Fantasy Football Picks 2012: Breakout Week 1 Performances That'll Be Flukes

One week means nothing in fantasy football.

All too often, owners will sign or commit to starting players following just one impressive performance. In 2012, they’ll make the same mistake as every other year and pay for it. Here are three players who’ll blow up in Week 1, but you shouldn’t make a single roster move based off of their numbers.

3. Justin Blackmon

The Jacksonville Jaguars play the Minnesota Vikings in their season opener. Minnesota’s secondary is pitiful. It allowed opposing quarterbacks to record an average passer rating of 107.6 last season—the worst in the NFL by far.

If Blackmon explodes for double-digit receptions, over 100 yards and a touchdown, don’t get used to that stat line. It’ll be the last time he competes against the Vikings this season. And Blaine Gabbert is still his quarterback.

2. Darren McFadden

Darren McFadden is talented enough to win MVP. He boasts freakish athleticism and is guaranteed to find his way onto SportsCenter for his performance against the San Diego Chargers. But when he blows up, like the past two years, don’t get too excited.

McFadden has yet to play more than 13 games in a season. Last season he played just seven. He’s as injury prone as they come.

Expect him to dominate the league through Week 6. But by the time the playoffs roll around, he’s unlikely to have broken the IR’s tackle.

1. Josh Freeman

Combine the fact that the Carolina Panthers’ defense is a joke and the Panthers’ offense is a scoring machine and Freeman will be in position to put up huge numbers on Sunday. If he’s your second-string QB and outperforms your starter, don’t switch things up—you’ll regret it.

Freeman finished last season with a passer rating of just 74.6. He won’t be able to consistently keep up his Week 1 success.

Ira Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune even tweeted this report last week that should make Freeman owners nervous.

"

There is growing concern within the Bucs organization about Josh Freeman's spotty accuracy heading into the Sept. 9 opener against Carolina

— Ira Kaufman (@IKaufmanTrib) August 27, 2012"

Even if Freeman-to-Vincent Jackson looks like the next Peyton Manning-to-Marvin Harrison this week, remember, it was only against the Panthers.

David Daniels is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer.

Follow @TheRealDDaniels