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KQ: Rookies Run Wild
Authored by Andrew Perna - 9th September, 2008 - 12:42 pm
Instead of looking strictly at the final score of all 42 Super Bowl games, how close was each game when you take the Trench Counter into view?
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Week One of the NFL season was a filled with highs and lows across the board, while a number of rookies stole the show during Kickoff Weekend.
Guys like DeSean Jackson, Eddie Royal and Matt Forte led their teams to impressive victories, as sure-fire veteran clubs like the Colts, Chargers and Vikings struggled to get off the ground.
Donovan McNabb started off the season with a bang, despite being without his top-two wide receivers, a scene that certainly made me a very happy man. However, rookie wide-out DeSean Jackson was definitely the star at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday, grabbing six passes for 106 yards in his NFL debut.
The Eagles can survive without an elite receiver, but if Jackson is really this good, and is able to make a difference when returning the ball on punts or kickoffs, he’ll add a completely new fold into Philadelphia’s multidimensional attack.
Monday night’s battle against the Cowboys will be a huge test for the Eagles, who were not tested by the confused Rams. However, if the defense is able to get back to their ball-hawking ways, and Dallas running back Marion Barber truly isn’t one-hundred percent, Philly will have a real shot.
The Downs First Down…Brady Done For 2008 No matter how much I enjoy seeing the Patriots struggle, which hasn’t happened often in recent years, I certainly wasn’t happy to see Tom Brady get hurt against the Chiefs on Sunday. The hit, by Kansas City safety Bernard Pollard, was not dirty, but it will alter the course of the season. New England’s supporting cast is good enough to post a winning record, but you can forget about their annual Super Bowl aspirations.
Second Down…Rookies Explode A huge number of rookies enjoyed successful debuts in Week One. Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan’s first NFL pass was a 65-yard touchdown, and both he and Baltimore’s Joe Flacco were victorious on Sunday. Philadelphia’s DeSean Jackson topped 100 yards in his first game, a rare feat for a wide receiver, but Denver’s Eddie Royal bested Jackson’s effort on Monday night, catching nine passes for 146 yards and a touchdown from Jay Cutler. The greatest gains, however, were on the ground.
Chicago’s Matt Forte ran for 123 yards and a touchdown, Chris Johnson gained 93 yards, Ray Rice had 63 for Baltimore and Felix Jones tallied 62 yards and a score for the Cowboys. It’s no coincidence that all of these eight rookies played on winning teams in Week One.
Third Down…Chargers/Colts Fall San Diego and Indianapolis, playoff teams in 2007, both fell to clubs that failed to make the postseason last year on Sunday. The Chargers were stunned by the Panthers as the clock expired, while the Colts were simply outplayed by the Bears as they opened Lucas Oil Stadium.
Neither team will fall apart simply because they started the season with a loss, but they certainly had other plans – especially with both opening at home. Regardless, sixteen weeks from now both will be preparing for the postseason.
Fourth Down…Favre Looks Good Brett Favre didn’t appear to miss a beat in his debut with the Jets against the division-rival Dolphins. New York could become the favorites in the AFC East with Tom Brady on the sideline, but Favre will need to maintain his current level of play to make that a reality. He only threw 22 times, completing 15 passes for 194 yards and two touchdowns, but it was enough to down Miami.
The ‘Who The Heck’ Statline of the Week… Le’Ron McClain, FB, Ravens: 110 total yards (86 rushing) against the Bengals.
Keyboard Prediction for Week Two Pittsburgh @ Cleveland, Sunday 8:15 PM EST The Steelers have a history of starting the season on a roll, and they did so Sunday against the Texans. The Browns struggled mightily against the Cowboys, but they’ll rebound to challenge for a playoff spot in the AFC. However, it won’t be in Week Two.
Ben Roethlisberger was nearly perfect against Houston, and Cleveland doesn’t have the strongest pass defense. Look for Big Ben and Willie Parker, who scored more touchdowns in Week One than he did all of last season, to roll over their newest division rival.
The Keyboard Prediction: Steelers 34, Browns 20
Season Record: 0-1
My Fantasy Diary
Every fantasy football owner in the world feels a sense of hope during, and often after, Week One of the NFL season. Well, except those who drafted Tom Brady in the first round this summer.
I have just five teams this year, a sign of both growth and maturity on my part, and overall I started well this past weekend.
Just as I have in year’s past, while I will discuss all five of my leagues throughout the season, my main focus will be on The Drew Crew, who compete in the East Coast Pigskin League. The league, hosted by CBSSports.com, is insanely competitive and is the league where the highest percentage of my paycheck goes.
Of course, I had a tremendous opening week of every one of my leagues, except the East Coast Pigskin league. Two of my gambles on draft night, Philip Rivers and Thomas Jones, excelled, but my “sure things” struggled unexpectedly.
Dallas Clark left in the first half, tallying a whole 8 yards against the Bears. My tandem of receivers, Santonio Holmes and Marques Colston, combined to contribute just 45 receiving yards. To cap it all off, Joseph Addai struggled against the Chicago defense before leaving the game with a head injury.
Addai had just 47 total yards, meaning that my quartet of struggling starters provided me with just 10 fantasy points. Ten points! Are you kidding me?
My opponent, the High Strokers, scored 93.5 points, and beat me by eleven. If I had started Chris Chambers or rookie Felix Jones in the place of my “strugglers”, I would have squeaked by with big Week One win. Instead, the Drew Crew is now 0-1 in a very tough division.
I have Vernon Davis on the bench in the event Clark can’t go this week, but without Addai I’ll struggle. Jones is the only depth I have on my bench, and as a rookie he’ll almost certainly struggle from time-to-time.
It’s a long season, but I badly need a win in Week Two to avoid falling too far behind.
Week One Record: 4-1
Top Ten Fantasy Starters At Each Position For Week Two Based On Prior Week Performance And Matchups
QBs 1. Drew Brees, New Orleans @ Washington
2. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh @ Cleveland
3. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis @ Minnesota
4. Tony Romo, Dallas versus Philadelphia
5. Donovan McNabb, Philadelphia @ Dallas
6. Eli Manning, N.Y. Giants @ St. Louis
7. Brett Favre, N.Y. Jets versus New England
8. Philip Rivers, San Diego @ Denver
9. Kurt Warner, Arizona versus Miami
10. Carson Palmer, Cincinnati versus Tennessee
Sleeper: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay @ Detroit
RBs 1. Adrian Peterson, Minnesota versus Indianapolis
2. LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego @ Denver
3. Frank Gore, San Francisco @ Seattle
4. Brian Westbrook, Philadelphia @ Dallas
5. Willie Parker, Pittsburgh @ Cleveland
6. Ryan Grant, Green Bay @ Detroit
7. Larry Johnson, Kansas City versus Oakland
8. Marion Barber, Dallas versus Philadelphia (injury risk)
9. Joseph Addai, Indianapolis @ Minnesota (injury risk)
10. Clinton Portis, Washington versus New Orleans
Sleeper: Matt Forte, Chicago @ Carolina
WRs 1. Terrell Owens, Dallas versus Philadelphia
2. Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis @ Minnesota
3. Plaxico Burress, N.Y. Giants @ St. Louis
4. Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona versus Miami
5. Randy Moss, New England @ N.Y. Jets
6. Marques Colston, New Orleans @ Washington
7. Greg Jennings, Green Bay @ Detroit
8. Braylon Edwards, Cleveland versus Pittsburgh
9. Andre Johnson, Houston versus Baltimore
10. Anquan Boldin, Arizona versus Miami
Sleeper: DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia @ Dallas
TEs 1. Jason Witten, Dallas versus Philadelphia
2. Jeremy Shockey, New Orleans @ Washington
3. Kellen Winslow, Cleveland versus Pittsburgh
4. Antonio Gates, San Diego @ Denver
5. L.J. Smith, Philadelphia @ Dallas
6. Chris Cooley, Washington versus New Orleans
7. Dallas Clark, Indianapolis @ Minnesota (injury risk)
8. Vernon Davis, San Francisco @ Seattle
9. Tony Gonzalez, Kansas City versus Oakland
10. Heath Miller, Pittsburgh versus Cleveland
Sleeper: Anthony Fasano, Miami at Arizona
Ks 1. Nick Folk, Dallas versus Philadelphia
2. Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis @ Minnesota
3. Robbie Gould, Chicago @ Carolina
4. Jeff Reed, Pittsburgh @ Cleveland
5. Mason Crosby, Green Bay @ Detroit
6. Josh Brown, St. Louis versus N.Y. Giants
7. Neil Rackers, Arizona versus Miami
8. John Kasay, Carolina versus Chicago
9. David Akers, Philadelphia versus Dallas
10. Ryan Longwell, Minnesota versus Indianapolis
Sleeper: Rian Lindell, Buffalo @ Jacksonville
D/STs 1. Chicago Bears, @ Carolina
2. Tennessee Titans, @ Cincinnati
3. Seattle Seahawks, versus San Francisco
4. Carolina Panthers, versus Chicago
5. N.Y. Giants, @ St. Louis
6. Jacksonville Jaguars, versus Buffalo
7. Pittsburgh Steelers, @ Cleveland
8. San Diego Chargers, @ Denver
9. New England Patriots, @ N.Y. Jets
10. Buffalo Bills, @ Jacksonville
