I must admit I was slightly surprised to see Rudi Johnson land a job with the Lions, as running backs perceived to be in decline aren’t in high demand these days. Yet they do expect him to contribute significantly and Detroit seems to be a good fit. The Detroit Free Press noted the Lions will employ a zone blocking scheme this season, and Johnson has worked comfortably in that style of offense before. He also rejoins ex-teammate Jon Kitna in the Lions backfield.

Rookie Kevin Smith will open the season as Detroit's starter, but Johnson could make a quick impact. He is apparently ready to take the field from a health perspective (for now) and signed a one-year deal with the Lions. He has something to prove and the incentive of another payday ahead. Smith doesn't appear cut out to handle a heavy workload and Johnson could quickly become the team's top goal-line option if he stays healthy. Smith's value drops now to the point where he is a top reserve in fantasy, although he makes for a good flex option in the first week. I would certainly wait to see how Johnson fits in after the first week. Keep him stashed on your bench for now. The departure from Cincinnati, though, can spike his appeal again and make him a respectable option, especially for TDs. I foresee Smith and Johnson sharing carries, with Johnson getting the more important goal-line opportunities, possibly a few weeks down the line in an ideal scenario.

According to the Arizona Republic, Anquan Boldin "isn't as mad as hell anymore." The standout wide receiver simply wants to move forward. "The thing is, we've got to work together, no matter what the situation is," he said. "I'm here; I'm not going to make it a negative situation for nobody. That's never been my intent. It never will be." However, Boldin's fantasy owners know that a fire burns inside of him this season and he is likely headed for a great year. Gotta love him in Week One against the 49ers.

Antonio Gates told the San Diego North County Times he doesn't feel 100 percent heading into Week One. Oh well, you're not going to bench him. I don't know of any leagues where an owner has Gates and Jason Witten, too.

You should hold off on using Rashard Mendenhall in the first week if you can. His fumbling problems in the preseason may cost him some playing time early in the year. Mike Tomlin is reportedly keeping a watch on Mendenhall's preparation and ability to secure the ball, both of which have been issues. Willie Parker is looking like a good start for Week One against Houston, as he should get a very healthy amount of touches.  

How desperate are the Raiders for quality receivers? They signed Ashley Lelie. The NFL Network has reported Javon Walker is questionable for the opener with a hamstring problem. Drew Carter is out. I'm cutting JaMarcus Russell and looking for another backup quarterback in one of my 14 leagues.

Ahman Green is reportedly ready for Week One. I wouldn't start him in a 90-team fantasy league.

Joe Flacco starts against Cincinnati. Unless I have another top-level defense, I'm seriously thinking about starting the Bengals. I try not to get too "cute" early in the season by playing matchups, but this seems too good to resist, even though the Bengals have notorious defensive issues. Cincinnati's secondary is respectable enough to handle the thin Baltimore receiving corps, and if the Bengals can mount any sort of pass rush, they will play over their heads defensively in the opener.

THURSDAY NIGHT PREVIEW: For those of you who must get in your lineups today, here's the skinny on what to watch. The Redskins will attack the Giants defensive line with heavy doses of Clinton Portis, especially behind the strong left side of their offensive line. Washington wants to stave off any possible pass rush that can be generated by DE Justin Tuck, but running right at him may not work too well, either, so the Redskins will pick the other side often and Portis should at least have a respectable game and is a must-start. Tuck should get a good push against the right side of the Washington line and will disturb the rhythm of Jason Campbell. I really don't want to recommend starting any other Redskin besides Chris Cooley. The Redskins want to display a much better pass rush than last season, and their secondary can cover the New York receivers well, so Eli Manning will have to take quick drops and take what the defense gives him. He won't kill you, but he's not going to have a great night, either. The Giants will focus on the ground game, and you gotta like Brandon Jacobs to bang inside and get in the end zone. You can't bench Plaxico Burress, but don't expect a great night, either. If you play in a points per reception league, you should consider using Amani Toomer, who will catch a good amount of balls in a quick-strike, shorter range passing game.

ANGLES MAILBAG
Starting next week, Thursday Angles will be a full Mailbag. This week, I'll get to a pair of questions and you can look for more of my recommendations in tomorrow's Angles.

Ken Keller: I am stumped on who to start. Eli Manning or Jay Cutler. Can you help me?

My Angles: This is a very close call indeed. As outlined above, I'm not looking for a great game from Manning, but then again, I'm not expecting Cutler to blow up, either. The Denver WR situation does worry me, though, heading into the opener without Brandon Marshall. As much as I like Eddie Royal, this will be his first pro game, and Darrell Jackson did nothing to instill faith in him during the preseason. I don’t like the Denver wideouts, especially against the Oakland cornerbacks. I would go with Manning in a very, very tight decision, as the adrenaline of playing on the national stage in the opener with the desire to prove that his playoff run was no fluke could conceivably boost him more than I initially expect.

Mark Ciraldo: I have Justin Fargas and Darren McFadden. I am planning on starting McFadden. I also need flex help. Please pick from Fargas, Maurice Morris, Jonathan Stewart, Reggie Brown, Kenny Watson and Reggie Williams.

My Angles: I certainly agree with starting McFadden, but I would not use Fargas, as you don’t want to lean too heavily on one team, especially if that team is Oakland. Brown has been hurting, and Williams doesn't stack up enough receptions to start him over a running back that will be guaranteed more touches. Watson and Stewart may be outright starters eventually, but I would take a wait and see approach with them for now. I would use Morris, as Seattle should be able to establish a respectable passing game to open up some run lanes, and their offensive line should be better than last year. Its apparent Mike Holmgren trusts Morris more than Julius Jones right now, and he can at least give you pretty good yardage numbers.

Scott Engel was voted the Fantasy Football Writer of the year in 2006 by the Fantasy Football Writer's Association. He scored his first-ever writing award in 1984, when he won the New York Knicks High School Sports Editors Writing Contest. You can reach Scott at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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