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Tuesday, Sep 11, 2007 01:09 PM

Week 1 value meter

By Jeff Erickson

Week 1: Welcome to another season, and don't forget that the Saints-Colts game is on Thursday night.

Here are our rankings for the coming week at each position to help you decide your starting lineup. Our rankings are based on the following scoring system: 3 points for a passing touchdown; 6 points for a rushing/receiving touchdown; 1 point for every 20 passing yards; and 1 point for every 10 rushing/receiving yards.

Last updated September 6. * = check status (not necessarily injury status)

QUARTERBACKS

  1. Peyton Manning IND vs. NO
    1. Drew Brees NO at IND
    2. Tom Brady NE at NYJ -- Note: The Patriots are already giving the new injury report system a spin with Brady's "full participant" rating, but acknowledging a sore shoulder.
    3. Carson Palmer CIN vs. BAL
    4. Marc Bulger STL vs. CAR
    5. Donovan McNabb PHI at GB -- Note: Looked great in the preseason - can he hold up?
    6. Tony Romo DAL vs. NYG
    7. Vince Young TEN at JAC
    8. Ben Roethlisberger PIT at CLE
    9. Matt Hasselbeck SEA vs. TB -- Note: Another QB coming off of an offseason injury.
    10. Jake Delhomme CAR at STL
    11. Matt Leinart AZ at SF
    12. Philip Rivers SD vs. CHI
    13. Alex Smith SF vs. AZ
    14. Matt Schaub HOU vs. KC
    15. Jay Cutler DEN at BUF
    16. Eli Manning NYG at DAL
    17. Jon Kitna DET at OAK -- Note: Back injury no longer an issue, apparently.
    18. Brett Favre GB vs. PHI
    19. J.P. Losman BUF vs. DEN
    20. Chad Pennington NYJ vs. NE
    21. Jeff Garcia TB at SEA
    22. Steve McNair BAL at CIN
    23. David Garrard JAC vs. TEN -- Note: Newly minted starter.
    24. Daunte Culpepper OAK vs. DET -- Note: Recent reports indicate that it might be Josh McCown and not Culpepper starting. That said, Lane Kiffin suggested there won't be an official announcement about who gets the gig this week. We'd more inclined to recommend Culpepper than McCown, but with the uncertainty and the late starting time, you can't safely start either this week, despite the good matchup.
    25. Trent Green MIA at WAS
    26. Joey Harrington ATL at MIN
    27. Rex Grossman CHI at SD
    28. Tarvaris Jackson MIN vs. ATL
    29. Damon Huard KC at HOU -- Note: Very minor calf injury.
    30. Jason Campbell WAS vs. MIA -- Note: Bruised knee during the preseason.
    31. Charlie Frye CLE vs. PIT

RUNNING BACKS

  1. LaDainian Tomlinson SD vs. CHI
    1. Steven Jackson STL vs. CAR
    2. Larry Johnson KC at HOU
    3. Frank Gore SF vs. AZ
    4. Joseph Addai IND vs. NO
    5. Willie Parker PIT at CLE
    6. Brian Westbrook PHI at GB
    7. Laurence Maroney NE at NYJ -- Note: Some small concerns about the shoulder, but held up well in the one preseason game he played.
    8. Shaun Alexander SEA vs. TB
    9. Maurice Jones-Drew JAC vs. TEN
    10. Rudi Johnson CIN vs. BAL
    11. Travis Henry DEN at BUF Note: Should be fully recovered from his knee sprain.
    12. Reggie Bush NO at IND
    13. Willis McGahee BAL at CIN
    14. Edgerrin James AZ at SF
    15. Brandon Jacobs NYG at DALD
    16. Cedric Benson CHI at S
    17. Deuce McAllister NO at IND
    18. Thomas Jones NYJ vs. NE -- Note: Calf strain, should play.
    19. Cadillac Williams TB at SEA
    20. Marshawn Lynch BUF vs. DEN
    21. Adrian Peterson MIN vs. ATL
    22. Ahman Green HOU vs. KC
    23. Clinton Portis WAS vs. MIA -- Note: Missed entire preseason with knee injury, probably will split carries with Ladell Betts this week.
    24. Jerious Norwood ATL at MIN
    25. Ronnie Brown MIA at WAS -- Note: Splitting time with Jesse Chatman?
    26. Marion Barber DAL vs. NYG
    27. Jamal Lewis CLE vs. PIT
    28. Tatum Bell DET at OAK
    29. LaMont Jordan OAK vs. DET
    30. Chester Taylor MIN vs. ATL
    31. DeAngelo Williams CAR at STL
    32. Julius Jones DAL vs. NYG
    33. LenDale White TEN at JAC
    34. Fred Taylor JAC vs. TEN
    35. Warrick Dunn ATL at MIN
    36. DeShaun Foster CAR at STL
    37. Ladell Betts WAS vs. MIA
    38. Brandon Jackson GB vs. PHI -- Note: Recovering from concussion, should play
    39. Chris Brown TEN at JAC.
    40. Leon Washington NYJ vs. NE
    41. Jesse Chatman MIA at WAS
    42. Anthony Thomas BUF vs. DEN
    43. Michael Pittman TB at SEA
    44. Kevin Faulk NE at NYJ
    45. Ron Dayne HOU vs. KC
    46. Adrian Peterson CHI at SD
    47. T.J. Duckett DET at OAK
    48. Vernand Morency GB vs. PHI
    49. Michael Bennett KC at HOU
    50. Selvin Young DEN at BUF -- Note: Late emergence as top backup in Denver.
    51. Reuben Droughns NYG at DAL -- Note: Moved to fullback?
    52. Musa Smith BAL at CIN
    53. Michael Turner SD vs. CHI -- Note: Sprained ankle - even if he plays, likely limited this week.
    54. Correll Buckhalter PHI at GB
    55. Tony Hunt PHI at GB
    56. Brian Leonard STL vs. CAR
    57. Sammy Morris NE vs. NYJ
    58. Kenton Keith IND vs. NO -- Note: Surprise backup to Addai.
    59. Marcel Shipp AZ at SF
    60. Mike Bell DEN at BUF -- Note: On the outs in Denver? Also moved to fullback.
    61. *Kevin Jones DET at OAK -- Note: Not on the PUP list, but probably won't play this week.

WIDE RECEIVERS

  1. Steve Smith CAR at STL
    1. Reggie Wayne IND vs. NO
    2. Terrell Owens DAL vs. NYG
    3. Marvin Harrison IND vs. NO
    4. Chad Johnson CIN vs. BAL
    5. Lee Evans BUF vs. DEN
    6. Larry Fitzgerald AZ at SF
    7. Javon Walker DEN at BUF
    8. Torry Holt STL vs. CAR
    9. Marques Colston NO at IND
    10. Roy Williams DET at OAK
    11. Anquan Boldin AZ at SF
    12. Andre Johnson HOU vs. KC
    13. T.J. Houshmandzadeh CIN vs. BAL Note: Didn't practice on Thursday with a knee injury.
    14. Plaxico Burress NYG at DAL
    15. Santana Moss WAS vs. MIA
    16. Hines Ward PIT at CLE
    17. Reggie Brown PHI at GB
    18. Darrell Jackson SF vs. AZ -- Note: Sore hamstring.
    19. Joey Galloway TB at SEA
    20. Santonio Holmes PIT at CLE
    21. Randy Moss NE at NYJ Note: Question mark with his hamstring injury - we've been through this before. Practiced on Wednesday, and is no longer on the injury list.
    22. Braylon Edwards CLE vs. PIT
    23. Laveranues Coles NYJ vs. NE
    24. D.J. Hackett SEA vs. TB.
    25. Donald Driver GB vs. PHI -- Note: Sprained foot
    26. Jerricho Cotchery NYJ vs. NE
    27. Deion Branch SEA vs. TB
    28. Joe Horn ATL at MIN
    29. Donte' Stallworth NE at NYJ
    30. Terry Glenn DAL vs. NYG -- Note: Recovering from knee injury, but expected to start.
    31. Vincent Jackson SD vs. CHI
    32. Devery Henderson NO at IND -- Note: Minor knee injury.
    33. Mark Clayton BAL at CIN -- Note: Had a high ankle sprain in the preseason.
    34. Chris Chambers MIA at WAS
    35. Eddie Kennison KC at HOU
    36. Bernard Berrian CHI at SD
    37. Ronald Curry OAK vs. DET
    38. Mike Furrey DET at OAK
    39. Drew Bennett STL vs. CAR
    40. Isaac Bruce STL vs. CAR
    41. Derrick Mason BAL at CIN
    42. Calvin Johnson DET at OAK -- Note: Furrey and not Johnson starts the season opener.
    43. Matt Jones JAC vs. TEN
    44. Muhsin Muhammad CHI at SD
    45. Brandon Jones TEN at JAC
    46. Greg Jennings GB vs. PHI
    47. Kevin Curtis PHI at GB
    48. Brandon Marshall DEN at BUF
    49. Ernest Wilford JAC vs. TEN
    50. Wes Welker NE at NYJ
    51. Kevin Walter HOU vs. KC
    52. Jerry Porter OAK vs. DET
    53. Eric Moulds TEN at JAC
    54. Michael Jenkins ATL at MIN
    55. James Jones GB vs. PHI
    56. Craig Davis SD vs. CHI
    57. Dwayne Bowe KC at HOU
    58. Jacoby Jones HOU vs. KC
    59. Anthony Gonzalez IND vs. NO
    60. Robert Meachem NO at IND
    61. Demetrius Williams BAL at CIN -- Note: Watch Clayton's status closely.
    62. Troy Williamson MIN vs. ATL

TIGHT ENDS

  1. Antonio Gates SD vs. CHI
    1. Jeremy Shockey NYG at DAL
    2. Todd Heap BAL at CIN
    3. Chris Cooley WAS vs. MIA
    4. Tony Gonzalez KC at HOU
    5. Kellen Winslow CLE vs. PIT
    6. Jason Witten DAL vs. NYG
    7. Vernon Davis SF vs. AZ -- Note: This year's version of Benjamin Watson - very trendy in many circles.
    8. Ben Watson NE at NYJ
    9. Dallas Clark IND vs. NO
    10. Eric Johnson NO at IND -- Note: My personal sleeper pick for the position.
    11. Heath Miller PIT at CLE
    12. Randy McMichael STL vs. CAR
    13. Alge Crumpler ATL at MIN
    14. Desmond Clark CHI at SD -- Note: Small bump this week, with Greg Olsen hurt.
    15. Owen Daniels HOU vs. KC
    16. L.J. Smith PHI at GB -- Note: Been injured all preseason.
    17. David Martin MIA at WAS
    18. Tony Scheffler DEN at BUF
    19. Bo Scaife TEN at JAC
    20. Marcus Pollard SEA vs. TB
    21. Chris Baker NYJ vs. NE
    22. Daniel Graham DEN at BUF
    23. Zach Miller OAK vs. DET
    24. Bubba Franks GB vs. PHI
    25. Leonard Pope AZ at SF
    26. Reggie Kelly CIN vs. BAL
    27. Greg Olsen CHI at SD -- Note: Left knee sprain.
    28. Jerramy Stevens TB at SEA -- Note: How will he react playing against his old team? Losing practice time because of DUI case.
    29. Marcedes Lewis JAC vs. TEN

KICKERS

  1. Adam Vinatieri IND vs. NO
    1. Nate Kaeding SD vs. CHI
    2. Stephen Gostkowski NE at NYJ
    3. Jeff Wilkins STL vs. CAR
    4. Robbie Gould CHI at SD
    5. Olindo Mare NO at IND
    6. *Shayne Graham CIN vs. BAL -- Note: Bruised right hip.
    7. Josh Brown SEA vs. TB
    8. Matt Stover BAL at CIN
    9. Neil Rackers AZ at SF
    10. Jason Elam DEN at BUF
    11. John Kasay CAR at STL
    12. Joe Nedney SF vs. AZ
    13. David Akers PHI at GB
    14. Jeff Reed PIT at CLE
    15. Josh Scobee JAC vs. TEN
    16. Jay Feely MIA at WAS
    17. Matt Bryant TB at SEA
    18. Rob Bironas TEN at JAC
    19. Lawrence Tynes NYG at DAL
    20. Jason Hanson DET at OAK
    21. Sebastian Janikowski OAK vs. DET

DEFENSES

  1. Baltimore at Cincinnati
    1. Miami at Washington
    2. San Diego vs. Chicago
    3. Chicago at San Diego
    4. Washington vs. Miami
    5. Pittsburgh at Cleveland
    6. Philadelphia at Green Bay
    7. Minnesota vs. Atlanta
    8. Dallas vs. N.Y. Giants
    9. New England at N.Y. Jets
    10. Green Bay vs. Philadelphia
    11. Jacksonville vs. Tennessee
    12. Denver at Buffalo
    13. Seattle vs. Tampa Bay
    14. Atlanta at Minnesota
    15. Houston vs. Kansas City
    16. N.Y. Jets vs. New England
    17. Oakland vs. Detroit
    18. San Francisco vs. Arizona
    19. N.Y. Giants at Dallas
    20. Detroit at Oakland
    21. St. Louis vs. Carolina
    22. Tennessee at Jacksonville
    23. Buffalo vs. Denver
    24. Indianapolis vs. New Orleans
    25. Cincinnati vs. Baltimore
    26. Kansas City at Houston
    27. Tampa Bay at Seattle
    28. Carolina at St. Louis
    29. New Orleans at Indianapolis
    30. Cleveland vs. Pittsburgh
    31. Arizona at San Francisco

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