Clement's Weekly Picks and Prognostications...Week 1

If you're in a haze from the plethora of football posts you've seen here as of late...check out Pay's latest work (posted yesterday).

Now back to our regularly scheduled program...

Well look who’s back!

I’d love to pretend you’ve missed these weekly NFL picks and fantasy “insights”; however, I’m far from that gullible.

Instead of buttering you up to start of this first-of-the-season post, I’m getting down to the nitty gritty just as quickly as I can.

Take that 5,000 word posts!

Only the late, great Hunter S. Thompson can ramble like ME!

Credit: Sam Seder Show

NFL Picks: [0-0-0] Wipe the slate clean!!!
…all spreads are courtesy of Yahoo! Sports...

Seattle @ Buffalo (-1)
If this game were in Seattle, I gotta think the spread might be up to 5.5 in their favor. While Buffalo has a healthy Marshawn Lynch and has tried to revamp the lines, Seattle’s offense seems a total unknown with Julius Jones and Nate Burleson the only skill players I recognize right now. Even so, this will be a big road win for the NFC and one of its favorites, the Hawks.

Dallas @ Cleveland (+5.5)
I don’t buy Cleveland winning a weak NFC North. I do buy Dallas winning their first playoff game in forever (96?) and then LOSING before the Super Bowl again. Maybe I’m getting a little ahead of myself though. Dallas covers this...easier than you think. I hope K2 doesn’t break his leg like he did in their last meeting.

Tampa Bay @ New Orleans (-3)
Normally most “experts” don’t touch tricky divisional openers with a pesky spread. Not me! I’m calling a PUSH (lame!), which means the ‘Aints win a pivotal Week 1 divisional game behind the leg of their kicker (whomever that is).

Saints fans are all but desperate for Bush to return to his high-flying antics of his rookie season.

Credit:NFL.com

Carolina @ San Diego (-9)
A certain staff writer loves him some Panthers, although I gotta believe he had this as one of their four losses. I’m on board too (at least on that accord); however, don’t forget how effective a healthy Jake Delhomme can be. Whoops, Steve Smith is still suspended. Chargers in a romp, in what might be Merriman’s only game of 2008.

***Upset Special***
Minnesota @ Green Bay (-2.5)
While I highly doubt Tarvaris Jackson cares the Vikes wanted Favre on their side for this matchup, I do favor the Cheeseheads in this emotional opener, I think. In the end, after flipping a coin and losing it somewhere on my office floor, I’m deciding to stick by the team with a healthy Adrian Peterson (but for how long Pay?). Take the Vikes outright for the MNF upset. Oh yeah, avoid the other MNF stinker too.


3 Must Starts and Must Sits

…START…
1) Donte Stallworth burned the Big D secondary last season up the middle for a big-time TD…and he’ll do it again this season (albeit in a different uniform). Betting against Cowboys FS Roy Williams is a wise move in fantasy football.
2) Dwayne Bowe might pile up 100+-garbage yards or more when his team is down forty to the Patsies, especially sans Assante Samuel this season.
3) Matt Ryan might not be the worst start in a 2 starting-QB league (who doesn’t do this yet?). The rookie played in a smart system at BC and has the right type of opponent for me to smell a potential “ugly” shootout.

Ummmm...yeah.

Credit: Yahoo! Sports

…SIT…

1) Larry Johnson is too high of a pick for most to risk sitting (even against the Patriots). As for his counterpart Laurence Maroney, search for better options. Brady wants to prove that (whichever) foot is just fine and Belicheat knows how lethal Touchdown Tom is inside the 10…or anywhere for that matter.
2) I’m not buying the pre-season hype for Calvin Johnson to supplant Roy Williams in Detroit as their go-to-guy. I foresee a quiet afternoon for CJ. TD-less for sure. Prove me wrong Calvin.
3) Owen Daniels and Tony Scheffler are flash in the pan picks in fantasy at tight end. I don’t like either of them until they start producing more often than once every 6 weeks.

2 Guys to WATCH Intently

Kevin Smith may be the new (RB) man in Detroit…for now; yet, I’m wondering if Coach Marinelli might become a little too infatuated with (the slow and rusted) recently acquired Rudi Johnson. While Detroit is unlikely to make any significant noise in the standings, it’s two backs (sorry Tatum) may have a fantasy word or two worth checking in on early on.

Introducing...the Tatum Bell collection.

Credit: Travel Now

Trying to be as productive as possible…so I cut out all the useless jibber-jabber.
Well, some of it.
You happy?

Enjoy opening weekend, NFL and fantasy-wise.

Hopefully neither of your teams are out of it after this week.
(Gulp)

Until next time…