James Morris hails from Rio Rancho, NM and has been playing fantasy sports for well over a decade. Not only does he write the Bengals fantasy section, but he also does the Jacksonville Jaguars and San Diego Chargers fantasy sections, as well as the Indiana Pacers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Utah Jazz fantasy basketball sections in the NBA. Last season James finished with an 82 percent accuracy rating for fantasy predictions and will be here to answer any questions you may have about your specific team. Just send him an email and he will reply back the same day with your answer.
Well, Week 1 is in the books and nobody in fantasyland fared very well. So, what do we do when that happens? We take 48 hours to sulk and move on to the next week like the previous one never happened. So, without further discussion on last week, let's move on to Week 2.
Cedric Benson may just be for real with his 76 rushing yards, 32 receiving yards and one touchdown. That is good news for Bengals fans since the run often sets up the pass. Carson Palmer has very good arm strength and accuracy, but the Packers defense looks revamped under a new scheme. Chad Ochocinco is in for a big year, if Palmer can stay healthy that is. I had higher hopes for Chris Henry than one catch for 18 yards; Andre Caldwell on the other hand hauled in six passes (targeted eight times) for 54 yards. The Bengals defense came into the season underrated, but holding the Broncos in check the whole game opened some eyes in the fantasy world. IDP (Individual Defensive Players) leagues need to take notice of Roy Williams and Antwan Odom.
Matt Ryan: Ryan only threw for 229 yards in Week 1, but he added two TDs to the mix. This week the Falcons play the Panthers at home, but Atlanta is passing more than it is running and that means a good fantasy play is at hand.
Matt Hasselbeck: I'm not a Hasselbeck believer with the set of receivers he has. But, I can't ignore 279 yards and three TDs from last week. After all, the Niners gave up 259 yards in the air last week.
Fred Jackson: I wasn't a Week 1 Jackson bandwagon rider, but 140 total yards and a TD have a way of changing that. Tampa Bay gave up 344 passing yards and 118 rushing yards last week.
Darren McFadden: The Chiefs are a bad team and McFadden is clearly a big playmaker while on the field. McFadden could hit the century mark against a Kansas City team that allowed the second most rushing yards (198) in Week 1.
Justin Gage: Gage managed to log 11 targets in Week 1, good enough to be tied for 4th in the NFL. The Texans gave up 272 passing yards last week and that means Gage is someone to target for your team this week.
Bernard Berrian: I'm not a Brett Favre fan these days, but if there were ever a week to play him it is this one. The Lions gave up 358 passing yards last week and Favre loves to throw the pigskin.
Dustin Keller: The Patriots gave up 41 yards to a weaker TE in Week 1 (Derek Shouman), and Keller was targeted seven times while hauling in four of them last week. He is a solid play this week.
Atlanta Falcons: No getting around this, Jake Delhomme isn't what he once was. Delhomme threw for 73 yards and four INTs last week before getting yanked, then reinstated due to an injury to the backup QB. I'd play the defense of whomever he plays next, and that happens to be the Falcons this week.
Mark Sanchez: Rookie QBs almost always fail in their first season, so don't expect too much from Sanchez this season. The Patriots traditionally have a tough defense and just because I like Keller doesn't mean I would start Sanchez over your normal QB1.
Jay Cutler: No, it's not just because the Bears are playing the Pittsburgh Steelers. I firmly believe that it may be the offensive scheme in Chicago rather than the QB. Cutler is a legit Pro Bowl QB that ran out and threw four INTs to just one TD. I'd sit him until he shows you plenty of reasons not to.
Marion Barber: Barber is normally a weekly starter in any format, but this week the Cowboys face a tough Giants defense that allowed just 85 rushing yards to a Washington team that normally does well with the run.
Steve Slaton: I won't lie; Slaton couldn't have looked any worse than he did last week. I wondered if the Texans even remembered Slaton played for them towards the end of the third quarter. Until he shows some signs of life, I am going to bench him.
Eddie Royal: I pumped Royal in the preseason as someone that should benefit from the shortcomings of Kyle Orton. But in Week 1, Royal saw just four targets and turned them into two catches for 18 yards. I want to see some signs of life before I play him again.
Braylon Edwards: I've been burned too many times. One catch for 12 yards is enough for me. Bench him until the Browns get good again. I've put him on the block and am hoping someone has more faith than I do.
Robert Royal: Royal saw nine targets in Week 1, which would normally be a huge sign of a sleeper on our hands. But, Royal was only able to haul in four of those passes for a 44 percent success rating. I don't expect this type of targeting again this week.
San Diego Chargers Defense: Baltimore has a three-headed beast at RB and Flacco shows a great deal of talent from under center. The Chargers looked lost last week against the Raiders and I don't want them playing this week against the Ravens.
Q: First off thanks for doing Cincinnati's column. The more input I have the better and yours is great! I'm in a bit of a predicament. I drafted 9th in a 10-team league and decided to go WR, WR, QB, RB, RB. Well this landed me top tier talent in the WR and QB departments but RB2 talent for running backs. In my opinion, that's all I would have gotten with the 9th pick anyway had I went RB first. So I end up with Philip Rivers, Andre Johnson and Calvin Johnson. These three start every week unless they're on a bye. I'm unsure though of what to do with my stable of middle of the road RBs. I have Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell (picked him up and started him last week!), Cedric Benson, Joseph Addai and I also grabbed Cadillac Williams last week but didn't play him. In addition I have Bernard Berrian and Devin Hester as viable flex options. So I'm looking for some guidance. Thanks for looking this over. I'd love your thoughts particularly on my RBs!
A: Hey, I appreciate you reading the section!
Don't underestimate Cedric Benson. I like him. I'd go Cadillac and Benson until I have a reason not to. Cadillac looks healthy for the first time in years and poised for a breakout season. Thomas and Bell look to be in a messed up RBBC (Running Back By Committee) situation in New Orleans. Addai hasn't had a 100-yard game since Fred Flintstone handed it off to him in Rockford stadium! If you need a flex then go with Bell until Thomas gets back and we see how that shakes out.
