Thursday Night Football: Titans Vs Steelers

Thursday Week 1 - TITANS VS STEELERS

For an audio discussion of this game check out the second half of Wednesday's edition of the Thundering Blurb Football Show.

STEELERS

QB

Ben Roethlisberger: Roethlisberger isn't a gunslinger by any means. In fact, if you just look at past history, you have to think he won't throw much - after all 'the Steelers are a run first team' right? Well, it's hard to know for sure that it's a true statement anymore. The reality may be that this team is NOT a run-first powerhouse as it once was.

Frankly, the offensive line is better protecting Big Ben than it is blocking for the running backs. The Offensive line has had problems for a couple of years now on the ground but have improved enough to give Roethlisberger a chance against a defense that is trying to make do without Albert Haynesworth.

However while Roethlisberger is a safe start, I wouldn't want to start him. Unless you are in a spot where Matt Cassel is your quarterback or have some real question marks Roethlisberger will give you serviceable points, but not the sort of fantasy value you want to roll out your first week.

RB

Willie Parker: It's been a tumultuous pre-season for 'Fast' Willie Parker. Parker set out to capture the goal line duties and as of this week he did - though probably more due to the underwhelming play of Rashard Mendenhall as much as anything else. Parker faces a once stout run defense which is now a question mark - will the absence of Albert Haynseworth affect the Titans run defense? I say to some extent, yes. But overall this unit is more than just the sum of one part and while I think Parker will get the lion's share of carries, he still faces a tough unit. For what it's worth, in the preseason, the Titans allowed an average of just 3.5 yards a carry but a middle of the road 467 total yards in four games. You can't read into it too much - the starting unit only plays a handful of snaps. Parker is an ok start, but as he's likely to be your RB3, you probably have a better match-up on your roster. He'll put up some points but probably won't blow your opponent out of the water.

WR

Santonio Holmes: Since I expect Big Ben to throw a bunch you can assume that I think Holmes should be a good start. I wouldn't be surprised if he pulled between five and seven catches and somewhere around 70 yards. He's going to be a pretty decent WR2 this year and I think this will be a good game for him. The Titans struggled against the pass in preseason (again, take that for what it's worth) and he should find room to work in the secondary. It won't be huge night, but he's a fine start at WR2 to kick off your season.

Hines Ward: Is there anything ever to say against starting Ward? He won't blow up often but he also doesn't get too many donuts. Roethlisberger likes and trusts him and goes to him often enough to make him more valuable in PPR than non-PPR leagues. As Holmes emerges as more of the prototypical WR1 threat, it will be interesting to see how Ward's role might change. But even with slightly better play of late from second-year WR Limas Sweed, Ward won't miss out much. Start him as a WR3 and he'll likely reward you with a serviceable game against the Titans. His upside might be a little limited, but so is his downside.

Limas Sweed: Sweed played a little better as the preseason wore on, but not enough to be a consistent fantasy threat. As the season progresses we may see more of the youngster from Texas, but right now he won't produce much fantasy-wise and isn't worth a start.

Heath Miller: Once you get outside the top five tight ends, it's almost every man for himself. But some - Dustin Keller, Zach Miller, John Carlson - are held in higher esteem than others - like Heath Miller. Miller was a hot prospect a few seasons ago, but topped out last year and now, according to Steeler beat writer Ed Bouchette, Miller is destined to remain at his 45 catch ceiling. With some of the blocking issues on the line, it's not a surprise and while Miller is a fine pass-catching tight end, he isn't worth starts unless a match-up really cries out for it, which this one doesn't.

TITANS

QB

Kerry Collins: This is just not a good match-up for Collins. The epitome of a serviceable Fantasy QB, Collins usually won't lose a game for you. Often he won't win one for you either. The Pittsburgh Defensive unit is a terrible match-up and I can't see a reason to stick Collins into your lineup in Week 1, on a Thursday. Too shaky, too early, to risky.

RB

Chris Johnson: There are a bunch of RBs I would take ahead of Johnson this week - unfortunately you probably don't own any of them or if you do, not more than one. Still, as tough as this match-up is, Johnson and the Titans have produced against brutal Run Defenses before. While I'm not sure he tops 100 total yards, I think he gets enough - and in a PPR league, enough catches - to make him a pretty good start this weekend. Maybe not a lock-down RB1 but a solid one, or an outstanding RB2.

LenDale White: White will continue to get the short yardage and red zone work, but I don't know how much red zone work he'll see against this defense. You know White - he could have a big game or he could disappear. Given that he's threatening to stomp Terrible Towels again this weekend, my guess is Pittsburgh's Steel Curtain will take a certain amount of pride in shutting him down - and up. There will be plenty of times to start White - this isn't on of them.

WR

Justin Gage: Despite the match-up, Gage may have himself a nifty little game. Collins won't be able to rely on rookie Kenny Britt that much and even if he plays, will Nate Washington be reliable and healthy enough to have a great impact? Gage may get a bunch of targets and if Collins finds himself behind and throwing, Gage will be the beneficiary. Gage is a solid WR3 start with the upside for outplaying his starting spot on your team.

Kenny Britt: I like Britt's overall prospects but I can't imagine going to him this early in your fantasy season when we have little if any idea how he'll play and against a very tough defense. In a deeper league WR4 isn't out of the question, but it may be a tad early in the week for a Hail Mary even at that spot.

Nate Washington: Washington is looking like he might go Thursday which should be interesting to watch. Will his hamstring hold up? Will they work him a little? A lot? How will he fit in after missing a chunk of the preseason? Is the Washington we were watching dazzle prior to the injury the real deal? Will he regain that now? Too many questions for me - if I can do it, I avoid him this week. I'd rather risk missing out on a good game by playing another WR who can contribute as much with less risk, versus starting Washington and getting little to nothing to show for it.