Week 1 Recap, Part I: Foster's for real

A few musings from Week 1's action while I thank the football gods for DirecTV's NFL Sunday Ticket free preview:

- Welcome to fantasy stardom, Arian Foster (231 yards, 3 TDs). We’re waiting with baited breath to see what you do in Week 2.

- Somebody slow down the C.J. Spiller bandwagon. Seven carries for 6 yards isn’t going to cut it as a fantasy star yet.

- For those who were wondering who would be Mike Martz’s most utilized wideout in Chicago (Devin Hester? Johnny Knox? Devin Aromashodu)?), the surprising answer was his RB, Matt Forte, who led the team with 7 catches for a whopping 151 yards and 2 TDs. The other three combined for 9 receptions.

- Roll on, Chris Johnson (27 carries, 142 yards, 2 TDs).

- Guess Wes Welker is OK – 11 targets, 8 catches, 2 TDs. Those who got him at a discount price this year because of the injury concerns have to be smiling right about now, especially with the Jets up next on the Pats’ schedule. In his last four games vs. Gang Green, the Welk Man has averaged 7 catches for 92 yards.

- Giants WR Hakeem Nicks established himself as a fantasy force with 3 TDs against Carolina. Granted, he only had 4 catches, but Eli Manning targeted him 8 times, as many as Steve Smith.

- Roddy White’s stat line against Pittsburgh was strong (13 catches, 111 yards), but the most eye-opening number was the whopping 23 targets. With those kind of looks he could demolish Arizona this week.

- Could Peyton Hillis be a factor in the Browns’ backfield? Sure, given the fact he had 9 carries (as many as starter Jerome Harrison) and also scored a TD.

9/4 Sleeper of the Day: James Davis

RB JAMES DAVIS, CLEVELAND BROWNS



Davis, a 5-11, 210-pound rookie from Clemson, has been getting rave reviews this preseason. He was once considered a first- or second-round draft pick coming out of college, but an all-around disastrous senior year with the Tigers combined with a lackluster combine relegated him to a sixth-round selection this spring. But he's begun to erase all that with a fine effort thus far as a pro, averaging 7.8 yards a carry through the Browns' first three preseason games and grabbing the attention of the media and new head coach Eric Mangini.

Meanwhile, starter Jamal Lewis hasn't exactly been Jim Brown out there on the heels of a less-than-impressive season in which he barely cracked 1,000 yards. It seems like a perfect situation in which the two backs are headed in opposite directions. Lewis should still be drafted ahead of Davis, of course, as he's No. 1 on the depth chart. But he's also a 30-year-old back who's taken years of abuse, and I expect him to continue his decline. Davis, on the other hand, has pretty much already surpassed the injured Jerome Harrison and risen to backup status. He's at least earned his way into some sort of timeshare this season and perhaps consideration as the Browns' RB of the future. He's certainly worth a look as a Lewis handcuff or a late-round selection in 12-team leagues at this point.