NFL Player News

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said Wednesday he doesn't intend to have a quick hook with starting quarterback Matt Cassel. The veteran beat out rookie Teddy Bridgewater for the starting quarterback job this summer.

"We've gone seven, almost eight weeks now where we feel this is the way we want to go," Zimmer said, per 1500ESPN.com. "If we throw an interception the first play of the game, I'm not going to yank [Cassel]. I have to go on the OTAs and everything we've seen from there.

"I know the fans are excited about Teddy. I'm excited about Teddy. But we have to do what's best for the football team at this point, and what's best for the future -- and as you know, coaches' futures aren't necessarily very long. I'm always trying to think between the now and the future, and what's best for this organization as we go down the road."

Browns coach Mike Pettine said quarterback Brian Hoyer "knows it's not going to be a quick hook," but also knows "this is a production business," reports the Akron Beacon Journal. Hoyer won the starting job over rookie Johnny Manziel. He faces a tough Week 1 matchup at Pittsburgh.

Few starting quarterbacks in the NFL are weaker Fantasy options in Week 1 than Browns signal-caller Brian Hoyer. Let us list the reasons.

The Steelers have won 17 of their last 18 games against Cleveland and haven't lost at home to their AFC North rivals since 2003. They have held the Browns to just 44 points in their last six games in Pittsburgh.

In addition, Hoyer might not receive all the playing time behind center. Packages for run-oriented rookie Johnny Manziel could be implemented in an attempt to loosen up the Steelers defense.

Hoyer also did not look as sharp in the preseason as he did as an unbeaten starter in three games in 2013. His throws were often off-target and he failed to lead his receivers well enough to allow them to rack up yards after the catch. He did not throw a touchdown pass with the first team until the final exhibition game.

Lastly - and perhaps most importantly - Hoyer lacks a go-to receiver. The loss of Josh Gordon for the year to a drug suspension leaves Miles Austin and Andrew Hawkins as the top wideouts. Tight end Jordan Cameron had a miserable preseason.

Hoyer has potential as the Cleveland starter, but everything is weighing against him heading into the 2014 season. He is best left unplayed in all Fantasy leagues.

Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has his work cut out for him Week 1 against the Seahawks.

Rodgers entered the season as one of the top Fantasy options at quarterback, but will take on the best defense in the league. Last season, Seattle held Fantasy quarterbacks to just 10.89 points per game. That was the lowest rate in the league. The Seahawks DST ranked tops in the league in limiting points and yards last year. On top of that, the team forced the most turnovers.

While Seattle lost three members of the defensive line during the offseason, the club is still expected to have one of NFL’s best defenses. If Seattle struggles to get to Rodgers, that could open things up for the Packers offense.

Given the cost to acquire Rodgers, in a snake or auction draft, he’s probably going to start for most Fantasy teams despite his tough Week 1 matchup. While there are better quarterback options for this week, Rodgers still has a strong potential for dominance. He’s healthy and still has a bevy of weapons at his disposal. It might not be Rodgers best game of the season, but he’s shown that he can put up numbers against even the best defensive clubs.

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson begins his post-Super Bowl year with a strong matchup against the Packers Week 1. 

Wilson performed well during the preseason, completing 78.6 percent of his passes. He threw for three touchdowns and zero interceptions. Wilson also managed three rushing touchdowns to cap off a strong preseason.

His ability to put up solid Fantasy numbers should be tested Week 1. The Packers did not boast a great defense against the pass last season. The team allowed quarterbacks to score 20.65 Fantasy points, which was the seventh worst clip in the league. Green Bay has been proactive in resolving the issue, drafting Ha Ha Clinton-Dix in the first round, but it’s unclear how much better the team’s defensive backs will perform. 

The bigger question will be whether the Seahawks open up the offense for Wilson this season. With Marshawn Lynch out for much of the preseason, Wilson showed the ability to carry the team with his arm. Now that Lynch is back, the team could opt to get back to conservative play-calling with the franchise quarterback. Wilson has all the makings of a strong matchup here, but could get the short end of the stick if the Seahawks pound Lynch.

The San Francisco Chronicle expects Raiders quarterback Matt McGloin, not Matt Schaub, to back up rookie Derek Carr in Week 1 at the Jets. Coach Dennis Allen has not confirmed the pecking order.

Expectations for Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton are high after he signed a massive extension this offseason, and he will get his first chance to try and live up to them in Week 1 against the Ravens.

Dalton is very familiar with the Ravens, having faced them six times in his career, but he doesn't have the best track record. Dalton has just six touchdowns to 11 interceptions through the air against the Ravens, while completing just 53.9 percent of his passes. He especially struggled in two games a year ago, as seven of his 20 interceptions for the season came against the Ravens defense.

If you take out a historic seven-touchdown performance by Peyton Manning in Week 1 a year ago, the Ravens were solid against quarterbacks, allowing 14.9 Fantasy points per game. Dalton will be looking for a measure of payback against the Ravens, given his struggles, but Fantasy owners should be wary as the season begins. Consider him more of a No. 2 Fantasy option for Week 1; neither Jamey Eisenberg nor Dave Richard has Dalton among the top-15 for quarterbacks this week. 

Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill enjoyed some of his best success a year ago against the Patriots, but he might not be so lucky as he gets set to open the season in Week 1.

Tannehill scored 44 Fantasy points over two games against the Patriots, including a massive 312-yard, three-touchdown performance in Week 15. However, the Patriots made some key additions to the defense this offseason, none bigger than the signing of shutdown corner Darrelle Revis. An improved Patriots defense will only make life tougher for Tannehill this Sunday, and he had just 14 Fantasy points in his first matchup with them a year ago anyways. 

Tannehill has faced the Patriots four times in his career, averaging 231 yards per game while adding five touchdowns and three interceptions. Entering his third season, Tannehill may yet become a consistent Fantasy contributor, but our Fantasy experts don't think he is worth the bet for Week 1; neither Jamey Eisenberg nor Dave Richard has him ranked among the top 24 quarterbacks for the week. 

Patriots rookie quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is still adjusting to his new status as Tom Brady's backup. It was clear Garoppolo won the job after New England traded Ryan Mallett to Houston.

"It hasn't really sunk in," Garoppolo, a second-round pick, told ESPN.com.

"I feel confident, but I have a long way to go still. I'm still a rookie, still have a lot to learn, the whole playbook, defenses, everything."

The Browns signed quarterback Connor Shaw, linebackers Justin Staples and Keith Pough, offensive linemen Patrick Lewis and Karim Barton, tight end Emmanuel Ogbuehi and receiver Charles Johnson to their practice squad.