By Zack Cimini
notjustagame23@gmail.com

Losing is going to happen in fantasy football just like it does in all sports. All the variables that drive NFL coaches crazy, will also drive you nuts. A missed field goal, dropped touchdown, a fumble/interception by one of your players, and the worst, a dud performance from one of your sure studs.

Here is the first installment of You’ve Got To Be Kidding Me for week one of the NFL season.

Quarterbacks

Donovan McNabb-
This doesn’t happen to a quarterback that has been one of the better over the last ten years. McNabb’s latest newest setting got off to an atrocious start. There were likely some of you out there that started McNabb just on prior years supporting him. You would of expected a shootout between the Vikings and Chargers. Instead McNabb couldn’t get forty yards throwing the football. Add an interception to his stat column and you might as well of started a bottom tier tight end and got the same amount of points.

Philip Rivers-
Once again the Chargers got off to a slow start. Rivers put up a 300 yard passing game, but being an upper echelon fantasy quarterback you would expect more from him week one. Especially going up against a Vikings defense that is expected to be towards the bottom in the NFL.

Matt Ryan-
Too put up as many throws as Ryan did and not throw for a touchdown is a true fantasy disappointment. The Falcons seemed to move the football decently, but just couldn’t muster an effective complete drive. Ryan hit a bunch of different receivers but couldn’t come up with any momentum type plays on the road. He has shown to be an amazing quarterback at home, but he has to move past his road woes issues.

Ben Roethlisberger
Big Ben hasn’t had too many awry games in his career, but this one will shoot to the top. Coming off a Super Bowl loss, the Steelers came out flat all around. Leading with Roethlisberger, who couldn’t facilitate his freestyle pocket plays like he is used to. He was facing the Ravens who were obviously angry with the way their season ended last season.

Eli Manning
He opened his mouth to reporters stating that he believes he is in the company of quarterbacks like Tom Brady, etc. With most attention on Peyton Manning missing a game, some of it should be spotlighted on Manning’s rusty start. Not many quarterback can stat that they have a duel backfield threat and depth to the position the Giants have.

Running Backs

Steven Jackson-
Fantasy owners of Steven Jackson went out of their seats when they witnessed Jackson’s fifty yard touchdown as if he were running with rookie legs. Being teased with a fantasy field day was all you would get. Jackson tweaked his hamstring and looks like he may be out for a few games.

Arian Foster-
You blast your own MRI exam of your hamstring injury on twitter, and act like it’s a minor non issue. Jokingly he also mocks fantasy owners who were concerned over his injury. Well Arian your non presence on the field week one was the reason why.

LeGarrette Blount- Not a way to start off the 2011 season after taking over the starting running back position. Blount did face a formidable Lions defensive line, that showcased they are going to be a force to reckon with all season. Blount was an absolute non factor, as if he was back on the Titans practice squad.

Chris Johnson-
ROI on Johnsons week one has left fantasy owners tumbling in desperation. How many weeks will it take Johnson to adjust? Money isn’t an issue anymore for Johnson, and the pressure to live up to his new contract could pose all types of concerns. Rushing for a pathetic twenty eight yards put Johnson as one of the worst statistical fantasy backs of week one.

Frank Gore-
Gore had one of the premier matchups of the week for a fantasy running back. Owners were drooling weeks before the season in anticipation of the points they were going to get from Gore. Gore got the carries but could not crack the end zone or find many holes to gain yards through.

Shonn Greene-
Start calling Greene the Robert Horry of the NFL. He shows up and puts his effort out in the playoffs only. LT has aged another year, and Greene was expected to take on more of a burden in 2011. More games like Sunday and Greene will get more and more into a time share with LT. He has to step it up on a weekly basis.

Wide Receivers

Vincent Jackson- Philip Rivers rough start didn’t bode well for Jackson. Even when Rivers got things going, Jackson was not much involved. He only gained three fantasy points in standard leagues, and five in PPR leagues. It’s highly disappointing to see those type of numbers from a quarterback-receiver tandem that are near the top in the league.

Dwayne Bowe- When one has a quarterback that is inconsistent, it makes it extremely hard to decide when to start that player. It looked like Matt Cassel had solved his inconsistency woes towards the second half of last year by connecting with Bowe and spreading the ball out. That skyrocketed Bowe’s fantasy value for 2011. Now that is in extreme jeopardy as Cassel might end up with the least amount of yards per game of any quarterback.