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Week 1 value meter

Published:
Updated:

By Jeff Erickson

Week 1: Welcome to another season, and don't forget that the Saints-Colts game is on Thursday night.

Here are our rankings for the coming week at each position to help you decide your starting lineup. Our rankings are based on the following scoring system: 3 points for a passing touchdown; 6 points for a rushing/receiving touchdown; 1 point for every 20 passing yards; and 1 point for every 10 rushing/receiving yards.

Last updated September 6. * = check status (not necessarily injury status)

QUARTERBACKS

  1. Peyton Manning IND vs. NO
  2. Drew Brees NO at IND
  3. *Tom Brady NE at NYJ -- Note: The Patriots are already giving the new injury report system a spin with Brady's "full participant" rating, but acknowledging a sore shoulder.
  4. Carson Palmer CIN vs. BAL
  5. Marc Bulger STL vs. CAR
  6. *Donovan McNabb PHI at GB -- Note: Looked great in the preseason - can he hold up?
  7. Tony Romo DAL vs. NYG
  8. Vince Young TEN at JAC
  9. Ben Roethlisberger PIT at CLE
  10. *Matt Hasselbeck SEA vs. TB -- Note: Another QB coming off of an offseason injury.
  11. Jake Delhomme CAR at STL
  12. Matt Leinart AZ at SF
  13. Philip Rivers SD vs. CHI
  14. Alex Smith SF vs. AZ
  15. Matt Schaub HOU vs. KC
  16. Jay Cutler DEN at BUF
  17. Eli Manning NYG at DAL
  18. *Jon Kitna DET at OAK -- Note: Back injury no longer an issue, apparently.
  19. Brett Favre GB vs. PHI
  20. J.P. Losman BUF vs. DEN
  21. Chad Pennington NYJ vs. NE
  22. Jeff Garcia TB at SEA
  23. Steve McNair BAL at CIN
  24. *David Garrard JAC vs. TEN -- Note: Newly minted starter.
  25. *Daunte Culpepper OAK vs. DET -- Note: Recent reports indicate that it might be Josh McCown and not Culpepper starting. That said, Lane Kiffin suggested there won't be an official announcement about who gets the gig this week. We'd more inclined to recommend Culpepper than McCown, but with the uncertainty and the late starting time, you can't safely start either this week, despite the good matchup.
  26. Trent Green MIA at WAS
  27. Joey Harrington ATL at MIN
  28. Rex Grossman CHI at SD
  29. Tarvaris Jackson MIN vs. ATL
  30. *Damon Huard KC at HOU -- Note: Very minor calf injury.
  31. *Jason Campbell WAS vs. MIA -- Note: Bruised knee during the preseason.
  32. Charlie Frye CLE vs. PIT

RUNNING BACKS

  1. LaDainian Tomlinson SD vs. CHI
  2. Steven Jackson STL vs. CAR
  3. Larry Johnson KC at HOU
  4. *Frank Gore SF vs. AZ
  5. Joseph Addai IND vs. NO
  6. Willie Parker PIT at CLE
  7. Brian Westbrook PHI at GB
  8. *Laurence Maroney NE at NYJ -- Note: Some small concerns about the shoulder, but held up well in the one preseason game he played.
  9. Shaun Alexander SEA vs. TB
  10. Maurice Jones-Drew JAC vs. TEN
  11. Rudi Johnson CIN vs. BAL
  12. *Travis Henry DEN at BUF Note: Should be fully recovered from his knee sprain.
  13. Reggie Bush NO at IND
  14. Willis McGahee BAL at CIN
  15. Edgerrin James AZ at SF
  16. Brandon Jacobs NYG at DALD
  17. Cedric Benson CHI at S
  18. Deuce McAllister NO at IND
  19. *Thomas Jones NYJ vs. NE -- Note: Calf strain, should play.
  20. Cadillac Williams TB at SEA
  21. Marshawn Lynch BUF vs. DEN
  22. Adrian Peterson MIN vs. ATL
  23. Ahman Green HOU vs. KC
  24. *Clinton Portis WAS vs. MIA -- Note: Missed entire preseason with knee injury, probably will split carries with Ladell Betts this week.
  25. Jerious Norwood ATL at MIN
  26. *Ronnie Brown MIA at WAS -- Note: Splitting time with Jesse Chatman?
  27. Marion Barber DAL vs. NYG
  28. Jamal Lewis CLE vs. PIT
  29. Tatum Bell DET at OAK
  30. LaMont Jordan OAK vs. DET
  31. Chester Taylor MIN vs. ATL
  32. DeAngelo Williams CAR at STL
  33. Julius Jones DAL vs. NYG
  34. *LenDale White TEN at JAC
  35. Fred Taylor JAC vs. TEN
  36. Warrick Dunn ATL at MIN
  37. DeShaun Foster CAR at STL
  38. *Ladell Betts WAS vs. MIA
  39. *Brandon Jackson GB vs. PHI -- Note: Recovering from concussion, should play
  40. Chris Brown TEN at JAC.
  41. Leon Washington NYJ vs. NE
  42. *Jesse Chatman MIA at WAS
  43. Anthony Thomas BUF vs. DEN
  44. Michael Pittman TB at SEA
  45. Kevin Faulk NE at NYJ
  46. Ron Dayne HOU vs. KC
  47. Adrian Peterson CHI at SD
  48. *T.J. Duckett DET at OAK
  49. *Vernand Morency GB vs. PHI
  50. Michael Bennett KC at HOU
  51. Selvin Young DEN at BUF -- Note: Late emergence as top backup in Denver.
  52. *Reuben Droughns NYG at DAL -- Note: Moved to fullback?
  53. Musa Smith BAL at CIN
  54. *Michael Turner SD vs. CHI -- Note: Sprained ankle - even if he plays, likely limited this week.
  55. Correll Buckhalter PHI at GB
  56. Tony Hunt PHI at GB
  57. Brian Leonard STL vs. CAR
  58. Sammy Morris NE vs. NYJ
  59. *Kenton Keith IND vs. NO -- Note: Surprise backup to Addai.
  60. Marcel Shipp AZ at SF
  61. *Mike Bell DEN at BUF -- Note: On the outs in Denver? Also moved to fullback.
  62. *Kevin Jones DET at OAK -- Note: Not on the PUP list, but probably won't play this week.

WIDE RECEIVERS

  1. Steve  Smith CAR at STL
  2. Reggie Wayne IND vs. NO
  3. Terrell Owens DAL vs. NYG
  4. Marvin Harrison IND vs. NO
  5. Chad  Johnson CIN vs. BAL
  6. Lee Evans BUF vs. DEN
  7. Larry Fitzgerald AZ at SF
  8. Javon Walker DEN at BUF
  9. *Torry Holt STL vs. CAR
  10. Marques Colston NO at IND
  11. Roy Williams DET at OAK
  12. Anquan Boldin AZ at SF
  13. Andre Johnson HOU vs. KC
  14. *T.J. Houshmandzadeh CIN vs. BAL Note: Didn't practice on Thursday with a knee injury.
  15. Plaxico Burress NYG at DAL
  16. Santana Moss WAS vs. MIA
  17. Hines Ward PIT at CLE
  18. Reggie Brown PHI at GB
  19. *Darrell Jackson SF vs. AZ -- Note: Sore hamstring.
  20. Joey Galloway TB at SEA
  21. Santonio Holmes PIT at CLE
  22. *Randy Moss NE at NYJ Note: Question mark with his hamstring injury - we've been through this before. Practiced on Wednesday, and is no longer on the injury list.
  23. Braylon Edwards CLE vs. PIT
  24. Laveranues Coles NYJ vs. NE
  25. D.J. Hackett SEA vs. TB.
  26. *Donald Driver GB vs. PHI -- Note: Sprained foot
  27. Jerricho Cotchery NYJ vs. NE
  28. Deion Branch SEA vs. TB
  29. Joe Horn ATL at MIN
  30. Donte' Stallworth NE at NYJ
  31. *Terry Glenn DAL vs. NYG -- Note: Recovering from knee injury, but expected to start.
  32. Vincent Jackson SD vs. CHI
  33. *Devery Henderson NO at IND -- Note: Minor knee injury.
  34. *Mark Clayton BAL at CIN -- Note: Had a high ankle sprain in the preseason.
  35. Chris Chambers MIA at WAS
  36. Eddie Kennison KC at HOU
  37. Bernard Berrian CHI at SD
  38. Ronald Curry OAK vs. DET
  39. Mike Furrey DET at OAK
  40. Drew Bennett STL vs. CAR
  41. Isaac Bruce STL vs. CAR
  42. Derrick Mason BAL at CIN
  43. *Calvin Johnson DET at OAK -- Note: Furrey and not Johnson starts the season opener.
  44. Matt Jones JAC vs. TEN
  45. Muhsin Muhammad CHI at SD
  46. Brandon Jones TEN at JAC
  47. Greg Jennings GB vs. PHI
  48. Kevin Curtis PHI at GB
  49. Brandon Marshall DEN at BUF
  50. Ernest Wilford JAC vs. TEN
  51. Wes Welker NE at NYJ
  52. Kevin Walter HOU vs. KC
  53. Jerry Porter OAK vs. DET
  54. Eric Moulds TEN at JAC
  55. Michael Jenkins ATL at MIN
  56. James Jones GB vs. PHI
  57. Craig Davis SD vs. CHI
  58. Dwayne Bowe KC at HOU
  59. Jacoby Jones HOU vs. KC
  60. Anthony Gonzalez IND vs. NO
  61. Robert Meachem NO at IND
  62. *Demetrius Williams BAL at CIN -- Note: Watch Clayton's status closely.
  63. Troy Williamson MIN vs. ATL

TIGHT ENDS

  1. Antonio Gates SD vs. CHI
  2. Jeremy Shockey NYG at DAL
  3. Todd Heap BAL at CIN
  4. Chris Cooley WAS vs. MIA
  5. Tony Gonzalez KC at HOU
  6. Kellen Winslow CLE vs. PIT
  7. Jason Witten DAL vs. NYG
  8. *Vernon Davis SF vs. AZ -- Note: This year's version of Benjamin Watson - very trendy in many circles.
  9. Ben Watson NE at NYJ
  10. Dallas Clark IND vs. NO
  11. Eric Johnson NO at IND -- Note: My personal sleeper pick for the position.
  12. Heath Miller PIT at CLE
  13. Randy McMichael STL vs. CAR
  14. Alge Crumpler ATL at MIN
  15. *Desmond Clark CHI at SD -- Note: Small bump this week, with Greg Olsen hurt.
  16. Owen Daniels HOU vs. KC
  17. *L.J. Smith PHI at GB -- Note: Been injured all preseason.
  18. David Martin MIA at WAS
  19. Tony Scheffler DEN at BUF
  20. Bo Scaife TEN at JAC
  21. Marcus Pollard SEA vs. TB
  22. Chris Baker NYJ vs. NE
  23. Daniel Graham DEN at BUF
  24. Zach Miller OAK vs. DET
  25. Bubba Franks GB vs. PHI
  26. Leonard Pope AZ at SF
  27. Reggie Kelly CIN vs. BAL
  28. *Greg Olsen CHI at SD -- Note: Left knee sprain.
  29. Jerramy Stevens TB at SEA -- Note: How will he react playing against his old team? Losing practice time because of DUI case.
  30. Marcedes Lewis JAC vs. TEN

KICKERS

  1. Adam Vinatieri IND vs. NO
  2. Nate Kaeding SD vs. CHI
  3. Stephen Gostkowski NE at NYJ
  4. Jeff Wilkins STL vs. CAR
  5. Robbie Gould CHI at SD
  6. Olindo Mare NO at IND
  7. *Shayne Graham CIN vs. BAL -- Note: Bruised right hip.
  8. Josh Brown SEA vs. TB
  9. Matt Stover BAL at CIN
  10. Neil Rackers AZ at SF
  11. Jason Elam DEN at BUF
  12. John Kasay CAR at STL
  13. Joe Nedney SF vs. AZ
  14. David Akers PHI at GB
  15. Jeff Reed PIT at CLE
  16. Josh Scobee JAC vs. TEN
  17. Jay Feely MIA at WAS
  18. Matt Bryant TB at SEA
  19. Rob Bironas TEN at JAC
  20. Lawrence Tynes NYG at DAL
  21. Jason Hanson DET at OAK
  22. Sebastian Janikowski OAK vs. DET

DEFENSES

  1. Baltimore at Cincinnati
  2. Miami at Washington
  3. San Diego vs. Chicago
  4. Chicago at San Diego
  5. Washington vs. Miami
  6. Pittsburgh at Cleveland
  7. Philadelphia at Green Bay
  8. Minnesota vs. Atlanta
  9. Dallas vs. N.Y. Giants
  10. New England at N.Y. Jets
  11. Green Bay vs. Philadelphia
  12. Jacksonville vs. Tennessee
  13. Denver at Buffalo
  14. Seattle vs. Tampa Bay
  15. Atlanta at Minnesota
  16. Houston vs. Kansas City
  17. N.Y. Jets vs. New England
  18. Oakland vs. Detroit
  19. San Francisco vs. Arizona
  20. N.Y. Giants at Dallas
  21. Detroit at Oakland
  22. St. Louis vs. Carolina
  23. Tennessee at Jacksonville
  24. Buffalo vs. Denver
  25. Indianapolis vs. New Orleans
  26. Cincinnati vs. Baltimore
  27. Kansas City at Houston
  28. Tampa Bay at Seattle
  29. Carolina at St. Louis
  30. New Orleans at Indianapolis
  31. Cleveland vs. Pittsburgh
  32. Arizona at San Francisco

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