Week 1: It’s Gametime - 9 comments

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Welcome back to another year of your favorite Cafe article, Start & Sit. We’ve had a wonderful turnout this year, with Cafe members Dan Lambskin, RWLongy4, MattUTD20, Indibuck and FatFoot joining me for these first week’s ratings, and several other members pledging their time to contribute in future weeks. We’re also receiving featured analysis from Nick Hopkins (terpfan) sprinkled in throughout the article. Much thanks to him and to all our rankers this year. In 2009, we’re ranking all the players we expect could see a significant amount of game action each week. We factor in a player’s overall ability, his weekly matchup, and the current status of his health. The result is one Start/Sit number, based on a scale of 100, and we’ll use each member’s ratings to find an average for each player. The higher a guy is on our list, the better you should feel starting him. Let’s get on with it!

Quarterbacks	Team	Opp	Total
Drew Brees	NO	DET	95.4
Peyton Manning	IND	JAC	91.6
Tom Brady	NE	BUF	88.5
Aaron Rodgers	GB	CHI	85.0
Kurt Warner	ARI	SF	83.8
Carson Palmer	CIN	DEN	82.2
Philip Rivers	SD	at OAK	80.0
Donovan McNabb	PHI	at CAR	79.2
Matt Ryan	ATL	MIA	76.4
Matt Hasselbeck	SEA	STL	75.4
Jay Cutler	CHI	at GB	73.8
Matt Schaub	HOU	NYJ	73.5
Tony Romo	DAL	at TB	72.2
David Garrard	JAC	at IND	70.6
Joe Flacco	BAL	KC	69.8
Eli Manning	NYG	WAS	68.4
Ben Roethlisberger	PIT	TEN	68.0
Shaun Hill	SF	at ARI	65.2
Brett Favre	MIN	at CLE	64.7
Chad Pennington	MIA	at ATL	64.4
Trent Edwards	BUF	at NE	61.0
Jason Campbell	WAS	at NYG	59.8
Byron Leftwich	TB	DAL	58.8
Matthew Stafford	DET	at NO	58.8
Mark Sanchez	NYJ	at HOU	58.4
Jake Delhomme	CAR	PHI	57.6
Brady Quinn	CLE	MIN	57.6
Derek Anderson	CLE	MIN	56.8
Kyle Orton	DEN	at CIN	56.5
Marc Bulger	STL	at SEA	56.5
Kerry Collins	TEN	at PIT	56.0
JaMarcus Russell	OAK	SD	55.6
Daunte Culpepper	DET	at NO	43.1
Tyler Thigpen	KC	at BAL	43.0
Matt Cassel	KC	at BAL	40.8
Chris Simms	DEN	at CIN	30.3

 
Start: Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals’ signal caller is looking for a strong start to his season after missing most of 2008. T.J. Houshmandzadeh is gone, but another possession receiver with an similarly hard to spell name, Laveranues Coles, will fill his position opposite Chad Ochocinco. The Bengals hope Cedric Benson can continue the success he had at the end of last season, giving the team a more balanced attack. This first game, at home game against a Denver team that was near the bottom in pass defense last year, should be a good matchup for Palmer.
 
Sit: Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers. There’s no doubt that the two-time Super Bowl winner is a good quarterback, but I’ve always been skeptical about his fantasy worth. It appears that his 32-touchdown season in 2007 was more of a fluke than anything. Big Ben is a solid fantasy backup, useful when he has a good matchup or your starter cannot play. Roethlisberger is not a particularly great start against a strong Titans defense, so unless you have no better options, he should stay on your bench this week.
 

Running Backs	Team	Opp	Total
Adrian Peterson	MIN	at CLE	94.4
Michael Turner	ATL	MIA	89.6
LaDanian Tomlinson	SD	at OAK	89.5
Maurice Jones-Drew	JAC	at IND	89.0
Matt Forte	CHI	at GB	86.2
Steven Jackson	STL	at SEA	84.6
Frank Gore	SF	at ARI	84.2
DeAngelo Williams	CAR	PHI	83.4
Steve Slaton	HOU	NYJ	79.8
Ray Rice	BAL	KC	78.4
Ronnie Brown	MIA	at ATL	77.4
Kevin Smith	DET	at NO	76.4
Brandon Jacobs	NYG	WAS	76.2
Marion Barber	DAL	at TB	76.2
Chris Johnson	TEN	at PIT	75.2
Clinton Portis	WAS	at NYG	73.2
Ryan Grant	GB	CHI	71.4
Darren McFadden	OAK	SD	71.0
Thomas Jones	NYJ	at HOU	70.4
Brian Westbrook	PHI	at CAR	70.4
Cedric Benson	CIN	DEN	69.8
Joseph Addai	IND	JAC	68.8
Willie Parker	PIT	TEN	66.3
Reggie Bush	NO	DET	65.6
Fred Jackson	BUF	at NE	64.4
Larry Johnson	KC	at BAL	63.2
Pierre Thomas	NO	DET	62.1
Fred Taylor	NE	BUF	61.6
Beanie Wells	ARI	SF	61.2
Julius Jones	SEA	STL	61.2
Felix Jones	DAL	at TB	60.6
Tim Hightower	ARI	SF	60.2
Knowshon Moreno	DEN	at CIN	59.3
Derrick Ward	TB	DAL	59.1
Chester Taylor	MIN	at CLE	57.5
LenDale White	TEN	at PIT	56.8
Leon Washington	NYJ	at HOU	56.4
Donald Brown	IND	JAC	54.0
Darren Sproles	SD	at OAK	52.8
James Davis	CLE	MIN	52.0
Earnest Graham	TB	DAL	51.8
Ahmad Bradshaw	NYG	WAS	51.0
Edgerrin James	SEA	STL	50.8
LeSean McCoy	PHI	at CAR	50.6
Jerious Norwood	ATL	MIA	50.3
Jamal Lewis	CLE	MIN	50.1
Correll Buckhalter	DEN	at CIN	50.0
Willis McGahee	BAL	KC	49.0
Mike Bell	NO	DET	46.8
Laurence Maroney	NE	BUF	46.8
Michael Bush	OAK	SD	46.2
Rashard Mendenhall	PIT	TEN	45.9
Ricky Williams	MIA	at ATL	45.0
Cadillac Williams	TB	DAL	43.9
LeRon McClain	BAL	KC	40.8
Jamaal Charles	KC	at BAL	40.8
Kevin Faulk	NE	BUF	39.5
Sammy Morris	NE	BUF	39.0
Ladell Betts	WAS	at NYG	38.0
Peyton Hillis	DEN	at CIN	36.7
BenJarvus Green-Ellis	NE	BUF	36.3
Jonathan Stewart	CAR	PHI	35.2
Chris Brown	HOU	NYJ	34.8
Glen Coffee	SF	at ARI	34.3
Shonn Greene	NYJ	at HOU	33.0
Justin Fargas	OAK	SD	33.0
Greg Jones	JAC	at IND	26.0
Mewelde Moore	PIT	TEN	18.0
Bernard Scott	CIN	DEN	17.7
Mike Goodson	CAR	PHI	13.5
DeShawn Wynn	GB	CHI	13.3
Garrett Wolfe	CHI	at GB	12.7
Danny Ware	NYG	WAS	10.7
Samkon Gado	STL	at SEA	10.5
Xavier Omon	BUF	at NE	9.3
Brandon Jackson	GB	CHI	6.6

 
Start: Ray Rice, Baltimore Ravens. The Baltimore backfield is not ideal for fantasy success. Rice will most likely be sharing caries with fullback Leron McClain and backup runner Willis McGahee. It seems, however, that the Rutgers product will receive the majority of the carries, and he has a good matchup in Week 1 against the Kansas City Chiefs. This game should give us a good idea of how these three backs will be used this season.
 
Sit: Larry Johnson, Kansas City Chiefs. I think Larry Johnson has a chance to have a solid bounce-back season in 2009. He is talented enough and not quite 30; I think he has one or two good years left in him. But if you can help it, you probably want to sit him this week against the Ravens stifling run defense.
 

Wide Receivers	Team	Opp	Total
Larry Fitzgerald	ARI	SF	95.4
Calvin Johnson	DET	at NO	94.6
Randy Moss	NE	BUF	92.0
Andre Johnson	HOU	NYJ	90.2
Roddy White	ATL	MIA	87.4
Marques Colston	NO	DET	85.5
Reggie Wayne	IND	JAC	85.4
Greg Jennings	GB	CHI	83.7
Anquan Boldin	ARI	SF	82.5
Chad Ochocinco	CIN	DEN	82.4
Steve Smith	CAR	PHI	81.2
Eddie Royal	DEN	at CIN	78.2
T.J. Houshmandzadeh	SEA	STL	76.0
Lee Evans	BUF	at NE	74.4
Dwayne Bowe	KC	at BAL	73.0
Brandon Marshall	DEN	at CIN	72.0
Derrick Mason	BAL	KC	71.8
Vincent Jackson	SD	at OAK	70.6
Anthony Gonzalez	IND	JAC	70.4
Braylon Edwards	CLE	MIN	70.4
Wes Welker	NE	BUF	69.9
Jerricho Cotchery	NYJ	at HOU	69.2
Laveranues Coles	CIN	DEN	68.8
Terrell Owens	BUF	at NE	68.8
Lance Moore	NO	DET	68.7
Bernard Berrian	MIN	at CLE	68.3
DeSean Jackson	PHI	at CAR	68.2
Antonio Bryant	TB	DAL	67.6
Donald Driver	GB	CHI	67.4
Chris Henry	CIN	DEN	67.0
Santonio Holmes	PIT	TEN	66.2
Roy Williams	DAL	at TB	65.7
Santana Moss	WAS	at NYG	65.6
Steve Breaston	ARI	SF	65.6
Torry Holt	JAC	at IND	65.0
Hines Ward	PIT	TEN	64.6
Donnie Avery	STL	at SEA	63.4
Devin Hester	CHI	at GB	62.0
Nate Burleson	SEA	STL	61.2
Josh Morgan	SF	at ARI	61.1
Mark Clayton	BAL	KC	60.7
Kevin Walter	HOU	NYJ	59.2
Earl Bennett	CHI	at GB	58.8
Ted Ginn	MIA	at ATL	58.2
Chris Chambers	SD	at OAK	58.0
Percy Harvin	MIN	at CLE	57.0
Domenik Hixon	NYG	WAS	56.6
Michael Jenkins	ATL	MIA	56.6
Steve Smith	NYG	WAS	55.6
Robert Meachem	NO	DET	55.2
Sidney Rice	MIN	at CLE	53.9
Devery Henderson	NO	DET	53.6
Patrick Crayton	DAL	at TB	51.8
Isaac Bruce	SF	at ARI	51.6
Laurent Robinson	STL	at SEA	51.4
Arnaz Battle	SF	at ARI	51.3
Jeremy Maclin	PHI	at CAR	51.3
Joey Galloway	NE	BUF	50.8
Bryant Johnson	DET	at NO	50.6
Antwaan Randle El	WAS	at NYG	50.3
Muhsin Muhammad	CAR	PHI	48.8
Chansi Stuckey	NYJ	at HOU	48.2
Troy Williamson	JAC	at IND	47.0
Limas Sweed	PIT	TEN	46.6
Brian Hartline	MIA	at ATL	46.6
Josh Cribbs	CLE	MIN	46.5
Deion Branch	SEA	STL	46.4
Malcom Kelly	WAS	at NYG	46.4
Kevin Curtis	PHI	at CAR	46.3
Michael Clayton	TB	DAL	45.8
Darrius Heyward-Bey	OAK	SD	45.8
Johnnie Lee Higgins	OAK	SD	45.8
Justin Gage	TEN	at PIT	45.6
Miles Austin	DAL	at TB	45.2
Jason Avant	PHI	at CAR	43.8
Louis Murphy	OAK	SD	43.8
Greg Camarillo	MIA	at ATL	43.3
Davone Bess	MIA	at ATL	41.5
Hakeem Nicks	NYG	WAS	39.9
Mark Bradley	KC	at BAL	39.2
Deon Butler	SEA	STL	38.8
Mario Manningham	NYG	WAS	37.4
Bobby Engram	KC	at BAL	36.8
Jerheme Urban	ARI	SF	36.5
Malcom Floyd	SD	at OAK	35.3
Mohammed Massaquoi	CLE	MIN	33.0
Brandon Stokley	DEN	at CIN	32.8
Mike Furrey	CLE	MIN	32.5
Dennis Northcutt	DET	at NO	32.5
Kenny Britt	TEN	at PIT	31.8
Austin Collie	IND	JAC	30.8
Andre Davis	HOU	NYJ	27.0
James Jones	GB	CHI	26.0
David Clowney	NYJ	at HOU	25.8
Devin Aromashodu	CHI	at GB	24.0
Jordy Nelson	GB	CHI	23.5
Brian Finneran	ATL	MIA	22.7
Keenan Burton	STL	at SEA	22.3
Kelley Washington	BAL	KC	21.3
Pierre Garcon	IND	JAC	19.0
Sam Hurd	DAL	at TB	18.3
Ronald Curry	STL	at SEA	16.3
Lavelle Hawkins	TEN	at PIT	16.3
Maurice Stovall	TB	DAL	15.7
Kenneth Moore	CAR	PHI	14.3
Nate Washington	TEN	at PIT	14.1
Josh Reed	BUF	at NE	12.7
Mike Sims-Walker	JAC	at IND	12.3
Juaquin Iglesias	CHI	at GB	11.3
Devin Thomas	WAS	at NYG	11.0
Legedu Naanee	SD	at OAK	8.3

 
Start: Eddie Royal, Denver Broncos. With Brandon Marshall missing the entire preseason, the Broncos have looked to second-year receiver Eddie Royal to become the first option in this offense. Coming off a very impressive rookie year, during which he caught 91 passes, Royal will have taken advantage of Marshall’s absence, becoming more in tune with new quarterback Kyle Orton. Look for a good game from Royal against the Bengals.
 
Sit: Roy Williams, Dallas Cowboys. Perhaps the biggest storyline in Dallas this year (other than Jerry Jones’ punt-blocking jumbo-tron) is how the Cowboys’ offense will react to the loss of Terrell Owens. Williams is expected to step up and occupy that #1 wide receiver role, but it is still yet to be seen how he will handle the promotion. He never quite looked comfortable to me last year, coming over to Dallas from Detroit. Use a wait and see approach with Williams this first week against Tampa Bay, a team that had a top-five passing defense in 2008.
 

Tight Ends	Team	Opp	Total
Antonio Gates	SD	at OAK	90.0
Jason Witten	DAL	at TB	90.0
Dallas Clark	IND	JAC	87.4
Tony Gonzalez	ATL	MIA	86.4
Greg Olsen	CHI	at GB	79.8
John Carlson	SEA	STL	79.4
Owen Daniels	HOU	NYJ	79.0
Zach Miller	OAK	SD	75.6
Kellen Winslow	TB	DAL	74.2
Jeremy Shockey	NO	DET	74.2
Chris Cooley	WAS	at NYG	73.8
Visanthe Shiancoe	MIN	at CLE	72.2
Dustin Keller	NYJ	at HOU	71.2
Brent Celek	PHI	at CAR	70.0
Todd Heap	BAL	KC	67.4
Tony Scheffler	DEN	at CIN	67.2
Kevin Boss	NYG	WAS	65.4
Randy McMichael	STL	at SEA	63.8
Heath Miller	PIT	TEN	63.4
Jermichael Finley	GB	CHI	63.0
Anthony Fasano	MIA	at ATL	62.8
Marcedes Lewis	JAC	at IND	60.6
Chris Baker	NE	BUF	59.8
Brandon Pettigrew	DET	at NO	58.2
Vernon Davis	SF	at ARI	57.8
Daniel Coats	CIN	DEN	56.4
Bo Scaife	TEN	at PIT	55.8
Donald Lee	GB	CHI	55.4
Robert Royal	CLE	MIN	54.0
Gary Barnidge	CAR	PHI	53.2
Stephen Spach	ARI	SF	52.8
Derek Schouman	BUF	at NE	51.2
Sean Ryan	KC	at BAL	49.0
Alge Crumpler	TEN	at PIT	39.8
James Casey	HOU	NYJ	30.3
Martellus Bennett	DAL	at TB	29.5
Shawn Nelson	BUF	at NE	28.8
Daniel Graham	DEN	at CIN	25.3

 
Start: Greg Olsen, Chicago Bears. Olsen is the most consistent receiving threat on the Bears offense, now lead by Pro Bowl quarterback Jake Cutler. My guess is that Olsen quickly becomes not only Cutler’s security blanket, but favorite receiver. I’m looking for a strong start to this partnership in Week 1.
 
Sit: Marcedes Lewis, Jacksonville Jaguars. Lewis showed some flashes of what he is capable of last season, but still has not quite put it all together. His matchup against the Indianapolis Colts is not a favorable one, so the big tight end should be kept on the bench this week.
 

Kickers	Team	Opp	Total
Stephen Gostkowski	NE	BUF	91.8
Neil Rackers	ARI	SF	86.4
Nate Kaeding	SD	at OAK	85.0
David Akers	PHI	at CAR	84.8
John Carney	NO	DET	82.4
Ryan Longwell	MIN	at CLE	81.0
Mason Crosby	GB	CHI	80.2
Jason Elam	ATL	MIA	78.2
Rob Bironas	TEN	at PIT	77.8
Adam Vinatieri	IND	JAC	77.0
Robbie Gould	CHI	at GB	76.2
Nick Folk	DAL	at TB	75.4
Kris Brown	HOU	NYJ	74.4
Shayne Graham	CIN	DEN	73.8
Lawrence Tynes	NYG	WAS	73.4
Jeff Reed	PIT	TEN	70.8
Matt Prater	DEN	at CIN	69.6
Josh Scobee	JAC	at IND	69.6
Jay Feely	NYJ	at HOU	69.4
John Kasay	CAR	PHI	69.0
Steven Hauschka	BAL	KC	68.0
Joe Nedney	SF	at ARI	67.4
Josh Brown	STL	at SEA	64.8
Olindo Mare	SEA	STL	63.6
Phil Dawson	CLE	MIN	62.6
Sebastian Janikowski	OAK	SD	61.8
Billy Cundiff	DET	at NO	61.5
Dan Carpenter	MIA	at ATL	60.4
Rian Lindell	BUF	at NE	59.8
Shaun Suisham	WAS	at NYG	58.6
Mike Nugent	TB	DAL	52.8
Ryan Succop	KC	at BAL	49.2

 
Start: John Carney, New Orleans Saints. – The Saints’ offense gave us a taste of how good they can be this preseason when they hung 45 points on the Oakland Raiders. I shudder to think what Drew Brees and company could do to the poor Lions, playing a full four quarters. Kicker John Carney will be the beneficiary of those points.
 
Sit: John Kasay, Carolina Panthers. Kasay is a solid kicker, but for kickers it is all about the matchup. For a fringe starter like Kasay, a matchup with a tough Eagles defense is enough to leave him on the bench (or waiver wire).
 

Defense	Team	Opp	Total
Ravens	BAL	KC	93.8
Steelers	PIT	TEN	92.0
Giants	NYG	WAS	90.0
Chargers	SD	at OAK	88.3
Vikings	MIN	at CLE	86.3
Patriots	NE	BUF	81.5
Eagles	PHI	at CAR	80.3
Cowboys	DAL	at TB	77.0
Packers	GB	CHI	76.8
Bears	CHI	at GB	75.3
Titans	TEN	at PIT	74.0
Seahawks	SEA	STL	71.0
Texans	HOU	NYJ	70.8
Cardinals	ARI	SF	69.5
Panthers	CAR	PHI	68.0
Jets	NYJ	at HOU	67.3
Colts	IND	JAC	65.8
Falcons	ATL	MIA	65.0
Redskins	WAS	at NYG	64.8
Saints	NO	DET	64.5
Buccaneers	TB	DAL	64.0
Dolphins	MIA	at ATL	59.3
Bengals	CIN	DEN	58.0
Jaguars	JAC	at IND	57.8
Bills	BUF	at NE	56.3
49ers	SF	at ARI	56.0
Broncos	DEN	at CIN	53.0
Raiders	OAK	SD	52.0
Chiefs	KC	at BAL	51.8
Rams	STL	at SEA	51.5
Browns	CLE	MIN	50.5
Lions	DET	at NO	42.0

 
Start: Dallas Cowboys. The Buccaneers quarterback situation has been fairly well documented this offseason. The gist of it is this: they aren’t all that good. Byron Leftwich will get the start behind a talented, but still very young offensive line. The Cowboys have the talent on defense to take advantage of any mistakes by the Bucs. Pass-rushing specialist Demarcus Ware should bother the immobile Leftwich all game long.
 
Sit: New York Jets. There was a time not too long ago when a game against the Houston Texans was great news for the opposing defense. Well, Andre Johnson, Matt Schaub, and Steve Slaton have come a long way in closing that chapter. The Texans had the league’s #3 ranked offense last year, and they have the talent to make a trip to Reliant Stadium difficult on the visiting defense.
 
Thanks for reading! Check back with us next week, and every week throughout the season.
 

 
R.J. White is a fantasy blogger at the sports site FanHouse. Check out his work both here and there, and feel free to talk to him in the forums, where he posts under the name daullaz.
 

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