Welcome to Week 1. If you're playing in either one of these football contests this year we think this weekly article can guide you through the turbulent weeks ahead.
This is because the NFL really stands for Not For Long! Things are bound to change weekly in the League where they play for pay.
SPORTSBUFF
This is a PPR (point per reception) contest, so wide receivers and running backs that catch the ball take on a very meaningful role. Some wideouts, like Randy Moss and Terrell Owens, will outscore many of the running backs that are available to you each week, so if LaDainian Tomlinson is facing the Patriots and T.O. is facing the Lions, you may want to get T.O. in there and have more money left to start a big-time quarterback or two $40 running backs. Brian Westbrook and Frank Gore will catch a ton of passes and are worth more than Brandon Jacobs and Jamal Lewis. You have to get two quarterbacks, three running backs, three wide receivers, one tight end, one kicker and two team defenses under a cap of $525.
Values for Week 1:
QB
1. Kurt Warner ARZ ($35) - 49ers are Week 1 opponent.
2. Eli Manning NYG ($40) - Home against the Redskins.
3. Aaron Rogers GB ($37) - Faces the Vikings; only start if you are really a gambler.
RB
1. Kevin Smith DET ($27) - Gets the Falcons in an away game.
2. Matt Forte CHI ($27) - Has the Colts on the road.
3. Laurence Maroney NE ($39) - Plays the Chiefs at home.
WR
1. Calvin Johnson DET ($39) - Play the Falcons away.
2. Santonio Holmes PIT ($40) - Texans are Week 1 opponent.
3. Ted Ginn Jr. MIA ($33) - Has the Jets in a home game.
TE
1. Kevin Boss NYG ($27) - Somebody will get all those passes now that Jeremy Shockey is in New Orleans.
FANBALL CHALLENGE
They are now touting the former CDM Football Challenge game with this new name since the merger of Fanball and CDM. Same old contest, as you have to pick two quaterbacks, six running backs, six wide receivers, three kickers and two tight ends under a salary cap of $30. Receivers who average over 15.0 yards per reception are the most valuable to you in this kind of contests. Also, running backs should average more than 4.5 yards per carry. Quarterbacks who average over 8.0 yards per completion are the one to targets--stay away from Vince Young.
Values for Week 1:
QB
1. Aaron Rodgers (GB) - Only $940.
2. Tony Romo (DAL) - Is an affordable $3250.
RB
1. Chris Perry (CIN) - Will cost you only $500.
2. Earnest Graham (TB) - Is $920.
3. Selvin Young (DEN) - Nice value at $940.
WR
1. Ted Ginn (MIA) - $550 and only needs two long catches to merit a starting spot.
2. Bryant Johnson (SF) - $870 for a wideout on a Mike Martz team--sounds like a nice deal to me.
TE
1. Kevin Boss (NYG) - Only $480.
2. Zach Miller (OAK) - Only $500.
K
1. Matt Prater (DEN) - $1030 on a pretty good offensive team.
2. Martin Grammatica (NO) - $1070 and kicks in a dome.
Injuries:
1. Tom Brady (NE) - Sore leg may have him rusty in Week 1.
2. Peyton Manning (IND) - Also missed a lot of camp and could be rusty.
Got a fantasy question you would like answered in my column? Send it to me via
e-mail at mikek@creativesports.com. Until next week, I wish you the best of luck.