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FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEKLY FEATURES

IDP Top Plays - Week 1
Brent Clement
September 8, 2006

Linebackers

Rank	Player	Team	vs	Comments
1	Zach Thomas	MIA	PIT	No Big Ben, expect a lot of the run game. Thomas will have a field day.
2	Ray Lewis	BAL	TBB	Healthy again, and ready to make an early impact.
3	London Fletcher	BUF	NEP	A Beast at the end of last year, and the Pats will run it up the middle all day.
4	Keith Bullock	TEN	NYJ	The Jets will try and run the ball, to prevent turnovers. Bullock will benefit.
5	Jonathon Vilma	NYJ	TEN	Vilma changes defenses, and the Titans pedestrian offense puts him here.
6	Dan Morgan	CAR	ATL	Morgan when healthy is a top 5 LB. To start the season he is always healthy.
7	Will Witherspoon	STL	DEN	Denver will run the rock. Witherspoon will look to impress his new team.
8	Nick Barnett	GBP	CHI	For now, still in the middle of the Pack D, and Chicago will run the ball 30+ times.
9	Brian Urlacher	CHI	GBP	Urlacher will be all over the field, but the Bears D will force many 3 and outs.
10	Mike Peterson	JAX	DAL	As of press time, Peterson is expected to play. Dallas will test him early.
11	Kirk Morrison	OAK	SDC	Morrison moves inside, and will look to stop LT and Co.
12	Keith Brooking	ATL	CAR	Brooking moves back outside, but should be free to make plays all over the field.
13	Derrick Brooks	TBB	BAL	Baltimore is no longer a run first, run second team, with McNair at the helm.
14	Gary Brackett	IND	NYG	Brackett will exchange helmet paint with Tiki Barber for much of the day.
15	AJ Hawk	GBP	CHI	Hawk gets his first start, and will be tested by a Bears rushing attack.
16	Antonio Pierce	NYG	IND	Pierce is an elite LB, but Indy tends to throw past the MLB more than they run it at him.
17	Donnie Edwards	SDC	OAK	Edwards is the unwanted man, will he be inspired to show what he can do, or sulk.
18	Lofa Tatupu	SEA	DET	Last years real Rookie of the Year looks to avoid the Sophomore Slump.
19	James Farrior	PIT	MIA	Ronnie Brown and James Farrior will be well acquainted by midnight, opening night.
20	Andra Davis	CLE	NOS	Davis will be chasing Bush and Deuce all over the field.
21	Cato June	IND	NYG	NYG will attempt to run the ball to keep Manning and Co. off the field.
22	Shelton Quarels	TBB	BAL	Quarels is on his last leg, but vs Baltimore, he will score well.
23	Jeremiah Trotter	PHI	HOU	Trotter wont be on the field as much vs the Texans, but still should be productive.
24	Kawika Mitchell	KCC	CIN	Mitchell looks to take another step forward in 2006. Week 1 he faces Rudi Johnson.
25	DeMeco Ryans	HOU	PHI	The 2nd rookie on this list at LB, but Ryans is starting, and Philly will lead time of possession.

Defensive Line

Rank	Player	Team	vs	Comments
1	Jason Taylor	MIA	PIT	Expect Taylor to get to the Steelers backup QB at least once, probably twice.
2	John Abraham	ATL	TEN	Abraham changes teams, but with Kerney on the other side, the Titans QB is in trouble
3	Derrick Burgess	OAK	SDC	Rivers won't soon for get his first start, Burgess will be a reason why.
4	Kyle Vanden Bosch	TEN	NYJ	The Jets o-line better be up to the task, because Vanden Bosch lurks across the line.
5	Terrell Suggs	BAL	TBB	Suggs is now the Ravens best pass rusher, and with Ray Ray back, look out.
6	Julius Peppers	CAR	ATL	Peppers may not get to the speedy QB, but he should be active stopping RB Warrick Dunn.
7	Charles Grant	NOS	CLE	A great place for Grant to start his rebound season, vs the porous oline of the Browns.
8	Bert Berry	ARZ	SF	Berry will be in the 9ers backfield early and often.
9	Aaron Schobel	BUF	NEP	Schobel may not sack Brady, but he is active stopping the run.
10	Michael Strahan	NYG	IND	Strahan is another tackle monster who may not register a sack, but still score well.
11	Will Smith	NOS	CLE	Smith now starts opposite of Grant, with Darren Howard in Philly.
12	Darren Howard	PHI	HOU	Speaking of Howard, he should be more productive than Kearse for fantasy owners.
13	Osi Umenyiora	NYG	IND	Osi is a beast rushing the passer, but the Indy o-line is stout, so he may have a down game.
14	Patrick Kerney	ATL	CAR	Kerney was productive before Abraham arrived, now that pair could be lethal.
15	Adewale Ogunleye	CHI	GBP	The Packers have one of the worst OL in the game, so expect Favre to be running for his life.
16	Dwight Freeney	IND	NYG	Freeney should get to Eli at least once, but isn't strong in run support.
17	Jared Allen	KCC	CIN	Cincy better protect their franchise QB, as Allen and the Blitz are coming.
18	John Henderson	JAC	DAL	RB Julius Jones better learn to run outside, as Henderson will be waiting in the middle.
19	Alex Brown	CHI	GBP	Alex Brown will feast on the weak Packer o-line, and will get to Brett Favre.
20	Aaron Kampman	GBP	CHI	Kampman brings a blue collar attitude to work on Sundays.
21	Richard Seymour	NEP	BUF	Seymour could have a multi-sack game vs the Bills.
22	Kevin Williams	MIN	WAS	Kevin Williams is expected to be a force inside this year, and this is the week to show us.
23	James Hall	DET	SEA	Hall was unstoppable at the end of last year, and looks to pick right up where he left off.
24	Leonard Little	STL	DEN	Feast or famine? This week Little should score somewhere in between.
25	Justin Smith	CIN	KCC	Smith is another player who may not touch the QB, but should meet LJ often.

Defensive Backs

Rank	Player	Team	vs	Comments
1	Gibril Wilson	NYG	IND	Expect an active day for Wilson vs both the run and the pass of the Colts.
2	Adrian Wilson	ARZ	SF	Adrian may lose some scoring opportunities vs such a poor offense.
3	Troy Polamalu	PIT	MIA	Miami will test both the Steelers front 7, and the secondary on opening night.
4	Roy Williams	DAL	JAC	Dallas wants to use Williams more in the box in 06, and Jax is a nice start for that.
5	Michael Lewis	PHI	HOU	Houston will be forced to pass, to stay with the birds. Lewis can be effective in coverage.
6	Bob Sanders	IND	NYG	Sanders is a free safety in a strong safeties body, and will be active in run support.
7	Ronde Barber	TBB	BAL	Cover 2 cornerbacks always score well, even those who aren't tested often.
8	Charles Tillman	CHI	GBP	Tillman will see time at both CB and S, and teams will look to throw at him.
9	Brian Dawkins	PHI	HOU	Dawkins will spend as much time in the Texans backfield as he does in coverage.
10	Rodney Harrison	NEP	BUF	The return of Rodney Harrison is a welcome site for fantasy owners.
11	Ed Reed	BAL	TBB	Reed is expecting a more productive year, and is finally healthy again.
12	Antoine Winfield	MIN	WAS	Another great corner, who is very active in run support.
13	Michael Bouleware	SEA	DET	Seattle welcomes back "the Hammer" Ken Hamlin, which will help Bouleware stay clean.
14	Nate Clements	BUF	NEP	Clements will have balls thrown at him all afternoon vs the Pats.
15	Adam Archuleta	WAS	MIN	The Redskin's new addition should get off to a good start vs Minnesota.
16	Nick Collins	GBP	CHI	When you play the Bears, you better put 8 and 9 men in the box to stop the run.
17	Sean Taylor	WAS	MIN	Taylor is happy to be playing football instead of the alternative, Jail.
18	Marquand Manuel	GBP	CHI	Manuel and Collins can both put up nice stats vs Chicago.
19	Kennoy Kennedy	DET	SEA	The 8th man in the box to stop RB Shaun Alexander.
20	Dunta Robinson	HOU	PHI	Robinson should have a nice day vs the Eagles West Coast offense.
21	Kerry Rhodes	NYJ	TEN	Was Rhodes a one year wonder, we get to see in Week 1 vs the Titans.
22	Greg Wesley	KCC	CIN	With the instability of the KC SS position, FS Wesley looks to have a strong year.
23	Ike Taylor	PIT	MIA	CB Taylor isn't afraid to get his hands dirty in run support.
24	Madieu Williams	CIN	KCC	The only thing holding Williams from the Pro Bowl is his ability to stay healthy.
25	Erik Coleman	NYJ	TEN	This secondary will be tested vs the run and play action pass.