As fantasy season kicks off, keep strategies in mind

Finally, it's here.

Opening day is upon us.

You've waited for this since December when your team either took the whole enchilada, you were unceremoniously eliminated from the playoffs, or you were cursing bad luck for putting together a 3-10 team.

(It had nothing to do with taking LaMont Jordan with the fourth pick, right?)

However it turned out, everybody starts fresh now. We're all 0-0 with championship rosters in tow.

The preseason smack talk is probably at a fevered pitch …

"Can you believe I got Clinton Portis in the sixth round? … Look at my receivers -- I'm stacked! … Nobody can touch my running backs!"

Two weeks from now, those rosters may look like chicken feed, but let's revel in them for now.

The first column of the year is always a good time to remind players about good in-season strategies that can lead to a title.

Let's hit on some of those now.

1. Start studs early. For the most part, whomever you took in the first 5-6 rounds should be in your starting lineup. Somebody e-mailed me this week and asked me if they should start Buffalo's J.P. Losman or San Diego's Philip Rivers. Go with Rivers. Go with your higher-ranked players. Yes, the Chargers are playing the Bears, but so what? Rivers is a top-10 QB who should play nearly every week.

2. Stick with it. You know it's going to happen. I know it's going to happen, and it'll probably happen to me. One of your receivers on the bench is going to have a 100-yard day or score a touchdown this week while somebody like Hines Ward has a 4-catch, 43-yard day. So you'll sit Ward in Week 2 and start Deion Branch. And in Week 2, Ward will catch a touchdown pass and have 175 yards receiving. You'll lose by 1 point, end up missing the playoffs by 1 game and you'll ram your head through a window.

So I can save you from an embarrassing hospital visit and 100 stitches. Repeat after me: No flip-flopping. Especially in the first three weeks. After that, it will be easier to spot trends and figure out who may be on the way to an awful season.

Until then, do yourself -- and your head -- a favor, and resist the urge.

3. Pay attention! We all lead busy lives and don't have 100 hours a week to devote to fantasy football. But after spending all that time researching for the draft and all that time on draft strategy, don't fall asleep at the wheel and crash your fantasy car just because the games have begun.

• Be aware of bye weeks and plan accordingly when they are coming.

• Identify undrafted players early and pick them up. One or two early pickups can be the key to a title team.

• But don't go crazy with 5-7 pickups the first three weeks. Unless your team is full of Falcons, Vikings or Browns, doing too much can cause more harm than good.

• Respond to trade offers from fellow owners. Even a simple "no thanks" is fine.

• Counter-offer trades that interest you but aren't just right.

• When trading a marquee player, make darn sure you are getting the best deal possible. In other words -- make sure the ENTIRE LEAGUE knows you are about to trade Frank Gore or Drew Brees. The offers may role in.

Time to get started: If you are new to this space, we always finish with "good bets" and "bad bets." These are usually middle-of-the-pack players spotlighted, unless I have good reason to suspect Carson Palmer or Drew Brees is about to have a really bad week. In other words, you won't ever see Peyton Manning or LT in the good bets.

OK, good luck to everybody in Week 1.

Good bets

• Cardinals RB Edgerrin James vs. San Francisco. We might as well throw James right into the fire and see if he can have a big bounceback season. This is a good play against a team in which he had a touchdown in Week 1 and a 100-yard game in Week 16 last season.

• Cowboys QB Tony Romo vs. New York Giants. Romo's out to erase the memories of that botched hold of an extra point in the playoffs. As long as he doesn't play outside of himself, watch for a 250-yard, 2-TD game.

• Niners TE Vernon Davis. Let the big season begin. I'm predicting 60-plus yards and a score.

• Steelers WR Santonio Holmes vs. Cleveland. Holmes was steady against the Browns last year (5-75-1, 4-81-0) in two games. He may be the best No. 3 receiver out there all year.

• Vikings RB Chester Taylor vs. Atlanta. My sleeper of the week, and a real risky one at that. If you can play Taylor as a flex back, I think Minnesota will still give him at least 15 touches as they ease Adrian Peterson into the flow. He may surprise at home against a weak Falcons team.

Bad bets

• Bears RB Cedric Benson vs. San Diego. Those of you who took Benson as a clear-cut No. 2 back should probably still start him because he'll get 15-20 carries. But if he's your third back, I'd seriously consider sitting him.

• Redskins RB Clinton Portis vs. Miami. We need to see how Portis' knee is before taking a chance on him.

• Rams QB Marc Bulger vs. Carolina. Most owners shouldn't sit Bulger, but two things scare me here. First, the Panthers sacked Bulger seven times in a 15-0 Rams loss last November. Second, Torry Holt is still a bit banged up. I have Bulger myself and will start him but am also tempering my expectations.

• Titans RB LenDale White vs. Jacksonville. White will have a rough go of it against a stout Jaguars defense.