Many Fantasy players review statistics from the previous year or use cheat seats before organizing and preparing for their draft strategy. The most savvy Fantasy players consider the NFL schedule and how it can alter a players' Fantasy appeal.

The Minnesota Vikings play a total of 10 dome games in 2003, favoring either Hayden Epstein or Todd France, who will have good conditions to kick in. They play only one potentially bad-weather game when they travel to Chicago in Week 15. The Vikings visit Lambeau Field on opening day and Ford Field in Week 3. All of the Vikings' other road games are either in domes or in California or Arizona. In addition, between Week 4 and Week 9, the Vikings will be indoors, perhaps leading to big numbers for Daunte Culpepper, Randy Moss and Michael Bennett. When most leagues begin the Fantasy playoffs, the Vikings will host Seattle in Week 14, before travelling to Chicago in Week 15. They will then welcome Kansas City in Week 16.

Please take one

Unless your league specifically requires you to draft two kickers, consider drafting only one kicker. A good draft strategy is to select a kicker who does not have a bye week until later in the season. Some of Fantasy Football's best kickers -- Denver's Jason Elam, New England's Adam Vinatieri and New Orleans' John Carney -- all have byes in Week 10, meaning it would not be necessary to use up an extra roster spot for a kicker until once the season progresses. Traditionally, owners who are already out of the mix will be less active and you might be able to grab a solid, temporary, replacement to get you through the week while your kicker is out.

Here they go again

Whatever happened to a poor team getting a fair shake from the schedule maker? The Cincinnati Bengals open the season with six extremely difficult matchups and might not win their first game until November. Corey Dillon and the Bengals will open the season at Denver, before hosting AFC champion Oakland and AFC North champion Pittsburgh. Dillon might be inconsistent early on, and Jon Kitna might struggle to replicate his late-season success of 2002. It also is important to note that when traditional Fantasy playoff games are taking place, the Bengals will travel to Baltimore in Week 14, before hosting San Francisco in Week 15 and then heading to St. Louis in Week 16. The Bengals host Cleveland in Week 17 for leagues which have their championship game in the final week.

They can get you there, but ...

The Oakland Raiders face only three playoff teams from a year ago through the first 13 weeks and only two after their opening night game at Tennessee. Rich Gannon, Jerry Rice and Jerry Porter likely will get off to quick starts. However, once the Fantasy playoffs begin, the Raiders face one of the most difficult schedules down the stretch. In Week 14, a huge battle at Pittsburgh awaits them to open most Fantasy playoffs. They then face another solid defensive unit in Week 15 at Baltimore. In Week 16, the Raiders will host Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers when most Fantasy championship games will be played. In Week 17, the Raiders travel to face rival San Diego, in what might be a battle for playoff positioning and/or the AFC West Division title.

Where's the beef?

The Green Bay Packers clinched their division in 2002 before mom was preparing her grocery list for Thanksgiving. It just might happen again in 2003, as the Packers do not face a 2002 playoff team through the first nine weeks of the season. The Packers will have tough work in Week 15 and 16 with trips to San Diego and Oakland for the Fantasy playoffs.

W H O   P L A Y S   T H E   P A T S I E S?
No, we're not talking about the New England Patriots, but the traditionally weaker teams in the NFL. We analyze the opponents of the Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals and Houston Texans in the final four weeks, when traditional head-to-head Fantasy leagues begin their playoffs:
Team WEEK 14 WEEK 15 WEEK 16 WEEK 17
Arizona Cardinals (ARI) @SF CAR @SEA MIN
Players such as San Francisco's Terrell Owens, Seattle's Shaun Alexander and Minnesota's Randy Moss will look to take advantage of the weak Arizona defense in December.
Cincinnati Bengals (CIN) @BAL SF @STL CLE
In the final four weeks, the Bengals face top-caliber offenses, tremendous defensive units and a huge rival, as they likely compete for the top overall draft pick in 2004.
Houston Texans (HOU) @JAC @TB TEN IND
A trip through Florida, including a matchup with the defending Super Bowl champs, and then two games against division rivals, will likely keep the Texans winless in the final four weeks.
O U T   T O   B I G   S T A R T S
These three teams face very favorable schedules, against lesser defenses and non-playoff teams from 2002, in the first six weeks of the season:
Team WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEK 4 WEEK 5 WEEK 6
Green Bay Packers (GB) MIN DET @ARI @CHI SEA KC
The Packers will not face a playoff team from a year ago until the Eagles visit Lambeau Field on Monday Night in Week 10.
Jacksonville Jaguars (JAC) @CAR BUF @IND @HOU SD MIA
In the first six weeks, the Jaguars will meet five teams who missed the postseason in 2002.
San Francisco 49ers (SF) CHI @STL CLE @MIN DET SEA
The 49ers will get out to a big start under new head coach Dennis Erickson, thanks to a favorable early schedule against weak opponents.
. .. A N D   D O W N   T H E   S T R E T C H
These three teams face less difficult schedules, against lesser defenses and non-playoff teams from 2002, in the final six weeks of the season:
Team WEEK 12 WEEK 13 WEEK 14 WEEK 15 WEEK 16 WEEK 17
Minnesota Vikings (MIN) DET @STL SEA @CHI KC @ARI
Daunte Culpepper, Randy Moss and Michael Bennett might put up huge numbers when the playoffs roll around in head-to-head leagues.
New England Patriots (NE) @HOU @IND MIA JAC @NYJ BUF
Tom Brady and the Patriots will enter the final stretch of the season against only two playoff teams from a year ago.
St. Louis Rams (STL) @ARI MIN @CLE SEA CIN @DET
Fantasy studs Marshall Faulk and Torry Holt will be extremely valuable in most league championships against Cincinnati in Week 16 or Detroit in Week 17.
B I G   W E E K   1 6 - 1 7   G A M E S
Looking ahead to the traditional Fantasy championship weeks, Week 16 and 17, here are six games in each week involving teams with unfavorable Fantasy matchups
Big games - Week 16 ATL
@
TB
 		GB
@
OAK
 		MIA
@
BUF
 		NE
@
NYJ
 		SD
@
PIT
 		SF
@
PHI
Big games - Week 17 DEN
@
GB
 		NYJ
@
MIA
 		OAK
@
SD
 		PHI
@
WAS
 		PIT
@
BAL
 		TB
@
TEN