Week 1 Fantasy Football Matchups

To prepare you as best we can for your week of Fantasy Football, we've devised this series of previews for each NFL game. We'll give you a taste of what to expect, then rank each significant Fantasy contributor on a scale from 0-5 logos (with five logos suggesting can't-miss; a player or unit without any logos suggests you probably shouldn't start him under any circumstances). The rankings take the matchup into account, but injuries and other significant factors also contribute.

Tennessee Titans at Pittsburgh Steelers Thursday, 8:30 pm, Heinz Field

This is a tough spot for the Titans as the road team in what amounts to a homecoming game for the defending-champion Steelers. But Jeff Fisher has always done well preparing his team for big games and this should be no different. Chris Johnson finished last season strong against tough 3-4 defenses, including a 70-yard, one touchdown performance against these Steelers, but this is the first game of the year against a hyped and healthy defense. Temper expectations with him and LenDale White. Besides, with the Titans' improved pass attack, they'll want to see where they're at with it and throw more than 30 times. The Steelers should collect a couple of turnovers because of it. The Titans' defense should pressure Ben Roethlisberger enough, but his O-line is okay for now and he should be able to make enough plays. Willie Parker typically starts his seasons hot -- 138 rush yards and three touchdowns vs. the Texans in Week 1 last year -- but with his carries being shared and the Titans' run defense still stout, he can't be counted on as a must-start. Like the Titans, the Steelers will be forced to throw the ball more than they'd like, but the matchup to look for is Limas Sweed vs. Titans nickelback Vincent Fuller. If Roethlisberger can find his lanky second-year receiver in single coverage against the Titans' shorter defenders, some jump balls can be had. Santonio Holmes' speed might also be a difference-maker in this game.

Name	Rating	Pos.	Name	Rating
Kerry Collins		QB	Ben Roethlisberger
Chris Johnson		RB	Willie Parker
LenDale White		RB	Rashard Mendenhall
Nate Washington		WR	Santonio Holmes
Justin Gage		WR	Hines Ward
Kenny Britt		WR	Limas Sweed
Bo Scaife		TE	Heath Miller
Rob Bironas		K	Jeff Reed
Titans		DST	Steelers

Miami Dolphins at Atlanta Falcons Sunday, 1:00 pm, Georgia Dome

Interesting matchup. The Dolphins have some tough choices to make as to how they prepare for the Falcons' solid defense. They've won their last seven games against 4-3 defenses and have a solid offensive line to take on the young Falcons defensive front. Expect Miami to run, setting up the play-action pass and some Wildcat chicanery to keep the Falcons off-balanced. Atlanta will attempt to get things going with Michael Turner and then play everything off of that. Turner did not see many 3-4 defenses last year, but the ones he did see he lit up. That said, Miami's run defense was good last year, allowing just six runs of 20 or more yards, and they've improved with safety Gibril Wilson. Turner should be good, not great, opening the door for Matt Ryan to test a renovated cornerback unit that features rookie Sean Smith. The Falcons will try and match up Roddy White against Smith and see if they can advance the ball deep that way. Don't expect a high score, but you should see prominent totals from the main Fantasy players in this one.

Name	Rating	Pos.	Name	Rating
Chad Pennington		QB	Matt Ryan
Ronnie Brown		RB	Michael Turner
Ricky Williams		RB	Jerious Norwood
Ted Ginn Jr.		WR	Roddy White
Davone Bess		WR	Michael Jenkins
Anthony Fasano		TE	Tony Gonzalez
Dan Carpenter		K	Jason Elam
Dolphins		DST	Falcons

Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts Sunday, 1:00 pm, Lucas Oil Stadium

I don't like the Jaguars' chances, and it's not just because they've lost three of their last four to the Colts. New defensive coordinator Mel Tucker takes over a defense that has some holes in it, including a barely improved front seven, and Peyton Manning should feast in his home debut. The Jaguars did a lot of battling last season with their run game against the Colts, and it has a chance to be effective. Maurice Jones-Drew has owned the Colts in his career, posting four 100-total-yard games in six outings including both last year with three 100-yard rushing games and six career touchdowns. Suffice to say, expect the Jaguars' offense to revolve around him, and if they're going to run a bunch, Greg Jones should see a few more reps than normal. No Bob Sanders for the Colts, and that should help Jacksonville's run game. Torry Holt also will play on turf, which combined with being healthy should result in a decent start for him. Indy will battle back with their usual mix of power running and precision passing, taking advantage of weaknesses in the Jaguars' defense. Look for Dallas Clark vs. Sean Considine to be a favorite of Manning's.

Name	Rating	Pos.	Name	Rating
David Garrard		QB	Peyton Manning
Maurice Jones-Drew		RB	Joseph Addai
Greg Jones		RB	Donald Brown
Torry Holt		WR	Reggie Wayne
Troy Williamson		WR	Anthony Gonzalez
Marcedes Lewis		TE	Dallas Clark
Josh Scobee		K	Adam Vinatieri
Jaguars		DST	Colts

Minnesota Vikings at Cleveland Browns Sunday, 1:00 pm, Cleveland Browns Stadium

Week 1 of the Adrian Peterson MVP watch starts against a bumbling Browns defense that has some suspect players other than run stuffer Shaun Rogers. You wouldn't sit Peterson anyway, but he should have an excellent Week 1. With that being the case, and with the Vikings expected to have a big lead, don't expect much from Brett Favre. The Vikings want to limit his throws when they can, and with Eric Mangini coaching against Favre (the two were together in New York last season), some weaknesses could be exposed. Peterson and Chester Taylor should be busy. The Browns haven't named a starter, and it doesn't matter. The Vikings will roll coverage to Braylon Edwards and go with single coverage on Mike Furrey. It would be interesting if the Browns utilized Josh Cribbs a bunch in the game, but they probably won't since he's never been a regular offensive weapon before. Jamal Lewis will face the Minnesota stonewall, and the Browns will be forced to throw as they play from behind. Don't trust any Browns so long as you can help it this week.

Name	Rating	Pos.	Name	Rating
Brett Favre		QB	Brady Quinn
Adrian Peterson		RB	Jamal Lewis
Chester Taylor		RB	Jerome Harrison
Bernard Berrian		WR	Braylon Edwards
Percy Harvin		WR	Mike Furrey
Visanthe Shiancoe		TE	Robert Royal
Ryan Longwell		K	Phil Dawson
Vikings		DST	Browns

Dallas Cowboys at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday, 1:00 pm, Raymond James Stadium

This should be a one-sided affair with the Cowboys dominating. The Bucs are thin at linebacker, so expect Dallas to attack there and try to push some runs into the second level, which is right up Marion Barber's alley. A one-two punch with Barber and Felix Jones should be enough for the Cowboys, but they can also fatten up on the Bucs' depleted safeties and create mismatches with Jason Witten and Martellus Bennett, which is something they'll do a lot of this season. The Buccaneers will be run-based and give a dose of Derrick Ward and Cadillac Williams, but the Dallas defense typically starts strong under Wade Phillips' tutelage. Eventually the Bucs will fall behind and be forced to throw, and with Byron Leftwich under center and a gimpy Antonio Bryant and tight end Kellen Winslow as his top targets, things could get ugly. Between that and the upheaval of the play calling for the Buccaneers, it's not a great week to start anyone from Tampa Bay.

Name	Rating	Pos.	Name	Rating
Tony Romo		QB	Byron Leftwich
Marion Barber		RB	Cadillac Williams
Felix Jones		RB	Derrick Ward
Roy E. Williams		WR	Antonio Bryant
Miles Austin		WR	Michael Clayton
Jason Witten		TE	Kellen Winslow
Nick Folk		K	Mike Nugent
Cowboys		DST	Buccaneers

N.Y. Jets at Houston Texans Sunday, 1:00 pm, Reliant Stadium

With this being Mark Sanchez's debut, one would think the Jets would lean on their run game and protect their rookie quarterback. Don't count on that entirely -- the Texans' secondary remains a sore spot and the Jets have some unproven but talented receivers that should be able to beat them deep. Throw in tight end Dustin Keller and proven hands-man Jerricho Cotchery and we could see a nice debut from Sanchez. Naturally, expect the Jets to also lean on that run game and use their powerful offensive line to bully the Texans' front seven. For Houston, running back Steve Slaton is not assured to have a good week. Against the Rex Ryan-led Ravens defense last year, Slaton was held to 24 total yards in an awful Texans defeat. Furthermore, Slaton has never run well against 3-4 defenses, so seeing him run all over on the Jets would be a surprise. Expect Matt Schaub to throw more than his fair share, possibly capitalizing on the Jets' outside linebackers (great for mid-range passes to Owen Daniels and perhaps Slaton).

Name	Rating	Pos.	Name	Rating
Mark Sanchez		QB	Matt Schaub
Thomas Jones		RB	Steve Slaton
Leon Washington		RB	Chris Brown
Jerricho Cotchery		WR	Andre Johnson
Chansi Stuckey		WR	Kevin Walter
Dustin Keller		TE	Owen Daniels
Jay Feely		K	Kris Brown
Jets		DST	Texans

Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens Sunday, 1:00 pm, M&T Bank Stadium

This is about the worst place Matt Cassel and his sprained knee could begin the 2009 season. The Ravens should abuse the Chiefs' battered offensive line and get to Cassel quite a bit. That also won't help Larry Johnson's outlook for the game. Expect the Chiefs to limit their runs and focus on a varied pass attack, possibly looking for isolation matchups against linebackers Jarret Johnson and Tavares Goodman and strong safety Dawan Landry. This isn't a good week to trust any Chiefs in Fantasy, but it's a great week to lean on some Ravens. Kansas City's front seven might surprise people this year, but with the Ravens practicing against their own 3-4 front all week, the Chiefs won't pose a huge challenge. Look for Baltimore to use the run to set up its pass attack. Once a lead it built, we'll see a lot of Ray Rice and Willis McGahee. Even Le'Ron McClain is a decent flier this week if you're desperate. This should be an easy win for the Ravens.

Name	Rating	Pos.	Name	Rating
Matt Cassel		QB	Joe Flacco
Larry Johnson		RB	Ray Rice
Jamaal Charles		RB	Willis McGahee
Dwayne Bowe		WR	Derrick Mason
Bobby Engram		WR	Mark Clayton
Terrance Copper		WR	Kelley Washington
Sean Ryan		TE	Todd Heap
Ryan Succop		K	Steven Hauschka
Chiefs		DST	Ravens

Denver Broncos at Cincinnati Bengals Sunday, 1:00 pm, Paul Brown Stadium

This appeared to be a decent way for the Josh McDaniels era to start in Denver, but now it's not a lock. Kyle Orton should play but his finger is still on the mend, same with Knowshon Moreno and his knee, and Brandon Marshall hasn't played a preseason snap. About the only thing you can say here is that you shouldn't expect anything huge from the Broncos. One note: When McDaniels' Patriots played the Bengals in 2007, they uncharacteristically ran the ball more than they normally did that season. Expect Denver to attack the Bengals' front seven with the run and with short-area passing before trying to isolate their secondary with the pass. The Bengals will battle back with a heavy dose of the run, led by Cedric Benson. It's actually a great week to start him over other rushers with bad matchups because the Broncos' run defense was awful and the Bengals' O-line is fairly underrated. Because of this, and because the Broncos' secondary isn't entirely awful, don't count on a huge yardage total from Carson Palmer. He'll get good stats, and he'll utilize his receivers including Chad Ochocinco, but the chances of this game becoming a shootout aren't good unless the Bengals' defense has a meltdown.

Name	Rating	Pos.	Name	Rating
Kyle Orton		QB	Carson Palmer
Knowshon Moreno		RB	Cedric Benson
Peyton Hillis		RB	Bernard Scott
Eddie Royal		WR	Chad Ochocinco
Brandon Marshall		WR	Laveranues Coles
Brandon Stokley		WR	Chris Henry
Tony Scheffler		TE	Chase Coffman
Matt Prater		K	Shayne Graham
Broncos		DST	Bengals

Detroit Lions at New Orleans Saints Sunday, 1:00 pm, Superdome

The Lions are improved, but they're no match for the Saints, who should easily outscore them. As much as the Lions want to run the ball with Kevin Smith, expect them to fall behind and throw. Smith will get his stats, but Calvin Johnson has a great matchup against the Saints' smallish cornerbacks and should be a lock for a big game. That will help Matthew Stafford in his NFL debut, but he'll also make some mistakes; he did not have a great preseason as far as decision making goes. The Saints will battle back with a heavy dose of ... well, everything. Expect a Pro Bowl day from Drew Brees as he'll attempt to isolate tight end Jeremy Shockey on rookie safety Louis Delmas (or Kalvin Pearson) and then challenge ex-Bucs cornerback Phillip Buchanon versus his receiving corps. Pierre Thomas should be healthy for the game and be a contender for a big day grinding down the clock late; if he's out, Mike Bell is in play as a one-week sleeper. We'll know more as the week develops. Reggie Bush should also be involved early and often to give the Lions' matchup headaches.

Name	Rating	Pos.	Name	Rating
Matthew Stafford		QB	Drew Brees
Kevin Smith		RB	Reggie Bush
Maurice Morris		RB	Mike Bell
Calvin Johnson		WR	Marques Colston
Bryant Johnson		WR	Devery Henderson
Brandon Pettigrew		TE	Jeremy Shockey
Jason Hanson		K	John Carney
Lions		DST	Saints

Philadelphia Eagles at Carolina Panthers Sunday, 1:00 pm, Bank of America Stadium

We're going to find out two things about the Panthers defense very quickly: Will their defensive line be capable of stopping the run, and will their secondary be as good as it was last year? The Eagles have a rested Brian Westbrook revving his engine, and with the Panthers' defensive line thin we might see him make a lot of his runs inside instead of outside. The Eagles' O-line should dominate at the line of scrimmage, meaning that Donovan McNabb will have a little extra time to make good throws. A balanced Eagles' attack makes McNabb, Westbrook and DeSean Jackson all good plays, with LeSean McCoy a sneaky sleeper since the Eagles will run a bunch. The Panthers will also have an edge running the ball against the Eagles' front seven. Expect them to run a lot as it not only plays to their strength but also keeps the Philly offense on the sideline. With Jonathan Stewart still sore (Achilles'), expect DeAngelo Williams to do most of the heavy lifting. Steve Smith might struggle a little bit as he'll see plenty of rolled coverage his way, but he's healthy following a preseason shoulder injury. The Eagles and Panthers should put up a decent amount of points.

Name	Rating	Pos.	Name	Rating
Donovan McNabb		QB	Jake Delhomme
Brian Westbrook		RB	DeAngelo Williams
LeSean McCoy		RB	Jonathan Stewart
DeSean Jackson		WR	Steve Smith
Kevin Curtis		WR	Muhsin Muhammad
Brent Celek		TE	Jeff King
David Akers		K	John Kasay
Eagles		DST	Panthers

Washington Redskins at N.Y. Giants Sunday, 4:15 pm, Giants Stadium

This should be an excellent meeting between Albert Haynesworth and the improved Redskins run defense vs. Brandon Jacobs and the physical Giants run offense. Look for the Giants to come off the bus running with Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. In last year's opener, Jacobs rumbled for 124 total yards and followed that up with 71 yards and a touchdown at the Redskins. Expect more of the same with Bradshaw spelling him and giving the G-Men another option to combat Haynesworth in the trenches. It's pretty much their only option as Eli Manning has never thrown two touchdowns in a game against the Redskins and only topped 300 yards passing last season because of 75 receiving yards from running back Derrick Ward. With the Redskins' secondary healthy and stingy, expect a low output from Manning. The Giants have done a consistent job stopping the Redskins' passing offense over their last four games, so unless Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly challenge the Giants' cornerbacks (which is a possibility), the onus will fall on Clinton Portis' shoulders. His production against the Giants has declined over his last three meetings, but he should benefit from a healthy offensive line and a slightly undermanned Giants linebacking corps. Ultimately count on a smash mouth, low-scoring contest.

Name	Rating	Pos.	Name	Rating
Jason Campbell		QB	Eli Manning
Clinton Portis		RB	Brandon Jacobs
Ladell Betts		RB	Ahmad Bradshaw
Santana Moss		WR	Domenik Hixon
Antwaan Randle El		WR	Steve Smith
Devin Thomas		WR	Hakeem Nicks
Chris Cooley		TE	Kevin Boss
Shaun Suisham		K	Lawrence Tynes
Redskins		DST	Giants

St. Louis Rams at Seattle Seahawks Sunday, 4:15 pm, Qwest Field

Seattle has won eight straight games in the series, and while we'd typically suggest throwing that out the window because both sides have new coaching staffs, you can expect some continuity from the Seahawks while the Rams try out their new offense and defense for the first time on the road. The Rams' best chance to win is to hammer it down the Seahawks' throats with Steven Jackson. They've done exactly that in each of their last four games, and Jackson has four straight 100-total-yard outings with over 120 yards in each 2008 meeting. He should do it again here, but the rest of the Rams will have trouble even though the Seattle secondary will be without star cornerback Marcus Trufant. Marc Bulger's hurt pinkie is still an issue. We should see the re-emergence of the Seahawks' pass rush here. On offense, look for Seattle to be as balanced as they can be before taking apart the Rams through the air. One of Julius Jones' two 100-yard, one-touchdown games came vs. the Rams at home, and he could have a shot at it again if the Seahawks can build a lead. Expect a good outing from Matt Hasselbeck, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and John Carlson as the Rams' pass rush and secondary are not up to the level of even the good defenses around the NFL.

Name	Rating	Pos.	Name	Rating
Marc Bulger		QB	Matt Hasselbeck
Steven Jackson		RB	Julius Jones
Kenneth Darby		RB	Edgerrin James
Laurent Robinson		WR	T.J. Houshmandzadeh
Donnie Avery		WR	Nate Burleson
Randy McMichael		TE	John Carlson
Josh Brown		K	Olindo Mare
Rams		DST	Seahawks

San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals Sunday, 4:15 pm, University of Phoenix Stadium

One of Mike Singletary's first games last year as 49ers coach was at Arizona, and his defense limited the Cardinals' run game and forced them to throw. Not such a good idea as Kurt Warner hammered them for over 300 yards and three touchdowns, but the Niners were winning inside of five minutes to play. They were able to do this by running Frank Gore a bunch and keeping their passing offense limited to short- and mid-range passes, keeping the Cardinals offense off the field. Expect that again in this game, which means plenty of attempts for Shaun Hill and carries for Frank Gore. The stud rusher has topped 100 total yards in each of his last three against the Cardinals and scored at least once in five of his last six contests against them. The play-action pass could be quite valuable for the Niners. The Cardinals need to get Kurt Warner on track after a lousy preseason, and this might be the right opponent for that. He has throttled the Niners in his last three games against them in Arizona, totaling 1,113 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions with three 300-yard efforts in that span. If he does well, the receivers do well and the Cardinals move the ball. Fantasy owners should be happy. As for the Cardinals' running backs, expect Tim Hightower to see the majority of reps and be decent with Beanie Wells also getting a few carries.

Name	Rating	Pos.	Name	Rating
Shaun Hill		QB	Kurt Warner
Frank Gore		RB	Tim Hightower
Glen Coffee		RB	Beanie Wells
Josh Morgan		WR	Larry Fitzgerald
Isaac Bruce		WR	Anquan Boldin
Jason Hill		WR	Steve Breaston
Vernon Davis		TE	Stephen Spach
Joe Nedney		K	Neil Rackers
49ers		DST	Cardinals

Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers Sunday, 8:20 pm, Lambeau Field

The Jay Cutler-led Bears have had a grip on the Packers since Lovie Smith became the head coach, winning seven of the last 10 meetings. But this is a different Packers defense -- a 3-4 unit -- and it could have the Bears mixed up. Then again, Cutler has destroyed 3-4 defenses in the AFC West for years and will likely not be confused by the formation. Matt Forte has two 100-total-yard games and one touchdown in two games against the Packers and should be the lead weapon for Chicago here. Cutler will get his attempts too, but the Packers' secondary has played well and it will be hard for Cutler to find an edge -- possibly tight end Greg Olsen up against strong safety Atari Bigby. Olsen has had at least four catches in three of his last four against the Packers with a touchdown in two of those games. The Packers will battle back with a powerful combination of run and pass: The run led by Bear-beater Ryan Grant (three touchdowns and two 100-yard games over his last three vs. Chicago) and the pass led by Aaron Rodgers, who will have a full complement of weapons at his disposal. With cornerback Charles Tillman a question mark to play, the Packers might attack the Bears' secondary. This should be a bigger test for the Bears than for the Packers.

Name	Rating	Pos.	Name	Rating
Jay Cutler		QB	Aaron Rodgers
Matt Forte		RB	Ryan Grant
Adrian Peterson		RB	Brandon Jackson
Devin Hester		WR	Greg Jennings
Earl Bennett		WR	Donald Driver
Greg Olsen		TE	Jermichael Finley
Robbie Gould		K	Mason Crosby
Bears		DST	Packers

Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots Monday, 7:00 pm, Gillette Stadium

Great start for the Patriots, awful start for the Bills. Taking on their division rival without punishing runner Marshawn Lynch is already a strike against the Bills, but doing so with a green offensive coordinator, a patchwork offensive line and a quarterback who has never done well against the Patriots really puts the team in a corner. Edwards has one career touchdown pass vs. New England and has been routinely hassled by the Pats over his career. Not only is that bad for Terrell Owens, but get this: The Patriots have long-time T.O. nemesis Shawn Springs on their side, and he's expected to handle the veteran receiver. Owens has bested Springs in the past (a monster 173-yard, four-touchdown game in Nov. 2007), but with all the other ills the Buffalo offense has, it's probably going to be tough sledding for T.O. The only Bill with a chance is Fred Jackson, and that's because he'll touch the ball enough against a good but not great, and now Richard Seymour-less, Patriot front seven. The Patriots should have their way with the Buffalo defense, but they've been more proactive running the ball instead of passing it over their last two games in the rivalry. Expect Tom Brady & Co. to get their numbers, but it wouldn't be a surprise if Fred Taylor put up some decent numbers in his New England debut, especially if the Pats opt to keep Sammy Morris and Laurence Maroney on the sidelines.

Name	Rating	Pos.	Name	Rating
Trent Edwards		QB	Tom Brady
Fred Jackson		RB	Fred Taylor
Xavier Omon		RB	Sammy Morris
Terrell Owens		WR	Randy Moss
Lee Evans		WR	Wes Welker
Derek Fine		TE	Chris Baker
Rian Lindell		K	Stephen Gostkowski
Bills		DST	Patriots

San Diego Chargers at Oakland Raiders Monday, 10:15 pm, McAfee Coliseum

At least for one week, LaDainian Tomlinson should play like LaDainian Tomlinson. That's because he's run all over the Raiders for his entire career and this game should be no different. Even in last year's injury-plagued season Tomlinson had three touchdowns and nearly 200 rush yards over two games. Darren Sproles will see his playing time, but L.T. should lead the way for the Chargers. Philip Rivers' history against the Raiders suggests that his yardage might be low, but he should still have at least an efficient game with a touchdown or two. The Raiders' offense is a mess, but they have a running weapon of their own in Darren McFadden. He's healthy, and he's really all they have, but the Chargers have a long-standing tradition of halting Raiders running backs. In their last six meetings, the Raiders have had a running back top 50 rush yards once, and they've scored just twice in their last seven matchups with the Chargers. Not a good track record for McFadden, who might break both skids but is unlikely to post monster numbers. Plus he didn't do much against the Chargers last year. Oakland should ride him both on the ground and through the air, and it's because they don't have much else. Tight end Zach Miller is the only other option for JaMarcus Russell, and he did well against the Chargers last year (13 catches, 159 yards and a touchdown).

Name	Rating	Pos.	Name	Rating
Philip Rivers		QB	JaMarcus Russell
LaDainian Tomlinson		RB	Darren McFadden
Darren Sproles		RB	Michael Bush
Vincent Jackson		WR	Javon Walker
Chris Chambers		WR	Darrius Heyward-Bey
Antonio Gates		TE	Zach Miller
Nate Kaeding		K	Sebastian Janikowski
Chargers		DST	Raiders

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