Fantasy Football News 8/31/09
Aug 31, 2009 FSH Live Blog
Opening weekend is two weeks away and it is about time to start taking a look at the first cash games for Week 1. There are still open starting jobs, but not much that will really affect daily fantasy football cash games for opening weekend.
Here is the schedule for opening weekend with TV games listed. We have two games on Monday, which means there can be new daily cash games for just those two Monday games. Not a great way to play a daily cash game with only two real games, but if you got the sickness…
ESPN reports that KC QB Matt Cassel is going to miss week one with an MCL sprain. Mark him off your Week 1 lists. He could miss 2-4 weeks total. Not sure if Croyle or Thigpen will get the Week 1 start. I’m cheering for Croyle since he is a fellow Alabama Crimson Tide alum.
Terrell Owens is back practicing after a toe injury (or simple laziness).
Shaun Hill gets the starting QB job in San Francisco. Keep an eye on Hill, he could be a very low salary cap QB to consider in Week 1 if you want to try a roster stacked with expensive players at the WR and RB positions and a minimum salary cheap QB.
FOX Sports reports that Mark Bulger looks to be ok and ready for Week 1 after breaking a finger a couple of weeks ago. I’d probably still avoid him until he gets a game under his belt.
Tom Brady should be ok to use on opening weekend. ESPN (Video) reports he may be back in action soon. Brady has a pretty soft opening weekend matchup at home versus Buffalo on Monday night and should make a pretty good fantasy play.
I was really liking Donovan McNabb in Week 1 and hopefully this article from USA Today speculating on a QB controversy isn’t going to cause Philly problems this season. Vick isn’t even eligible until Week 6 but keep an eye on this situation and how McNabb handles it.
I’ve scratched Brandon Marshall from all my Week 1 lists. The guy is an idiot and definitely not worth blowing up your results. USA Today has the latest on his situation. This does present a great Week 1 play on Eddie Royal, as his salary in most cap games is pretty low and he should be the number one option if Marshall doesn’t play. Gaffney is also out with a broken thumb so it looks like Royal may get many looks.
There are some Week 1 situations that should be avoided, but depending on the outcome may actually turn out to provide some nice cash game roster opportunities. Some unsettled position battles I’m watching for Week 1 roster possibilities: Rice/McGahee Baltimore; Ward/Graham/Williams Tampa; Maroney/Taylor/Morris New England; Addai/Brown Indianapolis; Johnson/White Tennessee; Moreno/Buckhalter Denver; Anderson/Quinn Cleveland; D.Williams/Stewart Carolina; Hightower/Wells Arizona; P.Thomas/R.Bush New Orleans; Burleson/Branch Seattle; Culpepper/Stafford Detroit. Unless these become very apparent it is probably best to avoid all these players in Week 1 matchups.
