During the regular season numbers take center stage. It is not just the numbers on the scoreboard; it is the numbers on the field all concerned are looking at. They are the quantative assessment by which players as well as teams are measured. It is the stuff which drives the negotiations of contracts while making fantasy owners ecstatic or want to pull out was is left of their hair. The preseason, on the other hand, is measured by qualitative feel. Owners as well as fans are looking to see who fits in what areas and how players fit into the feel of the scheme. Unlike most seasons, fans are being asked to feel more than ever as coverage of the preseason has expanded.

When I lived in the Bay Area we could see most, if not all, of the Forty-Niner and Raider games. Tickets for the home games were readily available while away games were broadcast on local TV. When I moved into the boonies of the West the situation changed for me. The first few years there were no pre-season games on the tube because I was so far removed from an NFL arena. It got better after a time, especially when stations other than the “Big Three” bought into the NFL. Still, I was lucky to see as many as five games during the pre-season. Worse yet, I had to take what I could get then look up stats on the remaining games. Thanks to an even expanding greed factor, the NFL is broadcasting up to five games a week for the benefit of all of us.

I could not believe my eyes when I looked at the Sportsline.com schedules for the preseason. I saw game after game being offered on the tube. Beginning Thursday the 10th of August there will be games five days a week. I felt like I had gone to pigskin heaven, then it got better.

It used to be any game was good enough to stave off the need for a football fix gnawing at my brain. My favorite teams were rarely aired, but it made little difference. Football had finally been resurrected allowing my heart to soar. Now, due to the magic of tape delay and the goodness of the NFL Network, there will be preseason games aplenty.

They will be airing as many as three games per day. Some of the games are listed and some just say “NFL Preseason” but there is going to be so much NFL preseason football fantasy owners run the risk of over-dosing on the feelings only football can elicit. There is one draw back for some people; the games will be aired during hours when most people will be in the office working. Those who have figured out how to video tape remotely or those who have some sort of digital recorder will be at an advantage here. The point is, the action is there for the taking now, the question is, what do you look for during the game?

The experienced fantasy owner is pretty well schooled on what they are looking for during these important games, but for the uninitiated it can be overwhelming. Each week is a drama to be played out in a constricted amount of time with the results having huge consequences for players, coaches and owners both fantasy as well as real. This is a primer for those who are generally so happy preseason has started they miss the true feeling of the season.

Week One
The first game of the preseason is not for the predicted starters, it is for the rookies and potential starters. The projected starters are only going to play a series or, at most, the first quarter. Owners should be looking to see how injured players are recovering and how starters compare to the opposition starters.

Some people will look at the Hall of Fame game and noting the imbalance in time on the field between the Oakland and Philadelphia offenses. The Raiders kept their players in for the entire first quarter while McNabb and company were there for one series. Philly scored so did Oakland. The difference between the two was Philly scored against the Oakland first team defense in a manner which was decisive to the point of being humiliating. Oakland scored against the Philly second team defense in a manner which was less than decisive. The Oakland defense is looking like they are going to live up to the preseason feeling they are going to be terrible. The Oakland offense may fair better. Still the Raider players and coaches are probably not feeling real good following the game.

Take a hard look at highly drafted linemen on both the offense and the defense. The step up from the college level to the pros is huge. Many players who starred at the college level will struggle at the pro level; they may never make it at the next level. (See Tony Mandarich) Rookie starters like Mario Williams will be up against mostly veteran starters. Look to see if they are being handled or if they are handling themselves. Watch to see how many times they are turned or are pushed backwards. Their progress, or lack of it, should be monitored throughout the preseason. Their failure could provide owners with the feeling of their teams having a long season.

Teams will take some of their promising rookies, and free agents, weave them in with the first team during the game. The game itself may be a snoozer because the good coaches are not so much worried about the score, don’t you go to sleep on it. This is a time to begin seeing who the coaches and ownership see as being potential impact players. These players will also be in and out of the game for the remaining three quarters. Players like Laurence Maroney, Reggie Bush, DeAngelo Williams and Joseph Addai will have their shots with the first team against the first team. Their performance will be an indicator of their status during the regular season.

Week Two
Things should begin to pick up for the starting players during this week. They will usually play more time during this week. For the most part starters will play an entire quarter. It is during this time players who have shown promise from the first game and throughout training camp may find themselves a part of the “first” team.

Teams will begin to “cut” in earnest after this game. Marginal players will be played, for the most part, during the later stages of the second half, but they may see action against second team players to see how they perform. This is also where older players may have the opportunity to display their wares in hopes of being picked up for another season.

It is a good time to see if players who may have been given a start in game one are still holding on to their position on the depth chart. (See Mike Bell, Denver Broncos). If they are still holding on to the number one spot there is a good chance they will be starting the season there. They will be starting unless one of the other players takes their shot during the game to re-establish themselves in their prior role as the starter. This makes game two interesting at times.

Week Three
Most of the starters will be established by this game. They will play two solid quarters with most teams playing their starters at the beginning of the third quarter. This is an attempt to establish the feeling of a game during the regular season.

After this game teams have to cut players so only seventy-five players remain on the roster. The second half of this game will determine the future of many non-starting players. The hitting in the second half will be fierce. Although most of these players will not start a game during the regular season, they will be playing special teams. Everyone is seeking to stake a territory making the play intense. The feeling of intensity can lead to mental mistakes making the second half an entertaining yet educational experience.

This may be the last time teams will carry two place kickers. They may play the second kicker during mush of the game. This is their opportunity to be seen by the rest of the league, possibly be picked up as a free agent by another team. It is good to see who is alive and who may be seeking a new career at the end of the game.

Week Four
Do not expect too much, if anything, of the starters this week. It is too close to the season to play them for any notable amount of time. One series may be the extent of play. Other players taking a seat for most, if not all of the game, are players who have made a positive impression.

Some people see this as the most meaningless game of the entire preseason because of the absence of the starters; they are wrong. This is the game for final cuts making it a time of great urgency for the majority of players. After this game teams must be down to 53 players. 22 players may be playing their last game of organized football in the United States. Because of this reality it can be one of the hardest hitting most interesting game of the preseason. Full of desperation, passion and aggression, this game is always worth watching. It is not the score which matters; it is the feeling of the players on the field which make it a gem. The bad thing is it will not be televised live; the good thing is some of the games will be replayed on the NFL Network during the week leading into the first game of the regular season.

Some people, especially veteran players and coaches, think there are too many preseason games. The issue has been hotly debated for decades. People seem to forget about the owners and the most important aspect of the game; revenue flow. The preseason marks the beginning of the flow of real money into the coffers of the league. Because of this the preseason will never be shortened. Because of the cost of injuries and moral of the team it will probably never be lengthened. For all concerned, the preseason is a time of evaluation, but for us fantasy people it has deeper meaning. The preseason is the appetizer for the main course. With all of the action available this season many of us are going to finish this phase of the football season feeling like we should attend Weight Watchers just to get rid of the spare tire they are feeling.

Like a good Thanksgiving dinner I plan on indulging to the point where I can’t eat any more then, with a giant burp, I will waddle into the regular season feeling more satisfied than I have in decades. Bless the network bean counters who finally convinced the programmers there are people who will watch the preseason. For these people there may be a special place in Fantasy Football Heaven. For the rest of us, there will be a feeling beyond satisfaction bordering on nirvana.