So much for the one game NFL appetizer to get us ready for the weekend, huh? That was like crushing 12 pounds of calamari with a 24 ounce Porterhouse on the way. Lots to chew through for a single game but there were a few pieces in there that could help you gain an advantage in some early season roster tinkering. Let’s check out the New Orleans wide receivers and Green Bay running backs, as well as discuss a few ways to make your league more enjoyable as we countdown to Sunday of week 1…
NEW ORLEANS WR: Watching the New Orleans WR’s last night made me feel like I was staring at someone but couldn’t figure out how I knew them. Did we go to high school together? Same gym? Bartender? Then the light went on. The Saints wide receivers are the crazy pack of girls you knew when you were younger. They were fun, but you never knew what to expect from them. You introduced Colston to your friends, but then he disappeared the next week. You hit up happy hour with Moore, who could be hot at times…but was also flakey. Henderson and Meachem? Post-bar calls only for those two, who had their moments but could be downright busted.
Listen, Brees hucked the ball 49 times last night. He threw the ball 49 times or more only twice last season. 100 and a touch for Henderson? 70 and a touch for Meachem? Don’t get used to that stuff. These wide outs will be unpredictable as usual beginning next week. Check out the game logs from last year for these guys. Their output looks like the line on Charlie Brown’s shirt. Avoid that mess and maximize your value right now. See how far you can get with Colston, call Moore back when he’s available and lose Henderson and Meachem’s numbers.
Try this: Post a message on your league page about how awesome last night’s game was. Mention the fact that the over/under of 48 was nearly toast at the half, and that the Saints passing game looked phenomenal. Squeeze that last ounce of interest out of your league and then start attempting to move one of these WR’s and bolster your stable of running backs.
GREEN BAY RB: James Starks looked like the man last night. Grant was decent, like a tattoo on your shoulder. Starks was aggressive like a neck tattoo. Starks out carried Ryan Grant 12-9 and was the one to find the end zone. Just as the training camp reports declared, Starks looked like the better back. Starks is the Green Bay back that NFL viewers will remember from this one, but Grant won’t be going away any time soon. Starks struggled in a few pass protection situations, which means Grant won’t just be left in the dust. Don’t get me wrong, Starks looks great running the rock, but use this as an opportunity to snag a useful back at a discount.
Try this: Shoot Grant’s owner a quick message and see what they thought of the game last night. They will undoubtedly mention the performance of Starks in relation to Grant. Gauge their temperature on the topic and then attempt to grab him in a deal while Grant appears, on the surface, to be fading into the background. Pair a lower level RBBC member with a WR from Crabtree/S. Smith (car) territory and feel free to work your way up from there until you get a nibble. Use the performance of Starks last night as your leverage.
WEEKEND ENTERTAINMENT: Before I split, I’d like to leave you with something to occupy your Saturday as you sit around watching Notre Dame lose again and counting down the hours until Sunday. Take your cursor to the “bookmarks” menu on your browser. Scroll down to your fantasy home page. It should be right in between the links for TMZ and Match.com. Now that you’ve got it fired up, take a few minutes and hop on that message board. Click past the entries by the guy saying his team “RULES” and will “bEaT AlL YoU NoObS” this year. That guy sucks and is going 2-11 anyway. Now crack those knuckles and bust out your first post of the season. If you can’t think of anything constructive besides ripping on the guy who started Garrett Hartley at kicker last night…
Try This: Post your own personal predictions for the year. Make it as quick or in-depth as you would like. Predict how the playoff bracket will look in week 14 and who will be crowned champ. Maybe even throw out some predictions on what players will be the top scorers. Do whatever makes you happy, but DO SOMETHING. Whether your friends/coworkers/random online acquaintances fire back and laugh or tell you to cram it, your league will be exponentially more enjoyable with fun, fantasy based banter. A “Fantasy Survivor” contest is also a great way to add intrigue to a league. Instead of picking an NFL team to win each week, your fellow owners will pick which team in your league will be victorious. Whatever you decide to go with, hop on your league site and stir the pot.
Good luck to all this weekend and if the team you’re playing had Brees and Jennings last night, good luck with that hangover.
