Fantasy Football 2012: Riskiest Week 1 Fantasy Starts

Risk comes with every start in fantasy football and some are greater than others.

Week 1 of the 2012 NFL season is no exception as key players face rough matchups.

Also embedded with a formidable opponent is the risk of health for some. This makes for a double-whammy that only raises the red flags when choosing who to sit and start.

Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings is the most primo of examples right now, because of his durability concern. And in an article by Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com:

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The Vikings haven't decided whether he will play Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but it's now clear they will give him every opportunity to prove he is ready this week during practice.

Appearing Wednesday morning on 1500 ESPN, Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said he has given defenders the green light to hit Peterson without restrictions during practice this afternoon.

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Now, Peterson isn't the only one to feel paranoid about either. So, before we check him out let's analyze a few other risky starts for opening kickoff.

Cedric Benson: RB, Packers (vs. 49ers)

Cedric Benson is a great fit for the Green Bay Packers.

Unfortunately, he won't be productive in Week 1 of this season.

Benson and the Pack face the San Francisco 49ers who present the NFL's top defense and were also the best against the run in 2011. His presence is important to Green Bay keeping a balanced attack, however, numbers will come at a minimum.

The 49ers field some of the NFL's most instinctive front seven players like Patrick Willis, NaVorro Bowman, Justin Smith and Ray McDonald.

Slamming the rock on the ground is also not Green Bay's offensive philosophy. Therefore, because of the 49ers' suffocating front seven against the run, and the Packers' strength, Benson will get limited carries and see ineffective results.

Against weaker defenses like the NFC North, Benson is a reliable No. 2 option. San Francisco is simply too dominant against the run with playmakers all over and the 49ers will force Green Bay to throw more than anticipated.

Dwayne Bowe: WR, Chiefs (vs. Falcons)

Dwayne Bowe is the Kansas City Chiefs' only legit receiving target.

That said, the Atlanta Falcons will gear their coverage toward restricting his open looks.

Defending the pass was a major issue for the Falcons in 2011 and they were exploited against stronger offenses like the New Orleans Saints, New York Giants and Green Bay Packers, which proved costly.

Well, the Dirty Birds spruced up the secondary with Asante Samuel for depth and experience.

Atlanta now presents one of the NFL's better all-around secondaries with Samuel, Brent Grimes, Thomas DeCoud and Dunta Robinson. Now, the Chiefs do have a nice offense with great balance but they lack the explosiveness to challenge Atlanta downfield.

Any time Bowe goes deep, he'll either see straight double coverage or the corner zoning underneath while the safety helps over top. Going over the middle also causes problems with Samuel as the nickel/dime back and DeCoud rolling down to a blitzing linebacker and run support.

Bowe will simply get blanketed all over the field and Matt Cassel won't have a choice but to spread the ball elsewhere.

Ben Roethlisberger: QB, Steelers (at Broncos)

And the Pittsburgh Steelers are back to visit the Denver Broncos.

Interestingly enough, the Broncos defense is better equipped this time around than the AFC Wild Card matchup.

Therefore, Ben Roethlisberger will be under much duress all night and some ill-advised throws are a foregone conclusion. Even if your fantasy league starts two quarterbacks, Big Ben is a major risk.

We saw how Roethlisberger's mobility was affected after the injury against the Cleveland Browns last season, and you can count on Denver forcing him out of the pocket even more than before. During that postseason game, the Broncos recorded five sacks of Big Ben, forced one fumble, recorded an interception and he finished with a 55.0 completion percentage.

To open the 2012 season, Denver now presents cornerback Tracy Porter, safety Jim Leonhard and rookie Omar Bolden to the secondary. Also, rookie defensive lineman Derek Wolfe will make plays in the backfield if not double-teamed. However, doing that essentially gives a free rush to Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil.

Pittsburgh's offensive line remains its weakest link and until that proves otherwise, Big Ben will have to get off the ground quite often.

Adrian Peterson: RB, Vikings (vs. Jaguars)

Regardless of Adrian Peterson's status, he's a risk against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The health issue is obvious against any opponent but even more so when facing a top-10 defense.

Yes, the Jaguars have an outside shot at the postseason in 2012 because of Mel Tucker's defense. Last season, Jacksonville ranked No. 8 and No. 9 against the pass and rush, respectively. And that was backed by the NFL's worst passing offense.

Fast forward to this season, though, and the Jags have top five potential in both aspects.

Rookie Andre Branch was a key addition via the 2012 NFL Draft and Aaron Ross was one of the biggest gets through free agency. He brings impressive talent and depth to Jacksonville's secondary and has the experience after winning two Super Bowls with the New York Giants.

This then takes pressure off Jacksonville's front seven and will allow those defenders to key in on any opposing ball-carrier. No matter what his health and the potential number of carries Peterson may or may not get, the Jags are simply too tough of a defense up front and everywhere else.

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