I know what it felt like for teenage girls attending N’Sync and Backstreet Boys concerts in the late 90s.
Because how I feel about Week 1 of the NFL season, I imagine, is about the same. Bright-eyed, bushy tailed and I want to scream and jump up and down with excitement…maybe even cry a little.
Week 1 of the 2019 NFL season is here and we all get to see how all the preseason hub plays out. Honestly, I can’t remember so much action from teams after the cut line leading up to the first week of the season.
After teams has to narrow their rosters to 53, dominoes started to fall, trades were made and plenty of players switched teams.
There’s lots of drama still to unfold as we kickoff on Sunday. How much will Zeke play? Will Melvin Gordon get traded? Is Josh Gordon going to play a full game? Will Duke Johnson get a full workload? Will LeSean McCoy get a full workload? Will the Cardinals and the new Air Raid attack hang a 50 burger on the Lions? Will the Lions hang a 50-burger on the Cardinals because their defense is so bad? Is Jimmy G the real deal? Will Baker and Odell fly? Will Dalvin Cook be a 3-down back? Will Leonard Fournette be a 3-down back? Will Le’Veon Bell receive a full workload? Will Antonio Brown figure out Helmet Gate?
Well, you get the picture…
There’s probably 6-7 teams on this week’s main slate that I want to target, maybe even more, but we can’t play them all. There’s one game stack I really love that I am unsure how people will treat it, and there’s plenty of other spots where players are in prime positions.
It’s Week 1, folks! Let’s enjoy this ride while it lasts because we all know that it FLIES BY QUICKLY!
Before we know it, Week 8 will be here, then the fantasy playoffs, then Christmas, then the Super Bowl…ENJOY THE SEASON!
Now, let’s break down the MF’er with today’s value plays (which it’s Week 1, so pricing if way down on everyone), and try to ship some dough.
QUARTERBACKS
Kyler Murray – Arizona Cardinals – $5,600
Analysis: The Cardinals are either going to burn me right out of the gate, or hopefully make me some money and kick off my best balls in the best fashion. The preseason was NOTHING like what this team will roll out Sunday in their actual dress rehearsal. I imagine there will be struggles, and maybe the Lions slow the pace down, but knowing Kingsbury as a former Texas Tech quarterback, managing the Air Raid offense as a head coach at Tech, and understanding Kyler Murray’s strengths and weaknesses, I want to be ahead of this ship. Kingsbury will utilize all of his available receivers, get Murray moving out of the pocket, have 4 and 5-wide sets and create space in the middle of the field. Murray has rushing upside that elevates his floor, and has one of the best running backs in football at his disposal. I am not worried about that garbage everyone saw in the preseason. It was about as plain as a Nilla Wafer.
Jimmy Garoppolo – San Francisco 49ers – $5,800
Analysis: The only other QB I am considering this week is Jimmy G. The 49ers travel to Tampa Bay, so it is one of the West to East coast trips, but the game isn’t at noon and they haven’t played a meaningful game all year. With that, I am not worried about that travel narrative at all. The 49ers and Kyle Shanahan draw the Tampa Bay Bucs, who should have one of the worst defenses, one of the more potent offenses and provide some shootout potential every week. Jimmy G will have two solid pass catching RBs, George Kittle, and a host of receivers to find down the field from speedster Marquise Goodwin to rookie stud Deebo Samuel to Dante Pettis, who has had his coach up his ass all preseason. Everyone loved Jimmy G last year before an injury ended his season. So what’s changed for 2019?
RUNNING BACKS
Dalvin Cook – Minnesota Vikings – $6,000
Analysis: You won’t find a chalkier RB this week than Dalvin Cook. He’s been talked up by just about everyone this summer and this preseason. It’s hard to deny, but he is likely a fade for me in the Milly Maker, but a definite cash game staple. He should have a 3-down role, is up against the Atlanta Falcons, who have been a sieve to pass-catching backs for multiple years in a row, and the Vikings are a fairly large favorite. With Cook’s price and all the talk, look for him to have the most exposure by the masses.
