The New Orleans Saints host the Minnesota Vikings this evening for the first game of the NFL 2010-2011 season. In a repeat of last season's NFL Championship game, the Vikings hope for a different result while the Saints want to show the world that their Lombardi Trophy wasn't a fluke.
The return of Brett Favre to the Vikings quarterback slot makes for compelling television, whether or not the game was against the reigning Super Bowl Champs. Prior to the game, the Super Bowl banner will be raised in the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. The din in the stadium, already deafening will likely vie with sonic boom decibel levels.
Missing from the Vikings lineup for tonight's game is Favre's most prolific wide receiver, Sidney Rice. Out after having surgery mere weeks ago, Rice has been disgruntled about the state of his contract. What else is new, right? Also gone is Chester Taylor, a back up to Adrian Peterson and a superior blocker for Favre when he was in the backfield. Taylor moseyed over to the Chicago Bears in the off-season, while there is hope that Rice can return prior to mid-season. Rookie Toby Gerhart moves into Taylor's place as Greg Camarillo fills a roster slot at wide receiver in place of Rice.
New Orleans Saints will raise the World Championship banner in Superdome tonight
The Vikings return most of the roster that got them to the Super Bowl, including their defense, which some fantasy experts can't abide, while others, such as KFFL.com rate as high as the #7 defense in Week 1. For fantasy purposes, turnovers and TD's off them are the bread and butter of the Saints defensive attack.
They allowed 327 points to be scored against them in 2009. Contrast that with the #1 defense in the league, the NY Jets, who allowed a mere 206 points. Yet they nabbed 29 interceptions to the Jets 17, the Vikings D recovered only one fewer fumble than the Jets and scored eight TDs as a unit. That total is two times the total of their closest competitors. Can they duplicate that performance? Might be as hard as predicting if Brett Favre can have as good a season as 2009.
Nevertheless, the Saints defense is rated just under the Ravens and Jets this week, based on the turnover game. Who else gets a huge green light from virtually all fantasy football sites? Drew Brees, of course, is a pick 'em choice with Aaron Rodgers as the #1 QB this week. Marques Colston ranks in the top 10 of recommended starters at wide receiver, Pierre Thomas is seen as a strong #2 running back for fantasy lineups and place kicker Garrett Hartley is expected to put up a lot of points with his toe.
On the Vikings side of the ball, Brett Favre is not a must-start in most experts' opinions. Whether it is the rust, his age, his ankle or his lack of Sidney Rice, Favre is not a must start against the Saints. Adrian Peterson is part of the three-headed monster at the top of fantasy running back draft selections and the same is true for week one. Percy Harvin is posed to take up some of the slack left by Rice's absence and squeezes into the top ten selections at wide receiver this week as does tight end Visanthe Shiancoe, place kicker Ryan Longwell and Minnesota's D.
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