20 Fantasy Football Studs and Duds | Week One

Every Fantasy Football season there are some players that stepped up that came out of nowhere, lighting up waiver wires as soon as they open.  Sure, injuries rear their ugly head, without mentioning any names here yet.  What we are going to do here each week is take a look at Team Studs and Team Duds, breaking down by position.  The top dogs and the dogs that laid down who were supposed to be “game” for you.  From QB to IDP…

TEAM STUD:

QB: Donovan McNabb, Eagles

Is there still question as to if McNabb is back?  361 yards and 3 TD’s.  Can he keep it up next week?  The Eagles go to Dallas, where Donovan was pretty pedestrian like as a fantasy QB in 2007.  His last performance of note for a fantasy start against the Cowboys was Oct. 8th, 2006.

RB: Michael Turner, Falcons

Well…we really didn’t know what to expect.  We knew the guy could tear it up in spot duty.  Turner fell in many fantasy drafts due to landing on the poor Falcons offense.  Now those guys that nabbed him up later in drafts are reaping the benefits.  He turned in a monster game with 220 yards and two TD’s.  Next week?  The Falcons go to Tampa Bay.  The Bucs D may have a little more stopping power than the Lions.

RB: Willie Parker, Steelers

Speedy Willie played with a chip on his shoulder.  138 yards isn’t too shabby for a guy you expected to share time…and then tack on three TD’s…WOOT!  Parker was an average 4th round pick.  If those owners put together a good first three rounds chances are they won in week one.  Can he do it next week?  Playing the Browns I really do not see why he can’t.  The Cowboys run game tore them apart this week.

WR: Hines Ward, Steelers

Did you have Hines Ward in your lineup?  Most would say no, at least not as your top WR.  A so, so, 76 yards on six receptions but two TD’s tacked on shot him to the top.  Can Ward do it in week two?  See Willie Parker above.

WR:Eddie Royal, Broncos

Royal had been all over the sleeper lists since Brandon Marshall was suspended.  Not only for that reason but because he was expected to keep starting after Marshall came back.  It’s safe to say he has done enough to keep that job.  146 yards in the air with a TD and another 9 yards on the ground.  The 9 receptions for the rookie tells you that he won’t be on te waiver wire long.

TE: Dante Rosario, Panthers

From the “where the hell did this guy come from…” files, Rosario pulled in 7 balls for 96 yards for one very important game winning TD.  Almost getting to his numbers from last season, that last TD showed the Panthers they may have a target in clutch situations.  Next week?  He is questionable with a foot strain.  He would have been a tough start anyway against the Bears.

D/ST: Eagles

These guys smacked around the Rams.  Next week they have the Cowboys.  Don’t think they will contain the Cowboys like they did St. Louis.

LB: London Fletcher-Baker, Redskins

12 tackles and five assists.  Baker is often a monster at the LB position for an IDP play.  There isn’t any reason to think he won’t stack up some points against the Saints next week.

DB: Jonathan Joseph, Bengals

Four tackles, an assist, three passes defended, and one big fumble return for a TD.  Next week they get the Kerry Collins led Titans.  He may be able to cash in on some of the rust.

DL: Mario Williams, Texans

Williams is finally showing up for the Dynasty owners that picked him up a few years back.  A couple of sacks, a forced fumble, and six tackles does the IDP body good.

TEAM DUD:

QB: Tom Brady, Patriots

Of course this was not Tom Brady’s doing.  Many owners spent a high first round pick on Brady, possibly ending their season before it starts just as Brady’s did.  Matt Cassel, who has built up big ass clipboard calculus on his hands over the last seven years will get the ball now.  Who knows…nobody was excited about Brady coming in one season and it turned out ok.

RB: Joseph Addai, Colts

Many a high draft pick was thrown out on Addai.  He left the game against the Bears although Tony Dungy says he could have came back.  12 runs for 44 yards on the time he did see. Surely this is not what owners expected out of their first round pick.  Watch him in practice this week.

RB: Laurence Maroney, Patriots

It’s going to be a hard decision to start Maroney each week now with Brady gone if you have alternatives.  10 runs for 51 yards, almost an exact split with Sammy Morris…who got the TD.

WR: Braylon Edwards, Browns

Edwards is projected to be one of the top WR’s this year and was likely taken as a #1 fantasy WR on the teams that got him.  Only two receptions for ten yards.  The scary thing is all the balls he dropped.

WR: Marques Colston, Saints

Colston saw the money plays go to other players on the Saints.  Three receptions for 26 yards is not what the owners who drafted him hoped to see in the high powered Saints offense.

TE: Todd Heap, Ravens

Heap was a big bust if your league punishes for losing fumbles.  Only one catch for five yards, and losing the ball once.  It can only go up from here.

D/ST: Browns

It would have been a tough start against the Cowboys offense anyway.  But the cash thrown into this D during the offense had people hoping for more.

LB: Shawne Merriman, Chargers

If he is still on your roster you should be looking for a replacement starter anyway with that knee.  Just one tackle and one assist.  Uck.

DB: Adam Jones, Cowboys

For all of you that thought you had this clever pick up in Pa…Adam Jones, he rewarded you with one tackle and one pass defensed.

DL:  Leonard Little, Rams

Little usually makes a pretty safe start on the under scoring D-Line in IDP leagues.  Not today, he lasted in the game all of less than two minutes before leaving.  Watch the news if you have him and see what happens with that hammy.

Tags: Advice, bust, draft, Fantasy Football, IDP, Individual Defensive Players, Injury, nfl, recap, stud, Tips, waiver, wire

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 9th, 2008 at 5:40 am and is filed under Fantasy Football. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.