Using my custom position-by-position Field Impact Counter (FIC) we can safely and accurately rank quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and tight ends by an objective statistical measurement. The importance placed on specific positions is far different in football than it is in basketball, baseball, and hockey. Because of this, we have separated salaries by position instead of having a single common pool. Quarterbacks are compared to quarterbacks. Running backs are compared to running backs. Wide receivers are compared to wide receivers. There are only four positions on the football field where we can truly use statistics to rank a player?s performance in the same ways we can for the other three major sports. Intangibles such as how a running back picks up the blitz or how well a wide receiver blocks for his downfield runners do not appear on stat sheets and in order to get a truly objective statistical ranking, these elements are unfortunately overlooked. Players are ranked from highest to lowest by the total FIC for the season, not per game because players only give contribute to a team when they are playing. * More information about the FIC at the bottom of this article. Beside each player?s actual salary, we slide in raw cap value figures of the position, ranked top to bottom, which determines their ?deserved? salary. The player who has the highest FIC receives the highest ?deserved? salary. The player with the second highest FIC receives the second highest salary. The player with the hundredth highest FIC receives the hundredth highest salary. We then calculate the percentage increase or decrease from the actual and deserved and that figure becomes their Reina Value. The Reina Value is a valuation system that quickly determines how players perform in relation to their contracts or in the case of the NFL, their cap value. Ben Roethlisberger and Jay Cutler may have had higher QB ratings, but Week One at the quarterback position really belonged to Donovan McNabb who looked towards DeSean Jackson time after time with Reggie Brown and Kevin Curtis injured. Jackson, Hank Baskett and Greg Lewis all had 100-yard days against the Rams. McNabb's receivers game him 132 yards after the catch on Sunday. Jay Cutler is the early yards per throw leader with 12.46. Cutler, Eddie Royal and Tony Scheffler made the Raiders defense look like a sub .500 JV team. Elite WR Brandon Marshall was suspended for the game and his return will give Mike Shanahan easily the best passing game he has enjoyed since John Elway's retirement. Roethlisberger completed 13 of his 14 attempts against the porous Houston secondary. Aaron Rodgers had the better FIC opening day than Brett Favre though both were victorious. Favre's QB rating was 125.9 to Rodgers' 115.5, but Rodgers stayed on his feet virtually the whole game against a very good Minnesota defense while Favre was sacked three times. Michael Turner came to Atlanta with a big contract and big expectations and he overshot both of those with his 220 yards on 22 carries and two touchdowns. Turner rushed for 11 first downs and had eight carries for 10 yards or more while teammate Jerious Norwood had five of his own. Reggie Bush did 83% of his FIC damage catching the ball as the Saints are wisely getting him into space again this season. Frank Gore was used much like Marshall Faulk on Sunday as he caught four balls for 55 yards (three first downs and 66 yards after catch) while rushing just 14 times for 96 yards (6.9 per carry) and a TD. Rookies Chris Johnson and Matt Forte made the most impressive debuts at running back though Felix Jones had nine carries for 62 yards (6.9 YPC) and Darren McFadden had nine for 46 (5.1 YPC). Eddie Royal led all receivers with 146 yards receiving, while seven of his nine catches were for first downs. His route running was impeccable and played the entire game on an entirely different level than the Raiders' secondary. Plaxico Burress celebrated a new contract by catching 10 balls for 133 yards. Like Burress, Andre Johnson didn't score a TD but eight of his 10 receptions for 112 yards resulted in first downs. Bringing up the rear of the top-10 are the trio of Eagles' receivers Jackson, Lewis and Baskett. They may not be this year's Moss, Welker and Stallworth, but the Rams allowed the triplets to spot themselves a nice 100 yard start. Dante Rosario should receive a bonus for catching a game-winning TD, but he's at the top of the Week One list nonetheless. Bo Scaife had 82 yards after the catch in Tennessee's win. Jason Witten remains the most consistent tight end in the game, catching six balls for 96 yards (all first downs). Antonio Gates only caught four balls for 61 yards and Kellen Winslow had five for 57, but both found the end zone. Field Impact Counter Formulas Quarterbacks .25 Completions - .5 Incomplete Passes + .1 Yards + 4 Touchdowns - Interceptions + First Downs - Sacks .5 Rushing Yards - Rushing Attempts + 5 Rushing Touchdowns + Rushing First downs - Lost Fumbles Running Backs + 5 Rushing Touchdowns + .5 Rushing Yards - Rushing Attempts + Rushing First downs - 5 Rushing Fumbles + Receptions + .5 Receiving Yards + 5 Receiving Touchdowns + Receiving First Downs - 5 Receiving Fumbles Wide Receivers/Tight Ends 5 Touchdowns +.5 Receiving Yards + Receptions + First Downs - 5 Fumbles Christopher Reina is the executive editor of RealGM.com