Vikings @ Saints - (Kilroy)

Brett Favre / Adrian Peterson
Bernard Berrian / Percy Harvin / Visanthe Shiancoe (vs. New Orleans)

Passing Game Thoughts: The Vikings offense ranked 8th in the league last season with an average of just under 260 passing yards per game. They avoided what would have been a serious blow to their passing attack this year, and a dilemma at the quarterback position, when Brett Favre announced his decision to return to the field for a 20th season in mid-August. Shortly after Favre’s announcement, however, it was revealed Sidney Rice (Favre’s best target in 2009) would be sidelined until at least Week 9 as he recovers from hip surgery he should have had earlier in the offseason. As a result receivers Bernard Berrian and Percy Harvin will be leaned upon more heavily in the early goings while Greg Camarillo and Greg Lewis attempt to make themselves worthwhile contributors out of the slot.

Although the Saints defense ranked 26th in the league against the pass last year – allowing just over 235 passing yards per game – a rusty Favre, combined with the Hall of Fame QB playing his first game in purple sans Sidney Rice, should bode well for New Orleans defense. It’s also worth noting that while the Saints secondary yielded a fair amount of yardage through the air in 2009 they also held opponents to a combined 15 touchdowns on the season – 5th fewest in the league. The 26 interceptions they recorded were 3rd most in the NFL.

All in all, Favre should be able to total more than 225 passing yards in this contest, but don’t be surprised if he tosses a couple of interceptions. Berrian and Harvin should both be good for 60 or more yards receiving with Visanthe Shiancoe being a threat to haul one in in the end zone.

Running Game Thoughts: The Vikings chances of winning this game will likely be determined by whether or not they can control the clock with their rushing attack. Adrian Peterson remains arguably the best rusher in the league and with New Orleans having allowed 19 rushing touchdowns in 2009, as backs averaged 4.5 yards per carry against them, Minnesota would be wise to feed him the ball early and often. Peterson should be good for an easy 20 plus touches this week with a touchdown amongst them.

Projections:
Brett Favre – 240 yards passing / 1 TD / 2 INTs
Adrian Peterson – 105 yards rushing / 1 TD / 20 yards receiving
Bernard Berrian – 65 yards receiving / 0 TDs
Percy Harvin – 80 yards receiving / 0 TDs
Visanthe Shiancoe – 45 yards receiving / 1 TD

Drew Brees / Pierre Thomas / Reggie Bush
Marques Colston / Robert Meachem / Devery Henderson / Lance Moore / Jeremy Shockey (vs. Minnesota)

Passing Game Thoughts: The Saints offense, led by Drew Brees, is possibly the most explosive unit in the league. While they are capable of moving the ball well, both through the air and on the ground, look for them to heavily favor their passing attack this week since Minnesota’s rush defense has been regarded as the best in the NFL over the past few seasons. That said, the Vikings secondary is vulnerable and New Orleans will look to exploit it.

If the Saints can strike first and build a lead of 13 or more points heading into the second half they could force the Vikings to play catch up. As a result Adrian Peterson would become less of a factor and the chances of Favre throwing a few interceptions increases. It’s a game plan that makes plenty of sense for the defending Super Bowl Champions and one they should manage to do successfully.

In the end Brees is a safe bet to throw for more than 250 yards. Marques Colston should finish with productive numbers and a potential score while Robert Meachem, Devery Henderson, and Lance Moore make contributions of their own.

Running Game Thoughts: While Pierre Thomas may finally be in position to be viewed as a true feature back for the Saints this season don’t expect him to have all that strong of an outing in the opener. The Saints can run the ball well, as they demonstrated last year when they ranked 6th in the NFL with an average of 131.6 rushing yards per game, but the Vikings defense is incredibly stingy against opposing rushers. They limited teams to an average of just 87.1 rushing yards per game in 2009 while holding opponents to even less than that from 2006-2008.

Thomas should be able to total something in the 60-85 total yard range, but unless he reaches the end zone he’s likely to have one of his least productive outings of the season this week. Reggie Bush meanwhile could prove to be a valuable factor as a receiver out of the backfield, but won’t do much on the ground unless he breaks off a long run somewhere.

Projections:
Drew Brees – 300 yards passing / 3 TDs / 0 INTs
Pierre Thomas – 50 yards rushing / 0 TDs / 10 yards receiving
Reggie Bush – 20 yards rushing / 1 TD / 20 yards receiving
Marques Colston – 90 yards receiving / 2 TDs
Robert Meachem – 80 yards receiving / 1 TD
Devery Henderson – 30 yards receiving / 0 TDs
Lance Moore – 40 yards receiving / 0 TDs
Jeremy Shockey – 30 yards receiving / 0 TDs

Prediction: New Orleans 31, Minnesota 17 ^ Top

Raiders @ Titans - (Kilroy)

Jason Campbell / Michael Bush / Darren McFadden
Louis Murphy / Darrius Heyward-Bey / Zach Miller (vs. Tennessee)

Passing Game Thoughts: After JaMarcus Russell was let go early in the offseason the Raiders acquired Jason Campbell from the Washington Redskins to run their offense. While Campbell is an upgrade at the position there is little reason to be overly excited about his prospects in the Silver and Black.

Oakland’s pass attack ranked 29th in the league last year with an average of just under 160 passing yards per game. The 10 touchdowns they threw for also happened to be a league worst. In other words Campbell has his work cut out for him.

Without any proven talent at the wide receiver position tight end Zach Miller easily remains the Raiders best option in the passing game. Campbell had a strong rapport with Chris Cooley during his time as a Redskin, so there is reason to believe he’ll make good use of Miller, but outside of that Oakland’s passing attack is unlikely to impress.

Against the Titans, a team that allowed 31 touchdown passes and nearly 260 passing yards per game last season, its possible Campbell will deliver a solid outing. You most likely have a better option to go with at the position though.

Running Game Thoughts: Michael Bush won the preseason battle against Darren McFadden to be named the starting halfback at the start of the season, but a fracture to his left thumb has his availability for the opener in question. Bush has taken part in practice this week, however, which makes it likely he will be in action on Sunday.

Earlier this offseason Raiders head coach Tom Cable stated his desire to have one player clearly identified as his primary back, which means Bush, if healthy, should handle the majority of carries throughout the year. Former first round pick Darren McFadden would be reduced to the role of a third down and change of pace back as a result. Against the Titans however, it may not matter which back receives most of the work as Tennessee’s defense is usually pretty stout against the run.

Projections:
Jason Campbell – 185 yards passing / 1 TD / 1 INTs
Michael Bush – 70 yards rushing / 0 TDs / 10 yards receiving
Darren McFadden – 20 yards rushing / 0 TDs / 25 yards receiving
Louis Murphy – 50 yards receiving / 0 TDs
Darrius Heyward-Bey – 40 yards receiving / 0 TDs
Zach Miller – 60 yards receiving / 1 TD

Vince Young / Chris Johnson
Nate Washington / Kenny Britt / Justin Gage / Bo Scaife (vs. Oakland)

Passing Game Thoughts: For all of Oakland’s woes in recent years their defense against the pass has been one of their few bright spots. They ranked 7th in the league against it in 2009, as opponents threw for a little more than 205 yards per outing against them. That being the case, and with the Titans aerial attack lacking, there’s no reason to expect much from Vince Young or his wide receivers this week. Their bread and butter is Chris Johnson, and since Oakland’s defense is weak against the run we may see more of Johnson in this contest than we are already accustomed to.

Running Game Thoughts: As Johnson embarks on his quest to become the first running back to rush for more than 2,000 yards twice in his career (and in back-to-back seasons) he couldn’t have landed a better opponent in Week 1 than that of the Oakland Raiders. Oakland has struggled to defend opponents rushing attack as of late and last season was no exception with teams averaging 155.5 rushing yards per game against them. Oakland also allowed 24 rushing touchdowns, which was tied for most in the league. Taking these things into consideration don’t be surprised if Johnson kicks things off with a 200-yard outing this Sunday.

Projections:
Vince Young – 175 yards passing / 1 TD / 0 INTs / 20 yards rushing
Chris Johnson – 155 yards rushing / 2 TDs / 15 yards receiving
Nate Washington – 40 yards receiving / 1 TD
Kenny Britt – 60 yards receiving / 0 TDs
Justin Gage – 30 yards receiving / 0 TDs
Bo Scaife – 20 yards receiving / 0 TDs

Prediction: Tennessee 27, Oakland 13 ^ Top

Browns @ Buccaneers - (Kilroy)

Jake Delhomme / Jerome Harrison
Mohammed Massaquoi / Josh Cribbs / Brian Robiskie / Ben Watson (vs. Tampa Bay)

Passing Game Thoughts: Like Oakland, the Browns have a new QB under center for them heading into their 2010 campaign. Also like Oakland, is the fact that their new QB faces a difficult challenge ahead as he tries to bring about a significant improvement to his new squads passing attack.

The Cleveland Browns aerial assault was worst in the league last season, averaging less than 130 yards per game. They also averaged an abysmal (and league worst) 5.1 yards per passing attempt in 2009. While Jake Delhomme should bring about an improvement in both those areas for the Browns his best days are clearly behind him.

Against the Buccaneers, a team that ranked 10th in the league against the pass in 2009, no one should be expecting Delhomme to produce much yardage. Tampa Bay did allow 28 touchdown passes last season however, so it’s likely he’ll manage to connect with at least one of his targets in the end zone.

Running Game Thoughts: For as bad as Cleveland was at moving the ball through the air last season their rushing attack was actually pretty productive. Their average of just over 130 rushing yards per game ranked 8th in the league, although the 10 touchdowns they produced on the ground could have been better. That said it likely would have been if they managed to get any type of meaningful production from their quarterbacks.

Jerome Harrison, a breakout performer towards the end of last season, should have himself a strong outing in the opener against Tampa Bay. The biggest threat to his playing time, rookie Montario Hardesty, was lost for the year during the preseason which has cleared the way for Harrison to build upon his output of a year ago.

Tampa Bay allowed a league worst 158.2 rushing yards per game last season along with 16 touchdowns via the ground to be had against them. If you happen to own Harrison Week 1 is a good week to start him.

Projections:
Jake Delhomme – 180 yards passing / 1 TD / 1 INT
Jerome Harrison – 100 yards rushing / 1 TD / 30 yards receiving
Mohamed Massaquoi – 65 yards receiving / 1 TD
Josh Cribbs – 35 yards receiving / 0 TDs
Brian Robiskie – 20 yards receiving / 0 TDs
Ben Watson – 25 yards receiving / 0 TDs

Josh Freeman / Cadillac Williams
Mike Williams / Sammie Stroughter / Kellen Winslow (vs. Cleveland)

Passing Game Thoughts: Quarterback Josh Freeman has been nursing a fractured right thumb since the second week of the preseason, but is expected to start this Sunday. He took all of his regular snaps in practice on Tuesday before sitting out Wednesday’s practice to rest the thumb, but head coach Raheem Morris stated it was simply done to make sure he’ll be able to play on Sunday.

Whether Freeman plays on Sunday or not however, it’s doubtful he’s someone owners will be plugging into their starting line-up. He does have a solid match-up against a Cleveland secondary that allowed nearly 245 passing yards per game last season, but Tampa’s offense is far from prolific and the injured thumb he’d be playing with could lead to some errant throws.

Running Game Thoughts: It’s hard to believe Cadillac Williams is still a starter for the Buccaneers considering his past bouts with serious knee injuries, but nonetheless he continues to handle most of the work out of the Tampa Bay backfield. While that hasn’t translated into much fantasy success for him (Williams hasn’t averaged more than 3.9 yards per carry or scored more than 4 touchdowns since 2005) this week’s contest against the Cleveland Browns is as good a week as any to rely on him as a number two fantasy back.

Cleveland ranked 28th in the league against the run last season, yielding nearly 145 yards per game on the ground. With neither the Buccaneers or the Browns possessing much offensive fire power, both teams are likely to feature their ground game pretty heavily in this contest. Williams should come close to handling 20 carries for anywhere from 80-100 yards rushing and may tack on a few receptions as well. It’s also a fair possibility that he’ll punch one into the end zone this week.

Projections:
Josh Freeman – 190 yards passing / 1 TD / 2 INTs
Cadillac Williams – 110 yards rushing / 1 TD / 10 yards receiving
Mike Williams – 55 yards receiving / 0 TDs
Sammie Stroughter – 45 yards receiving / 0 TDs
Kellen Winslow – 70 yards receiving / 1 TD

Prediction: Cleveland 20, Tampa Bay 14 ^ Top

Broncos @ Jaguars - (Kilroy)

Kyle Orton / Knowshon Moreno / Correll Buckhalter
Jabar Gaffney / Eddie Royal / Daniel Graham (vs. Jacksonville)

Passing Game Thoughts: Kyle Orton remains the starter in Denver for now, but the departure of Brandon Marshall (along with the arrival of first round pick Tim Tebow) hasn’t made his job any easier. Journeyman Jabar Gaffney is now his top target at wide receiver while third year veteran Eddie Royal attempts to rebound from his incredibly disappointing sophomore campaign.

Orton does have a solid match-up this week against a Jaguars defensive unit that allowed 235.9 passing yards per game last season along with 28 touchdowns, however. Also, the fact that both Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter are nursing injuries heading into this contest may lead to Denver relying on more of a pass oriented attack than they normally would.

There’s no doubt Orton would be a risky start, but the potential is there for him to deliver a solid outing in Week 1.

Running Game Thoughts: As mentioned above, both Knowshon Moreno (hamstring) and Correll Buckhalter (back) are dealing with injuries heading into the opener. Moreno is expected to play however after being a full participant in Wednesday’s practice in preparation for their contest this week against the Jaguars. Correll Buckhalter is also expected to play. This is encouraging news for their owners, but it’s somewhat risky to rely on either option should they suffer any setbacks during the game on Sunday.

The match-up itself is fair enough, although it’s not one that should be viewed as a must start for Moreno. Jacksonville allowed an average of 116.4 rushing yards per game last season while limiting teams to 12 rushing touchdowns and an average 4.1 yards per rushing attempt. If Moreno is able to handle most of the workload he’d be a solid number two fantasy back, but his numbers would take a dip should Buckhalter eat into his touches like he had at times last season.

Projections:
Kyle Orton – 220 yards passing / 2 TDs / 1 INT
Knowshon Moreno – 70 yards rushing / 0 TDs / 20 yards receiving / 1 TD
Correll Buckhalter – 25 yards rushing / 0 TDs / 20 yards receiving
Jabar Gaffney – 80 yards receiving / 1 TD
Eddie Royal – 60 yards receiving / 0 TDs
Daniel Graham – 20 yards receiving / 0 TDs

David Garrard / Maurice Jones-Drew
Mike Sims-Walker / Mike Thomas / Marcedes Lewis (vs. Denver)

Passing Game Thoughts: Denver’s defense ranked third in the league against the pass last season and with the Jaguars being noted more as a ground oriented offense it may be a good idea to start someone other than David Garrard at the QB position this week. Jacksonville averaged just 209.8 passing yards per game in 2009 while Denver surrendered an average of just 186.3 passing yards per contest.

The Jaguars will have more success moving the ball on the ground, which the Denver defense struggled against last year. Garrard could have himself a solid fantasy outing if he racks up a few yards with his feet, but his passing statistics are likely to be fairly pedestrian.

Running Game Thoughts: Maurice Jones-Drew is one of the best backs in the league and will be facing a Denver defensive unit that allowed 128.7 rushing yards per game last season with opposing backs averaging 4.5 yards per carry against them. As the main cog in the Jaguars offense Jones-Drew should easily see 20-25 touches this week while producing more than 100 total yards. He’s also likely to come away with at least one touchdown.

Projections:
David Garrard – 160 yards passing / 1 TD / 0 INTs / 15 yards rushing
Maurice Jones-Drew – 105 yards rushing / 2 TDs / 30 yards receiving
Mike Sims-Walker – 55 yards receiving / 1 TD
Mike Thomas – 40 yards receiving / 0 TDs
Marcedes Lewis – 15 yards receiving / 0 TDs

Prediction: Jacksonville 24, Denver 14 ^ Top

Colts @ Texans - (Kilroy)

Peyton Manning / Joseph Addai / Donald Brown
Reggie Wayne / Pierre Garcon / Anthony Gonzalez / Dallas Clark (vs. Houston)

Passing Game Thoughts: This contest features the two top rated passing attacks from last season going head to head against each other. So with that said, it’s obvious that one should expect plenty of yards to be compiled through the air by both Peyton Manning and Matt Schaub. The outing will likely be one of the higher scoring games this week as well, which means plenty of touchdown opportunities for Manning and his targets in the passing game. Expect Peyton to total 280 or more yards through the air with a few of touchdowns added for good measure.

Running Game Thoughts: Joseph Addai was a productive fantasy back last season, but the reason had more to do with the number of touchdowns he produced rather than the yardage he compiled on the ground. The Colts rushing attack was worst in the league last season as it produced an average of just 80.9 yards per game. With second year player Donald Brown expected to make more of a contribution than he had as a rookie that leaves precious few yardage to be split amongst two backs.

For the most part, if Addai doesn’t score than he won’t provide many points for your fantasy squad – especially in non PPR leagues. As for this week’s contest, however, chances are high that Addai will find the end zone (unless Brown squanders it from him) seeing as the Texans allowed 17 touchdowns via the ground in 2009.

Projections:
Peyton Manning – 320 yards passing / 3 TDs / 0 INTs
Joseph Addai – 55 yards rushing / 1 TD / 20 yards receiving
Donald Brown – 25 yards rushing / 0 TDs / 20 yards receiving
Reggie Wayne – 100 yards receiving / 1 TD
Pierre Garcon – 70 yards receiving / 1 TD
Anthony Gonzalez – 30 yards receiving / 0 TDs
Dallas Clark – 70 yards receiving / 1 TD

Matt Schaub / Arian Foster / Steve Slaton
Andre Johnson / Kevin Walter / Jacoby Jones / Owen Daniels (vs. Indianapolis)

Passing Game Thoughts: The Texans passing attack ranked top in the league last season with an average 290.9 yards per game. In this week’s contest against the Colts they are sure to have to go to the air again in order to keep pace with what is likely to be a high scoring affair. Matt Schaub should be in for a successful day, as should his primary target Andre Johnson.

Houston’s coaches have indicated Owen Daniels may be on a play count as he returns to action following a torn ACL suffered in Week 8 of last season, so his production may be limited this week, but Kevin Walter and the emerging Jacoby Jones could prove worthy of making up for he generates in the passing game during the times he’s not on the field.

Running Game Thoughts: It appears Arian Foster has cemented himself as the featured back in Houston as he followed up on his productive outings near the end of the 2009 campaign with an impressive showing during the preseason. Steve Slaton will still see action as the third down and change of pace back for the Texans, but Foster will handle the majority of carries and will continue to do so as long as he’s productive.

Houston’s rushing attack, like Indianapolis’, struggled last season as they produced an average of just 92.2 yards per game on the ground. That said, the Colts allowed an average of 126.5 rushing yards per contest in 2009, so the opportunity will be there for Foster to make impressive showing in the Texans home opener. Slaton could also find himself getting a lot of looks as a receiver out of the backfield in this one making him a player worth considering in PPR leagues.

Projections:
Matt Schaub – 290 yards passing / 2 TDs / 1 INT
Arian Foster – 80 yards rushing / 1 TD / 20 yards receiving
Steve Slaton – 20 yards rushing / 0 TDs / 35 yards receiving
Andre Johnson – 120 yards receiving / 1 TD
Kevin Walter – 40 yards receiving / 0 TDs
Jacoby Jones – 40 yards receiving / 1 TD
Owen Daniels – 35 yards receiving / 0 TDs

Prediction: Indianapolis 31, Houston 24 ^ Top

Dolphins @ Bills - (Marcoccio)

Chad Henne/Ronnie Brown/Ricky Williams
Brandon Marshall/Brian Hartline/Davone Bess/Anthony Fasano (vs. BUF)

Passing Game Thoughts: Although the Dolphins passing offense was very hit or miss last season, first year starter Chad Henne showed Miami fans that he may finally be the answer the Phins have been seeking at QB since the departure of Dan Mario. Of course Henne will still be expected to take the next step in 2010, especially with the addition of WR Brandon Marshall. Miami traded two second round picks to the Broncos for Marshall’s services and then promptly extended his contract. Hence, it’s not illogical to think that the Dolphins will move at least one step closer to joining the passing trend that has been sweeping through the NFL. Henne threw for 2800 yards and 12 TDs in 14 games last season with Ted Ginn Jr. as his No. 1 target. The addition of Marshall, and his three consecutive 100 catch seasons, should make Henne a high upside QB2 for your fantasy squad and he could approach QB1 status quickly. Second year WR Brian Hartline should line-up opposite Marshall in the starting line-up but will likely not be consistent enough from week to week to be counted on by fantasy owners. While Marshall is a must start every week, proceed with caution on Henne, as I expect HC Tony Sparano to play it safe in Week 1 and keep the ball grounded against what was a terrible Bills run defense last season.

The Bills were outstanding against the pass last season – albeit in what could be a chicken/egg scenario since teams were able to run at will against them. So why pass? They finished second in the league against the pass allowing only 184.3 ypg and 14 TDs on the season. The Bills were an extremely opportunistic defense – lead by rookie Jairius Byrd who grabbed 9 of the 29 interceptions forced by the Bills. However, it should be noted that Buffalo released their only legit pass rusher, Aaron Schnoebel, this preseason. It may be tougher to generate as many turnovers by opposing QBs when they are not under nearly as much pressure as last season.

Running Game Thoughts: The “Wild Cat” wasn’t as prevalent in 2009 as it was in 2008, but was still a big part of the Miami offense, and it was still very effective. Ronnie Brown once again failed to make it through a season healthy, but was running real well during the first half of the season. Just remember those lis franc injuries can be very tricky, so be wary of brown getting off to a slow start in 2010. After Brown went down, Ricky Williams defied his age and helped many of his fantasy owners surge into the playoffs. Those two big and fast backs in the backfield combined with the young mobile o-linemen in Miami, makes it very difficult to stop the Dolphins rushing attack whether they are lined up in a Wild Cat package or in a conventional set. Expect a heavy dosage of runs this week as the Phins should try and control the clock against a poor run defense.

The Bills defense was putrid last season and the team has not done much, from a personnel standpoint at least, to expect a major improvement in 2010. They were ranked 30th amongst the league’s 32 teams after allowing 156.3 ypg and 19 TDs on the ground. If the Bills’ defenders are not able to step up against the Miami Brown/Williams duo it could be a long day in Buffalo for their suffering fans.

Projections:
Chad Henne: 215 yards, 1 TD, 2 Ints.
Brandon Marshall: 85 yds receiving
Brian Hartline: 30 yds receiving
Davone Bess: 20 yds receiving
Anthony Fasano: 30 yds receiving, 1 TD
Ronnie Brown: 85 yds rushing, 1 TD / 10 yds rec.
Ricky Williams: 50 yds rushing / 20 yds receiving

Trent Edwards/CJ Spiller/Fred Jackson/Marshawn Lynch
Lee Evans/Steve Johnson/Jonathan Stuper (vs. MIA)

Passing Game Thoughts: After five weeks in 2008, Trent Edwards’ name was being mentioned in conversation regarding the NFL MVP. Things change quickly in this league. In 2009 he was benched for journeyman and former Harvard QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. Edwards seemed gun shy about throwing the ball downfield despite the presence of downfield threats Lee Evans and Terrell Owens. He must attempt to stretch the field this season if the Bills are going to be able to create running room for their talented backfield. New Head Coach Chan Gailey has been a very effective OC in the NFL and was even able to get good production from an undrafted QB, Tyler Thigpen, while in Kansas City, so Buffalo fans have to hope he can turn this passing game around despite the limited experience of the receivers apart from Lee Evans.

Miami was very poor against the pass last season (24th ranked, allowing 234.6 ppg and 23 TDs through the air). Former first round pick Jason Allen beat out second year and incumbent Sean Smith for the right to start at CB in training camp and may be he better fit for the more aggressive defensive scheme of new DC Mike Nolan. Without a dominant pass rusher, Miami will need to rely on Nolan’s schemes and blitzes in order to generate pressure. Edwards has shown that he can be rattled easily in the NFL despite his pedigree as a Stanford QB that was hit often in the PAC 10. Expect Nolan to try and take advantage of the Bills porous o-line and Edwards shakiness under pressure.

Running Game Thoughts: Fred Jackson was the Bills best offensive player on the field last season most weeks, but that could change with the addition of rookie sensation CJ Spiller drafted 9th overall out of Clemson. Spiller is a dynamic runner with elite top end speed, but could have some troubles running between tackles – if there is indeed any space behind the poor Buffalo o-line. Jackson’s broken hand is expected to be healed enough to allow him to play in Week 1, but he’s sure to be a little rusty and limited. Former first round pick, Marshawn Lynch, who fell out of favor last season after starting the year serving a suspension should be back in the mix as well, especially in short yardage situations. Until fantasy owners see how Gailey plans to use his three talented backs, it’s going to be tough to start any of them with much confidence. Spiller’s big play and pass catching abilities make him an intriguing start, however, in leagues which allow a flex spot and award receiving points.

The Dolphins were a middle of the road run defense in 2009, but a healthy Channing Crowder should improve the unit in 2010. Combined with Akin Ayodele the line backer corp. is a hard hitting unit. It could therefore become difficult to run against Miami in 2010 provided the defensive line is able to adequately replace big bodied NT Jason Ferguson with seven year vet Randy Starks.

Projections:
Trent Edwards: 195 yds passing, 1 TD, 1 Int. / 10 yards rushing
Lee Evans: 60 yds receiving, 1 TD
Steve Johnson: 65 yds receiving
Jonathan Stupar: 5 yds receiving
C.J. Spiller: 85 yds rushing, 1 TD / 35 yds receiving
Fred Jackson: 45 yds rushing / 15 yds receiving
Marshawn Lynch: 25 yds rushing

Prediction: Bills 20 Dolphins 17 ^ Top

Panthers @ Giants - (Marcoccio)

Matt Moore/DeAngelo Williams/Jonathan Stewart
Steve Smith/Dwayne Jerrett/Jeff King (vs. NYG)

Passing Game Thoughts: Jake Delhomme is gone and Matt Moore grabs the reigns in Carolina after finishing up the 2009 season with a 4-1 record. Steve Smith is still the only legit weapon in the passing game, and he’ll be coming in a little rusty after missing all of training camp with a broken arm. Despite no one to take coverage away for him, Smith is still a viable fantasy option, as he uses his incredible quickness and surprising strength to create a tough matchup for any corner back assigned to cover him. Neither the underachieving Dwayne Jarrett or whichever uninspiring TE emerges in Carolina is even worth flyer value in fantasy circles, unless your league is extremely deep.

The Giants were extremely banged up in the secondary last season leading to a very disappointing season by Big Blue standards. This preseason 2/3 of the Giants top cornerbacks, Aaron Ross and Corey Webster, have already missed time, but should be ready to go on Sunday. Perhaps the biggest disappointment of last season though was the lack of the vaunted pass rush which was the cornerstone of the defense in the prior seasons, including the shocking Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots. A healthy Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora combined with more aggressive play calling from new DC Perry Fewell should go a long way towards rectifying that problem.

Running Game Thoughts: Carolina features two of the most talented RBs in the league with their combination of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. The duo has been dubbed “Smash and Dash” – but the moniker is a little deceiving. It implies that Williams (“Dash”) is a small quick back while Stewart (“Smash”) plods away earning those tough yards. The truth though is at 217 pounds Williams is plenty big and can gain tough inside yards and Stewart possesses tremendous speed for a back his size. Expect a heavy dose of smashing and dashing this Sunday from the Panthers at the New Meadowlands Stadium.

The Giants gave up a 110.8 ypg and 21 TDs on the ground last season. The unit will need to step up if they plan on getting revenge for last season’s dismantling by the Panthers during the Giants’ last game at Giants Stadium The Panthers won that game 41-9 and allowed over 200 yards rushing and that was with Williams sidelined. The Giants are hoping that newly acquired Keith Bulluck can adjust to the middle linebacker role that he’ll be asked to play after spending his entire NFL career at an outside spot.

Projections:
Matt Moore: 195 yards, 1 TD
Steve Smith: 85 yds receiving, 1 TD
Dwayne Jarrett: 30 yds receiving
Jeff King: 15 yds receiving
DeAngelo Williams: 115 yds rushing, 1 TD / 30 yds receiving
Jonathan Stewart: 65 yds rushing, 1 TD / 10 yds receiving

Eli Manning/ Brandon Jacobs/Ahmad Bradshaw
Steve Smith/Mario Manningham/Hakeem Nicks/Kevin Boss (vs. CAR)

Passing Game Thoughts: Eli Manning had his best statistical season in 2009, despite playing most of the season with pain in his foot. He has emerged as the leader and focal point of this offense after taking a back seat to the running game early in his career. He was largely responsible for making the Giants biggest question mark heading into the 2009 season – their WRs – into the true strength of the team. WR Steve Smith broke the Giants record for receptions in a season, finishing with 107, and was a steady presence for Eli to rely on all year. Hakeem Nicks had a nice run after being banged up for most of the early part of his rookie season and is a prime breakout candidate for 2010.

Carolina played very well against the pass last season, finishing fourth in the league. They held opponents to only 191.0 ypg and 14 TDs through the air, while forcing 22 interceptions. The team will need some one on the defensive line to step up and replace DE Julius Pepper’s pass rushing ability after the inconsistent end left for a big payday in Chicago or those impressive stats may not hold up in 2010.

Running Game Thoughts: Brandon Jacobs has lost his starting spot to fourth year back Ahmad Bradshaw. However, the offense works best when they can hit opposing defenses with a one two punch in the running game, so don’t expect much to change from last season’s RBBC approach, except that Bradshaw will now the one getting the lion’s share instead of Jacobs. Bradshaw is a dynamic runner with surprising power and should jump start the stagnant running game which was uncharacteristically ineffective, after both backs suffered nagging injures early in the season.

The Panthers lost a bunch of interior linemen (Ma’ake Kemoeatu, Corvey Irvin and Louis Leonard) during the 2009 season, depleting the middle of their defense which made them vulnerable to power running teams. Only Louis Leonard will be back this season with the Panthers, so the teams will need some other players to step up and keep the opposition’s interior o-linemen off of talented linebackers Dan Conner and Jon Beason, in order to allow them to make plays.

Projections:
Eli Manning: 305 yds passing, 2 TDs
Steve Smith: 80 yds receiving, 1 TD
Mario Manningham: 30 yds receiving
Hakeem Nicks: 85 yds receiving, 1 TD
Kevin Boss: 55 yds receiving
Brandon Jacobs: 60 yds rushing, 1 TD / 5 yds receiving
Ahmad Bradshaw: 105 yds rushing / 50 yds receiving

Prediction: Giants 24 Panthers 21 ^ Top

Bengals @ Patriots - (Marcoccio)

Carson Palmer/Cedric Benson
Chad Ochocinco/Terrell Owens/Jermaine Greshem (vs. NE)

Passing Game Thoughts: Frankly Carson Palmer’s arm looked shot during much of the 2009 season, especially during the season’s later half. As you probably know, Palmer tore up his elbow during the 2008 season and made the decision to let it heal naturally rather than have the surgery which was recommended by the team doctors. Was that a mistake? We’ll see. What we do know is that Palmer is surrounded by his best supporting cast in years and the team has put him in position to succeed. So if he doesn’t bounce back in 2010, he likely never will. He’ll now line up under center with two reality TV stars split out demanding the ball and with two talented rookies manning the slot and the TE position. It is not unrealistic to expect big things from Palmer in 2010, but I personally still have some reservations.

The Pats secondary was abused for much of 2009, allowing 25 passing TDs and 209.7 ypg through the air. One of the contributing factors to the Pats secondary being exposed was a mediocre pass rush (only 31 sacks on the season) allowing QBs the time to find the open WR. With the disappointing Derrickk Burgess and Adalius Thomas being let go during the offseason, one has to wonder where the pass rush will come from during this season. In years past Bill Belichick and his staff have been able to get a lot out of a little, but 2010 may be their biggest challenge yet. With Leigh Bodden’s season ending shoulder injury, the Pats will be starting an inexperienced secondary, second year player Darius Butler and rookie Devin McCourty. It could be a real big day for TO and Ocho.

Running Game Thoughts: Cedric Benson built on his 2008 rise from the ashes to look like one of the better backs in the league during the 2009 season. The former Texas Longhorn famously flamed out in Chicago, but showed why he was a top 5 NFL pick with Cincinnati and allowed the Bengals to change their identity from a high powered passing attack to a ground and pound running game. The Bengals have built up their o-line nicely and could be even better if last season’s first round pick RT Andre Smith is able to overcome a disappointing injury plagued rookie season.

The Patriots played the run effectively in 2009 allowing 110.5 yards per game and incredibly only 6 rushing TDs on the season. Can the declining Vince Wolfork remain an anchor in the middle of the line? If the big man continues to slow down NE could be in trouble. LB Jerod Mayo has developed into a tackling machine and will be asked to become a leader on this defense. It should be an interesting matchup between two teams looking to get out of the gates fast, as they both try to defend their division crowns against the fast rising teams behind them.

Projections:
Carson Palmer: 285 yds passing, 2 TDs, 2 Ints.
Chad Ochocinco: 80 yds receiving, TD
Terrell Owens: 70 yds receiving
Jermaine Gresham: 55 yds receiving, TD
Cedric Benson: 115 yds rushing / 5 yds receiving

Tom Brady/Fred Taylor/Sammy Morris/Kevin Faulk
Randy Moss/Wes Welker/Rob Gronkowski (vs. NE)

Passing Game Thoughts: Last season in this piece I stated that:“Perhaps this is the real Tom Brady. While everyone was expecting Brady to return to 2007 form, it seems that season may have been the true outlier in what is still a remarkable career for Brady. Prior to 2007, Brady was one of the NFL’s best QBs and one of the better fantasy QBs as well (you could pencil him in for 27-30 TDs each year), but he wasn’t a “great” fantasy QB.”

I believe that will be the case going forward. Tom Brady should still be a no-brainer start each week, but at this point he’ll be more likely to finish as QB10 during any given week as QB1. Randy Moss isn’t feeling the love in NE as they are letting him play out his current deal rather than throw a big extension at him. Will we get a “Moss motivated to earn his next payday” or a “Moss sulking ala his days in Oakland”. My money is on a motivated Moss, but one never knows. Wes Welker has made a remarkable recovery from last season’s ACL tear which occurred in Week 17, and he is incredibly expected to start in Week 1. I was one that thought he’d start the season on the PUP list and while I admire his resilience and work ethic, I’d be a little leery about counting on him early in the season until he builds up his knee and his confidence a little more.

The Bengals feature two of the top young CBs in the league in Jonathan Joseph and Leon Hall which led to them having one of the top pass defenses in the league last season (ranked 6th). The pair will be tested in Foxboro by Moss, Welker and company in what may be the key matchup in this contest. If the Bengals can contain Moss they should be able to steal a win on the road.

Running Game Thoughts: As of now 34 year old Fred Taylor is listed as the starting RB for New England, but as most fantasy owners know – it’s hard to trust how Billy boy is going to distribute the carries on a week to week basis. It’s probably a good idea to avoid the situation early and see if you can get a feel for what will happen later in the season or better yet wait until 3/5 of the running back depth chart is out for the season. It is a misnomer in the fantasy community that the Pats do not run the ball – as they are generally one of the top rushing teams in the league each season (ranked 12th in 2009). The problem is that the team seems content with piecing together a RB crew from spare parts instead of going the bell cow route – so their effectiveness in running the ball does not translate to fantasy success.

The Bengals were also a top rushing defense in 2010 (ranked 7th), so there’s no easy way to attack this defense. They allowed only 98.3 ypg and 12 TDs on the season. Undersized line backer Dhani Jones led the team in tackles last season, but it’s the youngsters Keith Rivers and Ray Maualuga that lend the bite to the Bengals resurgent defense.

Projections:
Tom Brady: 285 yds passing 3 TDs
Randy Moss: 115 yds receiving, 2 TDs
Wes Welker: 40 yds receiving
Rob Gronkowski: 35 yds receiving, 1 TD
Fred Taylor: 45 yds rushing / 15 yds receiving
Sammy Morris: 35 yds rushing, 1 TD
Kevin Faulk: 10 yds rushing / 45 yds receiving

Prediction: Patriots 31 Bengals 27 ^ Top

Packers @ Eagles - (Marcoccio)

Aaron Rodgers/ Ryan Grant/Brandon Jackson
Greg Jennings/Donald Driver/James Jones/Jermichael Finley (vs. PHI)

Passing Game Thoughts: I only need to add two words for this section: “JERMICHAEL FINLEY”. Ok, admittedly the hype is getting a little out of hand for Finley but the guy is a legit candidate to finish as TE1 this season. Aaron Rodgers has declared that the TE will be his first look in the passing game, and Finley is an athletic specimen who produced well last season after retuning from injury, capped off by an incredible playoff game against Arizona. Aaron Rodgers was a near consensus Top 3 QB in all expert rankings and deservedly so. He has shaken off the unfair “fragile” label that was stuck to him before he even got to start a game and has produced incredulous numbers for a young starting QB. The Packers should pick right up where they left off 2009 – as one of the leagues most dangerous passing attacks. If you have one of their pieces, don’t over-think it, just start ‘em.

The Eagles love to blitz (44 sacks in 2009) and the one Achilles heal in the Green Bay attack last season was pass protection. The Packers allowed 50 sacks last season, leading one to wonder just what it was Rodgers did to piss off his o-linemen. Look for the Eagles to come after Rodgers early in the game, which cold lead to a few big passing plays if they fail to reach him. This contest has “shoot-out” written all over it.

Running Game Thoughts: Ryan Grant is one of the most under-rated backs in the league. The guy isn’t flashy but his one cut and go running style fits in perfectly with the Packers zone blocking scheme. Due to the weapons in the aerial attack he’s seldom on the defensive team’s radar, which allows him to quietly put up his 100 yards and occasionally find the end zone. Surprisingly the Packers head into the 2010 season with only two half backs on their active roster - the other being Brandon Jackson – so expect a heavy workload from Grant and therefore his usual solid production.

Last season the Eagles allowed only 104.7 ypg and 11 TDs on the ground, so it’s not an easy matchup for Grant. Stewart Bradley is back from last season’s injury and he should further help shore up the middle of the Philly run defense. Additionally, Trent Cole known mostly for his pass rushing ability, developed into a pretty solid run stopper in 2009. This should be one of the league’s top run defenses when all is said and done.

Projections:
Aaron Rodgers: 365 yds passing, 3 TDs / 15 yds rushing
Greg Jennings: 70 yds receiving, 1 TD
Donald Driver: 50 yds receiving
James Jones: 80 yds receiving, 1 TD
Jermichael Finley: 75 yds receiving, 1 TD
Ryan Grant: 75 yds rushing, 1 TD / 15 yds receiving
Brandon Jackson: 25 yds rushing / 30 yds receiving

Kevin Kolb/LeSean McCoy/Mike Bell
Desean Jackson/Jeremy Maclin/Brent Celek (vs. GB)

Passing Game Thoughts: Last season the Philadelphia offense did not skip a beat (in fact on some levels it was more productive) when highly drafted backup Kevin Kolb took over for the injured Donovan McNabb in Weeks 2 and 3. That allowed the Eagles front office to jettison McNabb to divisional rival Washington during the offseason and hand the keys of the Andy Reid offense over to the young Kolb. Desean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin are two young emerging stars at WR, and both had been pushing for the move to Kolb in order to allow them all to grow together. It should be noted that TE Brent Celek accumulated over 200 yards and a TD in Kolb’s two starts last season so he should not fall off too much, if at all, from last season’s surprisingly good season.

The Packers had a sold pass defense last season – although they did allow 29 TD passes – however, ½ of the starting secondary from 2009, Al Harris and Ataroi Bigbi, will start the season on the PUP list, missing at least six weeks. Like I said, expect a shootout in Philly this week.

Running Game Thoughts: Rookie LeSean McCoy and veteran FB Leonard Weaver were effective enough in replacing the injured Brian Westbrook last season – but didn’t exactly strike fear into opposing defenses. Former Bronco and Saint bruiser RB Mike Bell was added to the mix during the offseason and will be part of the RBBC in Philly. The Eagles have not run the ball a great deal in the past, and with the least amount of talent they have had at running back in years, expect that trend to continue despite the fact that they are starting a raw QB. McCoy may be an effective RB2 in leagues that award points per reception, but don’t expect much from the Eagle rushing attack this week.

For those that dismissed the last sentence above, it should be noted that the Green Bay Packers had the No. 1 defense against the run last season. They allowed a mere 83.3 ypg and a ridiculously low 5 TDs on the ground all of last season. Once again, don’t expect much from the Eagle rushing attack this week.

Projections:
Kevin Kolb: 345 yds passing 2 TDs, 1 Int. / 5 yds rushing
Jeremy Maclin: 70 yds receiving
DeSean Jackson: 105 yds receiving, 1 TD
Brent Celek: 85 yds receiving, 1 TD
LeSean McCoy: 45 yds rushing / 45 yds receiving
Mike Bell: 35 yds rushing, 1 TD / 5 yds receiving

Prediction: Packers 37 Eagles 27 ^ Top

Cowboys @ Redskins - (Marcoccio)

Tony Romo/Marion Barber/Felix Jones
Roy Williams/Miles Austin/Dez Bryant/Jason Witten (vs. WAS)

Passing Game Thoughts: Tony Romo had his best season as a pro in 2009 (4,483-26-9) and finally managed to win a playoff game to silence his critics. Romo has one of the quickest releases in the league and the ability to leave the pocket to make plays both of which make it extremely difficult for the opposition’s defensive backs to keep good coverage on the Cowboy receivers. TE Jason Witten had a somewhat disappointing season, from a TD standpoint, but was still a big part of the Dallas passing game. However, it was fourth year WR Miles Austin who had the breakout year which made him a consensus top 10 WR in 2010. Austin has the prototype size speed combo, which says that last season was not a fluke even if his numbers dip a little due to the addition of future stud rookie WR Dez Bryant to take away some of Austin’s targets. Roy Williams should be an afterthought in 2010 before becoming an ex-Cowboy in 2011.

Washington has a talented secondary but at times had difficulty putting it all together last season. They still managed to finish as the 8th ranked pass defense and should be a top unit once again despite playing in a tough NFC East that could feature some of the top passing offenses in the NFL in 2010. The Skins will need to pressure Tony Romo into a few mistakes in order to stand a chance in Week 1, as the big, strong and fast targets that Dallas features will create difficult matchups for the Skins secondary.

Running Game Thoughts: Last season, it seemed the Cowboys had something against running the ball despite having 3 capable backs and a massive o-line. This season, with even more weapons in the passing game, will OC Jason Garrett be able to resist once again abandoning the running game in favor of putting the ball in the air? The three headed nature of the backfield makes it difficult to start any of the Dallas backs with extreme confidence – but Barber and Jones are always capable of having a huge week as they are both talents.

Washington’s run defense steadily declined as the season wore on, but the unit managed to finish respectably in the middle of the pack. When all was said and done, they allowed 112.4 ypg and 10 TDs on the season. London Fletcher is a steady presence in the middle of the defense, but unfortunately for the Skins, high priced DT Albert Haynesworth was anything but last season, and has made a mockery of training camp this offseason.

Projections:
Tony Romo: 285 yds passing 2 TDs, 1 Int. / 15 yds rushing
Roy Williams: 25 yds receiving
Miles Austin: 110 yds receiving, 1 TD
Dez Bryant: 55 yds receving
Jason Witten: 65 yds receiving, 1 TD
Felix Jones: 60 yds rushing / 20 yds receiving
Marion Barber: 85 yds rushing, 1 TD / 5 yds receiving

Donovan McNabb/Clinton Portis/Larry Johnson
Santana Moss/Joey Galloway/Chris Cooley (vs. DAL)

Passing Game Thoughts: Donovan McNabb’s teammates may not look familiar to him when he takes the field Sunday Night, but his opponent sure will. McNabb was of course traded from Philadelphia to division rival Washington this offseason and will make his Redskin debut against the Dallas Cowboys. McNabb trades in his young up and coming talent in Philly and will now throw the rock to gray-beards Santana Moss and Joey Galloway instead. This could be a real good year for Moss, as he should be McNabb’s go to guy in 2010, as the rest of the WR corp. is either ancient or inexperienced.

The Dallas defense ranked an uninspiring 20th in passing yards allowed per game in 2009 (225.0) with 19 TDs surrendered through the air. Youngster Mike Jenkins gained valuable experience last season and should improve in 2010. The Cowboys feature a solid pass rush and should dominate against the suspect Washington o-line Sunday Night. A rattled McNabb is generally not an effective McNabb.

Running Game Thoughts: Mike Shanahan is both an angel and the devil to fantasy players that roster one of his running backs. During his years in Denver, the Broncos were generally one of the top rushing teams, but the at times “too clever for his own good” Shanahan loved to rotate his running back production from week to week and seemed to take great pleasure in making a purse out of a sow’s ear (i.e. getting unexpected production out of unknown runners). In that light, keep an eye on the undrafted rookie out of LSU, Keiland Williams, who just may find himself in the mix at some point during this season. Early in the year, we should see a RBBC featuring veterans Clinton Portis and Larry Johnson. There’s been much debate over how much gas each of them have left in the tank, but if you drafted one of them, you’re likely a believer and just may get some good production out of one of them during any given week.

Projections:
Donovan McNabb: 215 yds passing, 1 TD, 2 Ints. / 20 yards rushing, 1 TD
Santana Moss: 75 yds receiving, 1 TD
Joey Galloway: 35 yds receiving
Chris Cooley: 45 yds receiving
Clinton Portis: 65 yds rushing / 35 yds receiving
Larry Johnson: 70 yds rushing

Prediction: Cowboys 27 Redskins 14 ^ Top

Ravens @ Jets - (Marcoccio)

Joe Flacco/Ray Rice/Willis McGahee
Anquan Boldin/Derrick Mason/Todd Heap (vs. NYJ)

Passing Game Thoughts: Joe Flacco showed marked improvement in his sophomore year, which is a large part of the reason that the Ravens have been a fashionable Super Bowl pick this offseason. The team has brought in a few new toys for Flacco to play with as well, most notably Anqaun Boldin. Boldin is a tough receiver that has superb run after the catch ability and should be the main target most weeks despite the presence of incumbent veteran Derreck Mason. The team has also recently added TJ Houshmanzadeh, but fantasy owners shouldn’t expect much early in the season as he gets acclimated to his new surroundings. In fact don’t be surprised if the under-rated and dependable Mason keeps Houshmanzilly at bay all season.

Anyone reading this piece likely follows enough football to be sick of hearing all about the Darrelle Revis saga this pre-season, so there’s no need to rehash it. More importantly, you probably also know that he limited the following list of stud WRs to numbers well below their average production when he was matched up against them: Andre Johnson, Randy Moss (2), Chad Ochocinco (2), Terrell Owens, Steve Smith, Marques Colston and a few others. Boldin’s owners are going to have to hope that Revis comes out of the gate showing some rust from his holdout. The Jets will of course blitz Flacco early and often, but remember that Baltimore sports one of the better o-lines in the NFL and RB Ray Rice and TE Todd Heap as stellar options for Flacco’s “hot read”, so that tactic may burn them a few times.

Running Game Thoughts: Ray Rice returns to the state where he played his college ball as one of the top RBs in the league. He’ll face a tough run defense but his owners can take some solace in the fact that he can still make his hey catching passes out of the backfield should the Jets be able to shut down the Ravens’ running game. Willis MaGahee, who lost his starting gig to Rice, reinvented himself to become one of the top goal-line vultures in the league. The Ravens love to establish the running game and shouldn’t be scared off by the Jets strength up the middle, so look for them to at least try and establish a running game. This should be one of the key matchups in this contest.

The Jets were a top 10 run defense despite losing their anchor, NT Kris Jenkins, half way through the season to a knee injury. Jenkins is back and will once again tie up blockers in the middle, allowing ILBers David Harris and Bart Scott to do what they do best, swallow up ball carriers. The Jets should come out looking to shut down Rice and MaGahee so that they can force the Ravens to go through the air – which allows Rex Ryan to do what he loves most – unleash the hounds from hell on opposing QBs.

Projections:
Joe Flacco: 225 yds passing 1 TD
Anquan Boldin: 45 yds receiving, 1 TD
Derrick Mason: 70 yds receiving
Todd Heap: 25 yds receiving
Ray Rice: 85 yds rushing / 45 yds receiving
Willis McGahee: 20 yds rushing, 1 TD / 5 yds receiving

Mark Sanchez/Shonn Green/LaDanian Tomlinson
Braylon Edwards/Jericho Cotchery/Dustin Keller (vs. NE)

Passing Game Thoughts: Mark Sanchez had an up and down rookie season but made big strides in the playoffs. From about Week 14 of the regular season on through the Championship Game, Sanchez was reigned in and threw mostly swing and screen passes. When he did attack downfield, it was mostly “safer” passes along the sidelines. OC Brian Scottenheimer did a fine job of taking advantage of Sanchez’ mobility and his ability to throw on the run, by rolling him out on passing plays. That approach should continue this season, and bodes well for TE Dustin Keller who is one of the new breed hybrid TEs (that play like a WR). Keller scored TDs in each of the first two playoff games, with each coming after Sanchez rolled to the right. Jerricho Cotchery is a valuable receiver for the team as his toughness and sure hands help keep drives alive and he will be the guy Sanchez looks to in key situations. Last season Braylon Edwards flashed his big play ability, but unfortunately his drops are more memorable than his big plays to most Jet fans. Look for the Jets to take a few deep shots early in order to keep the defense honest for their otherwise “ground and pound” attack. If the Jets manage to connect on a deep throw to Edwards it could very well change the complexion of the game.

The Ravens are banged up in the secondary, with safety Ed Reed (on the PUP list) being the most notable injury. The Ravens can generate a pass rush but may have to limit their blitzing, as their depleted defensive backfield may have trouble dealing with the big and fast Jet receivers one on one. The Jets are not known for their passing attack, but they may just rely on it more than you would expect in this Week 1 contest in order to attack the Ravens’ weakness.

Running Game Thoughts: 1,400 yard rusher Thomas Jones left the Jets for less greener pastures which now opens the door for the Jets biggest playmaker during last season’s playoffs. Shonn Greene was phenomenal in the playoffs, scoring on long TD runs in each of the two opening games before getting injured during the AFC Championship Game. He was the first Jet RB to exceed 100 yards in back to back playoff games since Freeman McNeil and one would have to wonder if the Jets would have advanced so far without him. Greene is a big back with better than expected speed and has been more reminiscent of Atlanta’s big and speedy Michael Turner than plodding Rudi Johnson the player many pundits compared him to during their draft analysis. The o-line is amongst the best in the league which can help even pedestrian runners. Oh yeah, the team also added some guy named LaDanian Tomlinson this offseason. LT has looked fresher than he has in years this preseason and will be the Jets 3rd down back in addition to spelling Greene on a series or two per half.

The Raven feature one of the best front sevens in football and should make life very difficult for the Jets vaunted rushing attack on Monday Night. The unit allowed only 93.3 ypg and 8 TDs in the ground in 2009. Ray Lewis has aged well, but it all starts with the big guys up in the front. Haloti Ngata is arguably the most athletic DT (technically he’s now a DE in the Ravens 3-4 defense) in the league. Ngata is too big and too fast for most o-linemen and his presence allows Lewis to continue making tackle after tackle at an age where he should be in serious decline.

Projections:
Mark Sanchez: 225 yds passing, 2 TDs, 1 Int. / 10 yards rushing
Braylon Edwards: 60 yds receiving, 1 TD
Jerricho Cotchery: 45 yds receiving
Dustin Keller: 50 yds receiving, 1 TD
Shonn Greene: 75 yds rushing / 5 yds receiving
LaDainian Tomlinson: 40 yds rushing / 35 yds receiving

Prediction: Jets 20 Baltimore 17 ^ Top

Lions @ Bears - (Autry)

Matthew Stafford / Jahvid Best / Calvin Johnson / Nate Burleson / Brandon Pettigrew (vs. CHI)

Passing Game Thoughts: Another year of seasoning for Calvin Johnson, the addition of Nate Burleson and the second year under the direction of offensive coordinator Scott Linehan have many people placing huge expectations on QB Matthew Stafford. He was unable to finish last season due to an injury, but he showed some signs as to why the Lions chose him with the #1 overall pick. Stafford threw for seven TDs in his last three games in ’09, but he also tossed eight INTs during that stretch. That’s obviously a ratio that must be improved upon before Stafford can elevate Detroit’s passing game.

Outside of his 2008 campaign when he caught 78 passes for more than 1,300 yards and 12 scores, Calvin Johnson has only been okay. Seasons of 48/756/4 in ’07 and 67/984/5 in ’09 are pedestrian numbers not suitable for someone of Johnson’s ilk. If the Lions’ passing game is to make any noise this season, Johnson must have a year that at least meets the figures from ’08. Burleson is a good #2 and a definite upgrade over a now-demoted Bryant Johnson. Burleson had his best year as the #2 WR in Minnesota opposite Randy Moss. The Lions’ first order of business, though, is making sure DE Julius Peppers is neutralized. If he’s causing havoc and disturbing Stafford’s rhythm, it could be a long day for the Detroit passing game.

Running Game Thoughts: It was immediately evident in the preseason that rookie Jahvid Best is the missing ingredient that Detroit’s offense has been missing since someone wearing #20 scorched defenses at the Silverdome. His explosiveness and pass-catching ability, coupled with the fact that head coach Jim Schwartz has indicated the Lions’ running game will go as Best goes, are all tangible signs of a bona fide fantasy sleeper heading into 2010. Best will have to overcome an average—at best—offensive line. If he can do that, watch out.

The Bears’ defensive front seven remains a formidable foe. Peppers mans the outside of the D-line, but don’t forget about a healthy Tommie Harris at DT. LB Brian Urlacher returns after straining a calf muscle during the preseason, so he should be fresh entering this contest. These facts make for a rough and tumble day for Detroit’s running game. I think Best will be most effective on screens and short dump-off catches, although I wouldn’t be surprised if he broke a long run—something Detroit running backs have done little of this decade.

Projections:
Matthew Stafford – 210 yards / 2 TDs / 2 INTs
Jahvid Best – 45 yards rushing / 50 yards rec
Calvin Johnson – 80 yards / 1 TD
Nate Burleson – 35 yards / 1 TD
Brandon Pettigrew – 40 yards

Jay Cutler / Matt Forte / Chester Taylor / Johnny Knox / Devin Hester / Devin Aromashodu / Greg Olsen (vs. DET)

Passing Game Thoughts: Jay Cutler shrugged off the Bears struggles this preseason by saying the game plan was vanilla and that the offense hasn’t even scratched the surface of what they’re capable of. That sounds fine and dandy, but apparently Cutler has yet to look at his collection of WRs. There really isn’t a game-breaker in the bunch. But Cutler is bound to toss the rock all over the place while he attempts to orchestrate Mike Martz’s offense, so somebody’s going to have to catch ‘em, right?

Chicago’s O-line has been less than stellar recently and it will be crucial that they keep a hard-charging Detroit defensive front off Cutler. Martz’s offense is known for putting pressure on the O-line to keep the QB upright, so whether they’ll be able to meet the challenge remains to be seen. Even though Chicago is short on star power at the WR position, look for Johnny Knox to have a big game. Detroit’s secondary is by far the biggest weakness on the team, and Martz will most certainly exploit the Lions’ sore thumb. Detroit is more athletic at LB, so that may slow down TE Greg Olsen. Also, the Lions’ safety, Louis Delmas, remains a question mark. If he’s unable to play, it could be a field day for Cutler and Co.

Running Game Thoughts: Matt Forte had a 2009 season many fantasy owners would much rather soon forget. He disappointed many, but he enters 2010 with supposedly a renewed focus. But having Martz as the play-caller may not bode well for Forte to redeem himself in the minds of fantasy owners. Martz never saw a pass play in his game plan that he didn’t like. Forte, though, could be a major player in PPR leagues, as Martz’s system typically calls for the RB to play an active role in the passing game. Either way, Cutler will make sure his receivers get a lot of attention this week.

Forte has five 100-plus yard games in his career and three have come against the Lions. He may not get the opportunities in this game to make it four, but he should still be a nice option for some. Again, Chicago’s offensive line is a work in progress and won’t create many running lanes against a vastly improved Detroit D-line. Much like his counterpart, Forte’s best value may be found in the passing game.

Projections:
Jay Cutler – 250 yards / 3 TDs / 1 INT
Matt Forte – 65 yards rushing / 55 yards rec.
Johnny Knox – 90 yards / 1 TD
Devin Aromashodu – 40 yards / 1 TD
Devin Hester – 35 yards
Greg Olsen – 30 yards / 1 TD

Prediction: Chicago 27, Detroit 20 ^ Top

Falcons @ Steelers - (Autry)

Matt Ryan / Michael Turner / Roddy White / Harry Douglas / Tony Gonzalez (vs. PIT)

Passing Game Thoughts: This is a tough match-up out the gate for the Falcons. The Pittsburgh defense is at full strength for the first time in countless months, and certainly the return of Troy Palamalu at safety will give this team options it didn’t have in his absence last season. WR Michael Jenkins is likely out for this game, leaving the receiving chores in the capable hands of Roddy White. However, expectations for White must be tempered. He will have WR Harry Douglas on the other side, so suffice it to say, White will get the bulk of the attention from the Steeler’s defense. Tony Gonzalez may be the only reliable and consistent target for Ryan in this contest.

Matt Ryan hopes to return to his rookie form. He struggled mightily at times last year, but as mentioned above, heading into Pittsburgh to start the season is no good way to try and get back your mojo. Ryan is a borderline bench-warmer this week. I simply wouldn’t recommend starting him with any real sense of optimism. Start him if you must; just don’t be surprised if his return-on-investment is not suitable for your liking this week.

Running Game Thoughts: I read in some publications and web sites that Michael Turner had a bad year in ’09. I don’t get those opinions. He missed five games last year but produced quite well in the games in which he did play. In fact, he scored 10 of his TDs in a seven game stretch. There should be more of that this season—just not this week. Pittsburgh will prove to be a brick wall for Atlanta’s running game. The Falcons, though, are sometimes stubborn when it comes to their running game; they feel as though they can run on anyone. Well, that’s great for locker room chatter, but on the field is a different story. Look for Turner to get off to a slow start in 2010. I wouldn’t dare say bench him; just know that the production may not be there in week 1. This will be a low-scoring affair with offensive points at a premium.

Projections:
Matt Ryan – 185 yards / 1 TD / 1 INT
Michael Turner – 55 yards
Roddy White – 65 yards
Harry Douglas – 45 yards
Tony Gonzalez – 60 yards / 1 TD

Dennis Dixon / Rashard Mendenhall / Hines Ward / Mike Wallace / Heath Miller (vs. ATL)

Passing Game Thoughts: Some are worried that Dennis Dixon’s presence in the offense spells automatic doom for Pittsburgh’s passing game. How soon many forget when Dixon stepped in for Ben Roethlisberger last season on the road on a Monday night in Baltimore. He completed less than 50 percent of his passes, but he threw for a score and ran for another. The offense didn’t implode, and Santonio Holmes scored for the first time in nine games during that contest. So Dixon probably won’t turn into a fantasy sleeper this season, but understand that all is not lost in the Steel City.

Hines Ward remains a route-running perfectionist underneath, as is Heath Miller. But it is Mike Wallace that has been all the buzz during the preseason. Wallace inherits the starting spot and looks to do magical things this year. Look for at least one play-action pass attempt to Wallace in this and every other game this year. The receivers on both squads are question marks heading into this game, which is why I would not strongly consider starting any of them this week unless there’s no other logical choice.

Running Game Thoughts: Count me as one of those who’s not all the way enamored with Rashard Mendenhall. I’m not sure what it is. He will be counted on for sure this year, especially during the first quarter of the season. But the recent news that he could lose goal line duties doesn’t help his polarizing status either. The offensive line is not what it used to be, and when you consider they have a rookie at center and Willie Colon is out for the year, it makes for an unstable situation for those relying on Mendenhall.

What’s more, Mendenhall is not known as much of a receiving threat out of the backfield. That could hurt his value too. The one good thing in his favor this week is this is sure to be a low-scoring game. He could easily see 25 carries—but will any of them be “money” carries (read: goal line carries)? We will see.

Projections:
Dennis Dixon – 140 yards / 1 INT
Rashard Mendenhall – 60 yards / 1 TD
Mike Wallace – 65 yards
Hines Ward – 40 yards
Heath Miller – 25 yards

Prediction: Pittsburgh 16, Atlanta 10 ^ Top

Cardinals @ Rams - (Eakin)

Derek Anderson/Larry Fitzgerald/Steve Breaston/Early Doucet
Tim Hightower/Chris Wells (vs. STL)

Passing Game Thoughts: Pre-season starter Matt Leinart was cut last week in favor of free agent acquisition Derek Anderson. Anderson is a strong-armed QB that has struggled with accuracy and mobility throughout his career. What Anderson can do is attack the deep secondary, which better fits the skill sets of the Cardinals WR core and overall team philosophy. They want to run the ball and punish teams for crowding the line of scrimmage with a vertical pass attack. Matt Leinart checked down too much to make teams fear the Cardinals ability to stretch the field. Anderson is much more aggressive downfield. The style difference between them seems to improve the deep to intermediate route runners of Fitzgerald and Breaston, while decreasing the value of the underneath route runners Hightower and Doucet. Larry Fitzgerald has elite athleticism on the outside and Breaston has great speed to take advantage of Anderson’s big arm. Inconsistency may plague this passing attack at times but opponents are forced to cover the entire field, which is good news for their rushing attack.

The Rams will look to improve upon their 25th ranked pass defense from a year ago. They have not made many personnel changes in the secondary to offer improvement. They will rely on their late season pass rush improvement from DEs Chris Long and James Hall to continue developing. For Anderson to have success downfield he will need time for five and seven step drops. The Rams may create a few sacks and pressures on Anderson or force a few mistakes, but not consistently enough to prevent the Cards from putting up enough points for victory.

Running Game Thoughts: The news of Tim Hightower starting over Chris Wells can’t be comforting to those who drafted Wells expecting the former buckeye star to finally shine. Wells has the physical skills to be a dominant force but continues to struggle with the pass protection and nagging injuries. It appears Hightower will remain a receiving and short yardage vulture for the immediate future. While Hightower may start the game, Wells is the better play. He can do more damage, even with fewer carries. Hightower’s receiving advantage seems somewhat limited with the presence of Anderson, who is not a QB that will check down to the RBs as much as Leinart and Warner.

MLB James Lauranitis is a better in fantasy than real life football. Few scouts regard him as a special talent but as the starting MLB on a poor team, he accrues tackles by the bushel. The Cardinals will set the tone of the game with a power rushing attack, providing plenty of tackle opportunities for Lauranitis and S O.J. Atogwe, the only two IDP worthy players on the Rams defense.

Projections:
Derek Anderson: 235 yds/1 TD/1 INT
Larry Fitzgerald: 85 yds/1 TD
Steve Breaston: 60 yds
Early Doucet: 35 yds
Tim Hightower: 40 yds/25 yds rec/1 TD
Chris Wells: 65 yds/1 TD

Sam Bradford/Laurent Robinson/Danny Amendola/Daniel Fells
Steven Jackson (vs. ARI)

Passing Game Thoughts: Let the Sam Bradford era begin. Bradford grades out as one of the better QB prospects in recent years. He has elite accuracy, good mobility, a compact throwing motion, and solid decision-making skills. Only three factors limit his prospects for this year; experience, protection, and quality receivers. Admittedly, those three factors are big obstacles. Bradford may become a top tier NFL QB in the future, but it won’t happen this year or this week. His best target appears to be Laurent Robinson. Robinson started last season strong before a season ending injury week three. Robinson has good size and speed to make plays if the Ram O-line can keep Bradford off his backside. I do not think they will. The pressure will force Bradford to dump the ball short to RB Steven Jackson and possession WR Danny Amendola. In a PPR league, Amendola may have bye week value as a guy who can catch 5-10 passes per week in the mold of a poor man’s Wes Welker.

Running Game Thoughts: The entire offense is built around RB Steven Jackson, who may be the third best pure RB talent in the league. Unfortunately, the entire opponent’s defensive game plans also focus upon Jackson. Despite the attention and lack of other offensive help, Jackson still managed 1400 yds rushing and just over 1700 total yds from scrimmage finishing 2009 as the 5th most productive RB in standard scoring leagues. The concern with Jackson is how long his body can hold up with his physical style of play. He required offseason back surgery for a slipped disk but is supposed to enter the season at full strength. Jackson may begin to see a slight yearly decline in production starting this year but not enough to prevent him from being a top ten producer for now. The talent of Bradford can only help.

The Cardinals finished last year 17th against the run. Their linebacker play may have taken a step back this year with the loss of Karlos Dansby to Miami and Gerald Hayes beginning the season on the PUP list. In to fill the holes are veteran OLB Joey Porter and rookie standout MLB Daryl Washington. Washington led the TCU Horn Frogs top ranked defense last season and has had rave reviews this preseason. He is a guy to keep an eye on for IDP leagues. DE Darnell Dockett leads the defense. Dockett was re-signed in the offseason showing Arizona is able to be a legitimate franchise capable of holding on to their elite talent. Dockett is a major disruptive force that occupies multiple blockers, allowing the LBs to get after opposing ball carriers. The Rams will start a second round rookie, Roger Saffold, at left tackle. He will not be able to handle Dockett without help. In addition to the Dockett match-up problem, the Cardinals are a defense capable of operating out of both the base 3-4 and 4-3 defenses. Their ability to provide different looks with the front seven will create confusion for the inexperienced Bradford, putting the Rams in some bad pre-snap situations. On pure talent there may be a few bright spot or two for Bradford, but chalk this one up as a learning experience and a loss.

Projections:
Sam Bradford: 175 yds/1 TD/2 INTs
Laurent Robinson: 55 yds/1 TD
Danny Amendola: 50 yds
Daniel Fells: 35 yds
Steven Jackson: 80 yds/35 rec/1 TD

Prediction: Cardinals 24 Rams 17 ^ Top

Chargers @ Chiefs - (Eakin)

Philip Rivers/Malcom Floyd/Legedu Naanee/Antonio Gates/
Ryan Mathews (vs. KC)

Passing Game Thoughts: Two things concern me about the fantasy prospects of QB Phillip Rivers in 2010. The holdouts of LT Marcus McNeill and WR Vincent Jackson, and their desire to improve upon the leagues second worst rushing attack. HC Norv Turner believes in running the football as evidence by the moving up to grab a first round RB. That said, Rivers is an elite talent playing in a weak defensive division. Rivers will lose some yardage while increasing his completion percentage, equaling his TD output, and still finish amongst the top 5-7 QBs. He will easily be the best player on the field versus the Chiefs and will look early and often to the second best player on the field, TE Antonio Gates. Give Rivers average talent at WR and he will transform them into legitimate threats. WR Malcom Floyd has enough size and speed to offer a downfield plays and produce some sporadic big games. WRs Legedu Naanee and newly acquired Patrick Crayton will see plenty of short and intermediate targets. Rivers will pick apart the Chiefs young secondary that, despite the addition of future all-pro rookie S Eric Berry, won’t get enough pass rush to protect them.

Running Game Thoughts: We might as well let the Ryan Mathews era begin too. Mathews enters the season as last year’s leading NCAA rusher out of Fresno State. His talent and opportunity have made him a late first round–early second round fantasy choice this year. His terrific preseason play has only increased expectations. Mathews has the size and skills of a Matt Forte with greater speed and wiggle. We will find out right away whether the decline of LaDainian Tomlinson was a skill based fall or a blocking problem. The truth is usually somewhere in the middle and I see Mathews having a big year, starting with a strong outing against last season’s 30th ranked defense.

Projections:
Philip Rivers: 285 yds/2 TDs
Malcom Floyd: 65yds
Legedu Naanee: 70 yds 1 TD
Antonio Gates: 90 yds/1 TD
Ryan Mathews: 110 yds/25 rec/1 TD

Matt Cassel/Chris Chambers/Dwayne Bowe/Leonard Pope
Thomas Jones/Jamal Charles (vs. SD)

Passing Game Thoughts: While the Chiefs defense may be a few years from making them contenders, don’t sleep on the offense. QB Matt Cassel should grow under the tutelage of new OC Charlie Wies. Lead WR Dwayne Bowe reported to camp ten pounds lighter and motivated. Cassel will have the benefit of an entire offseason of working with last season’s late addition Chris Chambers. At RB and Jamal Charles and electric rookie, Dexter McCluster, will move all over the field to create mismatches and give the Chiefs a more diverse attack. The Chiefs will be a much faster team on offense.

The Chargers defense has escaped the limelight due to all the McNeil/ Jackson holdout but they are the side of the ball that could prevent the Chargers from realizing their Super Bowl aspirations. Shawne Merriman is no longer an elite pass rusher and the defense as a whole does not create the pass rush needed to be a championship level contender. The Chargers will be a fun team to watch and good for fantasy numbers, as they will need to rely on outscoring their opponents more than ever.

Running Game Thoughts: If I’m a Jamal Charles owner, I do not have a great deal of fear over the presence of 32-year-old Thomas Jones, regardless of who’s starting. Jones had a great year as a straight-line runner behind the best road-grading offensive line in the league. Jones is great at taking what the defense gives but does not create seems or make players miss, which is critical when running behind an average line like the Chiefs. Fact is, Charles is not a 20-plus carry a game back. Jones’ ability to pound between the tackles will only help Charles remain fresh enough to continue his dominant second half play from a year ago. They will provide a an effective one-two punch out of the backfield, with a little Dexter McCluster sprinkled in for good measure but, make no mistake about it, Charles is the most dynamic open field runner in the game not named Chris Johnson or Adrian Peterson.

Projections:
Matt Cassel: 235 yds/1 TD/1 INT
Dwayne Bowe: 80 yds/1 TD
Chris Chambers: 70 yds
Thomas Jones: 40 yds rushing/1 TD
Jamaal Charles: 80 yds/40 yds rec/1 TD

Prediction: Chargers 31 Chiefs 27 ^ Top

49ers @ Seahawks - (Eakin)

Alex Smith/Michael Crabtree/Josh Morgan/Vernon Davis/
Frank Gore (vs. SEA)

Passing Game Thoughts: Vernon Davis finally showed the talent scouts crowned him with by finishing 2009 with 78 catches for 965 yds and 13 TDs. Davis has taken great strides on the field and in the locker room since Mike Singletary took over as head coach. Davis enjoyed a six-catch 111-yard performance the last time he faced the ‘hawks. The Niner’s will look to capitalize on the inexperience of Seattle’s rookie FS Earl Thomas to get Davis free over the deep middle. Sophomore WR Michael Crabtree is expected to have a big year with a full offseason to develop chemistry and learn the offense. It remains to be seen how big a step forward he will take considering he has missed a lot of time this offseason with nagging injuries which incidentally led to he and Davis to having heated words in practice last week. Alex Smith should thrive coming in to the year having the same offense for the first time in his career and a soft Seahawk match-up. Health permitting, Brian Westbrook can certainly offer an added dimension on third downs which might eat in to Gore’s value in PPR leagues.

Running Game Thoughts: Frank Gore has all the talent to continue being a bell cow RB behind a revamped offensive line that added two top draft picks in this year’s draft. Gore had some rough patches last year when the 49ers went to a shotgun spread formation designed to help Alex Smith grow as a passer. Expectations are that the Niner’s will get back to their power running game built around Gore. To do so, Smith will have to prove he can become an effective drop back play action passer.

The Seahawks will welcome the return of MLB Lofa Tatupu after missing much of last year though many thought his replacement David Hawthorne was a better run stuffer. He will need some help preventing his 8th worst defense at stopping the run from being run over at home by Gore and company.

Projections:
Alex Smith: 220 yds/2 TDs/1 INT
Michael Crabtree: 60 yds/1 TD
Vernon Davis: 65 yds/1 TD
Josh Morgan: 40 yds
Frank Gore: 115 yds rushing/20 yds rec/1 TD

Matt Hasselbeck/Mike Williams/Deion Branch/Jon Carlson/
Justin Forsett (vs. SEA)

Passing Game Thoughts: Given time to set up and scan the field, and some legitimate weapons, QB Matt Hasselbeck can be an All-Pro caliber signal caller. With that in mind, the Seahawks spent their top pick on LT Russell Okung. Unfortunately, a high ankle sprain will keep Okung sidelined for a couple more weeks. The loss will open up Hasselbeck to blind side rushes from DE Justin Smith and OLB Parys Haralson. With all the changes this Seattle team has undergone, a new offensive system, new coaching staff, the loss of last year’s leading WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, it will take some time for them to find their identity and they will struggle against a very solid 49er defense that is growing in to an stingy unit. Where is Hasselbeck going to go when under fire? Deion Branch? Mike Williams? Jon Carlson is a solid TE but they are often forced to keep him in for blocking. It could be a long year for Seahawk fans. Hey, there’s always Jake Locker to look forward to.

Running Game Thoughts: Justin Forsett is has been named the starter as of last week after some minor panic by his fantasy owners seeing a healthy Leon Washington recovered from a devastating leg break last year. Despite the vote of confidence for Forsett, temper expectations this week. The 49ers have a tough run defense led by the league’s best MLB, Patrick Willis. Also, keep in mind that Pete Carroll preferred a backfield by committee at USC so there is a good chance that Leon Washington and Julius Jones will also see plenty of action. For now, this is a team in flux and no clear order can be counted on.

Projections:
Matt Hasselbeck: 220 yds/1 TD/1 INT
Mike Williams: 45 yds/1 TD
Deion Branch: 65 yds
John Carlson: 55 yds
Justin Forsett: 70 yds/25 rec

Prediction: San Francisco 27 Seahawks 17 ^ Top