While the Titans/Steelers opener wasn't exactly the most exciting way to kick off the NFL season, it featured two teams that should remain among the elite in 2009. And like throughout last year, the Steelers just always seem to find a way to win…Santonio Holmes would be a top-10 if not top-five fantasy WR if he played for just about any other team in the league. As is, his upside remains somewhat limited in Pittsburgh's offense, although he's officially passed Hines Ward as the team's No. 1 option in the passing game…Kenny Britt won't make a major impact in 2009, but it looks like Tennessee may finally have an above average wide receiver in the future…Kerry Collins looked surprisingly good. Even at his age, maybe a collapse isn't inevitable in 2009…Chris Johnson owners need not worry, but Willie Parker owners be afraid. Be very afraid…While passive playcalling late in the game may not have revealed it, the Titans' defensive line will be just fine without Albert Haynesworth, as Jason Jones and Tony Brown are two beasts in the middle…I'm not a superstitious guy, but Troy Polamalu was on the cover of this year's Madden. Just sayin…I've always wondered why quarterbacks don't pump-fake far more often, and after watching Ben Roethlisberger use it so effectively, I'm more convinced than ever it's underutilized.

Maybe Ricky Williams will be a huge drain on Ronnie Brown's fantasy value once again after all. At age 32, Williams is still a big injury risk, but the distribution of touches in Week 1 was disconcerting. Ronnie Brown simply has to be given more than 10 rushing attempts…Jake Long was abused Sunday, which has been a theme throughout the preseason. Bad news for Miami's franchise…Michael Turner averaged 129.0 rushing yards per game with 14 TDs at home last season, but his slow start Sunday had more to do with the Dolphins' stacking the box than any "370 curse." Since Matt Ryan is more than capable of making opposing defenses pay, especially with Tony Gonzalez now around, expect fewer eight and nine man fronts moving forward.

Since Baltimore had 501 yards to Kansas City's 188 yards while nearly doubling the Chiefs in time of possession, the Ravens dominated Sunday. However, that doesn't mean those who backed the Chiefs ATS weren't incredibly unlucky, as that backdoor cover was extremely fortunate…Back healthy (for how long who knows), Todd Heap may once again be a viable fantasy tight end, especially with Joe Flacco looking so good…After a home game against the Raiders this week, KC faces the Eagles, Giants, Cowboys, Redskins and Chargers – good luck Larry Johnson owners…I'm not sure what to make of Brodie Croyle's surprising performance Sunday, because he had shown absolutely nothing during his previous eight starts in the league. It's encouraging, regardless, as apparently Dwayne Bowe's value isn't totally tied to Matt Cassel's health.

Jake Delhomme picked up right where he left off, still remaining in playoff form. You can't write someone off because of a two game sample, but Delhomme looked simply atrocious Sunday. A strong Philly pass rush didn't help, but Delhomme has now committed 11 turnovers over his last seven quarters of play. Think Carolina regrets giving him $20 million guaranteed over the summer?...Watching Jonathan Stewart immediately replace DeAngelo Williams at the goal-line was a good reminder of why Williams wasn't an automatic top-five pick in drafts this year, despite having the best season of all backs in 2008. Of course, Williams' sick 11-yard TD run shows why he can remain plenty productive, even in a timeshare, but Stewart's apparent recovery from his Achilles problem is a big concern for Williams owners…Kevin Kolb looks really, really bad, so Donovan McNabb's rib injury isn't great news for DeSean Jackson fans.

The Broncos/Bengals contest set back football a good 20 years, but at least there was a crazy finish. Gus Johnson became the NFL's first announcer to actually orgasm while making a call from the booth during Brandon Stokley's 87-yard touchdown. Heady play not immediately running into the end zone by Stokley…Remain patient, Knowshon Moreno and Eddie Royal owners…If only there was just one more episode of "Hard Knocks" after that type of loss…Drops by Laveranues Coles can certainly be blamed, and maybe Denver's defense will be somewhat improved this year, but it's not encouraging to see the Bengals score just seven points at home against a team that allowed 28.0 points per game in 2008.

He's still not a complete back, but to call Adrian Peterson the best runner in the NFL would be a massive understatement. AP's 64-yard TD run in the fourth quarter Sunday was legendary, as he's both the fastest and strongest running back in the league. Touchdowns are fluky, so don't be surprised if last year's modest total (10) is absolutely destroyed in 2009…Braylon Edwards owners could take solace in the fact he had a 35-yard TD overturned on a questionable call, but they should also be terrified by just how little Brady Quinn throws downfield…Speaking of a lack of downfield ability, Brett Favre struggles mightily in this area these days. It didn't matter Sunday, and it might not again in Week 2 versus the Lions, but this is a team that's biggest weakness remains the quarterback position.

Make no mistake, this Jets team is dangerous. Remember, New York was 8-3 last year after beating the Titans in Tennessee 34-13, only to see its season go down in flames thanks to an injured Brett Favre. Of course, Mark Sanchez is going to have his struggles as a rookie, but it's safe to say he'll be a major upgrade over last year's late-season Favre, and the team added Bart Scott and got a gigantic upgrade at head coach. The offensive line is very good, and the defense has a chance to be special once Calvin Pace and Shaun Ellis return…The Texans were one of Week 1's biggest disappointments, especially since the effort came at home. Again, the Jets have the makings of a dominant defense, but Houston had the third ranked offense in the NFL last season, and that unit scored zero points Sunday…Jerricho Cotchery and Leon Washington are both in line for sneaky productive fantasy campaigns.

What a typical Colts/Jaguars game. David Garrard needs to play better but don't forget just how good Indy's secondary was last season (6:15 TD:INT ratio)…Anthony Gonzalez seemed like one of those overhyped fantasy properties this year, but I was apparently the sucker, since he ended up on a handful of my teams. I'd feel a little better if there was at least some contact during the injury. What a disaster. As a result, don't be surprised if Reggie Wayne competes with the "big-four" among the top fantasy wide receivers this year…Not that Donald Brown impressed, but Joseph Addai lost a fumble and got 2.5 YPC. Although since he didn't suffer some sort of injury, that might be considered a success for him…Maurice Jones-Drew could have a monstrous fantasy season.

I'm beginning to think Drew Brees is pretty good at football. A pocket as clean as it gets helped, as did facing a Lions secondary that was historically bad last season (8.8 YPA! 25:4 TD:INT ratio), but as someone who always waits on the QB position in fantasy drafts, I admit I was jealous Sunday…Looking at the final score, Marques Colston owners had to be a bit disappointed. Then again, probably not as much as those who started Reggie Bush. As if the 2.0 YPC mark wasn't bad enough during a home game against the Lions, Bush fumbled multiple times on the day. Still, he'll continue to be used heavily in the passing game, so don't go benching him just yet…There's really no other way to put it – Matthew Stafford looked bad during his first start…Calvin Johnson had a touchdown taken away because they said he stepped out of bounds, which was questionable to begin with. The fact they couldn't even review it was more frustrating. While it was a modest start, Johnson's 13 targets (second most in Week 1) were an encouraging sign moving forward…Kevin Smith, meanwhile, received nine targets, which means he can remain useful even when the ground game is shutdown like it was Sunday.

Three 40-plus yard touchdowns probably isn't sustainable each week, but Tony Romo is going to thrive without having to worry about pleasing Terrell Owens, who was inefficient and not even that productive last year (at least outside the red zone) and now 35 years old. Romo has got 8.2 YPA throughout his career, accounting for 83 touchdowns over 40 starts. Fewer turnovers would be nice, but he's a true superstar…Antonio Bryant looked fine when on the field, but it's not good news that he's still dealing with the knee injury even after the surgery…With eight minutes left in a 27-14 game, Kellen Winslow's drop on 4th-and-2 was an absolute killer…Byron Leftwich's slow throwing motion has been discussed plenty, but why must he also throw the ball SO HARD, even on short slant routes?...Even if Felix Jones gets increased touches (part of his lack of use Sunday was a thigh bruise), Marion Barber could easily still finish as a top-10 fantasy RB with that TD potential…Continuing a trend from the preseason, Carnell Williams looked, really, really good Sunday. In fact, I'd argue he looks even better than before the two serious knee injuries (although an underrated Tampa Bay offensive line is somewhat responsible). Maybe he'll soon go back to deserving the "Cadillac" moniker.

Did Frank Gore really get just 1.4 YPC against the Cardinals? Two touchdowns didn't hurt, however…After a rough preseason, Arizona's slow start wasn't a huge surprise, and the offense really started to click in the second half Sunday, so it's not a huge concern. The health of Kurt Warner and Anquan Boldin, however, will remain long-term worries…Tim Hightower looked bad running the ball, like always, but an NFC-leading 14 targets led to a big day receiving, so his role as the Cardinals' passing down back remains locked. However, Beanie Wells was clearly an upgrade whenever he carried the ball, so look for an increase in rushing attempts from the rookie moving forward.

The Santana Moss/Corey Webster scuffle was one of the better ones in recent memory, and I love a sport in which that doesn't result in an automatic ejection. When not dealing with a hamstring injury, Moss is much better than his numbers often indicate, thanks largely to Jason Campbell's (and Jim Zorn's) unwillingness to throw downfield…Ahmad Bradshaw = a more talented version of Derrick Ward last year…Chris Cooley has already matched his touchdown total from 2008…After a 34-yard run on his first carry of the season, Clinton Portis ran for 28 yards on his next 15 rushing attempts, good for a 1.9 YPC mark. He'll hardly be the only back to struggle against the Giants this season, but since Ladell Betts was on the field for almost as many snaps (19 to 24), Portis owners have the right to worry.

Football Outsiders would disagree, but looking over their schedule, I wouldn't be surprised if the Rams turn in a 1-15 type season. In fact, expect the Lions to actually be favored in Week 8 when these two teams meet. I can't remember someone's career changing so drastically, seemingly in their prime, than Marc Bulger's…If he somehow stays healthy, I wouldn't be shocked if Nate Burleson puts up a similar fantasy season to T.J. Houshmandzadeh, at least in non-PPR formats…I also wouldn't be shocked if John Carlson finishes as a top-five fantasy tight end.

As a Jay Cutler apologist, watching Sunday night was tough. His wide receivers were at fault a couple of times, and that game was lower scoring than most expected because both defenses could very well turn out to be much better than expected, but Cutler simply can't turn the ball over so frequently. I still like him in fantasy terms this year, as he was able to throw for 277 yards Sunday despite Mat Forte and Greg Olsen combining for eight receiving yards…I'm not saying Brian Ulracher isn't a good player, but all this fuss over his season-ending injury is a bit much. I even heard one ESPN analyst compare it to the Patriots losing Tom Brady, which is simply mind-boggling. Linebackers can be replaced – the Bears' defense will be fine…Earl Bennett more than justified his status as a fantasy sleeper Week 1, as although his numbers were modest, Cutler targeted him a whopping 13 times. Go try to trade for him before it's too late…With the score 19-15 with 1:11 left in the fourth quarter, Green Bay decided to go for two, making it the dumbest decision I have seen in years. There was zero benefit if successful (which they were), but there was definitely downside if unsuccessful (as a Bears' touchdown would have given them a three point lead opposed to two). And Al Michaels was asleep at the wheel here, saying the decision was "irrelevant," as a "five or six point lead" didn't change things. Of course, it was really a FOUR or six point lead. Green Bay was my pick to make the Super Bowl this season, but I'm now officially worried about Mike McCarthy's common sense.

No one would complain about Tom Brady's final numbers, but where were all the downfield passes from 2007? Of course, the offense can remain potent anyway, and Brady should improve as he gets more comfortable with his knee recovery…With so much uncertainty with running backs, even those who were taken in the first round of fantasy drafts, it wouldn't be a stretch to consider Randy Moss a top-five commodity…I don't think Marshawn Lynch is bad, but I do think Fred Jackson is better. What a dual threat. Any Lynch owner who handcuffed Jackson should be rooting for Lynch to get in more trouble…As someone who took New England with my Week 1 "survivor" pick, it's safe to say I both suffered a mild heart attack and may very well be getting a divorce soon after Monday night. Down 24-13 with 5:32 left and the Pats at the 19-yard line, things weren't looking too good, to say the least. And even if I were a Bills fan, I wouldn't kill Leodis McKelvin for taking that kick return out of the end zone, as the play would have ran six seconds off the clock, meaning the Pats would no longer get the two minute warning to stop the clock. However, McKelvin fighting for extra yards (which led to the fumble), now that was stupid.

The Chargers/Raiders tilt made it two Monday night games with fantastic finishes, with the heavy favorites getting mostly outplayed. The Raiders, who were a sieve against the run during the preseason, actually deserve a ton of credit defensively. And it may not have been a one week fluke, either. With Nnamdi Asomugha (the best defensive back in the NFL), Greg Ellis, Thomas Howard, Chris Johnson, Tommy Kelly, Kirk Morrison, Gerard Warren and now Richard Seymour, Oakland quietly has some big names on defense, and what if second-round pick Mike Mitchell makes a big impact as a rookie? The Raiders aren't nearly as bad as most think…As someone who was extremely down on LaDainian Tomlinson entering the year, it occurred to me about a week ago that I was being a total wuss, as I realized I owned Darren Sproles in zero of the dozen fantasy leagues I'm in. I apparently let all those who argued against me regarding LT influence me, as I may have subconsciously kept passing on Sproles in fear of the Tomlinson backers being right. Tomlinson's latest injury very well may prove minor, and he can remain productive even a step (or five) slow in that offense, but Sproles is so clearly the better player right now, he's going to be a major factor in 2009. If given the choice, I'd prefer Sproles over Tomlinson from here on out.