It Was Only Week One, Just Calm Down!

The first week of the fantasy season always proves one thing… you can count on nothing!  Teams go into week one with a cast of new characters and face a team whom they have only seen snippets of on tape from the preseason.  Players never really go full out in preseason, so the rookies are a mystery and you cannot tell if the veterans have lost a step because the step will not be apparent in the 15 minutes per game that they play in August.

All that being said, all you can do going into week one is play the fantasy football team you drafted and let the chips fall.

For example…

Peyton Manning might go for 400+ in a loss to the Texans, it is not likely but it could happen.

Matt Schaub could throw for under 150 yards in a win over the Colts, not likely, but possible.

Arian Foster, a virtual noboby, 3^rd on the depth chart 3 weeks ago could have the second biggest opening day rushing performance in the history of the NFL. Not possible?…possible.

The high powered San Diego Chargers could lose to the lowly Chiefs on Monday night football, right after the anointed superbowl favorite, NY Jets, lay an egg in prime time.

All of this could happen, but probably won’t…wait it all did happen!!! There is no getting around it, week one is always crazy and unpredictable, but IT IS NOT THE END OF THE WORLD!

You are going to look at the performance of Matt Schaub, Michael Turner, Cedric Benson, Steven Jackson, Shonn Greene, Randy Moss and thinking about trading them all for Michael Clayton. Calm yourself!  It is week one.  Don’t go throwing your whole team away and trade Adrian Peterson for Mohammed Massaquoi.  Just grab a cool one, set your team like week one didn’t happen and press the reset button on your season.  If all of the same things happen in week 2, get concerned and if they happen again in week 3, sound the alarm but not today.

I am not saying that you should not grab a week one stud and stash him on your bench if you have space, you definitely should.  I am also not saying you should not try to grab Brandon Jackson is you drafted Ryan Grant, again you should.  Just don’t get crazy because you lost your game in week one by 30 points.

After watching some film of the guys who will actually be playing in the games and not players from the scout team, the coaches will game plan better for week 2 and you will not see some of the stuff you saw and did not believe in week one.  Sam Bradford is not going to throw 50+ times every week and if he does 25 of them will go to Steven Jackson!

Don’t believe me?  Let’s take a walk down memory lane.

2009 Week 1
Patrick Crayton 22 points,  fantasy season – #42 wide receiver for the season
John Carlson 25 points,  fantasy season – #15 tight end for the season
Willis McGahee 21 points,  fantasy season – #37  running back for the season
Julius Jones 20 points,  fantasy season – #34  running back for the season
Trent Edwards 20 points,  fantasy season – #31 quarterback for the season
Mike Bell 143 yards, fantasy season – #41 running back for the season

2008 Week 1
JaMarcues Russell 17 points,  fantasy season – #26 quarterback for the season
Hank Basket 16 points,  fantasy season – #53 wide receiver for the season
Dante Rosario – 16 points,  fantasy season – #33 tight end for the season

2007 Week 1
Ronald Curry 20 points,  fantasy season – #36 wide receiver for the season
Travis Henry 18 points,  fantasy season – #32  running back for the season
Antwaan Randle El 18 points,  fantasy season – #56 wide receiver for the season

The lesson is simple, use your head, check the match ups and start your studs.  Keep an eye out for this season’s Miles Austin but don’t start burning waiver priority juice on things you don’t need just because they broke off a 60 yard touchdown reception in garbage time.

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