(Sanchez was a good sleeper play on Sunday)

Forgive me for playing Nirvana’s “All Apologies” to the max level. But I can’t rid my shame. The guilt, dear God, the guilt.

Actually, that’s a lie, but it’s not for a lack of sorrow that some of my predicted “starts” didn’t pan out. After all, I tend to follow the advice that I give out. So, this week, fair friends, you were not alone.

Through those highs, and those terrible lows, I promise you that you were not alone.

While I may have led you (and you, and you) astray, if only a little bit, I still had enough tricks up my sleeve for the first week of fantasy action.

Enough to keep you listening to my fantasy advice, perhaps? Well, before I indulge myself and your fantasy hopes into another Fantasy Football: Start and Sit column, it’s only my duty to review my picks, and to fully explain why certain players failed to live up to my expectations, while also boosting my ego with my “correct” calls.

The Record: 9-5

The Duds

Okay, so Brett Favre didn’t throw for 200+ yards and two touchdowns. My bad. In fact, he barely cracked 100, and only threw 21 passes.

But no interceptions and a score doesn’t make playing him a total loss. Still, as far as “starts” go, he was a dud.

And I apologize for Willie Parker. Boy, was that a blown call.

I truly did not believe he was that washed up, or that Tennessee’s run defense would show-up like that. Both of those comments could be overblown, but considering Mewelde Moore did pretty well overall, I’m placing most of the blame on Parker no loner living up to his “Fast Willie” nick-name.

The Winners

If you followed my lead and played Greg Jennings (despite a nagging injury), Matt Hasselbeck, and Ray Rice, you were pleasantly surprised.

Rice topped 100 yards rushing, Hasselbeck threw three scores, and Jennings hauled in the game-winning touchdown and over 100 yards against the Bears on Sunday night.

You were probably feeling rather smart if you followed my “Sit” suggestions this week, as well.

Jay Cutler had a forgettable four-pick performance, Larry Johnson only managed 20 rushing yards against the Ravens, Kevin Curtis only had 26 yards against the Panthers, and sitting Pierre Thomas was a good choice.

If you went the extra mile and plugged Mike Bell into your line-up on a whim, kudos to you.

The Sleepers

Jeremy Shockey and Mark Sanchez made me look smart, while Peyton Hillis and David Clowney did nothing to warrant a spot on the “look out for me” list.

The jury is still out on Darren McFadden for tonight, while Carnell Williams (originally a sit candidate) had over 90 yards rushing and a score. Still, with Derrick Ward splitting carries, he will continue to be a risky play.

All in all, it’s only Week One, but with a 9-5 record on my start-and-sit calls, the fantasy gods may soon be shining on you to listen to this advice.

Look for this week’s Fantasy Football: Start and Sit column on B/R, or go straight to www.theredzonereport.com for all of your fantasy advice and NFL news.

After going 13-3 in 2007, many fans felt they had their 2008 Green Bay Packers figured out.

But here we are, almost two summers later, and now we’re all making biased predictions on a 6-10 team without a true identity.

We know Aaron Rodgers can get it done on offense, but what about the offensive line and—almost as important—what about Ryan Grant?

Read on for those issues, as well as three others to monitor as the Packers gear up for an August that hopefully is full of answers.

5. The Brett Favre Affect

Yes, he’s retired, for now.

But even though he won’t be wearing green and gold again, he still could very well play a key role in what happens with the Packers in the NFC North this season, and quite possibly the playoffs.

The truth is, with Favre, you can never say never, and it’s ringing especially true when discussing his retirement plans.

There are rumors going both ways, and they’ll continue to do so until the initial kickoff to the 2009 season.

Until then, prepare for an August full of Favre drama, and a possible impending signing with the Minnesota Vikings or some other team.

4. Ryan Grant and the Ground Game

Grant began 2008 with hamstring and YPC issues after a contract hold-out, so this time around, he should be far more ready for the rigors of an NFL season.

Without the proper reps and training last season, Grant’s body wasn’t completely ready for the pounding, and his vision was nowhere near it was in 2007.

Still, despite not being at his best, Green Bay committed to the run, and Grant ended last season with over 1,200 yards.

The disappointing side of that was the team’s average 17th ranking in the NFL in rush yards per game, as well as Grant’s inability to convert at the goal-line effectively (four scores).

While the Packers will attempt to maintain a balanced offense as always, they still plan to run Grant 20-25 times a game, while spelling him with Brandon Jackson.

But after last year’s slow start, combined with another season of uncertainty in regards to the offensive line, can we truly expect progression?

3. The Offensive Line

The Packers O-Line has been a constantly changing group, and could possibly change for the worse (or better) depending on how you look at them, with the loss of Mark Tauscher.

It still isn’t unrealistic to imagine Tauscher re-joining Green Bay, but with so many young, active bodies ready to compete, it’s probably time to let the 32-year-old walk.

Another issue for Green Bay is assessing if Chad Clifton is still good enough to keep around, or if he has enough left in the tank to warrant any kind of a commitment.

In the mean time, it’s fair to say that this could be the make-or-break season for several players on the inconsistent line, especially Daryn Colledge.

In all regards, this is a very talented group of players in a solid system, although their consistency and toughness is routinely questioned.

2. Is There a Sophomore Slump in Line For Aaron Rodgers?

True, Rodgers isn’t “literally” a sophomore quarterback, but as far as his starting experience goes, he’s a newbie.

Rodgers performed sensationally last year, as he took over for the departed Favre, and tossed 28 touchdowins, over 4,000 yards, and even ran for three more scores.

Rodgers helped make Green Bay one of the more productive and efficient offenses, as he guided them to a 5th overall ranking in points scored, as well as 8th in total yards per game, and 8th in passing yards per game.

1. Will the Transition to the New 3-4 Defense be Successful?

Dom Capers came into Green Bay to shake up a few things.

In their old 4-3 defense, the Packers had too many players in wrong positions way too often, and it was clear that several of the players didn’t always understand their roles fully, as some of them often looked lost.

With Capers’ new switch to the 3-4, the goal is to get the right guys in place, get after the quarterback, and end the season with a better ranking than 2008’s 26th against the run.

With rookies Clay Matthews Jr. and B.J. Raji, it’s not impossible to expect at least a slight improvement, as the 3-4 defense is designed for active linebackers (which Green Bay has) to make plays and rush the passer.

The success of Aaron Kampman’s transition from traditional defensive end to outside linebacker will also be something to watch, going hand-in-hand with the defensive changes.

If the offensive line and running game can pick up some slack, the likely much more comfortable Rodgers should be able to put up even better numbers.

34 and slowing down, and he wants more money?

Apparently Donald Driver is 25, getting paid less than the veteran’s minimum, and just came off of a 1,400-yard and 12-touchdown season.

No? Then the dude is out of his ever-loving mind.

Reports have Driver, 34, staying away from Green Bay’s OTAs, as he is apparently unhappy with his current contract and wants a new deal.

Of course he does.

Driver is seeing the end of the road, folks. He knows there is young, fresh talent behind him in Jordy Nelson and James Jones, and he knows the end is near.

He has become aware of the fact that he’s half a poor season or one big injury away from never starting for Green Bay again, much less any team.

Whether you’re a Packers fan or not, it’s obvious Driver has been underrated, under appreciated, and undervalued for pretty much his entire career.

However, when the guy is due over $6 million this year, it’s time to put a stop to the pity parade.

If we look at this logically, Driver is making something out of nothing. He’s already getting the money he deserves. He just wants more.

For Ted Thompson, for the fans, and for the rest of the NFL, it’s obvious what the real reason is.

This isn’t a Latrell Sprewell moment. Driver can feed his kids just fine.

This is about insecurity, as well as the inside knowledge that his game has begun to slip. Driver was never the fastest receiver, and he’s clearly lost some speed over the past two years.

As reliable as he was over the years for Brett Favre, he actually developed a quiet reputation for his “triangle catch,” or timely dropped passes that killed drives and sometimes even games.

However, when he showed up to training camp with his shirt tied in a knot, revealing his abdomen, and flashing that “I’m paid more than I’m worth” smile, Packers fans still were in love with him.

But patience is wearing thin.

Is Driver still capable of performing at a high level and running at the No. 2 spot? Sure.

But wasn’t Brett Favre still capable of guiding his team effectively? Yes, and quite honestly, he was doing it at a higher level than Driver had ever done it at his own position.

So, after Green Bay moved on from the legendary Favre, why should Driver be any different?

The answer is, he won’t be.

This contract dispute isn’t really a dispute at all. It’s just a desperate plea from a man who can see his career in his beloved city coming to a crashing halt.

Nelson and Jones are likely to be filtered into the offense more, and the aging Driver is bound to be phased out, rendered to the slot, and eventually cut.

That’s why he wants more money. Not just for now, but for the future as well.

He wants to ensure he’ll be in Green Bay and starting for another three years.

Unfortunately, that won’t be happening. That wouldn’t be happening even if he never demanded a new contract.

Regardless, Driver went about this the wrong way, and the “end” that was closing in on his Green Bay career just got a little closer.