Week 1 Thoughts & Observations

[Tom Kessenich]

Here are some random thoughts and observations as I try to remind myself, "It's only one week. It's only one week ..."

Adrian Peterson = Best value pick of 2012. Nuff said.

Speaking of which, there is nothing better in fantasy than a stud RB. Peterson, Arian Foster, Ray Rice, LeSean McCoy and Darren McFadden all delivered nicely in Week 1. If you can get a workhorse back in your draft, just do it. The value is immense.

Dear Ted Thompson, you should go back to the drawing board when it comes to improving the Packers' defense. That unit is still putrid. I'm not sure there was a worse defense in Week 1. Just laughingly bad - especially considering the lack of sophistication involved with the 49ers' offense.

I think we've seen the end of Donald Driver. He got only three snaps at the end of Sunday's game and they came when Greg Jennings had to leave the game with a groin injury. Too bad. He's long been one of my favorite Packers but the Green Bay WRs are all about Jennings (when healthy), Jordy Nelson, James Jones and Randall Cobb now.

I've been very anti-Randy Moss when it comes to making an impact with San Francisco this season and despite his touchdown against Green Bay I still don't think he's going to be a huge impact player. He barely got on the field Sunday. The Niners know they can't rely on him heavily.

More on the 49ers - great defense, but David Akers could be the No. 1 kicker in fantasy again. San Francisco remains very limited offensively because Alex Smith isn't a big-time QB. He can't stretch the field consistently and he's not a big-play QB. That will result in a lot of FGs for Akers once more.

I'm not sure you'll see another week when Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees both play that poorly on the same day. Neither one looked good and both made truly horrible mistakes late in the game that prevented their teams from rallying. That just shows that even the best of 'em can have really bad days at the office.

It will be easy to point to the Saints' ineptitude against Washington and say it's all about Sean Payton being suspended. There's no question that's a factor but I think the Saints just got caught by the wrong team at the wrong time. I think they'll be better than that most weeks the remainder of the season. They still have far too much talent on offense to be that bad again. Defensively? Well, that's another story.

I love me some Lance Moore. That is all.

RG3. Yeah he's kinda good.

Are the Patriots already preparing for life without Wes Welker? Sure was bizarre to see him be such a non-factor and the fact they won with ease while doing it may mean we'll see more of that approach in the weeks to come.

The Panthers missed Jonathan Stewart a lot more than most people, myself included, anticipated against the Bucs. He's clearly their best RB and they need him to get healthy quickly.

There are a handful of players I just love watching every week. Steve Smith is one of those players.

I realize I'm not going to win any Jenny Craig awards anytime soon but did Mike Tolbert look really fat to anyone else or was it just me? Dude looked like Frosty the Snowman in teal.

Maybe I shouldn't have been as worried about MJD's holdout after all.

If you're looking for a great example of the disconnect between fantasy and the NFL, take a good look at Michael Vick in Week 1.

When Andre Johnson is healthy he's amazing.

So about all those "Chris Johnson is more motivated in training camp" stories ...

Speaking of training camp hype that went poof in Week 1, I present to you ... Jacquizz Rodgers. Yeah, I bought into it all too only to see Rodgers be slightly more involved in Atlanta's offense than I was against Kansas City - and he needed garbage time action to do it. Ugh.

On the other hand, Julio Jones is flat out in Beast Mode right now. He had two TDs against the Chiefs and should have had three but Matt Ryan missed him for an easy score. His preseason hype appears to have been justified. The Falcons' offense is all about Jones, Roddy White and then Tony Gonzalez and those three have enough juice with Ryan to take Atlanta a long way this year although the Brent Grimes injury is a killer defensively.

Looks like the Chiefs have finally figured out what to do with Dexter McCluster.

Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall. It's like they never were apart.

I said for months that Benjarvus Green-Ellis was a major value pick in fantasy drafts. I hope people were listening. He's one of the most underrated RBs in the NFL and a stud near the end zone.

Memo to the Bengals' defensive players - when the opposing quarterback throws you the ball, you might want to catch it. Trust me, you'll be glad you did.

Reggie Wayne looked damn good for an old guy on Sunday. With Austin Collie sidelined, Wayne should remain a PPR beast. I wish I had been more aggressive with him than I was.

Kevin Ogletree, Randall Cobb? Kevin Ogletree, Randall Cobb?

I know he scored on Sunday but I just can't get excited about "Dammit Donald" Brown. I just can't. Sorry. He'll always be "Dammit Donald" to me.

He was a bust last season but the Steelers need Rashard Mendenhall back in the worst way. He's by far their best RB and their only hope to generate offensive balance this season. They are scary good in the passing game but they need Mendenhall to be a major threat offensively.

Doug Martin, I think you'll make it in the NFL.

Alfred Morris got it done nicely for his fantasy owners in Week 1 but will it continue? Hard to feel confident about that with Mike Shanahan the head coach. But if you're a Morris owner you have to ride this for as long as it lasts.

I just bought a carton of milk and saw Titus Young's picture on the back.

Andy Reid is one of my favorite people in the NFL but 63 dropbacks for Vick on Sunday? In a close game? C'mon Andy. You're going to get Vick killed doing that.

Ummmm, Ryan Williams, if you were hoping to take the starting job from Beanie Wells that wasn't the way to go about doing it. You sucked. I know John Skelton missed you wide-a** open in the end zone for a touchdown when he was practically standing right next to you but you still sucked.

Two Week 1 reasons why the "Upside Down" approach to drafting RBs is filled with risk - Ryan Williams and Peyton Hillis. Two Week 1 reasons why you can look like a genius doing it - Kevin Smith and Stevan Ridley.

Sure hated to see Fred Jackson suffer another injury in Week 1 but damn C.J. Spiller was impressive.

Kevin Kolb rallied the Cardinals to a victory. Never thought I'd type those words this season.

There will be better days ahead for Russell Wilson. I'm not worried.

Hold on, Ryan Fitzpatrick just threw another interception.

Peyton Manning looked like Peyton Manning, only in a Broncos' uniform.

Maybe this will finally be the year Joe Flacco figures it all out. Maybe.

Dennis Pitta. Interesting.

If Darren McFadden stays healthy this season he may catch 150 passes.

And finally, it sure is strange to have Week 2 begin in only two days. It'll be interesting to see what impact, if any, having weekly Thursday night games brings. From the Packers' perspective, is it too soon to say it's a Must Win game in Week 2?

[CALI CARTEL]

If Darren McFadden stays healthy this season he may catch 150 passes.

I said this verbatim last night while watching the game.

[JETS SB]

Andy Reid is one of my favorite people in the NFL but 63 dropbacks for Vick on Sunday? In a close game? C'mon Andy. You're going to get Vick killed doing that.

I personally think that you should only decrease Vick's workload, if they had a stud Running Back, and, Oh wait, they do.

[nolencole]

Randall Cobb...

[DonnyG.]

Hey this is a good read although the two points that I really have to take issue with you here are chris johnson and ryan williams. Football is the ultimate team game and even walter payton and jim brown would not have done much if any better than those two did on sunday. Those offensive lines just didn't open up even a smidgen of daylight, not a smidgen.

[Tom Kessenich]

The problem is we've seen this from Johnson last season so having him revert back to that level of play isn't what fantasy owners were led to believe would occur this season.

As far as Williams goes, the matchup wasn't easy - Seattle has a very underrated defense. But averaging a tad over 1 yard per carry is pathetic. No other word can be used. That's simply awful and Williams was so bad the Cardinals ended up playing Wells more than they wanted to. If Williams wants to take advantage of Beanie hobbling yet again he needs to show a helluva lot more than he did against the Seahawks. I haven't lost my belief in him but that was an absolutely ugly performance.

[CraigW]

Glad to see you can give zero credit to alex smith its quite amusing.

[Tom Kessenich]

Glad to see you can give zero credit to alex smith its quite amusing.

Thanks. Sorry but he doesn't impress me as a great QB. Is he a respectable one? Sure. Does he do what Harbaugh wants him to do? Absolutely. Is he on the same level (for an entire season) as guys like Rodgers, Brees and Brady? Nowhere close in my opinion. I think the 49ers' offense is very simplistic because Smith doesn't possess elite QB skills. To the team's credit, they execute the game plan extremely well and they can definitely take full advantage of a horrible defense like Green Bay in Week 1 or the Saints in the playoffs last season. But I'd be less inclined to pick them to beat a team with (at least) a respectable defense and a good offense. And the reason why is I don't trust Smith to come through consistently in those situations.

[CraigW]

Glad to see you can give zero credit to alex smith its quite amusing.

Thanks. Sorry but he doesn't impress me as a great QB. Is he a respectable one? Sure. Does he do what Harbaugh wants him to do? Absolutely. Is he on the same level (for an entire season) as guys like Rodgers, Brees and Brady? Nowhere close in my opinion. I think the 49ers' offense is very simplistic because Smith doesn't possess elite QB skills. To the team's credit, they execute the game plan extremely well and they can definitely take full advantage of a horrible defense like Green Bay in Week 1 or the Saints in the playoffs last season. But I'd be less inclined to pick them to beat a team with (at least) a respectable defense and a good offense. And the reason why is I don't trust Smith to come through consistently in those situations.

No worries. It's ok for you to be wrong more often then not, but I still respect you go out on a limb like that.

[Tom Kessenich]

When it comes to accurately assessing Alex Smith's lack of big-time ability, the limb I'm on is extremely strong.