Matt Wood: August 2010 Archives

We're less than two weeks away from the season opener, and the preseason rumors are really starting to fly. With most drafts going on this week or weekend, it's imperative to have the latest info to pick the best possible team. Here are some rumors, how much truth there is to them and what you should take from them.

Donovan McNabb will miss the season opener
Rumor: The big buzz around the league over the weekend was that the new Redskinds QB's sprained ankle was bad enough that he might miss the team's first game against Dallas, but I don't buy that for a second. Barring further injury, there's no way he won't be out there on Sept. 12. McNabb is a gamer, and he hasn't missed an opener since his rookie season.

Jacksonville Jaguars running back and consensus top-five pick Maurice Jones-Drew will miss the rest of the preseason, according to a report from the National Football Post.

According to the report, Jones-Drew has been dealing with meniscus issues in his knee stemming from a recent arthroscopic surgery.

If you've already drafted MJD, don't freak out. He's not expected to miss any regular-season action ... yet. But still, you'd like your top pick to have a clean bill of health heading into the season.

He was the third guy off my board, and clearly in the top tier of running backs (joined by Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson and Ray Rice) that you should draft above anybody else. I'll keep him up there for now, but I won't fault you if you want to bump him down a few spots.

There's an old saying that fantasy leagues are won and lost in the late rounds. While that is somewhat true - and you gain a tremendous advantage by gaining value from players nobody else is counting on - you're still gonna win or lose with your studs.

I am a big proponent of playing it safe in the first round. High risk/high reward wins leagues, but the last thing you want is your top pick sidelined or not producing enough to keep you in games. So, let's break down the probable top picks, at least, the way I see them:

You think QB Brett Favre is rethinking that decision to come back to Minnesota for one more year? With news that star WR Sidney Rice is out at least half the season with a hip injury, and other WR Percy Harvin suffering from continual migraines, Favre's options just got a whole lot more limited. How limited?

The Vikings actually went out and signed Javon Walker. Hey, the guy had 1,000 receiving yards ... in 2006. Since then, he has amassed 408 yards in three years, including 0 yards in three games for the Raiders last year. So, uh, good luck with that.

What does this mean for fantasy purposes?

Welcome to the Sun-Times coverage of fantasy football for 2010. We're only 18 days away from the start of the NFL season, which means your draft is even sooner. It's go time.

I'll be giving you tips and advice on players heading into the season, and hopefully you've already done some research. But first, here are some questions to answer before you go any further: