1. Pittsburgh (13-3): The defending Super Bowl Champions return a solid team. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is a very good player, who does his best work with the game on the line. That said, from a fantasy prospective he's a no better than a backup quarterback and bye week fill in. His targets in Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes from the wide receiver position are good. And Holmes appears ready to break out after the Super Bowl winning catch, and Thursday's big game. Tight end Heath Miller is a sleep at the position.
The running game, which has been a staple in the Steelers offense has fallen by the wayside. The offensive line doesn't drive block well, and Willie Parker has had leg injuries the last couple of years, hurting his speed. Rashard Mendenhall appears to be a bust of a first round selection, and Mewelde Moore is the third down back taking touches away from Parker.
Defense is tradition in Pittsburgh. The front seven is special, and are strong on the back end. The injury to Troy Paulomaulo hurts them, because he's the cog in the defense. However, Defensive Coordinator Dick LaBeau will figure out a way to win until he returns.
Prediction: This team loses to New England in the AFC Championship. That offensive line is not good enough to win two Super Bowls in a row.
2. Baltimore (11-5): This team will be contenders as Quarterback Joe Flacco matures. He led them to the AFC title game as a rookie, no small feat. I was impressed with his play on Sunday, as it appeared Coach John Harbaugh took off the training wheels, and he responded with a big day. If this growth continues, then the receivers will be undervalued from a fantasy prospective. Derrick Mason has always been a solid Point Per Reception player, but Mark Clayton may be the beneficiary of the deep balls Flacco hoists up. Todd Heap is a solid tight end when healthy. So Flacco does have options.
Running the ball is a tradition in Baltimore. They have three talented Running Backs. This is good for wearing down defenses, but drives fantasy owners up a wall. Ray Rice and Willis McGahee should see the bulk of the carries, with Le'Ron McClain receiving the goal line touches.
I was surprised to see Baltimore, a team renowned for its defense give up 24 points to a building Kansas City offense featuring its backup Quarterback. Maybe they miss former Defensive Coordinator Rex Ryan. I'll give them the mulligan for this week, but I'll keep an eye on them. I like their defensive line, as well as stars Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs, and Ed Reed.
Prediction: This is an up and coming team, but will need a little seasoning offensively before hitting it big time. I have them losing to Indianapolis in the first round of the playoffs.
3. Cincinnati (6-10): Watching "Hard Knocks" showed that this is a team that has some talent, and I found I was rooting for their players. Quarterback Carson Palmer is a leader, and a solid football player. Unfortunately, he appears to have caught the injury bug. He played with a sprained ankle on Sunday. From a fantasy prospective, I don't know if I can trust having him on my roster, given his injury history. If he's healthy all year, he'll be worth the risk. Chad Ochocinco seems revitalized this season, and Chris Henry was a beast in the preseason with four touchdown catches. Former Jets mainstay Laverneus Coles is opposite of Ochocinco for now. I like Henry to take over his spot at some point during the season. And I would be surprised if Henry ended up leading the team in receiving yards, as he is such a big play threat.
Cedric Benson is the starting tailback. I've never been a big fan of his, but he is a starting running back, and should be a good flex play from a fantasy prospective. His potential is limited with new offensive linemen in the fold.
On defense, this team is starting put pieces together, but it is still a work in progress. Other than that fluke bounce, they should have won that game against Denver 7-6. From a fantasy prospective, I wouldn't recommend them other than match up plays and bye week fill-ins.
Prediction: This is a team that has some work in front of it, but could be good in a couple of years with a couple of solid drafts.
4. Cleveland (4-12): Coach Eric Mangini is good, from the Belicheck line of coaches, but he can't work miracles. The Quarterback situation wasn't resolved until the last week of preseason. Brady Quinn could be a good quarterback some day, but he's not there yet. They traded away a young quarterback's favorite target in Kellen Winslow, Jr., and didn't satisfactorily replace him. Braylon Edwards is a talented wide receiver, who's been known to drop passes. He caught a little over a third thrown his way last season (55 catches from 138 targets). Josh Cribbs is an excellent return man and runs the Wildcat spot, but he's too inconsistent to trust from a fantasy standpoint. Edwards is the only player I'd start in the passing game, but without full confidence.
Jamal Lewis is 30 now, so the years of him gaining 2000 yards are in the review mirror, but he's a solid flex play. Like Cedric Benson, he's a starting Running Back, so he will get his points.
On defense, this team is a mess. Mangini brought in as many of his former Jets as he could, but he'll need a couple of additional drafts to supplement the ailing talent on this roster. I do not recommend them as a fantasy defense.
Prediction: Unfortunately, it appears to be another rebuilding year for the Dawg Pound.
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