Jason and Justin Sablich are here to help you with your fantasy football team. The Sablich brothers will provide fantasy football advice throughout the season on this blog and on Twitter (@5thDownFantasy).
Do you have a start/sit question for Week 1? This season, we will be taking your questions on Twitter rather than in the comments section below. Follow us at @5thDownFantasy.
A big welcome back to fantasy football fans everywhere and to our faithful readers from seasons past. In case you’re just joining us this season, this is the weekly post in which we highlight some players who are not automatic starts, players who are not named Andre Johnson or Aaron Rodgers, who have a chance to succeed based on their matchups for the week. The players you’ll find in these posts will coincide with our weekly rankings and will help explain why certain players are ranked where they are.
Week 1 is always the toughest week to measure; we don’t know how this season’s defenses will fare. We can only assume some of last year’s units will continue to struggle in certain areas given their preseason performances and off-season happenings. When in doubt, start the team you drafted!
Favorable/Unfavorable Quarterback Matchups
Favorable
Rex Grossman vs. Giants – This defense, particularly the secondary, has suffered major losses during the off-season. The Giants also allowed Grossman to rack up 336 passing yards and 2 touchdowns in Week 17 last season.
Kerry Collins vs. Houston – Collins will get last season’s most favorable quarterback matchup as well as the best receiving corps of his career, now that the Colts have said Peyton Manning is out. Can his shaky offensive line buy the notoriously immobile Collins enough time, and just how open will the playbook be for him?
Eli Manning vs. Washington – This matchup is a friendly one for Manning (third best in 2010), who will be hoping to quickly erase a poor preseason. However, he has averaged just 13.3 fantasy points over his last three games against the Redskins.
Matt Hasselbeck vs. Jacksonville – The Jaguars’ defense allowed the seventh-most points to quarterbacks last year, and they haven’t shown us anything this preseason to make us believe they will be tougher to throw on in 2011.
Unfavorable
Joe Flacco vs. Pittsburgh – Flacco had a rough outing the last time he faced the Steelers (fifth-worst quarterback matchup in 2010), totaling just 125 passing yards, 1 TD and 1 interception in last season’s divisional playoff round.
Ryan Fitzpatrick vs. Kansas City – The Chiefs were pretty tough on quarterbacks last season (12th-worst matchup), and their young secondary, featuring the star cornerback Brandon Flowers, only figures to get better.
Jay Cutler vs. Atlanta – There wasn’t a lot to get excited about regarding the Bears’ passing game this preseason, and Atlanta’s improving defense may keep things that way for at least another week.
Sam Bradford vs. Philadelphia – Bradford goes up against the scary threesome of Samuel, Asomugha and Rodgers-Cromartie, with only the rookie tight end Kendricks as an established target.
Favorable/Unfavorable Running Back Matchups
Favorable
DeAngelo Williams vs. Arizona – The Cardinals’ 3-4 defense struggled against the run in 2010 (second-best RB matchup), and the running game is still this offense’s best asset.
Jahvid Best vs. Tampa Bay — Best has a chance to get off on the right foot (pun intended) as the Buccaneers allowed 20 fantasy points a game to the position on average last season.
Beanie Wells vs. Carolina – Panthers rookies Sione Fua and Terrell McClain will be forced to play extensively because of injuries on the defensive line, and that can’t be a good thing considering the team’s struggles against the run last year (sixth-best RB matchup).
Knowshon Moreno vs. Oakland – Moreno lighted up last year’s ninth-best running back matchup for 21 fantasy points in Week 7, and he should see plenty of touches with the run-heavy coach John Fox calling the shots.
Unfavorable
Felix Jones vs. Jets – One of this preseason’s brightest stars faces a stiff Week 1 challenge on the road against the second-worst running back matchup from 2010.
LeGarrette Blount vs. Detroit – Blount’s straight-ahead style and questionable offensive line might not hold up against the Lions’ nasty defensive line.
Mark Ingram vs. Green Bay – Limited carries in a committee with Pierre Thomas and Darren Sproles against one of the better run-stopping units in the game (fourth-worst RB matchup in 2010) isn’t a recipe for fantasy success. He’ll probably have to score a touchdown to make him worth the start, something the Packers allowed running backs to do just six times last year.
Ryan Grant vs. New Orleans – He’ll be in a 50-50 timeshare with James Starks against an improved Saints defense.
Favorable/Unfavorable Wide Receiver Matchups
Mario Manningham vs. Washington – The Redskins’ secondary (fifth-best matchup in 2010) struggled to contain Manningham when he was the Giants’ WR1 option in last year’s final regular-season game (4 receptions, 101 yards, 1 touchdown).
DeSean Jackson vs. St. Louis – Last season’s 10th-best WR matchup could have an even tougher time slowing down Jackson on artificial turf.
Santonio Holmes vs. Dallas – Despite the Jets’ preseason struggles in the passing game, Sanchez connected well with Holmes, and that rapport could carry straight into Week 1 if the Dallas secondary hasn’t improved (best WR matchup in 2010).
Kenny Britt vs. Jacksonville – Britt hasn’t seen much preseason action because of a hamstring injury, but it might not matter going up against one of the most generous secondaries in the league (23 fantasy points allowed per game in 2010).
Unfavorable
Percy Harvin vs. San Diego — The Chargers allowed the second-fewest points to receivers last season, and there’s no reason to think this unit won’t be a formidable one again in 2011.
Steve Johnson vs. Kansas City — Johnson should be seeing plenty of the shutdown cornerback Brandon Flowers at Arrowhead on Sunday.
Marques Colston vs. Green Bay — You’ll want to start Colston as long as he’s healthy, but he’ll have his work cut out for him Thursday night as Tramon Williams and Charles Woodson front one of the best secondaries in football.
Dwayne Bowe vs. Buffalo — With his quarterback Matt Cassel nursing bad ribs and the weak Buffalo run defense on deck, the Chiefs could opt to run the ball all day.
Favorable/Unfavorable Tight End Matchups
Favorable
Lance Kendricks vs. Philadelphia – Sam Bradford’s favorite target this preseason gets 2010’s best fantasy tight end matchup.
Jared Cook vs. Jacksonville – The popular sleeper has a good chance at early success; the Jaguars had a hard time stopping tight ends in 2010 (third-best TE matchup).
Unfavorable
Zach Miller vs. San Francisco – The 49ers were the toughest tight end matchup in 2010, and we’re not sure how Miller will be used yet.
Favorable/Unfavorable Defense/Special Teams Matchups
Favorable
Arizona vs. Carolina, Kansas City vs. Buffalo, San Francisco vs. Seattle, Cleveland vs. Cincinnati
Unfavorable
Chicago vs. Atlanta, New Orleans vs. Green Bay, Jets vs. Dallas, Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh
Do you have a start/sit question for Week 1? This season, we will be taking your questions on Twitter rather than in the comments section below. Follow us at @5thDownFantasy.
No comments:
Post a Comment