9/10/11 Podcast: Three To Watch On Opening Weekend

The NFL season has arrived and it's time to set your fantasy football rosters for real. The 2011-2012 season officially kicked off on Thursday with the Green Bay Packers defeating the New Orleans Saints 42-34. That game featured several prominent fantasy football players, I breakdown the fantasy impact of Thursday's opening night.

Plus, three players who I think could have a big impact this fantasy year, but first I want to see them in week one.

Click here to listen to The Fantasy Football Source Podcast.

Report: Randy Moss Visits New Orleans Saints

Update: ProFootballTalk.com is reporting the Randy Moss sighting in New Orleans is "apparently erroneous." According to the PFT report, Moss' agent, Joel Segal, was never informed of a visit, which the website says is a likely violation of the new CBA, especially if the two sides discussed a contract. Stay tuned.

Randy Moss is retired, but maybe not for long. According to WWL-TV, Moss visited the New Orleans Saints facility on Saturday. The CBS affiliate in New Orleans called Moss a "player of interest" for the Saints.

Moss, 34, retired this offseason after a tumultuous 2010 season where he was traded twice, eventually landing on the Tennessee Titans (where he was irrelevant).

Moss to the Saints makes sense considering New Orleans lost wide receiver Marques Colston to a broken collar bone in Thursday's opening night loss to the Green bay Packers. Colston is expected to be sidelined for 4-6 weeks.

If the Saints do sign Moss now, they wouldn't be on the hook for a full season's contract. Any player signed after week one can have their contract terminated at any point, their contract is not guaranteed.

During his 13 NFL seasons, Moss has 954 catches for 14,858 and 153 touchdowns.

Vikings RB Adrian Peterson Signs 7-year, $100 Million Extension

The Minnesota Vikings announced Saturday that they have agreed to a long-term contract extension with running back Adrian Peterson.

According to ProFootballTalk.com, Peterson's deal is seven-years and worth $100 million, including $36 million guaranteed. Also, the first three years of the contract is worth $40 million.

Peterson, 26, has been the Vikings leading rusher the past four seasons, rushing for 5,782 yards and 54 touchdowns during his career.

The deal will keep Peterson in a Vikings uniform until age 33.

Peyton Manning Out After Neck Surgery

The Indianapolis Colts announced today that quarterback Peyton Manning will likely miss significant time this season after having neck surgery on Thursday. The Colts decided to keep Manning on the active roster, hoping he can return later in the season.

Manning, 35, is a four-time NFL MVP and hasn't missed a game in 14 NFL seasons, with 227 consecutive starts, including postseason.

Manning, who signed a five-year, $90 million contract in July, also had neck surgery in May of this year and February 2010.

Fantasy impact: The fantasy impact is huge. Manning is considered a top 5 quarterback and losing him is a big blow to teams that drafted him. The fantasy impact will also be felt by owners who drafted Reggie Wayne, Austin Collie and Dallas Clark. Having Kerry Collins throwing to them devalues the trio immensely. Possible replacements for Manning: Colt McCoy (8 or 9 favorable match-ups), David Garrard (he'll land somewhere) and Donovan McNabb (wild card with a couple favorable match-ups).

2011 NFL Predictions



Fantasy Football Player Rankings: Week 1

Quarterbacks (Full list here)
1) Philip Rivers vs. MIN - 305 yards/3 TDs/0 INTs
2) Aaron Rodgers vs. NO - 295 yards/3 TDs/1 INT (25 rushing yards/0 TDs)
3) Michael Vick @STL - 225 yards/2 TDs/2 INTs (50 rushing yards/0 TDs)

Running backs (Full list here)
1) Darren McFadden @DEN - 100 ru. yards/5 Rec./40 rec. yards/1 TD
2) Jamaal Charles vs. BUF - 95 ru. yards/4 Rec./35 rec. yards/1 TD
3) Peyton Hillis vs. CIN - 95 ru. yards/3 Rec./20 rec. yards/1 TD

Wide receivers (Full list here)
1) Larry Fitzgerald vs. CAR - 8 rec./100 rec. yards/1 TD
2) Vincent Jackson vs. MN - 5 rec. 95 rec. yards/1 TD
3) Andre Johnson vs. IND - 7 rec./90 rec. yards/1 TD

Tight ends (Full list here)

1) Antonio Gates vs. MN - 6 rec. 75 rec. yards/1 TD
2) Jason Witten @NYJ - 6 rec. 70 rec. yards/1 TD
3) Jimmy Graham @GB - 6 rec. 70 rec. yards/1 TD

The Fantasy Football Source Podcast -- 9/6/11

As week one of the NFL season approaches, it's time to get on the record with The Source's predictions for upcoming fantasy football season. On this week's podcast, I chat with John Vomhof, sports business writer with the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. We discussed the players we think are going to go boom and bust this year.

Click here to listen to The Fantasy Football Source Podcast.