You know you've got it pretty good when your wife takes the lead in signing you up for a couples fantasy football league.

I had no idea such things existed. Before diving into the NFC West Gridiron Challenge last season, I hadn't played fantasy football since sometime in the early 1990s -- back when the commissioner would tabulate the week's results by checking the expanded box scores available each Tuesday in hard copies of USA Today.

Anyone with Emmitt Smith on his team was set.

Times have changed and the NFC West Gridiron Challenge is back for another season. With that in mind, I'll look into five NFC West developments with implications for fantasy football and beyond:

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Dilip Vishwanat/Getty ImagesLarry Fitzgerald's fantasy numbers could see a boost if Derek Anderson is named the Cardinals' starting quarterback.
• Derek Anderson at QB: The Arizona Cardinals could still name Matt Leinart their starter, but Anderson is suddenly in play to a larger degree. Ian Allen of Fantasy Football Index raised an interesting point about Anderson during the 2nd Annual Fantasy Camp with John Clayton. He thought Anderson's penchant for throwing into coverage could work out OK in Arizona because Larry Fitzgerald wins so many battles at the ball. Fitzgerald was going to get his numbers anyway, but if Anderson is throwing fearlessly into spots Leinart might avoid, he could have more chances.
• Matt Leinart's demotion: ESPN's Brock Huard, also speaking at Clayton's camp, offered a theory on Leinart based upon things he's heard from contacts in Arizona. According to Huard, Leinart long ago shed the freewheeling Southern California lifestyle that created perceptions of the former USC star as a laid-back playboy. The primary problem for Leinart, at least according to Huard, was that the quarterback's high level of intelligence wasn't translating into processing information quickly enough to make split-second decisions. As a result, Leinart plays too slowly and appears indecisive.
• Donnie Avery's injury: The St. Louis Rams lost starting receiver Donnie Avery to a knee injury that appeared serious. Avery has been prone to injuries, making it tough for the Rams to rely on him. While Avery's injury was a downer for St. Louis, Danny Amendola is validating what I saw from him at Rams camp. Amendola caught five passes against New England on Thursday night. He has a chance to catch three or four passes per game -- and maybe more, depending on how the position shakes out -- working from the slot.
• Leon Washington's start for Seattle: The Seahawks are taking turns giving running backs Julius Jones, Justin Forsett and Washington chances to start during preseason. Washington realizes he's best off working in a complementary role, making explosive plays on limited touches. He does not project as an every-down running back, but he will likely get consistent carries as part of a rotation. Washington's scheduled start against the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday night gives him a more extended opportunity to work with the starters. He has the potential to emerge as an effective third-down back. As noted, Washington does more than carry or catch the ball. He can be a vicious blocker in pass protection as well (all three Seattle runners are competent in this critical area).
• Michael Crabtree's return. A neck injury has kept Crabtree off the field for the San Francisco 49ers' first two exhibition games. That will change Saturday night at Oakland. Crabtree immediately became a primary target for Alex Smith upon joining the 49ers during last season. He catches the ball consistently and should benefit from a full offseason around team headquarters. Check out his game-by-game reception totals from last season: 5, 6, 3, 4, 4, 4, 6, 5, 4, 4, 3. That's remarkable consistency from a young player. Some fantasy performers are up and down, finishing the season with good stats despite failing to produce consistently. That was the case for Frank Gore last season as the 49ers searched for their offensive identity. Crabtree produced all the way through.

Looks like Leinart is speaking publicly for the first time since his demotion -- and pretty much confused. More on him in a bit.