Article by: Alex Hall
Football season is finally here (both real and fantasy), and week one is officially in the books. Fantasy managers are already having to deal with injuries (special thanks to Mathew Stafford and Ryan Grant) and underperforming early-round draft picks. I am here to say, fear not fantasy addicts because here are five offensive players who will help you win your Week 2 match-up and get that important early season win.
Packers RB Brandon Jackson against the Buffalo Bills
With Green Bay Packers’ starting running back Ryan Grant out of the picture for at least this week against Buffalo, Brandon Jackson will be the The Pack’s feature back and should see plenty of chances. This selection is more about who Jackson is facing than it is about the talent he possesses. Three of the Bills’ linebackers (including Kawika Mitchell) were kept out of Week 1 and this is the same Bills defense that was ranked 30th in rushing defense last season. In case you want visual evidence of how the Bills earned that ranking last year, throw on some tape of Texans’ running back Ryan Moats torching them for 126 yards in Week 8 of last season. Better yet, just look at last week’s highlights of Dolphins’ running backs Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams rushing for a combined 127 yards.
Raiders RB Darren McFadden against the Rams
Michael Bush is injured and “Run DMC” had 18 touches for 95 yards to go along with 6 receptions for 55 yards and a touchdown against the Titans last Sunday. The Rams were ranked a mediocre 15th against the run last year, and the fact that the Cardinals’ third-string running back LaRod Stephens-Howling had 49 yards on just 7 attempts against this same defense last Sunday should be enough to sell you on giving McFadden a shot in Week 2.
Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles against the Browns
Charles was on fire the last three weeks of the 2009 season and is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. On Monday night against the Chargers, the 23-year-old from Texas ran for 94 yards and recorded a 8.4 yards per carry average. He also added both a receiving and rushing touchdown to start his 2010 campaign. Despite having Thomas Jones steal the occasional carry or two, Charles will be the focal point of the Chiefs’ offense this year and faces a Cleveland Browns defense that he torched for 154 yards in Week 15 last season.
Cowboys QB Tony Romo and WR Miles Austin vs. the Chicago Bears
The Bears’ defense ranked 23rd against the pass and made Daunte Culpepper look like Tony Romo in Week 17 last season. The Bears did a decent job of shutting down Shaun Hill and the impressive Detroit Lions passing attack last Sunday, but for all the talk of the Cowboys giving away their Week 1 loss to the Redskins, Romo and Austin looked as good as ever. Romo threw for 282 yards and a touchdown to wideout Miles Austin, who also accounted for 146 of Tony’s passing yards. This isn’t your father’s Bears’ defense, or even the great Bears defense of 2005; look for Romo and Austin to have big days at home against Chicago.
