shut down LT in Week 1. People are worried Johnson’s workload is being cut. It all makes sense, but it doesn’t mean you should bench LJ this week. For one, he’s going to get fed the ball. The fact that Kansas City didn’t muster any offense in Houston last week is only beneficial to Johnson, because it is going to allow Herm Edwards to wake up and realize he has only one way to win a game, and that is through Larry Johnson. He will get 25-35 touches on Sunday, and he is talented enough to make something big happen with that type of workload. Play him as usual.

Maurice Jones-Drew (JAX) vs ATL- He out-carried and out-touched Fred Taylor in Week 1, despite only touching the ball 10 times himself. The Jags never had the ball against the Titans, which was a big reason for Jones-Drew’s subpar game. They will have the ball plenty against the Falcons, and they are going to run until they can’t run anymore. Jones-Drew will have a bounce back game, so don’t sit him for Chris Brown solely based on what happened last week.

Matt Schaub should be able to pad his Week 2 stats while playing from behind.

Matt Schaub (HOU) at CAR- Yes, it is tough matchup, but sometimes a tough matchup can be good for a QB as long as his team is going to be playing from behind. Carolina should score early and often, and Schaub and the Texans will be playing heavy catch-up in the 2nd half. Now, I’m not telling you to start Schaub over a solid QB1 like Tom Brady or Drew Brees, but if you are weak at QB, don’t be afraid to play him this week.

Brett Favre (GB) at NYG- Again, I don’t want you playing Favre over someone like Marc Bulger, but if you are in a two QB league, or you are digging deep for a weekly QB start, Favre is nice play on Sunday. The Giants could have one of the worst pass defenses I have ever seen. I take that back, the Giants do have one of the worst pass defenses I have ever seen. What Tono Romo did to them on Sunday night was embarrassing, and Favre should be able to take advantage as well. He certainly won’t throw 4 TDs and run for another as Romo did, but he should get at least 2 and come close to 300 yards.

James Jones (GB) at NYG- If I feel good about Favre, I have to feel good about his WRs. Donald Driver is a must start, but that is not rocket science and you don’t need me to tell you that. Jones, on the other hand, is a rookie that many people may not know about. He is starting opposite of Driver with Greg Jennings still ailing, and he has a very good chance of reaching the endzone this week. If you are up in the air about a WR3 or WR4, Jones should fit in nicely in Week 2.

Jerious Norwood (ATL) at JAX- If you are really weak at RB2, or you play a flex in your league, don’t abandon Norwood just yet. After Bobby Petrino clearly misused Norwood in Week 1, it didn’t taken him long to realize how dumb it really was. Petrino mentioned early in the week that the team needs to figure out ways to get Norwood the ball, and that should happen on Sunday. While the Jaguars figure to bounce back from their horrendous defensive performance against the Titans, they clearly don’t appear to be the same defense they were a year ago. At the very least, Norwood should make a nice Week 2 flex play.

Donte Stallworth (NE) vs SD- The Chargers have to be anticipating another Randy Moss show Sunday night, which is why Stallworth should make a nice play. They Bolts will be doing everything in their power not to let Randy slip past them, which will allow Stallworth to roam free on many plays. I can see a very noisy Week 2 after a very quiet Week 1.

Health Miller (PIT) vs BUF- He got a score last week, and I think he’ll get another one against the Bills. Buffalo’s pass defense is not very good, and Miller should be able to maneuver his way to a solid game. Go with him if you are juggling your TE position.

Sit

Darrell Jackson (SF) at STL- I’m sorry, but Alex Smith gives me no confidence that he can consistently get the ball to his WRs. If you are playing Jackson as a WR3, I would consider other alternatives.

Warrick Dunn (ATL) at JAX- If you are a Dunn owner and you got excited after seeing last week’s heavy workload, it is time to calm down and leave him where he belongs, on your bench. Jerious Norwood will take his starting job soon, and it begins this week in Jacksonville.

Adrian Peterson (MIN) at DET- Something tells me that Peterson is going to severely disappoint the owners who throw him into their lineup after his huge Week 1. His TD last week came on an everyday swing pass in which the Falcons completely forgot to play defense. He did rush for over 100 yards, but part of the reason for his large carry total was because Chestor Taylor got injured early in the game. AP is as talented as they come, and he may have a decent game, but I wouldn’t start him over a Larry Johnson or a Willie Parker type RB1.

Laveranues Coles (NYJ) at BAL- It looks like it is going to be 2nd year QB Kellen Clemens getting the start against a devastating Ravens defense in Week 2. That is bad news for Coles, in case you haven’t figured it out. If you played Coles as a WR3 last week (yes I realize he scored 2 TDs), consider better options if they are available to you this week.

Edgerrin James (ARI) vs SEA- His workload was heavy in Week 1, but his production per touch was weak once again. If the Cardinals plan on playing the type of offense they did against the 49ers last week, the Seahawks will have put Arizona away by halftime. I doubt James will get to 100 yards or score in this one. He’s worth using as a flex, but leave him on the bench if you have better RB2 options.

Vince Young (TEN) vs IND- I know, you’re thinking it is going to get better this week against the Colts. Well, I think you’re wrong. I had Young on my bust list for a reason, and it is because, well, I think he’s going to continue to be a bust. I would play both Brett Favre and Matt Schaub over Young this week.

Ronald Curry (OAK) at DEN- I liked Curry before the season, and I obviously still like Curry after his big Week 1. However, nothing about this week’s matchup is good. It looks like Josh McCown, who apparently had a good connection with Curry on Sunday, will sit in favor of Daunte Culpepper. It also doesn’t help that Champ Bailey should be blanketing him for most of the game.

Plaxico Burress (NYG) vs GB- If you are a Burress owner, you aren’t going to listen to me on this one, and I completely understand. As a matter of fact, if I was a Burress owner, I would have trouble listening to myself. After the monster Week 1, it would be almost impossible for anyone to sit Burress, but it might be the week to do it. Despite conflicting reports, Eli Manning probably won’t play, which leaves the reigns to the Pillsbury Throwboy, Jared Lorenzen. Considering all 3 of his career passes came on Sunday night after Eli exited the game, coupled with fact that Packers defense looked great against the Eagles last week, it wouldn’t be the worst idea to leave Burress on your bench in Week 2. Of course, that would only work if you are in a very shallow league, or you had great bench WRs.

Feel free to email me at Jdimaggio5@aol.com with any questions you might have regarding your own team.

Coming in a little late, but coming in none the less. Here is the 2nd half of R&D from Week 1.

Panthers 27 Rams 13

J. Delhomme (CAR): 18-27/201yds/3TD, 3car/12yds; Delhomme now needs to be owned as a QB2 or at least a QB3 in most leagues if he wasn’t already. I realize it was just the Rams D he tossed 3 TDs on, but he looked very good doing so.

D. Foster (CAR): 17car/94yds, 1rec/7yds; Foster showed signs of regaining old form, but the problem remains that he split carries almost down the middle with DeAngelo Williams. If he can continue a 5 yard-per-carry average, maybe he can reduce Williams to a smaller role.

D. Williams (CAR): 15car/62yds, 1rec/13yds; Not a bad day, but Foster was clearly the better RB in this game. If Foster continues to play well, Williams will not take the starting job as many anticipated.

S. Smith (CAR): 7rec/118yds/1TD, 1car/2yds; Smith is just too explosive when healthy to be covered. He will continue to dominate opponents week-to-week as long as he can stay injury free.

J. King (CAR): 5rec/35yds; The 2nd year TE was only behind Smith in Carolina receptions in the opener and it appears he could emerge as a fantasy factor. Give him another week of productivity before possibly grabbing him off the FA list.

D. Carter (CAR): 3rec/19yds/2TD; The 2 TDs are great, but he obviously only had one other reception to go along with them. Aside from Steve Smith, it doesn’t seem Jake Delhomme favors any other WR in particular. Give him another week before making a move for him.

M. Bulger (STL): 22-42/167yds/1TD, 3car/18yds; Wow, what a terrible game from the usually consistent Rams QB. I think this was a combination of two things. One, the Panthers D showed up to play and may have announced that they are back among the NFC elite. Two, it is clear that Bulger had no deep threat in this game. With Torry Holt having knee trouble and Isaac Bruce continuing to age, the Rams need someone to get downfield for them. Drew Bennett didn’t play in this one, but it is becoming obvious Bulger is going to need him to emerge as the Rams downfield threat.

S. Jackson (STL): 18car/58yds, 1rec/3yds; I can understand the low carries considering the Rams were getting beat, but 1 reception? Jackson owners received more bad news after the game as Pro-Bowl tackle Orlando Pace is going to miss the rest of the season with a ripped up shoulder. It certainly isn’t panic mode yet, but if Jackson isn’t better against the 49ers next week, it may be time to get concerned. I expect him to bounce back.

T. Holt (STL): 8rec/73yds/1TD; Yes, he had a good game, but I’m certainly not ready to pronounce him 100% healthy. His yards-per-catch number has dropped every year since 2004, and he opens with a measly 9.1 YPC. His TD came from just 3 yards out, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t catch a 50+ yard TD all year. He’s Torry Holt, and he’s going to be good, I just question how good.

R. McMichael (STL): 2rec/24yds; It may take a few games for Bulger and McMichael to get to know each other, but it will happen, and the TE is going to have some big games in the near future.

Redskins 16 Dolphins 13

T. Green (MIA): 24-38/219yds/1TD; The stats aren’t bad, but Green didn’t look any better than he did at the end of last season with the Chiefs. Leave him on your FA list.

R. Brown (MIA): 11car/32yds, 6rec/40yds; The bad game was expected against a tough D, but the split duty situation with Jesse Chatman was not. Sure, the Dolphins talked about getting Chatman some work, but I don’t think anyone expected him to be on the field as much as he was. Brown needs to shine in the next few games to put Chaman in the rear view mirror.

J. Chatman (MIA): 7car/15yds, 6rec/48yds; It is apparent that Cam Cameron has fallen in love with Chatman, because it looked very much like a split carry situation on Sunday. He certainly needs to be handcuffed to Ronnie Brown at this point.

C. Chambers (MIA): 6rec/92yds; I’m not sure Trent Green will be able to utilize Chambers downfield ability, but maybe he can keep him consistent in the middle of the field. Chambers has never proven a great route runner, but hopefully he is forced to become one this season. If he can have a nice game against the Cowboys next week, there is reason to be optimistic about a big year.

Clinton Portis proved on Sunday that he is still one of the best RBs in the league when healthy.

C. Portis (WAS): 17car/98yds/1TD; If someone told you that Portis couldn’t play anymore, just remember that it wasn’t me. As long as he can remain healthy, Ladell Betts’ role will be reduced.

L. Betts (WAS): 17car/59yds, 1rec/16yds; While I love Betts, Clinton Portis appears healthy and ready to rumble. Portis’ touches are certainly going to increase next week, which obviously means Betts role will be reduced. Keep him on your bench for now.

A. Randle El (WAS): 5rec/162yds, 1car/-3yds; In the fantasy world, this is what is known as a fluke. One reception came on a 54-yard Hail-Mary pass. He is worth a bench spot at best.

S. Moss (WAS): 3rec/28yds; Moss and Lee Evans are very similar fantasy WRs, both having tons of ability with a bad QB making them inconsistent. If you own Moss, you have to take the bad with the good.

Lions 36 Raiders 21

J. Kitna (DET): 27-36/289yds/3TD/2INT, 3car/17yds; Considering the 2 INTs weren’t even Kitna’s fault, this was one of the better QB performances of the weekend. Mike Martz was up to his old tricks, running the ball only 21 times in a game the Lions led until the 4th quarter. Kitna is a lock for 4,000 yards if he can stay healthy.

T. Bell (DET): 15car/87yds/1TD, 4rec/6yds; Bell had a productive game for those who started him Week 1, and he only figures to see more touches with the ankle injury to T.J. Duckett. With Kevin Jones still getting in game shape, so it will be the Tatum Bell show in Week 2 vs the Vikings.

S. McDonald (DET): 6rec/90yds/1TD; McDonald did most of his damage in 4 WR sets, and he can’t be counted on for consistent production. Leave him on the waiver wire until further notice.

C. Johnson (DET): 4rec/70yds/1TD; If there was any doubt about the rookie’s explosiveness going into this game, there shouldn’t be now. 17.5 yards-per-catch and a TD isn’t a bad way to start a career. He is only going to get better.

R. Williams (DET): 4rec/20yds/1TD; Not Roy’s best performance considering what others did around him, but at least he scored. The fact that the Lions have other options will only open things up for Williams down the road.

M. Furrey (DET): 5rec/52yds; Are there really enough footballs to go around in Detroit? In Week 1 there were, but Furrey is certainly behind Williams and Johnson in the pecking order. His lack of TD ability makes him no more than a WR4 right now.

J. McCown (OAK): 30-40/313yds/2TD/2INT, 3car/3yds; If he were on a normal team, I would almost suggest that he’d be worth a FA pickup. However, there is already talk of Daunte Culpepper starting this week, on top of the fact that JaMarcus Russell has signed. McCown doesn’t figure to be the starter for long.

L. Jordan (OAK): 15car/70yds/1TD, 9rec/89yds; 9 catches for almost 100 yards, are you serious? It’s highly doubtful he can keep this momentum going this week against Denver, and Dominic Rhodes still looms in Week 5. If you need a RB2, you can do a lot worse than Jordan right now, just don’t go counting on him for the rest of the year.

R. Curry (OAK): 10rec/133yds/1TD; We now know who the #1 WR in Oakland is, and his name is not Jerry Porter. While this is the case, Curry needs one more week to prove himself before being inserted into fantasy lineups.

Chargers 14 Bears 3

P. Rivers (SD): 22-31/190yds/1INT, 5car/-1yd; It is time to give credit where credit is due, the Bears defense was dominate in this one. Rivers gets the Patriots this week, and his numbers should improve.

L. Tomlinson (SD): 17car/25yds/TD, 1-1/17yds/1TD, 7rec/51yds; A terrible day on the ground, but in LT fashion, he made up for it. Norv Turner’s tendency to get his RBs the ball via the passing game showed up in Week 1, and it will continue.

M. Turner (SD): 10car/41yds; If you own LT, make sure you have handcuffed Turner.

A. Gates (SD): 9rec/107yds/1TD; The best TE in the league, bar none.

V. Jackson (SD): 3rec/28yds; Jackson will have his big games, but he will also be inconsistent.

C. Benson (CHI): 19car/42yds, 1rec/11yds; If you have read my previous entries, you already know how I feel about Benson.

A. Peterson (CHI): 7car/38yds; I said the other Adrian Peterson would be a fantasy factor, and I meant it. As a matter of fact, it might not even take a Benson injury to thwart him into a bigger role. He just may earn it on his own.

B. Berrian (CHI): 5rec/83yds; Just think how good Berrian could be if Rex Grossman wasn’t throwing him the ball.

Seahawks 20 Buccaneers 6

M. Hasselbeck (SEA): 17-24/222yds/1TD, 2car/7yds; A solid game from Hasselbeck, even though his fantasy owners likely wanted more. He should get at least 2 TDs next week against Arizona.

S. Alexander (SEA): 27car/105yds/1TD, 2rec/12yds; Alexander had a 3.9 yard-per-carry average in this one, and he had to bust a late 22-yarder to even get there. Two years ago, Alexander would have gone for 150+ and at least 2 TDs with 27 carries against a subpar defense. Sorry, he’s just not the same player anymore.

B. Engram (SEA): 3rec/64yds; With DJ Hackett spraining an ankle and Deion Branch held catchless, Engram led the Seahawks in receiving yards on Sunday. It won’t be the last time he does so.

D. Branch (SEA): 0rec/0yds; I’m dumbfounded. Is Ronde Barber that good? Sometimes there just isn’t an explanation. He’ll bounce back in Week 2.

M. Pollard (SEA): 5rec/43yds; The Seahawks have found a TE that can actually catch. Give Pollard another good game before thinking about snatching him off the wire.

C. Williams (TB): 12car/60yds; The guy just can’t stay healthy. The worst part about it is that he was headed for a 100 yard game.

M. Pittman (TB): 3car/6yds, 5rec/32yds; If he wasn’t owned before, he needs to be owned now. The caddy is probably going to be questionable for the next few weeks.

J. Galloway (TB): 5rec/72yds, 1car/1yd; As long as Garcia is the QB, Galloway will remain productive on a week-to-week basis. He is really the Bucs only option through the air.

Cowboys 45 Giants 35

T. Romo (DAL): 15-24/345yds/4TDs/1INT, 3car/11yds/1TD; The Giants entire defensive backfield should be released. I am a Tony Romo fan, but 345 yards and 4 TDs in 24 attempts is absurd. Romo will continue to please his fantasy owners, but certainly not to this degree. It is not everyday that an NFL QB gets to face a high school caliber secondary.

J. Jones (DAL): 16car/66yds, 1rec/11yds; Not a bad game from Jones, but I think it very clear the Marion Barber is the best Cowboys RB.

M. Barber III (DAL): 11car/65yds/1TD, 1rec/29yds; Barber looked great once again, and it should only be a matter of time before he becomes the starter. He’s headed for another big year.

J. Witten (DAL): 6rec/116yds/1TD; Witten is a top tier TE, there is no doubt about it. However, like Tony Romo, you just can’t expect him to face such a horrendous defense every week.

T. Owens (DAL): 3rec/87yds/2TD; If healthy, Owens will produce. That is all there is to say.

E. Manning (NYG): 28-41/312yds/4TD/1INT, 1car/2yds; It is a shame that Eli got hurt, because he may have thrown a 5th TD before it was said and done. There are question marks surrounding the severity of his shoulder injury, but the New York Daily News hints that it could be at least 3-4 weeks. The Giants defense makes a healthy Eli Manning a legitimate QB1 every week, and I’m very serious.

B. Jacobs (NYG): 6car/26yds; Jacobs’ knee is being called a sprained MCL, which is typically anywhere from 2-6 week injury. Grab Derrick Ward if you haven’t already.

D. Ward (NYG): 13car/89yds, 4rec/27yds/1TD; He looked great when he got the ball, and with the Jacobs injury, he should be owned in all leagues.

P. Burress (NYG): 8rec/144yds/3TD; The man could not be covered. He would have caught 5 or 6 TDs if the Giants didn’t stop throwing his way for a period of time. A lengthy Eli Manning injury would crush his value, and I would trade him while his value is sky high if this is the case.

A. Toomer (NYG): 9rec/91yds; While he had a good game, he has proven inconsistent over the past few years. He is worth a bench spot.

J. Shockey (NYG): 5rec/41yds; In a shootout of this sort, his owners should expect more. Obviously if Eli Manning misses extended time Shockey’s value takes a serious hit.

Bengals 27 Ravens 20

C. Palmer (CIN): 20-32/194yds/2TD, 3car/0yds; Just as expected against a stifling Ravens D. He’ll throw at least 3 against the Browns this week.

R. Johnson (CIN): 18car/50yds, 3rec/26yds; Much like Palmer, he wasn’t expected to do much more than this. Many of you know I’m not a fan of Rudi’s, but he should go for 100 and a score against the Browns.

C. Johnson (CIN): 5rec/95yds/1TD, 1car/2yds; You have to give it to the guy, he backs up his talk with his play. Terrible TD celebration.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh (CIN): 9rec/50yds/1TD; Racking up the catches once again. If he can play 16 games, he’ll lead the NFL in receptions.

W. McGahee (BAL): 19car/77yds, 3rec/34yds; Musa Smith vultured a TD from 6 yards out early in the game. If that continues, McGahee will be much worse than I anticipated.

M. Smith (BAL): 5car/30yds/1TD, 1rec/9yds; Smith looked like the better back than McGahee in his 5 carries, but he should remain limited to around that many touches. A good handcuff as McGahee is obviously prone to injury.

D. Mason (BAL): 7rec/76yds; There is not a good enough QB, whether it is McNair or Boller, to make Mason a consistent fantasy play. Leave him on your bench.

D. Williams (BAL): 3rec/55yds; Williams is the best WR on the Ravens team, and he was on the field as much as anyone. He was also a frequent target in the red zone. He’s definitely worth a roster spot at this point.

49ers 20 Cardinals 17

M. Leinart (ARI): 14-28/102yds/1TD/2INT, 6car/35yds; What a pathetic performance from Leinart. I realize it is just one game, but this was a huge step back for the 2nd year QB in my mind. He looked unsure of himself in the pocket, and was completely unwilling to pull the trigger downfield. The 49ers defense may be improved, but they are not this good. He needs to be 100% better at home against the Seahawks on Sunday.

E. James (ARI): 26car/92yds/1TD, 2rec/20yds; The stats were nice for fantasy owners who went with Edge in Week 1, but his yards-per-carry ended up at 3.5 and he had a long run of only 9 yards. Start him at your own risk.

A. Boldin (ARI): 4rec/22yds/1TD 1car/14yds; The good news is the Cardinals used him much like they said they would, out of the backfield as well as triggering him down inside the 10-yard line. The bad news is Matt Leinart was horrendous and Boldin can’t have a good year without an improved 2nd year QB.

L. Fitzgerald (ARI): 3rec/20yds; If you are a Fitzgerald owner, nothing could have been more frustrating than watching this game unfold. Matt Leinart never threw the ball downfield, and not once did he allow Fitzgerald to go up and make a play on a ball, which is what he is best at. Let’s hope the gameplan changes next week, and Leinart is less gun-shy.

A. Smith (SF): 15-31/126yds, 3car/36yds; I don’t know who was more unimpressive, Matt Leinart or Smith. They were both so bad that it may have ended up a tie. He is still young, and there are a lot of games left this season, but I’m convinced Smith will never be even close to a great passing QB, which is what they are paying him to be.

F. Gore (SF): 18car/55yds/1TD, 1rec/21yds; If Norv Turner were still the offensive coordinator, Gore would have caught 5 or 6 balls in this game. Mike Nolan needs to wake up and realize what worked last year, and that was getting Gore the ball as much as possible, whether it was on the ground or through the air.

A. Battle (SF): 5rec/60yds, 1car/1yd/1TD; Alex Smith isn’t good enough to make Battle a consistent play. He’s worth a bench spot in deep leagues.

D. Jackson (SF): 4rec/36yds; From Matt Hasselbeck to Alex Smith, from a WR1 to a WR3. See what a QB can do for a WR?

V. Davis (SF): 2rec/4yds; Pathetic, and I’m not talking about Davis. You draft the guy in the 1st round last year as a playmaker, and you don’t even use him as one. It is very possible that there were designed plays for Davis, and Alex Smith just didn’t get him the ball. If Alex Smith doesn’t show improvement from what I saw Monday night, Davis will be a huge fantasy bust.

Feel free to email me at Jdimaggio5@aol.com with any questions you might have regarding your own team.

I will do the first 8 games of R&D today, with the second 8 games coming tomorrow.

Colts 41 Saints 10

D. Brees (NO): 28-41/192yds/0TD/2INT, 1car/4yds; It was just an all around bad game for the Saints, so there is nothing to be worried about here. As a matter of fact, he is a great trade target after the poor showing.

D. McAllister (NO): 10car/38yds, 2rec/7yds; The theme is going to remain the same with all the Saints, it was just a poor performance. Deuce had 12 touches, while Bush had 16, but the Saints were also down the entire 2nd half. McAllister is obviously going to make his bank when the team is leading.

R. Bush (NO): 12car/38yds, 4rec/7yds; Not what his owners were expecting after likely drafting him in the 1st round of their drafts. He’ll be fine.

E. Johnson (NO): 8rec/57yds; While I like Johnson, and he had a solid game, the Saints are going to be getting buried like this every game. It is nice to see Brees is in rhythm with Johnson, but temper your expectations going forward. Certainly worth a TE2 roster spot with TE1 potential.

M. Colston (NO): 6rec/47 yds; Again, the Saints just didn’t have it in this one. However, Colston is a physical specimen, and he will dominate many games this season. As with the other Saints offensive stars, don’t worry about him.

P. Manning (IND): 18-30/288yds/3TD; Was there ever a doubt?

J. Addai (IND): 23car/118yds/1TD, 3rec/25yds; Owners got a scare with the injury on the 1st play of the game, but Addai made up for it. Health permitted, he is going to be a top 5 RB. There is just no way around it.

K. Keith (IND): 5car/32yds, 1rec/-2yds; The unquestioned handcuff to Addai.

R. Wayne (IND): 7rec/115yds/2TD; There was enough love for both Wayne and Harrison in this one, but Wayne went one better. I expect more of that than ever this season.

M. Harrison (IND): 4rec/83yds/1TD; He always seems to get his share, and the TD came early.

D. Clark (IND): 2rec/48yds, 1car/12yds; The Colts didn’t go 3-wide with Anthony Gonzalez as much as anticipated, which was a good reason why the rookie didn’t catch a pass. This bodes well for Clark going forward.

Javon Walker looked very much in sync with Jay Culter against the Bills on Sunday.

Broncos 15 Bills 14

J. Cutler (DEN): 23-39/304yds/1TD/1INT, 4car/18yds; Not bad from the 2nd year QB, and it was more than I expected. While I am still not completely sold, I feel better about Javon Walker’s status as a #1 WR going forward.

T. Henry (DEN): 23car/139yds, 3rec/44yds; A huge yardage day from the newly acquired Broncos RB. It is obvious that Mike Shanahan is going to use him, and use him often. That is of course until he fumbles or offends him in some other way.

J. Walker (DEN): 9rec/119yds; If Culter continues to be efficient, there is no reason Walker won’t be among the best fantasy WRs at season’s end. He has that much talent.

B. Stokley (DEN): 3rec/65yds; He found 3 large holes in the middle of the field against the Bills D, but this won’t happen consistently. He still belongs on your FA list.

B. Marshall (DEN): 5rec/52yds/1TD; He was on many sleeper lists, and he proved worthy in Week 1. His worth will continue to be reliant on the play of Culter.

J. Losman (BUF): 14-21/97yds/0TD/1INT, 2car/13yds; I realize the Broncos D is tough, but this is pathetic. He is a low as David Carr on my totem poll. The Bills need to realize that they are never going to win with Losman at QB. He belongs on FA lists across the universe.

M. Lynch (BUF): 19car/90yds/1TD, 2rec/9yds; This was a very impressive performance by Lynch, and his owners should be smiling ear to ear. The Broncos D is no pushover, and there will be easier matchups in his future. He is looking like a solid RB2 going forward.

L. Evans (BUF): 2rec/5yds; J.P. Losman should personally call and apologize to every Evans fantasy owner out there. Not to worry though, Evans may have cost you your fantasy matchup this week, but he’ll win you one in the near future. You should have braced for this inconsistency when you drafted him.

Steelers 34 Browns 7

B. Roethlisberger (PIT): 12-23/161yds/4TD, 1car/2yds; I have to admit, other than the 4 TDs, Big Ben and the Steelers passing attack never really got into sync against the Browns. Not to worry, they will work out the kinks, but we’ll take the big scoring game in the meantime.

W. Parker (PIT): 27car/109yds, 1rec/-2yds; It was a heavy dose of Parker after the Steelers had the game in hand, and his owners have to be disappointed in the lack of receiving yards and no TDs.

S. Holmes (PIT): 2rec/55yds/1TD, 1car/11yds; A bigger game was prevented only by the blowout that ensued after Holmes caught his 40-yard TD. There was just no need to take any more shots down the field in the 2nd half of the game.

H. Ward (PIT): 3rec/51yds/1TD; Roethilisberger hit Ward on a short TD early in the game, and then on a few longer passes late. When the Steelers play a more competitive game, the yards will be there.

H. Miller (PIT): 4rec/35yds/1TD; This could be the theme of Miller’s season, very little yards with a TD mixed in. He’s worth owning as a TE2.

J. Lewis (CLE): 11car/35yds, 2rec/11yds; The matchup had this line written all over it, but Lewis may be finished as a legitimate fantasy factor.

K. Winslow (CLE): 4rec/83yds; The fact that the Browns will be playing from behind almost every game will make Winlsow’s stats look good.

B. Edwards (CLE): 3rec/49yds; Edwards owners need to be hoping that Brady Quinn starts sometime soon.

Packers 16 Eagles 13

D. McNabb (PHI): 15-33/184yds/1TD/1INT, 4car/9yds; I’m not so sure this wasn’t the result of a good Packers D as much as it was a bad McNabb. He’ll bounce back next week.

B. Westbrook (PHI): 20car/85yds, 6rec/46yds; Just another day at the office for Westbrook. On a 1st and goal in the 1st half, Westbrook carried the ball once and was thrown the ball twice, but failed to reach the endzone. However, it was a good sign that the Eagles were attempting to get him the ball down there.

J. Avant (PHI): 3rec/54yds/1TD; The Eagles spread the ball too much in the passing game to get excited about Avant.

K. Curtis (PHI): 2rec/53yds; It was clear that the Eagles want to use Curtis as they did Donte Stallworth last season, as their primary deep threat. He will get a few 50+ yard TDs before the year is over.

R. Brown (PHI): 1rec/14yds; I hope I wasn’t the only one who saw this coming. Brown will have his better days, but I just don’t believe he’s a #1 type WR. McNabb’s tendency not to lock onto one will leave Brown owners frustrated many weeks.

Texans 20 Chiefs 3

M. Schaub (HOU): 16-22/225yds/1TD/1INT, 1car/-1yd; The 77-yard TD to Andre Johnson made his stat line, but the Texans were also uncharacteristically winning the entire game. That will change, and Schaub is going to have a solid fantasy season.

A. Green (HOU): 16car/73yds, 4rec/23yds; Not a bad opener of Green, but Ron Dayne getting 13 carries is not a good sign. We’ll see if this becomes a committee going forward.

R. Dayne (HOU): 13car/33yds; The poor game from Dayne may lead to more Green touches, but only time will tell.

A. Johnson (HOU): 7rec/142yds/1TD; It is not a coincidence that Johnson broke his career long TD catch in just one game with Matt Schaub. David Carr couldn’t do this for AJ, and that is why I was so high on him going into the season. There is plenty more where this came from.

J. Jones (HOU): 2rec/33yds, 1car/4yds; Not a bad opener for the rookie considering the Texans were winning the entire game. He is clearly more of an option than Kevin Walter.

O. Daniels (HOU): 1rec/14yds; There will be better games for the Texans TE. There was just no need to chuck the ball that many times in this one.

L. Johnson (KC): 10car/43yds, 7rec/44yds; It is obvious that Johnson won’t get anywhere near his TD total from last season with this team, but he’s still going to be very valuable as a RB1. If a LJ owner is worried about his week one totals, try and pitch him a trade below his value. We are all going to see the biggest dose of Johnson yet to come, because quite frankly, that is the only hope the Chiefs have to win a game.

D. Bowe (KC): 3rec/42yds; With Eddie Kennison pulling a hammy early, and for lack of better options, the rookie had a decent game. If Kennison is forced to miss time, Bowe becomes the #2 receiving option behind Tony Gonzalez.

T. Gonzalez (KC): 5rec/28yds; Much like Larry Johnson, Gonzalez is going to have a solid year in a bad offense because he is about the only option they have. He’ll be better going forward.

Titans 13 Jaguars 10

V. Young (TEN): 11-18/78yds/1TD/1INT, 11car/22yds/1TD; ESPN’s Tom Jackson said last night, “I don’t care about the stats, Vince Young just wins games.” Well, that may be true, but fantasy owners only care about the stats. As I have said before, his passing numbers will be too poor week-to-week to make him a viable QB1.

C. Brown (TEN): 19car/175yds, 1rec/3yds; While he was on my sleeper list, I certainly didn’t expect anything near this in Week 1. He deserves to get more carries than LeDale White going forward, and he probably will. However, if you own him, I would only start him as a RB3 until White is out of the picture.

L. White (TEN): 18car/66yds, 2rec/7yds; After watching this game on Sunday, I know why people question White’s weight and work ethic. He looked very overweight, while looking sluggish and slow along with it. There is no way he should get more touches than Chris Brown next week, and I don’t believe he will. Brown is the Titan RB to own.

J. Gage (TEN): 2rec/26yds; I put Justin Gage here just to make all owners aware that there is not a Titan WR worth owning. He led the team in receiving Sunday.

D. Garrard (JAX): 17-30/204yds/1TD, 5car/24yds; More than anything, Garrard’s game shows me that he can move the Jaguars offense enough to make their running game effective. He is not an option as a fantasy QB.

M. Jones-Drew (JAX): 7car/32yds, 3rec/28yds; This game from a Jags offensive perspective was a complete mirage, as they never really had the ball. The Titans ability to run over the Jags normally stout D kept the offense off the field for most of the 1st half. Jones-Drew carried the ball only 7 times, with Fred Taylor only having 6. Jones-Drew was on the field much more than Taylor, which is a good sign for coming weeks. Don’t get nervous if you’re an owner, and I suggest trying to pry him away from an owner who is.

F. Taylor (JAX): 6car/16yds; Again, the Jags were never able to play their offensive game, which is pounding the rock. They didn’t have the ball much in the 1st half, and they were playing catch-up in the 4th quarter. Taylor and Jones-Drew will get things on track next week against the Falcons.

D. Northcutt (JAX): 4rec/57yds; While he had a decent game, many of the Jags WR will remain inconsistent week-to-week. They will get back to pounding the ball on the ground next week.

J. Broussard (JAX): 2 rec/55yds/1TD; See Dennis Northcutt.

Vikings 24 Falcons 3

W. Dunn (ATL): 22car/55yds, 4rec/26yds; I’m sorry, but Dunn doesn’t deserve 17 more carries than Jerious Norwood, he’s just not good enough anymore.

J. Norwood (ATL): 5car/33yds, 2rec/24yds; Ummm…..I’m really confused. Jerious Norwood is by far the Falcons best offensive weapon, and he touches the ball 7 times? New head coach Bobby Petrino should be fired after one game, and I’m serious. If Warrick Dunn continues to out-touch Norwood, the Falcons may not win a game. If you are a Norwood owner, I wouldn’t worry, because I find it impossible to believe Petrino can be this dumb.

A. Crumpler (ATL): 4rec/40yds; As bad as Joey Harrington is, he is not any worse of a passer than Michael Vick is. He’ll have his big games as usual.

A. Peterson (MIN): 19car/103yds, 1rec/60yds/1TD; Wow, he looked good. It helped that Chester Taylor hurt his oblique early in the game, but it seemed AP was destined to shine in the opener. Although Taylor’s injury doesn’t appear serious, Peterson will be the man as long as healthy.

Patriots 38 Jets 14

T. Brady (NE): 22-28/297yds/3TD, 1car/4yds; I called for 3 TDs, and Brady delivered. As long as the Patriots aren’t winning every game (which is possible) Brady should have another career year.

L. Maroney (NE): 20car/72yds; Considering the Pats scored 38 points, it is disappointing that Maroney didn’t catch a pass or score a TD. It is also worrisome that Sammy Morris got 11 carries, and was effective doing so (54 yards). Heath Evans scored a late 1-yard TD, but that was with the game way out of hand, so it remains to be seen who will get the goal line touches when it counts. Concern should be growing for owners who took him late in the 1st round.

S. Morris (NE): 11car/54yds, 2rec/11yds; I don’t think anyone envisioned Morris getting this much work, but the Patriots are unpredictable. It could have been because of the score, but it could also be because the Pats don’t want to overwork Maroney.

R. Moss (NE): 9rec/183yds/1TD; I said he was the wildcard of the week, and he was all of that. I know it is just one week, but Moss may be on his way to a career yardage year. Oh yeah, he can score some TDs as well.

W. Welker (NE): 6rec/61yds/1TD; Despite the fact that Randy Moss showed up to play, there were still enough Tom Brady passes to go around. Welker is going to have a solid year with Moss opening up the underneath routes, and he is worth playing weekly as a WR3.

D. Stallworth (NE): 1rec/19yds; I think this game proves that Stalloworth may be the most inconsistent of the Patriots new WRs. However, that doesn’t mean he’s not going to have his big games, because he will. It is going to be difficult to judge when those games will come.

B. Watson (NE): 2rec/9yds/1TD; Although he was the forgotten man yardage wise, he managed to get a score from Brady. With all of Brady’s new weapons, Watson may have to take a backseat in the middle of the field.

C. Pennington (NYJ): 16-21/167yds/2TD, 1car/3yds; Much prediction came true, he didn’t finish the game. The stat line doesn’t look bad, but he is still a fantasy reserve at best.

T. Jones (NYJ): 14car/42yds, 1rec/6yds; Similar to what was expected. He’ll have some good games against weak defenses, but he can’t be counted on as a RB2.

L. Washington (NYJ): 4rec/15yds, 3rec/30yds; Washington had half the touches Thomas Jones did, and almost equaled him in yards. I can see this quickly turning into a split carry situation. Washington continues to be worth owning.

L. Coles (NYJ): 7rec/59yds/2TD; More yards and less TDs were expected, but Coles owners will certainly take it. Don’t be surprised if he doesn’t score again for a little while.

J. Cotchery (NYJ): 6rec/57yds; A decent game from Cotchery, but the Jets passing game will not be good enough to make both Coles and Cotchery worthy fantasy starters going forward. I wouldn’t start Cotchery as a WR3 unless Coles gets injured.

Feel free to email me at Jdimaggio5@aol.com with any questions you might have regarding your own team.

With Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison both having a big Thursday night, let’s take a look to see what other WRs have favorable matchups in Week 1.

1. S. Smith (CAR) at STL: Smith on the speedy field-turf surface spells doom for the Rams secondary
2. Terrell Owens (DAL) vs NYG: It would be a surprise if Owens didn’t score at least once
3. Anquan Boldin (ARI) at SF: He and Fitzgerald should both have nice Monday night games
4. Larry Fitzgerald (ARI) at SF: See Anquan Boldin

Hines Ward should get a score against the weak Browns secondary.

5. Hines Ward (PIT) at CLE: There is nothing not to like about his matchup
6. Andre Johnson (HOU) vs KC: Johnson should draw Ty Law who has been known to give up the big play before
7. Chad Johnson (CIN) vs BAL: We shall see if Chad gets to show us the endzone dance he’s been raving about
8. Torry Holt (STL) vs CAR: He would be higher if I was convinced he is healthy
9. Javon Walker (DEN) at BUF: If Cutler plays well on the road, Walker will be big in this one
10. Plaxico Burress (NYG) at DAL: Burress says his back feels great, and he should have a nice game
11. Roy Williams (DET) at OAK: Raiders secondary is tough, but big Roy can work his way through them
12. T.J. Houshmandzadeh (CIN) vs BAL: With the attention focused on CJ, he should get plenty of intermediate looks
13. Lee Evans (BUF) vs DEN: It would be hard to envision him toasting Champ Bailey at any point, but it could happen
14. Deion Branch (SEA) vs TB: He can never be assured of a TD but his yards should come close to 100
15. Santana Moss (WAS) vs MIA: He’s here because it’s always possible to look at the ticker and see a 90-yard Santana TD
16. Braylon Edwards (CLE) vs PIT: I like the fact that he should be playing catch-up in the one
17. Calvin Johnson (DET) at OAK: We will find out how far the rookie has come along in the preseason
18. D. Driver (GB) vs PHI: If his foot is ok, which it seems to be, there is no reason he shouldn’t have a quality game
19. Reggie Brown (PHI) at GB: I think Packers CB Al Harris is underrated, and he should be covering Brown most of the game
20. Mark Clayton (BAL) at CIN: The Ravens will run at least one play to get Clayton past the Bengals secondary
21. L. Coles (NYJ) vs NE: Most of the passes that Pennington completes should go Coles direction
22. R. Moss (NE) at NYJ: I can see like 1 catch for 8 yards, and I can also see decent yards and a TD, the wildcard of the week
23. J. Galloway (TB) at SEA: I think Galloway has a good chance of having a big game
24. S. Holmes (PIT) at CLE: Should have a nice opening game but probably won’t score
25. Vincent Jackson (SD) vs CHI: Always has a chance to score no matter the D
26. B. Berrian (CHI) at SD: There is always a chance Rex Grossman can throw a catchable deep ball for B squared
27. J. Cotchery (NYJ) vs NE: I’m just not sure if the Jets will have enough offense to go around
28. R. Curry (OAL) vs DET: He should big targeted a decent amount
29. D. Jackson (SF) vs ARI: He’ll likely find out quick enough that Alex Smith is no Matt Hasselbeck
30. P. Crayton (DAL) vs NYG: With Terry Glenn out, there is no reason Crayton won’t have a solid game
31. K. Curtis (PHI) at GB: Eagles will give him the opportunity to get down the field at some point in this one
32. D.J. Hackett (SEA) vs TB: As long as he’s on the field for the whole game, he has a good chance to score
33. C. Chambers (MIA) vs WAS: Can Trent Green get him the ball?
34. D. Stallworth (NE) at NYJ: If the WR roles were known for the Pats, Stallworth would be higher on the list
35. W. Welker (NE) at NYJ: See Donte Stallworth
36. J. Porter (OAK) vs DET: We will see who the #1 WR in Oakland is very soon
37. I. Bruce (STL) vs CAR: Marc Bulger could decide to look Bruce’s way more with Holt possibly ailing
38. D. Bennett (STL) vs CAR: Has scoring potential, it will depend on how much Bulger wants to go to him
39. B. Marshall (DEN) at BUF: Will highly depend on Jay Culter’s ability to spread the ball efficiently
40. M. Muhammad (CHI) at SD: Should still be Rex Grossman’s underneath man

Feel free to email me at Jdimaggio5@aol.com with any questions you might have regarding your own team.

We already know Joseph Addai looked every bit like a top 5 pick last night, while Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush struggled along with the rest of the Saints offense. It is time to rank the remaining RBs for Week 1.

1. F. Gore (SF) vs TB: Great matchup and Gore will prove he is as explosive as he was last season
2. S. Jackson (STL) vs CAR: No reason he shouldn’t rack up at least 100 total yards and at least 1 score
3. W. Parker (PIT) at CLE: Parker could have more total yards than any other RB this week

LT has a tough Week 1 matchup vs the Bears, but his owners should still get their TD fix.

4. L. Tomlinson (SD) vs CHI: Should score at least once as always, may not get to 100 total yards
5. B. Westbrook (PHI) at GB: 100+ total yards won’t be a problem
6. W. McGahee (BAL) at CIN: Good week 1 matchup for the new Raven
7. M. Jones-Drew (JAX) vs TEN: Could score multiple TDs against a weak Titans D
8. L. Johnson (KC) at HOU: Will get at least 20 touches despite what the Chiefs have said
9. S. Alexander (SEA) vs TB: Is a good bet to score a TD, we’ll see if he’s back in 2005 form
10. L. Maroney (NE) at NYJ: As long as the Patriots win he should get to 100 yards rushing
11. T. Henry (DEN) at BUF: If Cutler plays well, Henry will have a solid game
12. R. Johnson (CIN) vs BAL: The Ravens have simply owned Rudi, could punch in a short TD
13. B. Jacobs (NYG) at DAL: If the game is close, Jacobs will approach 25 carries, maybe more
14. A. Green (HOU) vs KC: I really like Green for close to 100 total yards and a TD this week
15. C. Benson (CHI) at SD: He’ll be involved early and often to take pressure off Grossman on the road, his final numbers will depend on the score
16. E. James (ARI) at SF: Great matchup, but without goal line carries he’ll have to break one to get a TD, could do it against a weak 49ers D
17. C. Williams (TB) at SEA: Could have a big game in the opener if he decides to show up this season
18. R. Brown (MIA) at WAS: I can’t see him scoring or getting to 100 total yards, but I’ve been wrong before
19. M. Barber (DAL) vs NYG: He should score, which is enough reason to put him over Julius Jones
20. J. Jones (DAL) vs NYG: Should have a decent game yardage wise
21. D. Foster (CAR) at STL: If Foster gets 20 touches he’ll have a solid game, obviously that is a question mark
22. D. Williams (CAR) at STL: See DeShaun Foster
23. L. Jordan (OAK) vs DET: The matchup is great, but Oakland’s offense should give Jordan few scoring chances
24. L. Betts (WAS) vs MIA: Very tough matchup even if he does get more carries than Clinton Portis, but he should still get sufficient yardage
25. C. Portis (WAS) vs MIA: If the Redskins score, it more than likely will be Portis
26. M. Lynch (BUF) vs DEN: I can’t see this game going well for the rookie, Denver is tough on D
27. A. Peterson (MIN) vs ATL: The wildcard of the week, he could do a lot or he could do nothing
28. T. Jones (NYJ) vs NE: Should be stuffed by the Patriots D on the attempts he does receive
29. F. Taylor (JAX) vs TEN: With little chance of a TD and very few receiving chances, he needs to be big on the ground, the matchup makes him a good flex start
30. T. Bell (DET) at OAK: No one knows what his exact role will be compared to T.J. Duckett, but an average day is likely on the horizon
31. L. White (TEN) at JAX: Much like Tatum Bell, his role is uncertain in Week 1 and he has a very tough matchup against the Jags D
32. J. Norwood (ATL) at MIN: I love his prospects, but it is hard to predict what his role will be, has a 50+ TD run in him
33. B. Jackson (GB) vs PHI: Expected to start, but I’m not sure there is much to be excited about after that
34. L. Washington (NYJ) vs NE: He could definitely get between 50-100 total yards with Thomas Jones ailing a bit
35. J. Lewis (CLE) vs PIT: There is nothing good about this situation
36. W. Dunn (ATL) at MIN: Jerious Norwood should get more touches and have the better game
37. C. Taylor (MIN) vs ATL: Will likely play on 3rd downs and spell Adrian Peterson
38. C. Brown (TEN) at JAX: If LenDale White looks sluggish, Brown should get some touches
39. V. Morency (GB) vs PHI: If he is able to go with his knee injury, he could split time with Jackson
40. M. Pittman (TB) at SEA: Has a chance to make some big plays on 3rd downs, will spell Carnell Williams

Feel free to email me at Joseph.Badalucco@451press.net with any questions you might have regarding your own team.