What we are talking about:
Andy Luck
The rookie QB to start
RG3
Overvalued this week?
Mike Trout
Best rookie in any sport?
Blake Lively was in the news this week as she married her former co-star (more on that movie in a moment), Ryan Reynolds. And while this was huge news on the entertainment shows, it did cause you to pause to ask the question, why is she popular again?
Sure, she was downright charming in "Accepted" and really good in "The Town." But her career has been defined over the last couple of years by ruining "The Green Lantern" and some hacked nude photos. (Though, in her defense, she was all wrong as Carol Ferris. It should have been Diane Kruger, but at least it wasn't Kristen Stewart.)
The point is, Lively is still a star, just not the megastar we're making her out to be. And it got me thinking about Cam Newton. He was a fantasy star coming into this season, and really, nobody was quite sure why. Newton had a fantastic debut as a starting quarterback in 2011, but he was rather ordinary down the stretch.
In fact, if you look at Newton's last five games (including Week 1 against the dreadful Buccaneers), he's averaged 211 passing yards per game, and he threw nine touchdowns and five interceptions. Oh, and he stopped running the ball too, as he scored only one touchdown.
None of this kept me from drafting him in the first round of my Corona Football League (with my boys from The 951). And now my team is about as useless as my DVD of "The Green Lantern." I will never draft a quarterback in the first round again.
A big nod to our esteemed stat guy, Bill "Sudsy" Sudell for the knowledge.
And without further ado ...
Starting a rookie quarterback is the new must-have item for the fantasy enthusiasts, much like my tie clip. But if you really want to start a rookie quarterback, go with Andy Luck. The Vikings offer one of the best matchups for the young QB; they allowed the most fantasy points to quarterbacks last year, and have not made an interception in 10 of their last 12 games. Luck will have a monster day. ...
Seriously, Blaine Gabbert was one of the top fantasy quarterbacks in Week 1. Wait, Gabbert isn't supposed to be on this side of the column. I hope you're just now skimming through and saw Gabbert on the list, and then rushed to put him in your lineup. Nah, this early in the column, you're probably locked in. ...
Matt Ryan is a fantastic play on Monday night. I liked him more than Jay Cutler, who played on Thursday. I liked Cutler's matchup, but you have to be really sure about your Thursday night games. The Broncos allowed the eighth most fantasy points to quarterbacks last year. I'm not married to that stat for the Broncos defense, as Von Miller looks excellent. But Ryan is going to have a big day. ...
I liked Jay Cutler when the week started (the game hasn't started yet as I'm typing this). I really liked when he wished the Packers' defense good luck. He hasn't quite won me over yet, but he's getting close. ...
ImageSpeaking of wishing people luck, here's to a speedy recovery for Jerry "The King" Lawler, who suffered a heart attack during "Monday Night Raw." The whole thing was tough to watch -- in fact, I couldn't stomach watching it. I ended up going to YouTube to catch the final promo between C.M. Punk and John Cena. Get well, King, who is reportedly in great spirits. ...
ImageSpeaking of tough to watch, the season premiere of "Sons of Anarchy" was gripping, exhilarating and compelling at the same time. Given what went down on Monday night, even the scripted violence was nearly too much. Seriously, I nearly bailed on the show, but I'm glad I stuck with it. I won't spoil it, but there's a scene that rivaled Lem's death in "The Shield" as one of my most memorable moments of scripted TV. ...
ImageFor the record, RG3 had a wonderful NFL debut. But can it really match Jimmy Smits' debut on "Sons"? Might be the best intro on TV ever, with the exception of Mr. Perfect's vignettes that introduced him to the WWF. If you watched "Sons" you know what I mean. Sorry, let's get back to football. ...
Jamaal Charles is due for a bounce-back game against the Bills in Week 2. Seriously, Shonn Greene gashed this defense last week. Oh great, Greene is now on the "like" side of this column. Really, I hope nobody is skimming this column. ...
I'm still not ready to give up on my Chiefs to the Super Bowl pick, at least not yet. But come on Kansas City, can you guys please fix the defense? That was awful. ...
C.J. Spiller headlined Rank's 11. Some of you wondered why he was still considered a sleeper, but the truth is, I'm receiving a lot of questions about him. So let me get this out of the way for the last time: Spiller should be in your lineup until Fred Jackson returns, and even then, he should continue to be in your lineup. Spiller has topped 100 scrimmage yards in five of his last six games, and his torching of the Jets defense wasn't a fluke. ...
The Houston Texans are a big matchup problem for Maurice Jones-Drew, but did you know he has 10 touchdowns in 10 career games against his AFC South rivals? Reggie Bush was able to get loose for some yards in Week 1 against the Texans, so MJD is a good RB2 and flex option. ...
Kevin Smith is a must start this week. Oh no, I'm taking director Kevin Smith. You can't play the Detroit Lions running back. (You can read the dislikes for the reasons why, but do you really need them?) But here's the big question: Best Kevin Smith movie? Most pick "Clerks," but if you ask me, "Mallrats" was his best work. And "Clerks" the television series was excellent, too. ...
ImageRandom fact: I saw "Mallrats" in the theater. I nearly claimed to have paid to see "Mallrats" but the Edwards Cinema in Irvine next to my work would let us in for free. And I believe I ended up with the "Mallrats" DVD from my old roommate. So I love the movie, but didn't pay a dime to see it at any point. ...
ImageI feel bad for the person who just cruises through this column, sees Kevin Smith here and says, cool! And ends up starting him. (Especially after Gabbert and Greene made it to the 'like' side, too.) This is why it makes sense to invest the 88 minutes it takes to actually read the entire column. I wish this had a better printable function because this seems like excellent reading for the can. All right, this is getting weird. ...
Frank Gore is back everybody! I was among those not high on Gore to open the season, but after last week, he's now scored a touchdown in four of his last five games. The Lions have not allowed a rushing touchdown in their last three games, but Gore is still an excellent play. ...
If Gore has a solid game (and he did last year against the Lions), he's a sell-high candidate for Week 3, so start practicing your sales pitch for some running back-needy team because he should be on the move. ...
BenJarvus Green-Ellis should be in your lineup this week. Pretty much for the rest of the season. The Law Firm had 91 rushing yards and a touchdown in Baltimore last week, and running backs traditionally struggle against the Ravens in Baltimore. ...
The Law Firm has now scored seven touchdowns in his last seven games, and 25 in his last 31. He's the touchdown maker I predicted him to be at the beginning of the season. This week's matchup against the Browns is excellent. The Browns have allowed 150 rushing yards in three consecutive games. Look for the Bengals to pound the ball in this one. ...
Stevan Ridley is closing in on must-start status. And the moment he reaches must-start status, the Patriots will have only three rushing attempts in one game. That's going to happen, right? But for right now, keep Ridley in there. ...
ImageCM Punk should go over John Cena in the main event. Wait, it's the main event, right? Punk, of course, will get help from Brock Lesnar. Because even though Punk has owned Cena for the better part of a year, our man is being portrayed as a cowardly champ because the WWE writers can't have a heel champion who is just good. Seriously, look at the current roster of heels: Cody Rhodes, Alberto Del Rio, et all. They are all the same. ...
ImageThere was a time when the heel was just better, like the Honky Tonk Man beating Brutus Beefcake in Wrestlemania IV. Heels can be good wrestlers. I hope they don't change Wade Barrett into a wimp when he gets back to the top of the card. ...
ImageThe bad thing is the posters make it look like this will be Cena's comeuppance and a return of a favor for doing the job at the 2011 Money in the Bank. I hope I'm wrong. I also hope Daniel Bryan and Kane win the tag titles. The old formula of tag partners who don't get along and win gold still works. ...
Jonathan Dwyer is interesting because the Jets allowed a ton of fantasy points to the Bills in Week 1. But the game was already out of hand and the Jets seemed content to let the Bills run the ball and bleed the clock. Dwyer is a flex guy this week, and he barely squeaks into the like ledger. ...
Trent Richardson was a big disappointment. But remember, he didn't play in preseason at all. And the worst thing about the All-22 from NFL.com is every would-be analyst is going to talk about his burst and hitting the hole. Uh, he just came off knee surgery. And while it was minor, he's going to take some time to become a consistent performer. He will be better against the Bengals. ...
Jake Locker had more rushing yards than Chris Johnson in Week 1. But if you drafted CJ2K, you have to stick with him. Even as the king of snap judgments and turning on players quicker than George Steinbrenner changed managers, you owe him at least one more week. You don't have to like it, but you have to do it. ...
Madden curse already taking hold? Calvin Johnson has battled foot problems all week. But there is no way you bench him if he's on the field. And even if Johnson is out for the week, you still start him because he's just that damn good. ...
Wait, you know I was kidding about starting him if he's ruled out this week, right? ...
ImageSpeaking of strategy, I can't believe Dan -- who has played so masterfully during "Big Brother 14" -- botched a move by not back-dooring Shane out of the game. Dan might lose the title because he was doing a favor for Danielle. And Danielle reminds me of Danielle DiLorenzo from Survivor 12, who had no hope of winning in the finals against Aras or Terry (who might have been the most awesome reality TV competitor ever). ...
UPDATE:Antonio Brown moves into the "like" side of this column, because of the news of Darrelle Revis. That means Kyle Wilson is likely to be on Brown, who will be the Steelers' top option this week against the Jets. I would start Brown ahead of Marques Colston and Brandon Lloyd. But he's just a tick behind Dez Bryant who will have a good game in Seattle.
You will have to fistfight me to get Reggie Wayne out of my lineup this week. The Vikings have allowed 30 touchdown passes in the last 12 games and the fourth-most fantasy points to receivers since 2011. Plus Wayne had 18 targets in Week 1, including four in the red zone. Andy Luck has locked in and won't let go. ...
But Wayne, like Steve Smith before him, has a rookie to thank for reviving his career. And I don't know if it's my imagination but rookies are ruling and it's not just in football, either. ...
So that leads to one interesting question: Which pair of rookies has been more impressive -- Mike Trout and Bryce Harper in Major League Baseball? Or Luck and RG3 in the NFL? Well, it's hard to truly say because we're just one game into the NFL season. But Trout is going to be the Rookie of the Year and MVP of baseball this year. Not sure if Luck and RG3 will have that kind of success. ...
And maybe the better question is, is Luck the Trout and RG3 the Harper, or is it the other way around? #talkaboutit
Sidney Rice, along with Wayne, led the NFL with four red zone targets in Week 1. The Cowboys are much improved on defense, especially in the secondary. But Rice is going to be a good long-term play for the Seahawks. ...
The numbers are going against A.J. Green, who hasn't scored a touchdown in six of his last seven games. But he's up against the Browns, who will be without Joe Haden. And let's be serious for a minute, you're not benching the guy. What should get you excited though, Green's first reception of his NFL career was a 41-yarder against the Browns. And and he's averaged 38-yards per reception against Cleveland. ...
Hakeem Nicks should be in your lineup this week and really, every week going forward unless you're absolutely stacked at receiver. Sure, Nicks hasn't scored in five of his last six games but he's coming off an injury and he's finally rounding into shape. Nicks has a good matchup against the Buccaneers this week. ...
Vincent Jackson had 10 targets in Week 1. He didn't have a great game (nobody really did in that mess), but you have to be encouraged by the targets. Plus, you have to look at the A.J. Smith factor and the number of players who have left the Chargers (Drew Brees and Darren Sproles) and have found success in the NFC South. The matchup is good for Jackson, too, because the Giants allowed the most fantasy points to receivers in Week 1. ...
Larry Fitzgerald is a stud, and it doesn't matter who the quarterback is. Sure, you would like it to be Kurt Warner. That would be ideal. But Fitzgerald had 11 targets in Week 1, good for fifth in the NFL. If you're a not-so-good quarterback, who are you going to be looking for? Tougher draw than usual against the Patriots this week. ...
David Akers is one kicker I wouldn't have minded you drafting in the early rounds (and Sebastian Janikowski). But why is 63 yards a magical mark for kickers? Can nobody try a 64- or 65-yarder? How is it possible it's always a 63-yarder? ...
Here's a great story from Deadspin about it. I say, if you miss a field goal, the team gets the ball on the 20-yard line. That would encourage coaches to kick more field goals, and teams would send guys back to the end zone to return it so teams wouldn't get too cute. ...
I wish there were a way to get punters into fantasy football, and the only reason is so I can have Chris Kluwe in my lineup. Sometimes you need to boil down these political talking points to the simplest language possible. ...
Update: I'm a dummy; it's the same Jay Cutler. Philip Rivers was right about him.
People are so worried about missing out on the next Cam Newton (unfair and wrong according to Ron Rivera), they are in a rush to vault Robert Griffin III into fantasy superstardom. Unless you drafted RG3 to be your starter, I'm not sure who you are starting him over (maybe Cam). ...
The matchup for RG3 this week is actually bad. St. Louis FC has improved in the secondary with Cortland Finnegan and Janoris Jenkins. That defense intercepted Matthew Stafford three times in Week 1 (and held him to just 12 fantasy points). Plus, St. Louis has allowed just one touchdown pass or less in five of its last six home games. Yes, the Edwards Jones Dome will be converted to the world's biggest WalMart once the team is playing in Los Angeles next year, but the team does play good defense there. ...
Pump the brakes on Joe Flacco being an elite fantasy quarterback. Yes, he was masterful against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night. I even smiled as the Baltimore Ravens continued to throw the ball with a huge lead. (Hey, more coaches should be fantasy conscious.) But let's take a small trip down memory lane. ...
Flacco torched the Pittsburgh Steelers with three touchdown passes in Week 1 of the 2011 season (and believe me, I remember because I benched him for Eli Manning). The following week? Flacco followed up his solid performance with a touchdown, two interceptions and 197 yards against Tennessee. ...
And to be honest, he plays poorly on the road. Flacco has averaged 201 passing yards with six touchdowns and four interceptions in his last six road games. Until I see this is a complete offensive makeover for the Ravens, I wouldn't rush him into your lineup. ...
If you look closer at Flacco's game from Monday, he had only 19 points, which was only two points better than Michael Vick, and nobody said the Philadelphia Eagles QB had a great game. So temper your enthusiasm for Flacco. ...
ImageSo yeah, it's one thing to say you want to throw the ball more and continue to do it when you hit some adversity. You don't get fantasy points for good intentions. I have good intentions of getting up early on Saturday morning and cleaning out the garage. And what happens every Friday night? I'm up until 4 a.m. playing NCAA 13 against some kid from Denmark. And then I end up sleeping in until noon and my whole day is shot. ...
ImageHere's a little tip for those of you playing NCAA 13 online, too: Can you pick a team other than USC? I'm always trying to get better with UNLV, Arizona State or sometimes, I'll slum it with Utah State. But come on, be cool. Actually, don't. It makes it much better when I beat you. ...
Don't look for Vick to throw 56 passes against the Ravens. I'm not doom and gloom on most of the Eagles' offensive starters, but I don't like Vick. And I don't like him as a fantasy option this week, either. The Ravens allowed the fewest points to fantasy quarterbacks in 2011, and the team was brutal on Red Dalton in Week 1. Pass. Oh wait, wrong phrasing. ...
Seriously, Andy Reid acts like that kid from Denmark with his play calling. You know your quarterback is like 5-foot-11 and weighs about a buck-60? And your top receiver, DeSean Jackson, is smaller and more fragile than your quarterback? You have LeSean McCoy. Mix in a run against the worst run defense of the past decade. ...
I don't like Ben Roethlisberger this week. And I don't like him as a fantasy option, either. Roethlisberger has averaged 183 passing yards with three touchdowns and seven interceptions in his career against the Jets. The Jets allowed the fourth-fewest points to quarterbacks in 2011 and they made Ryan Fitzpatrick look like a state-school grad instead of a Harvard-educated man in Week 1. Pass. ...
Mark Sanchez was owned in just eight percent of leagues when Week 1 kicked off last week. Now he's owned in just 15 percent of leagues. Not a huge shift. I have faith in humanity again. ...
Hey, did you check out the Tebow Zone this week? It's kind of awesome. To all of you people who say, "Why are you constantly hyping Tim Tebow?" Well, you're the ones who keep clicking into things like the Tim Tebow Zone. So when you are clicking your mouse at us, it's really three right clicks at yourself. Or something. ...
ImageBTW, how come somebody hasn't come up with a remake for "Heaven Can Wait" based on Tim Tebow's life? They're remaking everything these days. Somebody had the bright idea to remake the Steve Martin-vehicle "All of Me," the movie where Lily Tomlin takes over half of his body. You know who are probably the leaders to star in this movie? Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively. You know it's true. ...
Aaron Rodgers is a likable dude and he handled the Brett Favre deal so well, you can't help but admire him. But this Boyz II Men stuff really rubbed me the wrong way. I don't mind the side bets about wearing an Alex Smith jersey (I even like how it's kind of an unintended dis to Smith). But then he claimed it was blown out of proportion and not a big deal. Backing out of a bet is like the worst thing you can do. ...
Rodgers said replacement referees were frustrating because they don't know the rules. So, is that what Donovan McNabb is up to these days? He's a replacement official? Just kidding, Donovan. You can catch him on "NFL Fantasy Live" on Mondays. ...
McNabb told viewers this week to be wary of Stafford because, as he put it, you have to watch out for quarterbacks who come out of nowhere to have huge seasons. And by "out of nowhere," he must have meant first overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. Although, given McNabb's draft history, you can understand if he watches something else in April. ...
Kevin Smith should be on your bench this week. The 49ers have not allowed a rushing touchdown in 10 consecutive home games. The 49ers have not allowed a 100-yard rusher in their last 20 home games, the last being Chris Johnson way back in 2009. It's kind of a bummer, considering Smith was so huge in Week 1. But even Ray Rice couldn't move on the 49ers last year. ...
What DeAngelo Williams did in Week 1 was one of the most reprehensible fantasy performances in NFL history. Everybody was high on Williams last week and he provided one of the biggest "bad beats" in fantasy history. I was trying to think of an appropriate "bad beat" equivalent in poker and this was akin to having four aces and then your opponent kicks over the table. If Williams was on my team, I would have released him on the spot. That's a joke. ...
Most of the Colts starters are great starts in Week 2, but Donald Brown is somebody to avoid. The Vikings haven't allowed a rushing touchdown in four of their last five games. Pass catchers and quarterbacks against the Vikings, not running backs. ...
Michael Turner ranked 37th among running backs in Week 1. He's not going to be a viable fantasy option for you this year. If you have him in the flex spot, you can … no, I don't even like that. Turner shouldn't be in your starting lineup. Of course, if you're in an 18-team league where you have to start at least one Falcons player, go for it. Most of us won't play him. ...
It's hard to recommend against Alfred Morris this week. The St. Louis FC allowed the second-most points to running backs in Week 1, a hangover from 2011 when it allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to running backs. But again, #shanahanigans continues to lurk with Morris. It should be a feel-good story with Morris, who was drafted in the sixth round like Terrell Davis. But you can't trust him. ...
And before you point out, hey, he had 96 rushing yards to join some elite company of players who had at least 90 rushing yards and two touchdowns in their rookie debuts -- guys like LaDainian Tomlinson and Billy Simms. But he rushed 28 times for 3.4 yards per attempt. He didn't show he was a game-breaker. Great matchup this week, yes. But I need more convincing. ...
Going back to Terrell Davis, it's a joke to me he's not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Davis is the reason John Elway won a pair of Super Bowls. I would much rather give consideration to a guy like Davis, instead of a guy like Hines Ward who stands out because he's personable and played for a popular team. ...
The Steelers have allowed only one rushing touchdown in their last six games, and just five rushing touchdowns in their last 17 at Heinz Field. So don't look for Shonn Greene to have a huge game against them. ...
Still would take a pass on Mike Wallace as a true No. 1 guy. He had a touchdown in Week 1, to break a long streak without a real touchdown pass (instead of stealing one from Mr. Brown). The Jets have allowed only four passing touchdowns in their last eight road games. The Jets have also held receivers below 100 receiving yards in 10 consecutive games and 13 of their last 14. ...
UPDATE: Obviously, the injury to Darrelle Revis improves the matchup for the Steelers' passing game. I'm still not as high on Wallace, and have been off him for weeks. Wallace should start over guys like Justin Blackmon, Stevie Johnson and Jeremy Maclin. In fact, both the Eagles receivers Maclin and DeSean Jackson are battling injuries, so downgrade them accordingly.
Be in all-out panic mode if you have Wes Welker on your team. He's not going to be a good fantasy option for you. If you play in a league where you were able to grab him as a No. 3 receiver, fantastic. If you need him to be your No. 1 receiver? Good luck. Welker had only five targets, good for fourth on his own team. The Patriots have way too many other weapons and Welker isn't going to be a consistent option. ...
The most troubling part of Welker's fall from fantasy grace is the Patriots are already auditioning his understudy Julian Edelman to take his place. You know, we saw some ugly holdouts this summer with MJD and Mike Wallace and the like. But the Patriots are just cold. Like, is Welker just going to be cut at some point this season? Sounds crazy, but this is the Patriots. They cut Randy Moss in the middle of a season. ...
Speaking of Moss, there is no need to play him. One of our resident scouts Daniel Jeremiah noted Moss looked rather ordinary against the Packers and showed no burst. Moss will have his moments, but you can't have him in your starting lineup, not until the bye weeks start at least. ...
Sometimes trends can be so misleading. Kenny Britt for instance has scored 12 touchdowns in his last 15 games. But he missed 13 games last year. Britt will see around 15 to 25 snaps this week against the Chargers. He's a great long-term sleeper, but I would hold off on starting him just yet. ...
The Vikings are a great matchup for the Colts, who figure to throw the ball a ton. But I just can't endorse Austin Collie just yet. Collie and Luck had great chemistry in the preseason, but man, I just can't do it. Let's just cut to the chase here, too. You feel like a bad person if you put Collie in your lineup. There is something about it which doesn't feel right. ...
Kevin Olgetree was a hot pickup this week, and he should be on your fantasy roster. Here's the thing, somebody has to pick up Laurent Robinson's production. Don't expect it to come at Seattle. The Seahawks allowed the fourth-fewest points to receivers last year, and the team has not allowed a touchdown pass in four of its last six games. The Seahawks did allow a touchdown pass to Kevin Kolb last week, so should we really be giving them so much credit? ...
You should play Victor Cruz this week. No sense keeping him on the bench. You know what we can keep on the bench? All of those jokes about Cruz having salsa on his fingers. Hilarious (in opposite land). ...
Roddy White is a starting receiver in fantasy football. But if you're expecting him to anchor your receiving corps, it's just not going to happen. ...
Congratulations to Dustin Keller, you're the most dropped player on NFL.com this past week! Seriously Keller, you're so bad, you can't stand out on a team completely devoid of fantasy pass catchers. Heady stuff. ...
Dennis Pitta got a lot of love this week, thanks to his performance against the Bengals. But the Eagles have not allowed a tight end to catch a touchdown in six consecutive games. ...
ImageDave Dameshek provided a list of things he could go without ever hearing again. One I would like to add is the proverbial "Hey, this could be a Super Bowl preview." Yeah, every game between the AFC and NFC could be a Super Bowl preview, especially this early in the season. The Browns and Eagles last week? Possible Super Bowl preview. The Vikings and Colts this week? Possible Super Bowl preview. ...
ImageThat said, Dave and I were talking on the Dave Dameshek Football Program (available on iTunes) about how we missed the true distinction between the AL and NL in baseball. I mean, even the umpires dressed different. And it got me thinking, it would be cool if the AFC and NFC played under different rules, like the designated hitter in baseball. Like what if the offenses in the NFC were allowed 12 players on the field? And when AFC teams played in an NFC stadium, they had to switch to its rules. Yeah, I probably shouldn't have shared that.
For the record, you can submit your fantasy questions to NFL Fantasy Live, Michael Fabiano or me on Twitter. But realize, NFL Fantasy Live has 45,000 followers, and Fabiano has 50,000. Me? Just 13. See, the odds are better I will answer your question, so hit me up both via Twitter or via Facebook (oh wait, I told you to stop going to Facebook). Go instead to Google+. Also be sure to catch the latest "Dave Dameshek Football Program."