By Zack Cimini
notjustagame23@gmail.com

Will start week two’s, You’ve Got To Be Kidding Me with a whole unit. Chicago’s offensive line a year ago was pulverized by the Giants defense in front of a nationally televised Sunday night game. Their quarterback took a licking all year, only to break down completely in the playoffs with an injury. You’d think the unit could come together and fix issues at hand. How quickly and easily the Saints attacked Cutler was comical. It looked like an overmatched 1A high school, going against a 5A high school defensive line. The Saints lived in the Bears backfield, and the Saints turf became awfully familiarized with the imprint Cutler.

How about the Arizona Cardinals? In a game that they could of maneuvered themselves to a 2-0 start, Kevin Kolb throws the ball to Chansi Stuckey on a potential game winning drive. In game winning situations do you put the ball in a fifth string receiver’s hands? No. They paid Larry Fitzgerald and Todd Heap all that money, and couldn’t muster a better drive then that. Kneel down Washington, and Arizona fans remember that loss in week seventeen.

Philadelphia’s linebackers let Mike Turner run for a straight burst up the middle for sixty yards, and let the oldest tight end in football eat them alive over the middle all game. They’ve got to get better in the middle of their defense or playoff teams with solid duo backfields are going to feast in December and January.

Last week most of the Bundy moments occurred from players under performing. This week it was injuries that derailed fantasy starts to minimal total points.

Quarterbacks

Philip Rivers- A quarterback of Rivers caliber still can’t get his team off from perpetual bad starts. They won a sloppy game week one against the Vikings, and turnovers plagued their home game against the Patriots. Rivers did not contribute the type of numbers you would of expected in a shootout. He did get the Chargers going in the second half, but another two interceptions thwarted one of his touchdown throws.

Luke McCown- For McCown to be considered a veteran and play the way he has, is beyond ugly. It puts a glaring spotlight on the Jaguars front office. Everyone knows the reason they cut Garrard was not the fact that McCown was better. It was so they didn’t have to pay Garrard’s contract incentive. Look for McCown to be benched and next year on a team as a third stringer.

Matt Cassel- The teams start compared to last year is head scratching. They’re playing as if they were coached by Herm Edwards again. Discipline instilled a year ago by head coach Todd Haley has gone out the window. Talent level has drop and injuries have mounted. The mega investment on Cassel was a debate last year. Haley may have to yank Cassel in favor of Tyler Palko.

Mike Vick- He had the Eagles rolling, but mistakes by him while on the field were absolutely inexcusable. His concussion symptoms and prognosis were enough to drive owners to yell, you’ve got to be kidding me. But his fumble not protecting the football, and errant interception were both preventable.

Sam Bradford- The new system change seems to be helping Bradford stretch the field and get away from the dink and dump of a year ago. Speeding up plays for the hurry up offense has opposing defenses unsettled. Maybe without Steven Jackson, the Rams just couldn’t figure out how to run their red zone offense. Bradford just could not find open targets once the Rams got inside the twenty. Ignore the overall stats, as they were impressive. Leaving open red zone opportunities just does not bode well for fantasy owners. Field goals don’t cut, unless you had Josh Brown and were down single digits in your fantasy league.

Joe Flacco- I documented it last week, stating that this week’s game vs. Tennessee would be the tell all if Baltimore was actually moving forward. Guess not. Playing to the level of their competition is what the Ravens do. Close calls against the Bills, Browns, and other teams happened a year ago. There was absolutely no reason the Ravens should of not came out and demolished the Titans. Flacco just can not bring his A game every week.

Running Backs

Felix Jones- On the very first series Jones was hurt with a separated shoulder. Tallying just three total fantasy points and his status for next week is questionable. Jones has shown he can be a home run threat type of back even with limited work. Dallas needs those flashes from him to get this offense to an even higher level.

Jamaal Charles- Panic mode officially set in to owners that winced with Kansas City fans when Charles went down. He bumped Larry Johnson into retirement and weekly viable fantasy point fifteen to twenty point producer. With him out of your lineup now, major adjustments will need to be done.

Mike Tolbert- Two fumbles and not much brought to the offense in terms of rushing the football. Tolbert’s fantasy value has come out of the backfield. San Diego is not going to accept that for long. Tolbert needs to get back into gear, or he will lose a good share of the split with Ryan Matthews.

Reggie Bush- More involvement rushing the football and being even more of a weapon as a receiver was the expectations from Bush and Miami. Quietly it looks as if the Dolphins have decided to bump Daniel Thomas as the main back, and keep Bush’s involvement toned down like it was in New Orleans. Many probably started Bush as a flex starter and received Saint like fantasy numbers from him.

Wide Receivers

Malcolm Floyd- I had him pegged as one of the top receivers for week two. He was on his way to doing that, lighting up the Patriots secondary on the first drive. Rivers was basically throwing jump ball lobs to him, and Floyd was gobbling them up with his 6’5 frame. After an impressive forty yard sideline catch, in which Floyd contorted his entire body, he came down roughly and never returned with a groin injury. He was on pace to have Vincent Jackson’s day.

Mike Williams-
Sure a touchdown called back on an illegal formation cost fantasy owners a good ten points. Hey, Mike and the Tampa Bay offensive coordinator, there were fifty two total offensive plays to make some sort of contribution. At least Williams kept a streak of consecutive games with a catch intact. One for negative four yards. A strong punch to the gut for owners that have Williams as their second receiver.