It’s safe to assume nobody outside Minnesota is starting Brett Favre on their fantasy football team.
And unless Michael Vick’s relatives have a league that starts when Vick’s suspension ends in Week 3, it’s doubtful many people even have him on a roster.
But as the regular season finally opens this week after months of wall-to-wall Favre-Vick coverage, it’s worth taking a look at what fantasy impact they will have.
Favre is worth hanging on to as a backup. He’s not going to be his old gunslinger self with the Vikings, but he will take an occasional break from handoff duty to throw over defenses stacked to stop Adrian Peterson. Favre’s presence makes Visanthe Shiancoe an instant starter in leagues that use tight ends. He also gives value to receivers Percy Harvin and Bernard Berrian, but it’s a good idea to bench them until we see how often and how well Favre throws.
As for Vick, he may have more of an affect on the other Eagles, who will benefit from disoriented defenses forced to account for him. Even so, coach Andy Reid may find a way to use Vick more, and he’s worth a free-agent pickup when he returns. You’ll more than likely cut him in a couple weeks, but it’s worth the gamble.
As you brace for Sunday’s barrage of highlights showing Favre’s every move, here’s a look at some players to start and some to avoid in Week 1:
QUARTERBACKS
TAKE A SHOT:
_Seattle’s Matt Hasselbeck will be eager to show he’s back to his old self against the Rams, who will certainly be their same old selves defensively. The last season he was healthy, 2007, he threw two or more TDs in seven straight home games.
_Start Cincinnati’s Carson Palmer while you can. He’s back from a major elbow injury and nursing a sore ankle but should be able to stay upright while his massively reshuffled line holds off what last year was a pretty timid Denver defense.
_Tony Romo’s stock has dropped since the Cowboys scuttled Terrell Owens and plan to run more. He’s still worth a start, though, until the wacky interceptions and injuries commence in December.
_If you’re pondering a start for San Francisco’s Shaun Hill, you really, really botched your fantasy draft. But nobody gave up more passing TDs than the Cardinals last year, and Arizona can be expected to pile up defenders on the line to stop Frank Gore.
BACK AWAY SLOWLY AND NOBODY GETS HURT:
Please, in the name of Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels, don’t start these guys:
_The delicate Matt Schaub, who’s missed 10 games in Houston the past two years, already has an iffy ankle that he hurt while trotting out of bounds in the preseason. Bart Scott and the rest of the tough Jets defense make you wonder whether Schaub can go the whole game.
_Steer clear of nicked up AFC West quarterbacks. Denver’s Kyle Orton is expected to start while using nine fingers, though he may not even finish the game. It’s unclear whether Matt Cassel will even start for the Chiefs, but if he does, it’ll be behind a flimsy line against the terrifying Ravens defense.
_Joe Flacco put up decent preseason stats for Baltimore in the preseason and faces the cruddy Chiefs. But he should remain your backup even if you have few options, considering there’s just no reason for him to do anything but hand off.
RUNNING BACKS
ALL DAY LONG:
_Philadelphia’s Brian Westbrook slid in a lot of drafts because of his age and injury problems, but don’t worry about him until he gets hurt. This week Carolina’s questionable defense is especially inviting.
_In other declining NFC East running back news, Clinton Portis is coming off a rib injury, faces a Giants defense that shut him down last year and is expected to lose some touches to Ladell Betts. However, you just can’t sit Portis down until he really starts flopping.
_Arizona’s Tim Hightower amassed an absurdly bad 35 yards on 21 carries in two games against the 49ers last year, but he’s starting in what’s supposed to be a more balanced attack and working to stave off rookie Chris Wells.
_Like Carson Palmer, this may be your best chance to give Cincinnati’s Cedric Benson a start. (This’ll make up for all the benchings he’ll get in the Pittsburgh and Baltimore games.)
RED FLAGS:
_We’ve read all preseason long how Julius Jones is revitalized and ready to take off in Seattle’s new zone blocking scheme. Really? The thousands or perhaps millions of us who’ve been suckered into drafting Jones before need a little more hard evidence.
_Tampa Bay pulled a late-preseason fast one on fantasy owners, announcing that Carnell Williams and his re-engineered knees have jumped into the top spot in the three-man RB rotation. So skip him, Derrick Ward and Earnest Graham in this messy time-share.
_Oakland’s Darren McFadden can be an exciting playmaker, but he’ll share carries. And, seriously, how much running will the Raiders be able to run once San Diego’s up 28-0?
WIDE RECEIVERS
THROW HIM THE DARN BALL:
_The Cardinals’ Anquan Boldin has been bothered by a sore hamstring all preseason, but he’s too tough to be stopped by such a minor thing. He had 15 catches and two TDs in two games against the 49ers last year.
_Vincent Jackson of San Diego is a safe start against the Raiders. He went for 148 yards and a score last time he faced them, and there’s no reason to believe Oakland is any better.
_Receivers are frequently open against Detroit, and New Orleans’ Lance Moore should be really open as the Lions focus on Marques Colston. Moore’s the clear No. 2 receiver on a pass-crazy offense that has some banged up running backs.
_The other popular No. 2 in fantasy leagues this year is Indianapolis’ Anthony Gonzalez. He should get a lot more attention from Peyton Manning, who has thrown eight TDs in his last three games against the Jaguars.
SHOW HIM THE DARN BENCH:
_Fantasy football allows you to make decisions just like real coaches, so you too can punish a 100-reception receiver. Bench Denver’s Brandon Marshall until you’re absolutely certain his head is on straight.
_ In other injured sourpuss news, it’s a good idea to leave Buffalo’s Terrell Owens on the bench until you’re sure all his toes work properly and his QB can stay off the turf long enough to throw the ball.
_Also bench Roy Williams, who replaced T.O. in Dallas but probably won’t come close to his stats from last year as Romo spreads the ball around.
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