Week #1 Game Previews

Fantasy football is back and the season kicks off Sept. 6 with potentially the most explosive matchup of the season - New Orleans and Indianapolis, in what should be a most entertaining shootout. If only every game during the next 17 weeks could be peppered with so many fantasy studs. Unfortunately, a good number of the games will involve the Raiders and Texans and Browns, oh my.

With this weekly column I hope to help you mine the matchups for those fantasy stars, while avoiding the dregs of the league. My focus tends to favor the yardage- and statistic-oriented fantasy facts, so keep that in mind if you decide to read along this year. And if you do, make sure you check out the other articles here on FFToolbox.com, as well as other sources to round out your information-gathering sessions. One word of caution: try to not over think your weekly decisions too much; sometimes the gut feeling is the right decision from the beginning.

I will also be dividing relevant skill players into four categories:

Must start: This one is not rocket science; if you have certain players on your team - LaDainian, Peyton, Chad the Mouth - they should be in your starting lineup no matter the matchup.

Favorable situation: These players are not guarantees week after week, or are to be considered as No. 2 or No. 3 options. They will be in your lineup more often once the bye weeks roll around, unless the opponent is just too formidable.

Unfavorable situation: Sometimes you just don't have the backups or depth to sit questionable players, especially once the bye weeks kick in, and you will be faced with starting a guy and hoping he does well. Weather, injury, or facing off against a strong defense could also cause a player to slip into this category.

Don't start: This one pretty much is easy enough to figure out, yes?

And please keep in mind that what I write is just my opinion, albeit one that I try to inform as much as possible. Even the "experts" who cover pro football for a living get it majorly wrong sometimes. In a very recent Sports Illustrated piece Peter King wrote, "I'll be surprised if Byron Leftwich ... doesn't have the kind of franchise-quarterback season the Jaguars envisioned when they drafted him seventh overall in 2003." Leftwich might just do that, but it won't be with the Jags.

Let the scoring begin.

New Orleans at Indianapolis
As stated in the column opening, the fantasy action doesn't get any better than this season opener. The Saints finished first in overall offense last season and the Colts finished third, before going on to win the Super Bowl. Neither team has a great defense and Indianapolis had all sorts of trouble stopping the run last season. Tony Dungy is a defensive-minded coach, however, so he no doubt worked on shoring up that sore spot. Basically, though, this game is an "all hands on deck" affair for both teams.

New Orleans
Must Start: Drew Brees; Deuce McAllister
Favorable situation: Reggie Bush (although Deuce will likely hog the running game against the Colts, leaving Bush to rack up his fantasy points with receptions out of the backfield); Marques Colston; Devery Henderson
Unfavorable situation: David Patten - he had a great preseason, but don't count on him until he performs in the regular season; Eric Johnson and the other TEs
Don't Start: Robert Meachem - the rookie needs seasoning and a few games to get ready.

Indianapolis
Must Start: Peyton Manning; Joseph Addai; Marvin Harrison; Reggie Wayne
Favorable situation: Dallas Clark
Unfavorable situation: Anthony Gonzalez - the ball should be in the air so much that Gonzalez would need stones of hand not to catch at least a few passes; but he is still a rookie.
Don't Start: None

Atlanta at Minnesota
This is the true debut for Joey Harrington in a Falcon uniform and it is unlikely that he is going to make fans forget about Michael Vick right away. The Vikings owned the league's best run defense last season but balanced that out with the league's worst pass defense (tied with Cincinnati). Atlanta also had a top-10 run defense and a poor pass defense. Still, Minnesota will likely try to control the game on the ground and not allow Tavaris Jackson to get too crazy with the passing game.

Atlanta
Must start: None
Favorable situation: Alge Crumpler; Joe Horn
Unfavorable situation: Harrington; Warrick Dunn; Jerious Norwood; despite the Vikings' troubles in the secondary, it is not wise to start Michael Jenkins or Roddy White.
Don't start: Any other players

Minnesota
Must start: None
Favorable situation: Chester Taylor; Adrian Peterson; Vistanthe Shiancoe (TE)
Unfavorable situation: Tavaris Jackson; Troy Williamson
Don't start: Any other Minnesota WRs