Fantasy Freaks, Week 1
Filed in archive Fantasy Football by Kyle Smith on September 05, 2008
RB Brian Westbrook, Eagles: Westbrook has made himself an elite offensive threat. He can hurt you in more ways than almost any other NFL player, and against the St. Louis Rams defense, he should have an enormous day. The Eagles will be without WR Kevin Curtis, and maybe WR Reggie Brown, leaving Westbrook as the guy Philly should utilize not only on screens, but running routes on passing downs. The Rams were 21st against the pass and 20th against the run, so they are not adept at stopping either. Their linebackers have good speed, but if the Eagles can get to the second level, their offensive lineman should be able to engulf them. It's possible Westbrook has 100 rushing, 100 receiving yards on Sunday.
QB Tony Romo, Cowboys: Dallas takes on the Cleveland Browns, and to say their pass defense lacks play makers is an understatement. Cleveland was 25th against the pass last season, and though adding big bodies up front like Shaun Rogers should help, they still must have good coverage by their corners. Another thing that may hurt them is their CB's relative lack of size. One thing the Cowboys have is tall receivers. Patrick Crayton is the shortest at 6-0. The Browns starters at CB are Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald, each of whom is 5-10. Behind them on the depth chart is 5-9 Terry Cousin. Everything about this match-up says that Romo can do serious damage.
WR Reggie Wayne: The Bears defense was horrid last season, though most people are choosing to ignore that in 2008. True, there were injuries, but the fall they took was striking, and it remains to be seen whether they can get it back. And so the Colts and Reggie Wayne face off against a pass defense that was 27th last year in the NFL, and didn't seem to improve personnel-wise in the offseason. In fact, they released Ricky Manning Jr. - though he did not play well last season, he does have a solid reputation - and were still deciding who their nickel cornerback was going to be. Wayne and Peyton Manning practice against a defense that runs a Cover 2 similar to the Bears everyday, so their familiarity with it should be a plus. Expect the two to hook up early and often.
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NFL Fantasy Football Philadelphia Eagles Brian Westbrook St. Louis Rams Dallas Cowboys Cleveland Bro
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