It is extremely hard to make fantasy projections in Week 1, especially when there are 10 new head coaches in the league, including eight first-time head coaches. All you can do is look at where they came from and what they have favored in the preseason.
For example, Minnesota head coach Brad Childress came from the Eagles, where they passed more then they ran. The Vikings passed more then they ran in preseason, which tells you that could be a trend. Houston's Gary Kubiak comes from Denver, where they ran more than they passed. That tells me the emphasis in Houston will be on the ground game.
Other factors that make Week 1 tough include teams with new starting quarterbacks - like Philip Rivers in San Diego. In 2005, the Chargers passed more than they ran, but you will see play-caller Cam Cameron ease Rivers into the job by running more. LaDainian Tomlinson is fresh, having had no carries in preseason games.
I think after two weeks you will have a better idea of what teams want to do. But keep in mind that things change during the game. The matchups remain a key factor. If Houston is down big, for example, it doesn't matter how much they want to run the ball.
Some veteran coaches like Bill Parcells have said they plan to pass more often. It's all part of the NFL chess game. And as a fantasy owner, these are the things you need to figure out.
Because of all the information available, more fantasy players are becoming much better at drafting. Like in the NFL itself, we'll see more competitive balance. One thing to do: check the injury reports that are updated twice a week on NFL.com - at 3 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesday and 5 p.m. on Friday.
Most important advice: Have fun. You are one of the millions of fans playing fantasy football. It's compeititvr, but it's also a great opportunity to have fun with your friends.
Here are the fantasy matchups for Week 1:
