NFL-Wide Fantasy Stock Watch: Week 1
In addition to a Carolina Panthers’ Fantasy Stock Watch, I’m going to bring you my love/hate list for the NFL every week.
This week there are many receivers that I absolutely love, and a couple of quarterbacks make my love list as well. The match-ups this week present ample opportunity for big numbers from a select group of players. There are a few names on the list that might surprise you, and a few that don’t appear at all. Check back after the break as I bring you my love/hate list for Week 1.
Love
Greg Olsen TE Carolina Owned: 18.6%
I mentioned Olsen in my Carolina focus earlier this week, but I feel it necessary to bring him up again. Olsen is playing for a Tight-End happy OC, and I can see Newton looking to Olsen numerous times against Arizona. Expect Olsen to put up solid numbers as Newton starts his first regular season game. He is a great addition if you are looking for a solid TE in a deep league.
Roddy White WR Atlanta Owned: 100%
When the Falcons drafted Julio Jones everyone thought that Roddy White would lose a significant amount of catches. The contrary is true, as teams will find it hard to double cover White with Jones on the other side of the field. Last season White had 115 catches and I can see him repeating this year with aroun 110-125 catches.
Calvin Johnson WR Detroit Owned: 100%
There is no reason Megatron should be riding the pine on any fantasy team. Stafford is limited with the amount of solid receivers he has, and Johnson is unusually good. Johnson rarely drops the ball, and he is Stafford’s favorite target. Not much more can be said but: START HIM!!!
Josh Freeman QB Tampa Bay Owned: 99.3%
Freeman is going up against a struggling Detroit Secondary in Tampa this weekend. He also has weapons galore in Mike Williams, A. Benn, Kellen Winslow, and LeGarrette Blount. Freeman has improved greatly since first taking the field 2 years ago. Freeman should put up Top 7 numbers this week, and is a must start in my book. If you are having difficulty deciding between Freeman and a guy like Matt Ryan, start Freeman.
Danny Amendola WR St. Louis Owned: 20.9%
Fun fact for last season, Amendola led the league in Red Zone targets with 54. Now, Amendola isn’t going to give you double digit touchdowns in a season, but in a PPR league this guy is a must. Bradford uses Amendola as a fail safe and finds him often. He didn’t get big yards last season, but he will change that this season. If your league uses return yards, remember Amendola led the league in All-Purpose yards last season.
Colt McCoy QB Cleveland Owned: 15.4%
McCoy is my sleeper pick of the week. He has done nothing but impress me this entire preseason and last year as a rookie he did fairly well. He has the potential to be a franchise quarterback for the Browns, and he has plenty of weapons on offense. My biggest reason for including McCoy is his opponent: The Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals are by far the worst team in the league, and their defense is horrid. Expect McCoy to put up solid numbers, good enough to be used in deeper leagues.
Hate
Knowshon Moreno RB Denver Owned: 99.3%
Knowshon may be playing for a run happy John Fox, but he has a problem. Moreno has yet to prove to me that he is worthy of a starting position. Plus, McGahee is going to be the short yardage back in Denver. Also, in Fox’s offense we all know his receivers don’t sprint down field but he opts for more short to mid-range passes. Combine all this and you have disaster for a top 20 ranked RB.
Reggie Bush RB Miami Owned: 93.8%
I have never sold high on Reggie Bush in the past, and the fact that he is playing the Patriots this week doesn’t help his cause. Also, Bush will be splitting carries with Daniel Thomas. Bush has never been an outstanding fantasy running-back. He has done well in helping the Saints win games, but he never puts up big points. I compare him to the Panthers’ RB’s last year, they didn’t have a good QB and the run game hurt because of it.
Steve Smith WR Carolina Owned: 91.1%
Don’t hate me CatCrave readers, but I refuse to start Smith this week. There are too many questions about Newton’s deep accuracy, and Smith is a deep receiver. Now he may have a few short catches, but don’t expect him to put up Jake Delhomme era numbers this week. His stock will rise if Newton can get his footing, but for now hes riding the pine on my team.
Tony Romo QB Dallas Owned: 99.1%
I will never start a QB against the Jets unless his name is Tom Brady. Romo is a decent quarterback, but hey, so is Kyle Orton. Romo is going to facing massive pressure in the pocket and throwing off his back foot a lot. Throw in the Jets secondary and you have the recipe for 2-5 picks in this game. I’m staying away from Romo this week, his match-up is too difficult.
Minnesota D/ST Owned: 12.8%
Philip Rivers + Vincent Jackson, Malcolm Floyd, Antonio Gates and Ryan Matthews = Minnesota D/ST lying on the ground. There’s no reason for me to go in depth on this one, but when going up against the leagues No. 1 offense it is strongly recommended to sit the defense of the opposing team.
There you have it: my love/hate list for Week 1 of the 2011 NFL season. There are only so many people I can focus on in each article, so if you have questions about who to start, comment below or email me at CatCraveSlate@gmail.com. I will be glad to help you if I can.