Start or Bench for Week 1
Week 1 Start or Bench advice from John Willette at FantasyNuthouse.com
Okay folks, the 2009 NFL season has finally arrived. I know everyone is tweeking their fantasy football rosters in order to get the perfect combination of scoring potential. This season I will lend my expertise in helping you through your lineup quandries with my weekly “Play ‘Em or Bench ’Em fantasy football column.
Okay folks, the 2009 NFL season has finally arrived. I know everyone is tweeking their fantasy football rosters in order to get the perfect combination of scoring potential. This season I will lend my expertise in helping you through your lineup quandries with my weekly “Play ‘Em or Bench ’Em fantasy football column.
Written By John Willette, FantasyNuthouse.com
“Play ‘Em or Bench ‘Em” won’t rehash what your common sense already tells you. If you have Drew Brees on your fantasy team play the guy! This column is intended to bring to your attention some players that may or may not be on your fantasy radar.
| PLAY ’EM (Under the radar players)–WEEK 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Player | Matchup | COMMENTS |
| QB | Chad Pennington, MIA | @ ATL | Everyone is expecting the Dolphins to run the ball and use the ”Wildcat” offense. I’m expecting the Dolphins to use a more balanced offense by passing the ball as much as they run. I like Pennington’s chances against an unproven Falcons’ defense. |
| QB | Joe Flacco, BAL | vs KC | I wouldn’t normally recommend playing a quarterback on a “run” first team but Flacco has a sweet matchup against this unimproved Chiefs defense. |
| QB | Carson Palmer, CIN | vs DEN | Palmer should pick apart the Broncos “old” defense. |
| QB | Kyle Orton, DEN | @ CIN | Okay so he’s hurt and he’s Kyle Orton but he has a couple of good weapons in Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal, Tony Scheffler and which ever running back the Broncos put on the field. |
| QB | Matt Schaub, HOU | vs NYJ | A sneaky play this week against a questionable secondary. |
| QB | Matthew Stafford, DET | @ NO | I know this is a gutsy pick but Stafford showed enough in the preseason to be a competent starter against lesser defenses. |
| QB | Shaun Hill, SF | @ AZ | Hill had a strong finish in 2008. His play in Week One will be starter worthy. |
| RB | Ronnie Brown, MIA | @ ATL | Brown isn’t the first or second running back you’ll think of when choosing a starter for your fantasy team. That’s probably a mistake. The Dolphins will rely on the run more often than not and the Falcons have never been known to shut down the run. |
| RB | Ray Rice, BAL | vs KC | Is Rice a stud? We’ll know after Week 1. |
| RB | Mike Bell, NO | vs DET | Any running back playing the Lions is a nice play! Check Pierre Thomas’ status before committing to Bell. |
| RB | Willis McGahee, BAL | vs KC | This game could be over by half time. If so, I suspect that Rice will be pulled from the game and McGahee will finish the Chiefs off. |
| RB | Correll Buckhalter, DEN | @ CIN | Buckhalter is the most likely Broncos running back to see the most carries against a week Bengals defensive line. |
| RB | Cedric Benson, CIN | vs DEN | Who thought that Benson would become usable in fantasy leagues again? He has a nice matchup with the bonous of being one of the few running backs stuck in a committee. |
| RB | Thomas Jones, NYJ | @ HOU | Jones will have one of his best games of the year against Houston’s porous defense. |
| RB | Carnell Williams, TB | vs TB | The Buccaneers starting running back position looks like a jumbled mess but I like Williams to be the most productive of the group. |
| WR | Laurent Robinson, STL | @ SEA | The most consistent receiver in the preseason will be the most productive. |
| WR | Patrick Crayton, DAL | @ TB | Roy Williams won’t monopolize the catches like Terrell Owens did. Crayton will have a big role in whether the Cowboys win or lose. |
| WR | Ted Ginn, MIA | @ ATL | Ginn is the best receiver on the team and should be targeted often. |
| WR | Derrick Mason, BAL | vs BAL | Mason is too old to be an every week starter but this week you’ll cash in if you play him. |
| WR | Josh Morgan, SF | @ AZ | Morgan will make everyone forget about Michael Crabtree. |
| WR | DeSean Jackson, PHI | @ CAR | In only his second season, Jackson and quarterback Donovan McNabb will be connecting early and often. |
| WR | Eddie Royal, DEN | @ CIN | Another second year player, Royal should lead the way in the Broncos passing attack even with Marshall in the game. |
| WR | Chad OchoCinco, CIN | vs DEN | I was debating whether to mention him here but after his 2008 season performance…why not? Number 85 tends to play well against the Broncos. |
| WR | Sidney Rice, MIN | @ CLE | Rice will have a big role for the first few games as Bernard Berrian recovers from a hamstring injury and improves his timing with quarterback Brett Favre. |
| WR | Troy Williamson, JAX | vs IND | Williamson and quarterback David Garrard were clicking in the preseason. The Colts enter this game with a patchwork secondary with Bob Sanders likely out and Antoine Bethea nursing an injured hand. |
| WR | Lance Moore, NO | vs DET | I’m predicting a shoot out in this one. |
| TE | Owen Daniels, HOU | vs NYJ | If receiver Kevin Walter doesn’t play you MUST play Daniels. |
| TE | Anthony Fasano, MIA | @ ATL | Fasano will be needed to help out an inexperienced Dolphins receiving corps. |
| TE | Jeremy Shockey, NO | vs DET | Anyone capable of catching the ball for New Orleans…will. |
| TE | Brent Celek, PHI | @ CAR | The Carolina defense ain’t what it used to be. Celek is good for at least a touchdown. |
Read which players to John suggests benching in Week One here:
http://fantasynuthouse.com/?p=461
This post was written by TFSF
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.