Week one is in the books, and to be totally honest, it was a good weekend of football, and a surprising weekend of football. I learned a few things, but some things just never change (Bengals anyone?).

Here are a few other things I learned:

1. I love watching kickers who aren’t afraid of getting hit. Stephen Gostkowski dove on the ball, after Leodis McKelvin fumbled the kick off return, to secure the ball for the Patriots leading to their 25-24 win.
2. Oakland isn’t going to be the pushover most everyone expected them to be, and San Diego was lucky to escape with the win in Oakland.
3. Adrian Peterson is a beast.
4. Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco aren’t rookie/one year wonders.
5. Houston, everyone’s dark horse playoff contender, looked terrible against a Jets team that looked surprisingly good.
6. Drew Brees is one of the most exciting players in the NFL.
7. Kansas City may actually win a few if they continue to play like they did on Sunday.
8. Dungy, Moore, Mudd, and Harrison may be missed more than anyone thought.
9. Did I mention that Adrian Peterson is a beast (155 yards in the second half against the Browns who had held him to only 25 in the first half)?
10. Somebody needs to get Jake Delhomme some super glue.
11. I know the refs want to be sticklers for the rules (and protecting the players), but there were a lot of iffy calls made in the games I watched.

Related Posts:

• Championship Teams
• Sanchez over Stafford
• Week 1 Prognotiscating
• Week 1 Picks
• Ranking the Top 10 RB’s

1 – Adrian Peterson – Arguably the most versatile, and exciting back it the league.

2 – Willie Parker – Mr. Reliable, Parker is a back that you can count on to produce day in and day out.

3 – Maurice Jones-Drew – His first year as a feature back. He has shown that he can take a beating even though he is a little guy. His only down size is that his size could limit his longevity if he is a solo back for too long.

4 – Michael Turner – His first year as a starter went remarkably well, and he should continue to be a playmaker in Atlanta.

5 – Ladanian Tomlinson – He still has a little left in the tank, and that still makes him one of the biggest ground threats in the game.

6 – Frank Gore – Even on a lackluster 49er’s team Gore is a great back, and will help to stabilize San Francisco’s offense as they continue to build.

7 – DeAngelo Williams – Going into his fourth season, Williams is one of the best in the league, and will be for a while.

8 – Steven Jackson – Even though he has played behind some very pathetic offensive lines the past two years, he has had over 1,000 years both years.

9 – Clinton Portis – When he’s healthy he is a force to be reckoned with, and the Redskins have been lucky to have him the past few years as their offense has struggled without a star QB.

10 – Brian Westbrook – Despite his age, he is still very dangerous. His injuries do hold him back though.

On the cusp: There were several rookies last year that played well last year, and could surpass a few of the guys above if they continue to play like they did last year. They are:
Felix Jones
Steve Slaton
Chris Johnson
Matt Forte
Another back that could really make an impact and jump up this list with a solid season this year is Marion Barber.

Don’t forget to check out our Fantasy League!

Related Posts:

• Coin Flip – Week 14
• Fantasy Versus and Coin Flip
• What I learned from Week 1