Fantasy Football: Two-Minute Drill

So, as we are on the eve of the season opener on Thursday night, a lot of news has happened around the NFL. I will recap the news and provide some thoughts on what this means to you as a fantasy owner if you have some of the players and teams involved.

I will likely be doing something like this on a weekly ongoing basis and for our long-time readers, you may remember we used to call this Hatty's Afternoon Delight. Well, consider this weekly piece your Fantasy SportsCenter on the news that matters. I will hit on the biggest news but if you have players you want more detail on, please feel free to contact me directly or use the forums on the site.

TJ Houshmanzadeh

In case you have been asleep since the weekend, this news was major for fantasy owners. Being a 2009 owner of Housh, I lived through the disappointment of the year not named Matt Forte. The Ravens now have two premium WRs and a young flourishing QB to go along with a great ground game. Don't expect Housh to pull in 20 TDs but this move definitely helps his value for 2010. Keep in mind the Ravens aren't going to change their run-first, pass-second philosophy though. If you have depth at WR, now could even be an ideal time to try and move TJ as I think his value will be better but not elite.

Mike Williams/Golden Tate

The beneficiary of the TJ trade in Seattle are two young WRs. Williams' history with Carroll is pretty well documented and Golden Tate has the potential to be this year's Percy Harvin. He won't average 100 yards a game but he will be an end zone target. Again, don't expect anything revolutionary here though. Hasselbeck is aging, their run game is a mystery, and these two are young and will need experience. Both are solid dynasty options and their value definitely shoots up now that Housh is out of the picture.

Justin Forsett, Ahmad Bradshaw, and Tim Hightower Named Starters

 Somewhat interesting moves here. Admittedly, Beanie is a little banged up and Washington is coming off a major injury and Forsett proved his worth last year. Still, both teams have invested in their youth heavily so it is a bit surprising to see this news. Hightower's value in PPR league just went way up in Week 1. If you are thin at RB, consider starting Hightower as they face a weak St. Louis front seven. Forsett will be solid and I could see Washington being in the Reggie Bush role. Either way, I don't see how you can start Washington in any league until you see how this unfolds a little more. Bradshaw, on the other hand, is likely to be the every-down back with Jacobs serving to give him a breather and likely being the goal-line back. Jacobs is still a great option in TD-only leagues but his value has plummeted until Bradshaw gets hurt, which he will.

St. Louis Rams

A few too many names so we will condense this into one section. Sam Bradford has officially been named the starter. The defenses he will face are not too daunting and he should be a solid option; if he is on a waiver wire, I recommend grabbing him immediately. Mark Clayton's value also just went up as he was shipped to the Rams in lieu of the TJ trade. Another name to keep an eye on is Michael Hoomanawanui, who starts for the Rams. Remember how much Bradford liked Jermaine Gresham? Hooman could be a breakout start waiting to happen. Be sure that the Rams will try to keep the offense as simple as possible  until Bradford gets used to the game speed a bit more. Clayton will also benefit from shorter routes while Laurent Robinson will try and be the big-play threat.

Other tidbits worth noting:

Dennis Dixon is the starter in Pittsburgh. I personally love this kid and his ability to scramble makes the Pitt offense so much better. Big Ben was pummeled last year because he moves like my grandmother and Dixon showed his versatility. Mike Wallace should benefit along with Heath Miller the most.

Randy Moss is unhappy. He is simply not feeling the love from the Pats who have not offered him a contract extension. The Pats like to wait until contracts are up and Moss knows this (hence the Brady stuff) and so expect Moss to prove why he is still one of the best players in the game.

Derek Anderson. He is worth stashing on your bench as a decent backup or bye-week replacement.

Jake Delhomme. Being in NC, I personally cannot stand Delhomme and was not one bit shocked when he was a one-hit wonder. The reason I list him here is that he has proven he can get it done in the past and his preseason QB rating was something like 110. If you're weak at QB, keep a close eye on Delhomme as a potential option.

McNabb. He will play in Week 1. Shanahan has been out for a year, so people may forget he is somewhat Billicheck-esque with his player news. McNabb will start and do just fine against the Cowboys.

Heading into opening night, both Hatty and myself will be online a lot. For those whose rosters lock by tomorrow's game, feel free to email either of us or use the forums for lineup advice. Be sure to check out the new Waiver Wire video as this is the best way to dominate your league. The NFL changes and players get hurt, some fall off, and other explode out of nowhere, so keeping your pulse on what is happening on the waiver wire can help you overcome a slow start or stay ahead of the pack.

JD Dowell

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