FFL Week 1: Start'em Or Sit'em Report

Ed SheahinSep 8, 2009

Okay, you had your fantasy football draft and you selected Seattle WR T.J. Whouz_yo_mamah (Championship!). Now we separate the men from the boys and determine who the real FFL owners are.

Anyone can read a magazine or print a “Cheat Sheet” and draft a decent team. It is how you juggle your team's lineup each week which will win championships.

The following is a team-by-team “Start” or “Sit” list for Week 1:

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KEY: I – Injured, US – Unsigned

Arizona (vs. SF)

Start: QB Warner, WR Fitzgerald, AZ DEF/ST

Sit: WR Boldin (I), WR Breaston (I), K Neil Rackers

Game Prediction: Warner will get his 300 yards and Fitzgerald will get half of them. Boldin is iffy at this point, so play it safe. I like AZ's defense to score a TD and create turnovers. AZ 24 SF 13

Atlanta (vs. Miami)

Start: RB Turner, WR White, TE Gonzalez, K Elam, ATL DEF/ST

Sit: QB Ryan, WR Jenkins

Game Prediction: Both teams will try to establish the run and control the clock, which makes for a lower scoring game. Game will turn on a ST play late. ATL 20 MIAMI 16

Baltimore (vs. KC)

Start: QB Flacco, RB Rice, WR Mason, TE Heap, BLT DEF/ST

Sit: WR Clayton (I), K Hauschka, RB McGahee, FB McClain

Game Prediction: All Baltimore! Ravens coach Harbaugh will try to showcase Flacco and Rice. Each will get two scores. The BLT DEF/ST will have a field day scoring a TD and creating a number of turnovers. BLT 38 KC 10

Buffalo (@ NE)

Start: QB Edwards, RB Jackson (I), K Lindell, WR Owens (I), WR Evans

Sit: RB Omon (I), TE Nelson, BUFF DEF/ST

Game Prediction: A higher scoring game than many might think. Expect NE to jump out early, but QB Edwards and WR Owens will bring the Bills back late. RB Jackson will get some yards rushing but nothing to write home about. NE 34 BUFF 30

Carolina (vs. PHIL)

Start: RB Williams, WR Smith, WR Muhammad, K Kasay

Sit: QB Delhomme, RB Stewart (I), TE King, CAR DEF/ST

Game Prediction: Should be an interesting game. Lower scoring game than you would think as PHIL offense will be out sync with RB Westbrook out all preseason. With RB Stewart injured, RB Williams will run wild on PHIL scoring three TDs. WR Smith will get yards but no TDs. CAR 27 PHIL 23

Chicago (@ GB)

Start: QB Cutler, RB Forte, WR Bennett, TE Olsen, K Gould

Sit: WR Hester, CHIC DEF/ST

Game Prediction: Shootout in the Midwest! Cutler and Rodgers will put on a show. Each will throw for 300 yards and three TDs. Forte may have more receiving yards than rushing, but will score once. GB 42 CHIC 37

Cincinnati (vs. Denver)

Start: QB Palmer (I), RB Benson, WR Ochocinco, WR Henry, K Graham (I)

Sit: WR Coles, TE Coffman, CIN DEF/ST

Game Prediction: DEN will be involved in a ton of shootouts this season. They will have to put a ton of points on the board to win. CIN will pick apart the DEN defense as QB Palmer and WR Ochocinco will connect for two TDs. CIN 33 DEN 21

Cleveland (vs. Minn)

Start: RB James Davis, K Dawson

Sit: Quinn/Anderson QB, WR Edwards, WR Massaquoi, TE Royal, TE Heiden, CLEV DEF/ST

Game Prediction: The Adrian Peterson show visits the Rock and Roll HOF. AP will dominate this match-up scoring three TD’s and rush for more than 125 yards. CLEV will muster some offense and it will come from speed-RB Davis. MINN 36 CLEV 20

Dallas (@ TB)

Start: RB Barber, TE Witten, K Folk, DAL DEF/ST

Sit: QB Romo, RB Jones, WR Williams (I), WR Austin, WR Crayton, TE Bennett

Game Prediction: A low-scoring game as TB will try to control the ball and keep QB Romo off the field. DAL will play into the TB strategy and run RB Barber who will score two TDs. Game will come down to the last play. DAL 23 TB 20

Denver (@ Cinn)

Start: QB Orton (I), WR Royal, TE Scheffler, FB Hillis

Sit: RB Moreno (I), RB Buckhalter, RB Jordan, WR Marshall, K Prater, DEN DEF/ST

Detroit (@ NO)

Start: QB Stafford, RB Smith, WR Johnson, TE Pettigrew

Sit: WR Curry, WR Williams, K Hanson (I), DET DEF/ST

Game Prediction: This one will get ugly real fast. Good for Detroit FFL owners! QB Brees will toss three first-half TDs. QB Stafford will get plenty of cheap passing yards late and a score or two. NO 42 DET 21

Green Bay (vs. Chic)

Start: QB Rodgers, WR Jennings, WR Driver, TE Finley, K Crosby

Sit: RB Grant, GB DEF/ST

Houston (vs. NY Jets)

Start: QB Schaub, RB Slaton, WR Johnson, TE Daniels, K Brown

Sit: RB Moats, RB Brown, WR Walter, HOU DEF/ST

Game Prediction: NYJ QB Sanchez will play well in his first pro start. Expect the NYJ to control the ball will RBs Jones and Washington. QB Schaub will struggle early, but will bring the Texans back for a late victory. HOU 27 NYJ 21

Indianapolis (vs. Jax)

Start: QB Manning, WR Wayne, WR Gonzalez, TE Clark, K Vinatieri, IND DEF/ST

Sit: RB Addai, RB Brown

Game Prediction: JAX usually plays IND tough. Not this year! IND will dominate every phase of this game. JAX RB MJD may be limited with an injury forcing QB Garrard to throw. IND will pick him off twice taking one back for a TD. IND 38 JAX 13

Jacksonville (@ Indy)

Start: No one

Sit: QB Garrard, RB Jones-Drew (I), RB Washington, WR Holt, WR Northcutt, TE Lewis, K Scobee, JAX DEF/ST

Kansas City (@ Balt)

Start: WR Bowe

Sit: QB Cassel (I), RB Johnson, RB Charles, WR Engram, TE Cottam, K Barth, KC DEF/ST

Miami (@Atl)

Start: RB Brown, K Carpenter

Sit: QB Pennington, RB Williams, WR Ginn, WR Camarillo, WR Bess, MIA DEF/ST

Game Prediction: Both teams will try to establish the run and control the clock which makes for a lower scoring game. Game will turn on a ST play late. ATL 20 MIAMI 16

Minnesota (@ Clev)

Start: QB Farve, RB Peterson, WR Harvin, TE Shinacoe, K Longwell, MINN DEF/ST

Sit: RB Taylor, WR Berrian (I), WR Rice, WR Wade

New England (vs. Buff)

Start: QB Brady, WR Moss, TE Watson, K Gostkowski

Sit: RB Taylor, RB, Maroney, WR, Welker (I), NE DEF/ST

New Orleans (vs. Det)

Start: QB Brees, RB Thomas (I), WR Colston, WR Moore, WR Meachem, TE Shockey, K Carney, NO DEF/ST

Sit: RB Bush (I), WR Henderson

New York Giants (vs. Wash)

Start: RB Jacobs, WR Nicks, TE Boss, K Tynes

Sit: QB Manning, RB Bradshaw, WR, Hixon, WR Smith, WR Moss, NYG DEF/ST

Game Prediction: WASH will be better offensively and will control the ball. QB Manning will struggle as Orakpo and Haynesworth will force him to hurry his throws. RB Jacobs runs well against WASH and will score two TDs. WASH 27 NYG 26

New York Jets (@ Hou)

Start: QB Sanchez, RB Jones, RB Washington, TE Keller, WR Cotchery

Sit: RB Greene (I), WR Stucky, WR Clowney, K Feely, NYJ DEF/ST

Game Prediction: NYJ QB Sanchez will play well in his first pro start. Expect the NYJ to control the ball will RB Jones and RB Washington. QB Schaub will struggle early, but will bring the Texans back for a late victory. HOU 27 NYJ 21

Oakland (vs. San Diego)

Start: QB Russell, RB McFadden, RB Bush, WR Heyward-Bey, TE Miller, K Janikowski

Sit: RB Fargas (I), WR Walker, WR, Higgins (I), OAK DEF/ST

Game Prediction: Oakland will shock the East Coast Tuesday morning when they wake up and hear that OAK rallied from a 21-point deficit to upset heavily favored SD. QB Russell will throw three secondhalf TDs and a healthy RB McFadden will show why he was such a high pick. OAK 34 SD 31

Philadelphia (@ Car)

Start: QB McNabb, RB McCoy, WR Jackson, TE Celek

Sit: RB Westbrook (I), WR Curtis, WR Maclin, K Akers, PHIL DEF/ST

Game Prediction: Should be an interesting game. Lower scoring game than you would think as PHIL offense will be out sync with RB Westbrook out all preseason With RB Stewart injured, RB Williams will run wild on PHIL scoring three TDs. WR Smith will get yards but no TDs. CAR 27 PHIL 23

Pittsburgh (vs. Tenn)

Start: WR Holmes (I), WR Ward, TE Miller, K Reed, PITT DEF/ST

Sit: QB Roethlisberger, RB Parker (I), RB Mendenhall

Game Prediction: Low scoring game with few TDs and plenty of FGs. PITT defense out plays TENN. PITT will contain TENN RB Johnson and put pressure on Collins all night. PITT 20 TENN 16

St. Louis (@ Seattle)

Start: RB Jackson

Sit: Everyone else

Game Prediction: Seattle will prove last season was a fluke as injuries determined their fate. QB Hasselbeck will pick the STL defense apart throwing for four TDs. STL will get a strong day from RB Jackson who will rush for more than 100 yards and score twice. SEA 38 STL 21

San Diego (vs. SD)

Start: QB Rivers, RB Tomlinson, WR Jackson, TE Gates, K Kaeding

Sit: RB Sproles, WR Chambers, WR Floyd, SD DEF/ST

Game Prediction: Oakland will shock the East Coast Tuesday morning when they wake up and hear that OAK rallied from a 21-point deficit to upset heavily favored SD. QB Russell will throw three second-half TDs and a healthy RB McFadden will show why he was such a high pick. OAK 34 SD 31

San Francisco (@ Az)

Start: RB Gore, TE Davis

Sit: QB Hill, WR Bruce, WR Morgan, WR Crabtree (US), K Nedney, SF DEF/ST

Game Prediction: Warner will get his 300 yards and Fitzgerald will get half of them. Boldin is iffy at this point, so play it safe. I like AZ defense to score a TD and create turnovers. AZ 24 SF 13

Seattle (vs. StL)

Start: QB Hasselbeck, WR Houshmandzadeh, WR Branch, WR Butler, TE Carlson, K Mare

Sit: RB Jones, RB James, SEA DEF/ST

Tampa Bay (vs. Dallas)

Start: WR Bryant (I), TE Winslow

Sit: QB Leftwich, RB Ward, RB Williams, RB Graham, WR Stovall, K Bryant, TB DEF/ST

Game Prediction: A low scoring game as TB will try to control the ball and keep QB Romo off the field. DAL will play into the TB strategy and run RB Barber who will score two TDs. Game will come down to the last play. DAL 23 TB 20

Tennessee (@ Pitt)

Start: RB Johnson, WR Britt, TE Scaife, K Bironas

Sit: QB Collins, RB White, WR Washington (I), WR Gage, TEN DEF/ST

Game Prediction: Low scoring game with few TDs and plenty of FGs. PITT defense out plays TENN. PITT will contain TENN RB Johnson and put pressure on Collins all night. PITT 20 TENN 16

Washington (@ NYG)

Start: QB Campbell, RB Portis, WR Kelly, WR Moss, TE Cooley, K Suisham

Sit: RB Betts, WR Randle El, WR Thomas, WASH DEF/ST