Week 1 Fantasy Picks

Added on Sep 07, 2012 by Scott in

NFL

The return of NFL football also means the return of fantasy lineup headaches. It might be Week 1, but with a number of big name players either questionable to play or sitting out, some owners will be forced to weigh options before kickoff on Sunday. You’re obviously starting guys like Brees and Foster and Megatron. However, Peterson, Lynch and Britt owners are in need of assistance. Here are a few considerations.

Jake Locker (Titans) – None of the top quarterbacks are ailing, but for those who like to roll the dice, Locker does have an intriguing matchup against the Pats suspect secondary. The Titans will be playing catchup versus Brady and Co., so Locker will have opportunities to compile garbage yards. Just don’t expect huge numbers.

Kevin Smith (Lions) – It looks like both Adrian Peterson and Marshawn Lynch will be non-factors on Sunday. Meanwhile, Smitty is Detroit’s sole healthy/not suspended runner. He draws a weak Rams run defense and could see plenty of carries in the fourth quarter of what should be a blowout.

Johnathan Stewart (Panthers) – The Bucs were awful against the run in 2011. Gerald McCoy is back from injury, which should help a little, but J-Stew abused this team a year ago and makes for a quality flex option in Week 1.

Ronnie Brown (Chargers) – Ryan Mathews won’t play with his broken clavicle. Although it’s unclear who will receive the bulk of the totes versus Oakland, Ronnie “Wildcat” Brown should get the call. He won’t go off, but he’s a good bet to score.

Titus Young (Lions) – Look for Detroit to stretch the field more with the speedy Young, who will be utilized as a big play threat in 2012. The Rams secondary should be more disciplined under the watchful eye of head coach Jeff Fisher. That said, they are still susceptible to blunders in coverage.

Mike Williams (Bucs) – Vinnie Jackson will draw most of the attention from the Panthers secondary, leaving the sophomore bust Mike Williams with a little more room to roam. He’s especially good in the red zone, so a touchdown could be in order.

Brent Celek (Eagles) – If you passed on all the “elite” tight ends, odds are you ended up with someone like Celek, who flourished down the stretch last year. He found the endzone in each of his final three games and will look to parlay that success into 2012.