Fantasy Football 2011: What You Learned in WEEK 1

So every week BEFORE the games, I do my "Studs n Duds" column, where I look at all 32 teams, and basically go over who I like/dislike in that week.  Then, after the games, I'll follow up with a "What You Learned" column that examines those games.

So here it is... What YOU Learned in WEEK 1!

- If you were brave enough to draft Steven Jackson, you learned that you need to handcuff him to Cadillac Williams! And it looks like Jackson will miss week 2...

- If you were banking on Blount to beat down the Lions, you learned that when the Bucs are playing catch-up, they bring in the once-fantasy-viable E. Graham!  Don't give up on Blount, he'll get there...

- If you thought that Chris Johnson was going to run wild on the Jaguars after holding out until about a week ago, you learned that sometimes your imagination is what's running wild.  You can't bench the guy, but you should temper your expectations for a while.

- If you drafted Chad Ochocinco as one of your starting wide receivers, you learned that you probably should've known better. Will he ever be start-worthy?  Think about this first.  Welker, Gronkowski, Hernandez, and Branch.  How often in fantasy football do you start the 5th receiving option for any given team?  The closest team with this situation is the Packers.  Jennings, Finley, Nelson.  You don't start Driver, you don't start James Jones.  Forget what Chad Johnson once was, he's Ochostinko now, unless Branch or Welker gets injured.

- If you drafted Cam Newton as one of your backup QB's, you learned that he's probably a better option than the guy you drafted to be your starter!  (Unless you drafted Tom Brady as your starter!)

- If you thought Steve Smith of the Panthers would be a good bye-week fill-in for you, you learned that he absolutely has to be one of your starters moving forward.

- If you thought it was safe to draft Colston this year, you learned that you made a big mistake believing in that fragile fraud of a WR! (Can you guess who else might've drafted Colston!?)

- If you benched Ray Rice because you figured NO WAY he'll do anything against the Steelers defense, you learned that you never EVER bench your first round draft pick, regardless of match-ups! (What is wrong with you!? I'm looking at you, Keith!)

- If you started Mike Tolbert, you learned that there is such a thing as catching lightning in a bottle.

- If you took Arian Foster in the draft, but didn't grab Ben Tate, you learned that you probably made a very big mistake.

- If you grabbed a Cedric Benson or Fred Jackson in the middle rounds and everybody laughed, you learned that those guys are dumb jerks that don't know anything about fantasy football!

- If you started Scott Chandler (the tight end for the Bills), you learned that is was totally worth starting your cousin Scott in week 1!

- If you spent an early round draft pick on a tight end like J. Finley, D. Clark, A. Gates, or V. Davis, you learned that you probably should've waited a bunch of rounds and gotten an Aaron Hernandez or Rob Gronkowski instead.  VALUE PICK, anyone!?

- If you drafted a kicker NOT named Janikowski BEFORE the final round in your draft, you learned that there's no reason to ever take a kicker before the very last round in the draft!

- If you picked up and started the Chiefs defense because the ESPN Fantasy "experts" had them ranked as the 3rd best defense for week 1, even though your gut was telling you that it's probably a better idea to pick up the Texans defense against an 80 year old Kerry Collins (who, by the way, the "experts" had ranked 20th for week 1), you learned that these idiots who write for ESPN Fantasy Football are literally stealing a paycheck!

THAT'S IT FOR THIS WEEK, STAY TUNED FOR WEEK 2 STUDS N DUDS!