by Bart Lopez
1. Pittsburgh Steelers: Last week the Steelers got embarrassed. They gave up way too many points and didn’t force a single turnover. Such a poor performance won’t happen again, especially against the Seahawks in week 2. Look for Pittsburgh to hold Seattle to under 15 points by putting lots of pressure on the quarterback and causing turnovers. Projected fantasy points: 25.6.
2. Green Bay Packers: Like the Steelers defense, the Packers defense did not impress in week 1. Green Bay ended up winning but only by eight as they gave up 34 points. The key point here is that the Packers were playing the Saints, led by superstar Drew Brees, and next week they will be facing the Panthers. Carolina’s offense led by rookie Cam Newton will be much easier to deal with, which means a good fantasy football day for the Packers. Not to mention rookie Randall Cobb, who proved in week 1 he can return a kick for a touchdown, is dangerous on special teams. Projected fantasy points: 18.6.
3. Denver Broncos: : The Broncos defense/special teams wasn’t good and it wasn’t awful in week one. Denver didn’t force many turnovers but held Oakland to only 23 points, and returned a punt for a touchdown. In week 2, Denver will be at home against a Bengals offense that isn’t very potent. If Denver can successfully stop the run, it’ll be a good day for Broncos defense owners. Projected fantasy points: 18.3.
4. Baltimore Ravens: : Yes, it is odd for the Ravens to be this low on the list. To be fair, only .2 and .5 projected fantasy points separate the Ravens from the Broncos and the Packers respectively. The Ravens defense is good and has been good for a long time. Baltimore is a sure bet against Tennessee on Sunday. Projected fantasy points: 18.1.
5. New York Jets: : The Jets defense played well in week one against the Cowboys. New York forced three turnovers, notched four sacks, and held Dallas to 24 points. This weekend the Jets face a less dangerous offense in the Jacksonville Jaguars, which only managed 16 points against the Titans. Expect another good day from Rex Ryan’s team. Projected fantasy points: 15.8.
