The episodic nature of the NFL's weekly schedule creates unexpected storylines, sending seasons careening in directions unimaginable just a month ago. Picture the story arch of
Mad Men or
Dexter. Eagles coach Andy Reid is no more married to
Kevin Kolb as his starting quarterback than Don Draper was married to Betty. One week in the NFL is an eternity.
At a crossroads this past offseason, the Eagles fully committed to Kolb as the new direction of the team. Reid and his staff deemed the young quarterback ready to take the reins, shipping franchise icon
Donovan McNabb to Washington while writing Kolb a check for $10.7 million as a signing bonus on a one-year extension. Realistically, Reid isn't going to back out of that commitment after one ugly game. We can believe him when he vehemently denies that Kolb's job is in jeopardy. This week.
It's not that Andy Reid is lying. It's that these situations are extremely fluid. No matter what Reid believes now, events can unfold to change his mind. This week's plot is already thickening. Kolb flunked his initial concussion on Monday, he's not expected to practice until Friday (if at all), and three Eagles beat writers have already declared him unlikely to play in Week 2.
Enter
Michael Vick, fresh off an impressive performance straight out of his electric early career. Saving the Eagles from Kolb's horrific start, Vick topped triple digits in rushing yards and passer rating for just the fifth time in his career. "I feel like if I had been out there for four quarters, maybe we would have had a chance to win the game,''
said Vick. Uh oh.
At the very least, it's looking more and more like fantasy owners will have a top-10 quarterback on their hands this week when Vick travels to Detroit. It doesn't take an overactive imagination to picture Vick excelling against the Lions' burnable secondary, planting more seeds in the fertile mind of Reid. NFL Network's Michael Lombardi believes Vick will have the
locker room behind him if Kolb doesn't do a quick 180. It's
already been suggested that Vick gives the team a better chance to win right now.
Kolb will get another shot regardless, to be sure, but the leash is already shorter. We have no reason beyond the Eagles' offseason commitment to believe that Kolb will hold off Vick into mid-October. He's now had nightmare performances against the 2008 Ravens and the 2010 Packers in his brief career, to go with an uneven start against the 2009 Saints and an impressive game versus a Chiefs team that turned every quarterback into a star last year.
Serious questions remain about his pocket presence after struggling in training camp and preseason action this summer. He won't remain under center while looking like a deer in headlights.
It wasn't Kolb's talent that had him widely labeled a borderline top-10 fantasy quarterback leading up to the season.
It's the weapons, stupid. If Vick manages to wrest control of the starting job, he's a legit weekly QB1 considering his running ability and the arsenal in Philly.
This week's waiver wire conundrum, then, comes down to roster specifics. Owners counting on Kolb or
Matthew Stafford -- or even
Brett Favre or
Matt Ryan -- will want to pounce on Vick this week, especially if they have two rock-solid options at running back. The rest of the fantasy world, those who drafted elite starting quarterbacks and those with questions marks at running back, should aim for
Brandon Jackson instead.
On to the players. Here is how I rank the top players available at each position as we head into the season opener. Full writeups of each player are below.
***
Editor's Note: Join subscriber only chats, get weekly rankings before anyone else, plus exclusive weekly projections, stat tools, dynasty ranks, columns, and much more including the Rotoworld Oracle in our
Season Pass. Also last-minute drafters can still get the latest projection updates in
Rotoworld's draft guide.
Quarterbacks1.
Michael Vick, Eagles
2.
David Garrard, Jaguars
3.
Sam Bradford, Rams
4.
Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks
5.
Shaun Hill, Lions
Running Backs1.
Brandon Jackson, Packers
2.
Peyton Hillis, Browns
3.
Bernard Scott, Bengals
4.
Fred Taylor, Patriots
5.
John Kuhn, Packers
Wide Receivers1.
Mark Clayton, Rams
2.
Legedu Naanee, Chargers
3.
Mike Williams, Seahawks
4.
Mohamed Massaquoi, Browns
5.
Louis Murphy, Raiders
6.
Mike Thomas, Jaguars
**
Note: If
Eddie Royal (CBS: 62%),
Austin Collie (CBS: 61%), and
Devin Aromashodu (CBS: 65%) are available in your league, they go directly to the top of this list as the Nos. 1-3 options.
Tight Ends1.
Jermaine Gresham2.
Todd Heap3.
Tony SchefflerDefense/Special Teams1. Patriots
2. Raiders
QuarterbacksMichael Vick, Eagles - As we pointed out last week, the ideal roster stash isn't the one most likely to receive an opportunity; it's the one most likely to become a weekly fantasy asset if he does happen to receive an opportunity. In two and a half quarters of action, Vick finished as the No. 7 fantasy quarterback in Week 1. As the favorite to start at Detroit, he's easily a top-10 option this week. In a league often described as "Not For Long," Vick's fantasy value goes beyond filling in for a week with Kolb concussed.
Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues
David Garrard, Jaguars - After finishing as a top-15 fantasy QB in each of the past two seasons, Garrard posted top-10 numbers in Week 1 against the Broncos. If recent history serves, he'll be bankable in home games and useless on the road. Garrard won't be a strong QB2 this week at San Diego, but he's a decent mix-and-match starter the rest of the way for those QB-needy owners unable to land Vick this week.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues
Sam Bradford, Rams - The Rams called 57 passing plays against 23 runs, showing the utmost faith in their rookie quarterback on key plays throughout the game. Only
Peyton Manning attempted more passes in Week 1. This defense isn't going to allow coach Steve Spagnuolo to go into ball control mode, so Bradford will be playing catchup for most of the season. Brighter days are ahead for the No. 1 overall pick, who had
Larry Fitzgerald calling him
a special player after his debut.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues
Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks - Will the real
Matt Hasselbeck please step forward? Is it the brittle, aging passer with a 22:27 TD-to-INT ratio and a pick on the first pass of the game in Week 1? Or is the 2007 Pro Bowler who dove headfirst for the pylon Sunday on his way to a three-touchdown afternoon? I'd lean toward the former. Hasselbeck may work as an emergency fill-in this week at Denver, but he's not a great fantasy bet the rest of the way in a subpar offense.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues
Shaun Hill, Lions - The Detroit offense is better than it showed at Chicago, but its playmaking ability is limited with a mediocre talent like Hill under center. He simply doesn't have the arm to execute the vertical attack that was honed with
Matthew Stafford in August. It's still not clear how long Stafford will be out -- estimates have ranged from 1-2 weeks to six weeks. Hill has a red-light matchup this week against an Eagles defense that held
Aaron Rodgers under 200 yards. Desperate Stafford owners can do better than his backup in Week 2.
Recommendation: Should be owned in two-quarterback leagues
Long-Term FliersMax Hall, Cardinals -
Derek Anderson flirted with 300 yards in Week 1, and he looked craptacular doing it. As
Gregg Rosenthal mentioned during Sunday's game, "No one misses intended receivers by five yards quite like
Derek Anderson." There were several key moments where the thought of replacing Anderson with the more accurate Hall had to be going through coach Ken Whisenhunt's mind. That same scenario will continue to play out until Anderson loses the job outright.
Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues
Jimmy Clausen, Panthers - Coach John Fox, like Andy Reid, isn't going to bench his starter after just one lousy performance. That's subject to change after two or three lousy performances, however.
Matt Moore's (concussion) status for Week 2 is up in the air, so Clausen could end up as a QB2 in a quality matchup hosting the Bucs.
Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues
The episodic nature of the NFL's weekly schedule creates unexpected storylines, sending seasons careening in directions unimaginable just a month ago. Picture the story arch of
Mad Men or
Dexter. Eagles coach Andy Reid is no more married to
Kevin Kolb as his starting quarterback than Don Draper was married to Betty. One week in the NFL is an eternity.
At a crossroads this past offseason, the Eagles fully committed to Kolb as the new direction of the team. Reid and his staff deemed the young quarterback ready to take the reins, shipping franchise icon
Donovan McNabb to Washington while writing Kolb a check for $10.7 million as a signing bonus on a one-year extension. Realistically, Reid isn't going to back out of that commitment after one ugly game. We can believe him when he vehemently denies that Kolb's job is in jeopardy. This week.
It's not that Andy Reid is lying. It's that these situations are extremely fluid. No matter what Reid believes now, events can unfold to change his mind. This week's plot is already thickening. Kolb flunked his initial concussion on Monday, he's not expected to practice until Friday (if at all), and three Eagles beat writers have already declared him unlikely to play in Week 2.
Enter
Michael Vick, fresh off an impressive performance straight out of his electric early career. Saving the Eagles from Kolb's horrific start, Vick topped triple digits in rushing yards and passer rating for just the fifth time in his career. "I feel like if I had been out there for four quarters, maybe we would have had a chance to win the game,''
said Vick. Uh oh.
At the very least, it's looking more and more like fantasy owners will have a top-10 quarterback on their hands this week when Vick travels to Detroit. It doesn't take an overactive imagination to picture Vick excelling against the Lions' burnable secondary, planting more seeds in the fertile mind of Reid. NFL Network's Michael Lombardi believes Vick will have the
locker room behind him if Kolb doesn't do a quick 180. It's
already been suggested that Vick gives the team a better chance to win right now.
Kolb will get another shot regardless, to be sure, but the leash is already shorter. We have no reason beyond the Eagles' offseason commitment to believe that Kolb will hold off Vick into mid-October. He's now had nightmare performances against the 2008 Ravens and the 2010 Packers in his brief career, to go with an uneven start against the 2009 Saints and an impressive game versus a Chiefs team that turned every quarterback into a star last year.
Serious questions remain about his pocket presence after struggling in training camp and preseason action this summer. He won't remain under center while looking like a deer in headlights.
It wasn't Kolb's talent that had him widely labeled a borderline top-10 fantasy quarterback leading up to the season.
It's the weapons, stupid. If Vick manages to wrest control of the starting job, he's a legit weekly QB1 considering his running ability and the arsenal in Philly.
This week's waiver wire conundrum, then, comes down to roster specifics. Owners counting on Kolb or
Matthew Stafford -- or even
Brett Favre or
Matt Ryan -- will want to pounce on Vick this week, especially if they have two rock-solid options at running back. The rest of the fantasy world, those who drafted elite starting quarterbacks and those with questions marks at running back, should aim for
Brandon Jackson instead.
On to the players. Here is how I rank the top players available at each position as we head into the season opener. Full writeups of each player are below.
***
Editor's Note: Join subscriber only chats, get weekly rankings before anyone else, plus exclusive weekly projections, stat tools, dynasty ranks, columns, and much more including the Rotoworld Oracle in our
Season Pass. Also last-minute drafters can still get the latest projection updates in
Rotoworld's draft guide.
Quarterbacks1.
Michael Vick, Eagles
2.
David Garrard, Jaguars
3.
Sam Bradford, Rams
4.
Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks
5.
Shaun Hill, Lions
Running Backs1.
Brandon Jackson, Packers
2.
Peyton Hillis, Browns
3.
Bernard Scott, Bengals
4.
Fred Taylor, Patriots
5.
John Kuhn, Packers
Wide Receivers1.
Mark Clayton, Rams
2.
Legedu Naanee, Chargers
3.
Mike Williams, Seahawks
4.
Mohamed Massaquoi, Browns
5.
Louis Murphy, Raiders
6.
Mike Thomas, Jaguars
**
Note: If
Eddie Royal (CBS: 62%),
Austin Collie (CBS: 61%), and
Devin Aromashodu (CBS: 65%) are available in your league, they go directly to the top of this list as the Nos. 1-3 options.
Tight Ends1.
Jermaine Gresham2.
Todd Heap3.
Tony SchefflerDefense/Special Teams1. Patriots
2. Raiders
QuarterbacksMichael Vick, Eagles - As we pointed out last week, the ideal roster stash isn't the one most likely to receive an opportunity; it's the one most likely to become a weekly fantasy asset if he does happen to receive an opportunity. In two and a half quarters of action, Vick finished as the No. 7 fantasy quarterback in Week 1. As the favorite to start at Detroit, he's easily a top-10 option this week. In a league often described as "Not For Long," Vick's fantasy value goes beyond filling in for a week with Kolb concussed.
Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues
David Garrard, Jaguars - After finishing as a top-15 fantasy QB in each of the past two seasons, Garrard posted top-10 numbers in Week 1 against the Broncos. If recent history serves, he'll be bankable in home games and useless on the road. Garrard won't be a strong QB2 this week at San Diego, but he's a decent mix-and-match starter the rest of the way for those QB-needy owners unable to land Vick this week.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues
Sam Bradford, Rams - The Rams called 57 passing plays against 23 runs, showing the utmost faith in their rookie quarterback on key plays throughout the game. Only
Peyton Manning attempted more passes in Week 1. This defense isn't going to allow coach Steve Spagnuolo to go into ball control mode, so Bradford will be playing catchup for most of the season. Brighter days are ahead for the No. 1 overall pick, who had
Larry Fitzgerald calling him
a special player after his debut.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues
Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks - Will the real
Matt Hasselbeck please step forward? Is it the brittle, aging passer with a 22:27 TD-to-INT ratio and a pick on the first pass of the game in Week 1? Or is the 2007 Pro Bowler who dove headfirst for the pylon Sunday on his way to a three-touchdown afternoon? I'd lean toward the former. Hasselbeck may work as an emergency fill-in this week at Denver, but he's not a great fantasy bet the rest of the way in a subpar offense.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues
Shaun Hill, Lions - The Detroit offense is better than it showed at Chicago, but its playmaking ability is limited with a mediocre talent like Hill under center. He simply doesn't have the arm to execute the vertical attack that was honed with
Matthew Stafford in August. It's still not clear how long Stafford will be out -- estimates have ranged from 1-2 weeks to six weeks. Hill has a red-light matchup this week against an Eagles defense that held
Aaron Rodgers under 200 yards. Desperate Stafford owners can do better than his backup in Week 2.
Recommendation: Should be owned in two-quarterback leagues
Long-Term FliersMax Hall, Cardinals -
Derek Anderson flirted with 300 yards in Week 1, and he looked craptacular doing it. As
Gregg Rosenthal mentioned during Sunday's game, "No one misses intended receivers by five yards quite like
Derek Anderson." There were several key moments where the thought of replacing Anderson with the more accurate Hall had to be going through coach Ken Whisenhunt's mind. That same scenario will continue to play out until Anderson loses the job outright.
Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues
Jimmy Clausen, Panthers - Coach John Fox, like Andy Reid, isn't going to bench his starter after just one lousy performance. That's subject to change after two or three lousy performances, however.
Matt Moore's (concussion) status for Week 2 is up in the air, so Clausen could end up as a QB2 in a quality matchup hosting the Bucs.
Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues
Running BacksBrandon Jackson, Packers - Less than a month ago, coach Mike McCarthy saluted Green Bay's "Vice Back" as a complete football player, adding, "If we had to play all three downs with him, I wouldn't even blink." Ryan Grant's handcuff enters the spotlight as a must-add in all formats this week with an attractive home matchup against the Bills forgiving run defense. With Grant now out for the season, Jackson is now an every-down back in one of the league's most explosive offenses. As a solid RB2 the rest of the way, Jackson should top all waiver lists.
Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues
Peyton Hillis, Browns - Was it
Jerome Harrison's preseason fumbling problems that opened the door for Hillis? The Alstott clone was already well on his way to an active role in the red zone and the passing attack, but he was even more involved than anticipated in Week 1. This backfield has the look of a 50/50 split with
Montario Hardesty out of the picture. Considering Hillis' 13-10 advantage in touches over Harrison, he could be the Browns back to own going forward.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues
Bernard Scott, Bengals - NFL Network's Michael Lombardi believes Scott is a
better runner than Cedric Benson, adding, "Trust me, he will [get more carries] as the season progresses and his talent cannot be denied." I don't believe Scott is a better player than Benson, but I do trust Lombardi's judgment on playmaking backs. Though Scott won't unseat Benson barring injury, it's clear that the Bengals are planning for his role to increase this season. He's the ideal high-upside roster stash.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues
Fred Taylor, Patriots - Perhaps a member of New England's dreaded committee attack has value after all. Taylor's 16 touches nearly tripled any other back's in Week 1, and the gaping holes opened up by the offensive line are promising going forward. The 34-year-old is a poor fantasy option this week at the Jets, but he could provide quality bye-week depth down the road.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues
John Kuhn, Packers - The Packers may yet add another body to the backfield. For now, though, Kuhn is the power back change-of-pace to
Brandon Jackson and a good bet for goal-line carries. He won't touch the ball more than a half-dozen times in a given week, but he's worth a look in touchdown-heavy leagues.
Recommendation: Worth a look in touchdown-heavy leagues
Long-Term FliersToby Gerhart,, Vikings - With
Adrian Peterson channeling hard-charging Earl Campbell and the Vikings putting a lot on his plate this season, there's an increased risk of injury.
Albert Young showed in Week 1 that he simply doesn't have the talent to succeed at this level. Gerhart would be the primary beneficiary if Peterson misses time.
Marshawn Lynch, Bills - Though he carried the ball just three times, Lynch had the most impressive run of the day for Buffalo in Week 1. It's clear that he could help several needy teams as a versatile power back, and the Bills are going nowhere this year. Stash and hope for a trade.
Mike Goodson, Panthers - The Panthers finally made good on their promises to involve Goodson in the passing game. Without a reliable No. 2 receiver, Goodson was targeted five times in the opener. Keep him in mind in deeper PPR leagues.
Hold Off: LaRod Stephens-Howling, Cardinals -
Beanie Wells (knee) is expected back this week, and coach Ken Whisenhunt has already conceded that Stephens-Howling won't maintain a significant offensive role.
Cut Bait: Kareem Huggins,
Kevin Smith,
Larry JohnsonAs it turns out, the Bucs planned on using
Earnest Graham as the No. 2 back when
Derrick Ward was released. Huggins is just third on the depth chart in Tampa's weak offense. ... Smith was a healthy scratch in Week 1. ... Johnson is the clear backup to Portis, not a committee partner.
Wide ReceiversMark Clayton, Rams - Where has this been the past three years? The Rams won't pass 57 times every week, but it does appear that Clayton and
Sam Bradford -- both former Oklahoma Sooners -- have a natural chemistry. A week after arriving in St. Louis, Clayton saw an astounding 16 targets, hauling in 10 for 119 yards as Bradford's go-to receiver. While there's some danger here of a receiver-by-committee approach with
Laurent Robinson and
Danny Amendola, Clayton has made a strong opening argument to be the No. 1 option going forward.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues
Legedu Naanee, Chargers - Naanee's 59-yard touchdown catch was fluky in nature, as he was left completely unattended by Chiefs rookie safety
Eric Berry. What wasn't fluky, however, was
Philip Rivers looking Naanee's way in key third- and fourth-down situations throughout the game. Macolm Floyd got the preseason hype, but Naanee appeared to be the more reliable target on his way to a 5/110/1 performance in Monday's opener.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues
Mike Williams, Seahawks - What's most surprising about Williams' comeback isn't that he's blown past a pair of declining veterans to act as
Matt Hasselbeck's favorite target. It's the he's actually sporting nifty after-the-catch ability. Williams was easily the Seahawks' most productive receiver in Week 1, highlighted by a 35-yard catch-and-run only to be brought down at the goal-line. He also dropped a would-be touchdown in double coverage, turning a potential 5/70/2 stat-line into a more mundane 4/64/0 effort.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues
Mohamed Massaquoi, Browns - The good news is that Massaquoi led the team in targets while adding a touchdown by skillfully splitting double coverage on a deep ball. The bad news is that
Jake Delhomme turned back into a pumpkin at midnight, dinking and dunking for three and a half quarters before the blowing the game. Massaquoi isn't reliable enough yet to post consistent WR3 numbers, but the potential is clearly there for a fantasy impact if he ever gets improved quarterback play.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues
Louis Murphy, Raiders - The opening-game results weren't pretty, but I'm keeping the faith. Murphy's seven targets were five more than any other Oakland wide receiver's, and he remains the best bet for a big play on a weekly basis. As
Jason Campbell's only reliable receiver, Murphy should be owned in more than 40 percent of all leagues.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues
Mike Thomas, Jaguars - Thomas roamed free as
David Garrard's top target against the Broncos with
Champ Bailey tying up
Mike Sims-Walker. Thomas should be rostered in all PPR leagues as the Jags' No. 2 receiver, but keep expectations reasonable going forward. Sims-Walker is entrenched as the top option in the passing game.
Recommendation: Should be owned in PPR leagues
Long-Term FliersGreg Camarillo, Vikings -
Brett Favre already trusts Camarillo more than he trusts
Bernard Berrian. Camarillo is worth a look in PPR leagues.
Jordan Shipley, Bengals - The Bengals won't pass 50 times in any game the rest of the way. Shipley has a bright future as the slot receiver, but this passing offense won't support three fantasy receivers as well as a tight end. Hold off on Shipley for now.
Danny Amendola, Rams - Amendola is still a good use of a roster spot in PPR leagues, but the addition of
Mark Clayton caps his upside.
Cut Bait: Roy Williams,
James Jones,
Anthony Gonzalez,
Nate Burleson,
Joshua CribbsWilliams is already behind
Dez Bryant in the pecking order. ... Jones is only worth stashing in case of injury. ... Gonzalez, injured again, is the clear fourth receiver in Indy. ... Burleson is unreliable with Stafford out. ... Cribbs is only valuable in return-yardage leagues.
Hold Off: Brandon Lloyd,
Nate Washington,
Mario Manningham,
Kevin WalterEvery couple of years, Lloyd's uncanny penchant for spectacular catches resurfaces for one highlight-filled week. Then his inability to bring anything else to the table resurfaces, forcing him into the background for the rest of the season.
Eddie Royal and
Jabar Gaffney are the Broncos receivers to own. Lloyd, a tease and a fraud since he came into the league, will head back to the bench when
Demaryius Thomas returns to take over the deep-threat role. He's not worth a roster spot even in deep leagues.
Tight EndsJermaine Gresham, Bengals - The size and athletic ability call to mind
Jermichael Finley's mismatches on opposing safeties and linebackers. Gresham has the look of a special talent, and concerns about his role in the passing game were allayed when he was targeted 10 times in the opener. As perhaps
Carson Palmer's most dangerous red-zone weapon, the first-rounder should be stashed in all leagues.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues
Todd Heap, Ravens - Keep an eye on his status, as Heap was sporting a bandage on his shoulder after dove on it to reel in a crucial 35-yard catch on Monday night. Heap showed early-career form against the Jets, hauling in 6-of-11 targets for 72 yards as
Joe Flacco's favorite target. That may be as good as it gets for Heap target-wide this season, but he remains a solid TE2 in an upgraded offense.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues
Tony Scheffler, Lions - Scheffler led the team in receptions (six) while finishing second only to
Calvin Johnson in targets at Chicago. The zone buster is a good bet to end up as the Lions' second-most productive pass catcher behind Johnson this season.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues
Long-Term FliersEvan Moore, Browns - We suspected that Moore would be used heavily as a playmaker between the 20s, and he led the Browns with 87 yards in the opener on five targets. Skepticism is expected with
Ben Watson also involved, but Moore has the talent to emerge as a TE2 if his opportunities increase.
Marcedes Lewis, Jaguars - Lewis falls into the category of better real-life player than fantasy. He's developed into a fine all-around talent at tight end, but the Jaguars just don't target him consistently enough to be an asset in fantasy leagues. His two scores in Week 1 were his only two targets of the game.
Cut Bait: Jeremy Shockey,
Kevin BossShockey's after-the-catch ability is non-existent at this stage of his careeer. ... Boss sustained his third career concussion, leaving his availability in doubt for the next couple of weeks.
Defense/Special TeamsPatriots - The retooled defense has some interesting young building blocks with
Jerod Mayo, Patrick Chung,
Brandon Meriweather,
Darius Butler, and
Devin McCourty. Just as important for fantasy purposes, the Pats have a legit weapon in the return game with
Brandon Tate. Considering
Mark Sanchez's opening-week debacle, this defense is worth a look against the Jets in Week 2.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues
Raiders - The new-look Raiders defense didn't make many plays in uninspiring team effort at Tennessee, but they return home to face the Rams in Week 2.
Sam Bradford threw three picks in the opener, and the Raiders have the pass rushers to push St. Louis' offensive line around.
Recommendation: Worth a look as a matchup play
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