NFL Week 1 Predictions: 5 Players Poised for Huge Games This Weekend

Week 1 of the NFL has arrived and the excitement level of fans is at a peak level. This is the time of year where each fanbase has hope, because every team is 0-0. For the teams that will be the bottom feeders of the league, the losses have yet to pile up and the disappointment that will soon ensue is not yet upon them or the fans of the team.

Every team has different expectations—even though some are higher than others, it still doesn't take away the excitement from those that don't necessarily have Super Bowl hopes. 

Seeing as how everyone is posting their winners of Sunday's and Monday's games, I've decided to take a different route and take a look at five players who are poised for monster performances. Week 1 is always unpredictable and there are always a couple of surprise performances, so be prepared for a couple of under-the-radar players to make the list.

With that being said, enjoy!

DeAngelo Williams

Fresh off a new deal, Williams gets a chance to get off to a great start against an Arizona Cardinals team that gave up the third-most yards on the ground a season ago. Many in the media feel Carolina overpaid for Williams, and I'm sure he's going to want to come out and make a statement coming off of a poor season.

The talented running back only played in six games last year, in which he finished with 87 rushing attempts for 361 yards. Since the Panthers committed to Williams long term, it will be vital for him to begin to produce at a high level like in 2008 and 2009. 

Cam Newton may be grabbing all the headlines in the Carolinas, but expect Ron Rivera to rely heavily on the running attack against the Cardinals throughout most of the game. The Panthers know that Newton will need a strong running game to be effective in his rookie season, so Williams' number will be called often on Sunday.

Prediction: 22 CAR, 123 YDS, 2 TDS

Matthew Stafford

Injury-prone is what comes to mind when you think of Stafford. He has loads of potential and has the ability to lead Detroit to a winning season. A terrific preseason from Stafford has many jumping on the Lions bandwagon.

I'm not here to tell you whether or not you should be on or off the bandwagon, but I am here to tell you that Stafford is going to put up great statistics if he remains healthy—a monster "if." It's going to start against Tampa Bay this week.

The Buccaneers were very good against the pass last year, but star cornerback Aqib Talib had a tumultuous offseason and it's hard to know where his head is at right now. But, for now, I'm going to operate under the assumption that the Talib of last year won't show up this year.

There are a lot of things to like about the Lions offense; they have an elite wide receiver, a couple of nice running backs and Stafford at the helm. I think they put up some points this week.

Prediction: 25-42, 303 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT

Larry Fitzgerald

How can you not love Fitzgerald this week? When Chris Gamble lines up opposite him he has averaged eight receptions for 115 yards.

Guess who's lining up across Fitz on Sunday?

The Panthers weren't statistically bad against the pass last year, but some of that has to be attributed to being behind in the ball game and teams running the ball. With Kevin Kolb under center, and it being important he gets off to a good start, look for him to target No. 11 plenty of times. 

Arizona doesn't have a good running game, so if they are going to be successful this season it's going to be through the air. Kolb has a lot to prove and has a good opportunity to take advantage of the Panthers' weak corners. Carolina just signed Darius Butler after New England released him, which shows how thin they are at the position right now.

Gamble is the only player on the Panthers roster who can physically matchup with Fitz, although it's clear that hasn't worked in the past for Carolina. 

Prediction: 9 REC, 157 YDS, 1 TD

Derrick Ward

It looks as if Arian Foster's hamstring injury will hold him out of Week 1, and even if it doesn't it would be shocking to see him carry a full workload. Derrick Ward hasn't done much in his career since his 2008 season when he rushed for over 1,000 yards. Part of that is due to a lack of opportunity.

This Sunday, opportunity will strike again for Ward. Ben Tate will back up Ward to start the game, but he will certainly get early looks. Tate could explode onto the scene and make my Ward prediction blow up in flames; he has the ability to do so.

Ward though, is the veteran back and because of that I'm more inclined to trust him. This is his chance to take the starting job until Foster recovers fully and it's possible that his hamstring injury will linger for the remainder of the season.

Indianapolis is in trouble without Peyton Manning, especially without a quality backup—Kerry Collins hasn't had enough time to work with the Colts offense to be a threat. Plus, he's like 60 years old. 

Houston has the ability to score quickly and will do so against the Colts, which will allow Ward to get more touches late in the game as the defense tires.

Prediction: 25 CAR, 137 YDS, 1 TD

Kyle Orton

Now that it's clear that Tim Tebow won't be seeing the field anytime soon in Denver, Kyle Orton can take a deep breath and focus on the upcoming game instead of his job security. Orton came out of the gates flying last year. Four out of his first five games he topped the 300-yard mark passing, although part of it can be attributed to the poor running game the Broncos fielded.

John Fox is in town now, so expect the Broncos to put more emphasis on the running game than in years past. Knowshon Moreno is a perfectly capable back when healthy, and with the help of Fox he should ignite a stagnant running game. 

Running the football more doesn't bode well for Orton's stats, right? Wrong.

Instead of having to throw the ball 40-plus times, he can rely on his running backs to open up the field for the passing attack. The yardage numbers won't be nearly as high as last year for Orton, but you can expect to see much more efficient performances from him. This week the Broncos have Oakland, a foe that lost its best defensive player this offseason.

It's a new day in Denver and Orton will get them off on the right start.

Prediction: 22-27, 256 YDS, 2 TDS