Wednesday, April 15, 2009

NFL Schedule 2009: The Fantasy Impact

Two things get people's attention when the new NFL schedule is released. One is what your favorite team's skeddie looks like. The other is the impact on fantasy football.

Two things: byes and fantasy playoffs force people to adjust their ratings and who they may draft. Let's take a quick look:

WEEK 4 (Atl, Phil, Ariz, Car) - Pretty big names that will be on fantasy benches. Just look at the running backs of Turner, Westbrook and DeAngelo Williams that won't be playing that week. Great WRs, too.

WEEK 5 (Chi, GB, NO, SD) - There will be some prime QBs out this week. Brees is a fantasy stud while Rivers and Cutler are in that next tier.

WEEK 6 (Dal, Ind, Mia, SF) - Two studs; two duds. The Cowboys and Colts are always pillaged by fantasy owners. There isn't much that gets taken from the Phins and Niners.

WEEK 7 (Den, Det, Tenn, Sea, Jax, Balt) - This is the first week of six byes. What is interesting is that despite the many teams that will be out this week, it should be too damaging to fantasy owners. Other than a few players (really, Brandon Marshall, Houshmandzadeh and Calvin Johnson), there really isn't a big problem this week.

WEEK 8 (Cin, KC, NE, Pit, TB, Wash) - Another six team week that doesn't look too bad. Yes, those Patriots and Steelers players will be missed. This is a bad week for QBs to be off (Palmer, Cassel, Brady, Roethlisberger) and there are some WRs that will be missed. But this six team week doesn't take as big of a hit as it could.

WEEK 9 (Buf, Clev, Oak, StL, Min, NYJ) - Another six team week? That hasn't happened before. But, again, this isn't a horrible thing. They aren't going to be too many of these guys gone. There are big names of Adrian Peterson and Terrell Owens that will be gone. But there will be plenty of those "guys who could turn it around" this week too (Marshawn Lynch, Darren McFadden, Steven Jackson).

WEEK 10 (NYG, Hou) - I don't understand why the NFL has three weeks where six teams are off ... and then this week when just two are. It doesn't make sense. Shouldn't be too much damage to your draft here.

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