Coming to you live from SE Asia, I cannot tell you how much I hate jetlag, but at least it provides ample opportunity to analyze Week 1 of the NFL season and provide you with the guys I love and hate for week 1 in fantasy football. I am so pumped about the season and I will be equally pumped if my NFL To Go, provided by DirecTv works well enough for me to follow all the fun on Sunday (or shall I say early on Monday morning here in Asia). Check out my picks…on the other side…
Guys I Like
- Beanie Wells vs Carolina – Wells is going to have a long leash in the early going without much behind him, including recently signed Bears castoff, Chester Taylor. I think AZ will look to establish the run and not put too much pressure on Kevin Kolb to toss the ball around. Wells could be in line for 25 touches.
- Cleveland DST vs Cincy – Andy Dalton didn’t show too much in the preseason for the Bungles and I expect Cleveland to throw the kitchen sink at him and for Dalton to crap down his leg most of the day. It is not often the Browns DST will be a good play, but this is one week they will be.
- Frank Gore vs Seattle – The Seattle D might be the only good thing going for it right now, but with only a short time to implement Jim Harbaugh’s offense in San Fran, I expect a heavy dose of Gore. Gotta make him earn that new paper.
- Maurice Jones-Drew vs Tennessee – With the recent release of David Garrard, the Jags are going to rely on MJD even more. Let’s face it, even with Garrard, the Jags offense is not too scary and MJD is used to facing 9 in the box. I especially expect him to be heavily involved in the pass game and he will be money in a PPR format.
- Santana Moss vs NY Giants – Okay, I know Rex is their quarterback, but someone has to catch the ball for the ‘Skins and the Giants secondary is extremely depleated. I expect Moss to get a double digit targets this week and sneak behind the secondary for at least one score.
Guys I Don’t Like
- Reggie Wayne @ Houston – With Kerry Collins at QB, I expect tough sledding for this usual must-start, Wayne. The fact is you will likely have to start him, but don’t expect much as the Houston defense will be solid this year and will look to make a statement that they are the team to beat in the AFC South this season.
- Felix Jones @ NY Jets – The anniversary of 9/11 and the Jets will be flying high in NYC. Jones will be a solid fantasy contributor this season, but not this week against the stout Jets defense.
- Cedric Benson @ Cleveland – Sure, he will get the rock, but it will likely come against 9 or 10 men in the box and it will be tough sledding for the recently released convict.
- Mark Ingram @ Green Bay – The rookie looked good in the preseason, but the Superbowl champs will be up to the task to take the running game away from New Orleans. I don’t think Ingram will be a Ryan Matthews-esque bust as a rookie, but it is going to take some time for him to get used to regular season game speed.
- Matt Ryan @ Bears – The Bears are tough when they open the season at home and I fully expect Lach and the boys to be ready for Matty Ice. Plus, if nothing else, I expect malcontent, Lance Briggs to try to prove the Bears wrong for not re-doing his deal (I am not saying they should have) and he will have a monster game.
Good luck this week…are you ready for some football?!?!?!?!?!?!?
CAN I GET AN AMEN?!?!?!?!?!
The DeCon has spoken, so let it be written, so let it be done…
Hit me in the comments with your lineup questions or better yet, drop me a mail to beargoggles.decon@gmail.com or tweet me @DeCon76.