Fantasy Football Week 1: 3 Bench Players Worth Starting

Penciling in the starting lineup for your fantasy team is the key to success. You don't want to leave a pile of points sitting unused on the bench.

Sometimes these guys will pop off for big days, and no one saw them coming. Other times, the writing is on the wall, and if you can read, then you know they should start.

I've been doing some wall reading, and they tell me the following three guys should start.

Fred Jackson

Kansas City slogged through a rough preseason. They have yet to put it together on offense and they have yet to put it together on defense. This could very well lead to a Week 1 upset.

And what it most certainly is going to lead to is plenty of touches for Jackson.

Jackson is going to get the ball early and often in this contest, and he should be able to find some running room.

Kyle Orton

Behind all of the Armageddon fuss surrounding Tim Tebow's placement on the depth chart, Kyle Orton put together an amazing preseason. This guy was on point, and he has lots of weapons. The Broncos offensive line has vastly improved from last season.

And that is the key for this pick. If teams can keep the Raiders defensive line from getting to the QB, they are going to pick apart their secondary.

The Raiders defense was abysmal in the preseason. Drew Brees completed every pass he wanted against them and Alex Smith and Tarvaris Jackson looked like Pro Bowl QBs.

Orton is going to put up some numbers, and given the fact that the Broncos defense won't be able to stop the Raiders passing game, the Broncos will have to keep passing all game to keep up.

Cleveland Defense

I said three players. I know. I lied. It is two players and a defense. But how can you pass this one up?

The Browns are going against the Bengals.

The same Bengals that are a walking wasteland and are starting a rookie QB and a rookie No. 1 receiver. The same Bengals that have surrounded these guys with a limited run game.

The Browns defense is going to feast. They may score more points than their offense in this one.