2024 Week 1 Fantasy Football Notes For Every NFL Team
Thanks to NFL+, I watched every snap from every game. I took notes and want to share them with you. I approach my notes with a fantasy-driven mindset, focusing solely on how players perform, how teams operate, and what differs from my pre-season expectations. This Week 1 write-up will serve as my baseline, and in future weeks, I’ll only update team notes when something significant changes. No need to repeat every week that T. Hill looks awesome, D. Watson is bad, and the sky is blue. I break it down by game, just to get a flow.
This isn’t a stats-heavy article; it’s based on what I saw during the games. I like to get my notes out before checking other recaps or diving into analytics to avoid any subconscious bias sneaking in. It keeps my observations sharp and clear. I’ll share more about how I prep for the next week in a future article. Also, I don’t use full names, I break some grammatical rules, and I abbreviate things to save time since I’m a one-man army with a laundry list of fantasy tasks to tackle each week.
Baltimore @ Kansas City
This game went about as expected in terms of the outcome, but the players who made it happen were a bit different than anticipated. Different, but not shocking.
RAVENS
Likely had himself a game! Warning… tangent incoming. I was really high on Likely last year as a last-round pick in best ball, and he looked excellent all season. Unfortunately, drafters saw his value heading into the 2024 season, and he was being drafted before several teams’ #1 TE. By taking him, you’re essentially betting that, as a so-called “#2” TE on his team, he’s going to outperform 5 to 10 TEs who are 1st on the depth chart for their respective teams. Those who bought into that were rewarded nicely in Week 1.
This is the most I’ll talk about any one player in this write-up, but it’s because his situation is the most interesting. We heard plenty of fantasy pros saying you had to get a top TE this year, that last year was a fluke. Well, the jury is still out on that. In this particular case, I can see Andrews and Likely flip-flopping week to week. Andrews is no slouch.
As of now, they’re priced within $200 of each other on DraftKings for Week 2. Andrews’ salary has plummeted, making him the 8th highest-priced TE on the slate. Why Hockenson even has a price on DK grinds my gears, but I digress. I can’t pretend to know who to go with in the Andrews vs. Likely debate, but I believe Likely has the edge in age and current talent. End of Tangent
At QB, Jackson doesn’t quite make the cut into that elite tier for me. While Jackson is one of the most athletic players at the position, his decision-making and accuracy can be inconsistent. In this game, he rushed for 122 yards and passed for 273, showing off impressive stats. However, his tendency to lower his shoulder and invite contact is concerning. This style of play is risky and could knock him out of a game at any time. Some QBs excel at avoiding unnecessary hits and he needs to take notes. Despite this, Jackson proved me wrong several times last season. His talent is undeniable, but he needs to play smarter.
Henry was clearly the leader of the Ravens’ backfield and offers great fantasy upside. Justice Hill came in on passing downs and had a solid performance, catching 6 passes for 52 yards. When Henry needs a breather, Hill can get the job done. Keep him on your radar; if priced right, he could be a nice cheap, low-owned option in DFS.
Zay Flowers is the undisputed #1 and he’s earned that spot. I hate to admit it, but Rashod Bateman is currently the #2. Bateman has burned more fantasy owners than a marshmallow over a campfire in his brief NFL career. That said, he did look in great shape and might just prove some of his doubters (me) wrong this year. However, I’m skeptical about his volume—until I see more, I’m staying clear. As for the rest of the Ravens’ WRs, there’s no one else worth mentioning at this point.
CHIEFS
Mahomes is undeniably a top-tier quarterback. Done and done.
Pacheco is the leader of the Chiefs backfield and runs like he’s trying out for the team, every time. It’s impressive.
Rashee Rice is the clear #1 and Mahomes’ favorite WR. Meanwhile, Worthy has emerged as Mahomes’ new favorite gadget player, showcasing his blazing speed with one rushing and one receiving touchdown. However, outside of these two, no other Chiefs WR is worth playing until Hollywood Brown returns. It’s worth noting that Worthy caught only two passes, with one being due to blown coverage. While he’ll have some standout games, don’t expect 2 TDs every week. Worthy had 3 targets compared to Rice’s 9. Knowing the Chiefs, though, they’ll find creative ways to get him the ball, making it an exciting storyline to follow.
Kelce had an unusually quiet game, with just 4 targets, 3 catches, and 34 yards. Kelce’s TE teammate, Gray, had an almost identical line, 3 rec for 37 yds. While this isn’t a controversy like in Baltimore, it’s worth noting that Gray is involved and will likely see more action this year, while Kelce, a year older, might be facing a boom-or-bust season. Kelce will always carry the highest upside of any TE as long as he’s catching passes from Mahomes. In redraft leagues, you can’t afford to sit him, and should probably have some exposure to him in DFS.
Green Bay @ Philadelphia (in Brazil)
Game note…the field was in poor playing condition…many players on both sides slipping. Several players put up solid numbers despite the conditions, which is a testament to how good these particular teams and players are.
PACKERS
We all know Love got injured at the end of the game, but before that, he looked a bit rusty at times. However, when he’s on the field, he has both a high upside and a solid floor. When he’s in, fire him up.
Jacobs looked impressive, perhaps even better than his stats suggest (84 rushing yards and 20 receiving yards). While Love is out, Jacobs might struggle to find much room to run, but once Love returns, I’m definitely rolling with Jacobs. Without Love, I’d tread lightly.
Worth noting, the Packers’ backup RB Wilson looked impressive both running and receiving, despite his limited opportunities. He showed real talent and could potentially secure the #2 spot moving forward. I was impressed with his performance.
Reed is a lot of fun to watch. He only had 4 catches, but one was a 70-yarder. He’s a burner. Doubs led the team with 7 targets, while both Watson and Reed grabbed a touchdown. Wicks, however, struggled with 2 drops on 3 targets and no catches. He’ll likely improve, but for now, I am not playing him. My ranking of the WR room is Reed #1, Doubs #2 based on volume, and Watson #3. It’s a great problem to have with so many talented, young WRs. Personally, I’m stacking Reed and Doubs with Love and sprinkling in some Watson, but I’m holding off on Wicks until I see some improvement.
Another game, another confusing TE situation. Kraft was more involved in the playmaking side of the offense, with 3 targets and 2 catches, compared to Musgrave’s 2 targets and 0 catches. It looked like Kraft was running more routes, but that’s just an impression—don’t quote me on the exact stats. From a fantasy perspective, it’s a tough call. Both TEs are talented, and a new QB in Week 2 might lean more on the TEs. Kraft might end up being the better of the two, but most off-season chatter had Musgrave as the #1. My gut says Kraft will have a bigger year, but it might be close. They could end up splitting the fantasy value, making it hard to rely on either consistently.
EAGLES
The Eagles looked a bit lost at times with their new offense but managed to battle through it. It’s worth keeping an eye on how they adjust moving forward. They seemed to make some adjustments in the second half that helped, so I’m confident they’ll sort it all out quickly.
Hurts seemed a little off, still adjusting to a new center and throwing 2 interceptions. From a fantasy perspective, though, Hurts is too valuable to worry about. Roll with him as you normally would—his potential far outweighs any concerns.
Barkley is a BEAST! With 3 touchdowns and almost one or two more, he’s clearly on a mission this year and could end up as the RB1.
WR for the Eagles is straightforward: Brown is their WR1, and Smith is their WR2. Smith is a top-tier WR2 who could easily be a WR1 for some other teams. As for the third WR, Dotson was virtually invisible, so steer clear until further notice. He’s obviously still adjusting to a new offense and it will take him some time. I’m taking the wait-and-see approach with him.
Goedert is the Eagles TE and a quality one at that. Nothing else to see here.
Pittsburgh @ Atlanta
What an ugly game, 18-10 Steelers winning and shutting out the Falcons in the 2nd half. Steelers defense looked TOUGH. Plan accordingly.
STEELERS
Fields started, and the whole QB situation remains a bit puzzling. Kind of like McCaffrey, I feel Wilson’s injury was downplayed until the day before. With Fields in the mix, there’s a lot of uncertainty. He brings a high ceiling and a low floor to the table. While he can accumulate rushing yards and unleash deep throws, his erratic accuracy and tendency to escape the pocket add a layer of unpredictability. His style keeps defenses on their toes, which could potentially open up lanes, but it also means you’re never quite sure what you’re going to get.
I knew Warren was nursing an injury, but I didn’t expect the RB split to be so heavily favored toward Harris. Harris looked bruising, although his 3.5 rushing average seemed lower than what I saw. If he gets some better blocking—though that’s a big if—he could have some spike games. He has his share of doubters but I am not one of them. Warren has a big-play ability as well but didn’t get the chance to showcase it. I’ll need at least one more game to get a clearer picture of this backfield with the new offense. And maybe Warren is less involved when Fields is the QB, we’ll see.
Pickens is an interesting fantasy player. He gets a lot of hate but man can he go up and catch the ball. I thought he looked really good and is the only Steelers WR worth playing.
Freiermuth looked decent, which is pretty much par for the course. Not great but not bad. He’s worth starting when the price is right mainly because there aren’t many other receiving options on the team.
FALCONS
Cousins looked rusty and struggled at times, though there were glimpses of the old Cousins as well. I’m not hitting the panic button, but I am slightly concerned. This performance might also be attributed to a strong PIT defense. The Falcons play on Monday night in Philly, so it’ll be interesting to see which version of Cousins shows up. For now, I’m fading Cousins until he gives us a reason to trust him again.
Bijan = Workhorse. 18 carries and 5 receptions. Allgeier was not as involved as he was last year and that may continue.
What a dud from London. I’ll chalk this up to a new system, new QB, and a tough defense, but it’s concerning that he doesn’t have elite speed and might struggle to get open as much as other WRs in his price range. I’m worried about his ceiling for DFS purposes. McLoud III led the team in receiving yards with 52 on 4 catches, getting more involved than Mooney (who had just 1 catch). I need one more game sample before I can say who the real #2 is, but either way, I’m avoiding both for now.
Pitts had a TD, but otherwise didn’t do much. He was wide open for that score, so it wasn’t anything special. Like with the receivers, I want to see another game before committing to a stance here. I’ll still play some Pitts moving forward, but I’m a bit skeptical. My notes say Pitts is not an elite TE, so take that for what it’s worth.
Arizona @ Buffalo
CARDINALS
Murray had an ok game in real life thanks to his escapability but the offense as a whole kind of sputtered. From a fantasy perspective, he was a bust. I know Murray was high on many people’s rankings so we’ll give him little leeway here and see how he does against the Rams in week 2. I still have confidence in Murray in fantasy.
It’s the James Conner show at running back. Age doesn’t seem to be slowing him down. He’s a solid contributor with a pretty high floor. Benson and Demarcado both had a little action but none worth worrying about a timeshare, yet.
Woof! What a dud from the WR corps. I had high hopes for Wilson and Harrison, but neither made an impact. Wilson’s only catch was a TD, and it felt more like a “right place, right time” situation. He was practically invisible the rest of the game. The go-to WR was Dortch with 8 targets. He was on my sleeper list, expected to see some slot action, but I figured he’d be more of a 3rd or 4th option. This might have been a product of the defense—we’ll see. For now, I’d hold on Wilson, avoid going heavy on Harrison, and sprinkle in some Dortch when you need a cheap option.
On the ARI side, McBride looked solid, with Murray trying to feed him the ball (9 targets). He ended up with 5 receptions for just 30 yards, but he’s still one of my favorite TEs this year. Nothing in this game changed that opinion—he’ll continue to be a key part of their offense.
BILLS
Allen is the best fantasy QB, period.
It’s the same story for Cook as it is for Conner. It’s his backfield, with a rookie and a pass-catching back behind him, but I’m not worried. Neither backup saw enough action to raise any red flags. That said, Davis looks like the real deal—a solid back with plenty of potential.
BUF is shaping up to be a tough one this year for fantasy WRs. 9 different players caught a pass, with 5 being wide receivers. That said, the top two were clearly Coleman and Shakir. I think Samuel is going to be the odd man out most weeks, used more as a gadget player. I’m out on him for DFS purposes. Hollins snagged a TD and looked good in limited action, but I’m not convinced he’ll become a reliable option—though, you never know. Coleman and Shakir looked solid and seemed to have good chemistry with Allen, so I’m rolling with them.
In one of the more disappointing TE games, Kincaid managed just 1 catch for 11 yards. I was high on him this year, especially for this matchup, and he definitely cost me some money. To make matters worse, Knox is still a factor, matching Kincaid’s target count. I don’t see Knox as a viable fantasy option, but I know Kincaid will have some breakout games. This one, though, showed us how low his floor can be.
Minnesota @ New York Giants
VIKINGS
Darnold looked sharp as the QB1 in Minnesota. While his volume might not reach Cousins’ levels, he shows promise as a viable starter.
Jones led the backfield in carries and looked superior to Chandler. I’m confident in Jones when healthy, but Chandler’s role remains uncertain. Chandler did get some work in the passing game, but unless his role expands, he’s off my radar.
Jefferson had a TD but was otherwise quiet by his standards. Expect his performance to improve as the season progresses. Addison is the clear #2 but got hurt during the game. If Addison misses time, Nailer and Oliver will step up as the #2 WR. Keep an eye on MIN beat writers for updates, as one of these could be a low-cost DFS gamble.
Without Hockenson, I’m avoiding MIN TEs in fantasy.
GIANTS
Jones looked awful, competing with Bryce Young for the worst QB on the day. I could go off on another tangent but I won’t. Jones should not be the Giants QB. Why they didn’t get a better QB in the offseason is baffling. He has upside because of his running ability and has Nabers, but I feel sick putting him in fantasy lineups. Which is exactly why he’ll probably win someone a million dollars this year in DFS.
Singletary had the bulk of the RB work, but the game’s flow and the offense’s struggles didn’t do him any favors. Given Jones’s poor performance, the entire team feels risky for fantasy right now, so proceed with caution.
Nabers and Robinson were the top targets for Jones, which aligns with my preseason expectations. Robinson was a sleeper of mine in PPR formats, so his involvement isn’t surprising. Nabers is clearly the #1 WR on the team, and both have fantasy potential, especially if the Giants end up airing it out frequently. However, the concern is whether Jones can consistently get them the ball. They have upside but also a low floor due to Jones’s struggles. For now, no other WRs on this team are worth considering in fantasy.
I was hoping Hyatt would make an impact this year given his talent, but he’s too buried on the depth chart to be relevant on this struggling team.
Rookie TE Johnson saw 4 targets and made 1 catch, sharing time with Bellinger. He’s got some real potential at TE, so keep an eye on his development.
Tennessee @ Chicago
The problem with this game was that not much happened on offense—on either side. The Bears’ defense scored two touchdowns while their offense put up zero. The only bright spot in the game was Tony Pollard.
TITANS
Levis = yikes. He didn’t look good, and the Bears’ D smothered him. He underthrew Ridley on what should have been a TD. I’m officially worried, and this isn’t a week 1 overreaction. I’ll wait until he proves me wrong, and even then, I’ll still wait a little longer. I’m bummed because I took a lot of TEN stacks at the end of best ball tournaments.
Pollard had a solid game and saw more action than I expected. I thought Spears would’ve been more involved, but it was the Pollard show. That said, TEN has a nice one-two punch in their backfield, and with both backs able to catch passes, they hold some good value in PPR formats too. Right now, I am only playing Pollard with the wait-and-see approach on Spears. He looked fine but it’s all about touches and if he’s not getting them, you can’t play him in fantasy.
Hopkins, coming off an injury and with a questionable tag, wasn’t used much. Ridley looked promising on the few catches we saw, though. Boyd was involved but being the third option on a team with shaky QB play isn’t someone I’m keen on starting.
Okonkwo had a nice TD. I believe he’s underrated and underused so I am bummed he doesn’t see more action. 2 targets isn’t going to cut it.
BEARS
Williams did not look great for CHI. With so many weapons, more was expected, even being his first NFL game. He threw for 93 yards on 29 attempts. I am not panicking on him yet, I will chalk this up to growing pains.
Swift got stuffed by the TEN defense. Not much else to say. Gotta see him play another game before I take a stance.
Moore and Allen saw plenty of action and targets but couldn’t do much due to inaccurate throws and a solid defense. Better days are ahead for them. Odunze got hurt during the game and wasn’t a factor anyway. Keep an eye on his status, but for now, he’s the odd man out, even if he does play. Allen and Moore are the clear alphas.
Kmet was a non-factor for CHI, probably because they needed him to block. Until the offense figures itself out, I am avoiding Kmet.
New England @ Cincinnati
In the upset of the week, NE took down the hea
vily favored Bengals. Honestly, it just looked like the Patriots wanted it more. Both sides of the ball seemed to be playing with more intensity. The Bengals made a lot of dumb mistakes. I predict a bounceback against KC, at least from a fantasy point of view.
BENGALS
The Bengals didn’t do squat but I am not super worried about Burrow. There is a video spreading about how his wrist isn’t right so this is concerning if true but not real proof this is accurate but I’ll be following the story closely.
The Bengals only ran the ball 16 times, with Moss getting 9 of those carries. It looked like a 70/30 split between him and Brown, though I’m not sure about the exact snap count. Moss was more involved, scored the TD, and looked sharp doing it. I’m on the Moss bandwagon until we hit a speed bump. My notes literally say “Moss > Brown,” but I might be too bullish. Brown has the talent to have a big game, so I’m not counting him out.
Chase led the receivers with 6 catches and shared the team lead in targets (6) with Iosivas. Chase is elite and should be treated as such moving forward. When Higgins doesn’t play, Iosivas appears to benefit from the vacated targets.
Gesicki is still Gesicki. Even the announcers pointed out that he looks good, but he just doesn’t get a ton of passes thrown his way. He split time at TE with Hudson, which doesn’t help his case. From the eye test, Gesicki seems capable of having a big game, but on paper, it looks doubtful. Interestingly, both TEs had a good shot at a TD, so the box score could’ve told a different story. It’s clear that CIN wants to get them involved.
Patriots
Brissett was serviceable from a team perspective but unserviceable for fantasy purposes. I’m sticking with 0 shares of him moving forward.
I was high on Stevenson coming into this year, and after this game, I’m even more confident. He looked great and was heavily involved in the offense. The only concern is the NE offensive line, which didn’t always hold up, forcing Stevenson to break more tackles than he should have. Keep an eye on their line play. Gibson got some action but not enough to warrant fantasy consideration at this point.
My notes say avoid all NE wide receivers. Pretty much what it said last year. If I had to choose one to play, it would be Douglas. That’s not saying much, trust me.
Hooper had a surprisingly better game than Henry, which I didn’t expect. While this doesn’t make Hooper a viable fantasy option for me, it does mean I’m avoiding Henry for now. The offense as a whole looked rough, outside of Stevenson, so there’s not much else to get excited about here.
Houston @ Indianapolis
The BIG story of this game is the new turf in the Colt’s stadium. Both teams were slipping and it impacted the game in a negative way. Unfortunately from a fantasy perspective, you don’t know who will slip and when. Some plays were fine, some weren’t. So you can’t necessarily fade someone because of it. Now if you have a tie between two players in your rankings and one is playing in INDY, I’d go with the other player.
I also couldn’t tell if the HOU D was pretty good or IND offensive line was bad. Something was out of rhythm for INDY though, that’s for sure. They hung in the game but probably shouldn’t have. This is why though you’ll want a piece of INDY every week as long as Richardson is the QB.
TEXANS
Stroud was solid, nothing important to note.
Mixon looked great and is the clear workhorse for the team. Pierce is the #2 but has no fantasy value right now.
Man, what a receiving corps this team has! Diggs stole the fantasy spotlight with 2 TDs, but Collins led the team in receiving and made a great catch on an underthrown ball. Dell, despite his size, was impressive too—small but mighty. Moving forward, my preference for shares is 1. Collins, 2. Diggs, 3. Dell. Three legit weapons.
Schultz is a solid TE and would likely see more targets on most other teams, but in this game, he seemed to be the fourth option in the passing game. He’ll probably have some good fantasy outings, but as long as everyone stays healthy, it’s going to be tough to predict when those games will happen
COLTS
Richardson is a freak of nature, and in some ways, he might even be more athletic than Jackson—an impressive feat. He showed off that cannon arm with a throw off his back foot to Pierce, but his playing style makes me worry about his longevity for the season. He’s also a bit inconsistent, missing a few wide-open guys and making some questionable decisions. That said, he can erase all of that with one massive play. He’s definitely fun to watch, but he’s a rollercoaster for fantasy.
Taylor was the only back for the Colts to get a touch, so it’s clearly his backfield, as expected. However, the offense revolves around Richardson, meaning Taylor’s production will likely have its ups and downs depending on game flow. While Taylor will still get his opportunities, Richardson’s presence adds an unpredictable element to his fantasy value for such an expensive price.
Alex Pierce had a standout game with 3 catches for 125 yards and a TD, showing his knack for running go routes. He’s definitely a spike/dud type of player. Pittman was Richardson’s favorite target but had limited production. Mitchell showcased his speed and potential, though he only had one catch and missed a likely TD due to a misconnection with Richardson. With Downs still out, this WR room is talented but will be tricky to predict in terms of consistency.
The IND TEs were missing in action, literally, barely saw them.
Jacksonville @ Miami
JAGUARS
Lawrence wasn’t spectacular but we pretty much know who he is at this point, nothing new. He’ll have his games, but also will be run of the mill.
Etienne and Bigsby had a surprisingly even split in touches, with Bigsby showing noticeable improvement from last year. This could lead to a 50/50 split moving forward. Etienne had a TD and remains the preferred option to roster, depending on cost, but his fumble on the 3-yard line might leave a bad impression with coaches and fantasy managers. This backfield will definitely be one to watch closely.
The rookie Thomas Jr (BTJ), had a good first game, scoring a TD on 4 receptions. The TD catch was a nice one! Basically Davis, Kirk, and Davis split the targets fairly evenly. Considering Kirk was priced much higher than the others, this is cause for concern for him. Let’s see how next week plays out.
Engram had a rough outing, but he could become a nice play if a WR gets injured. Keep an eye on the team’s injury updates to gauge his potential value.
DOLPHINS
Tagovailoa put up 338 yards but only managed 1 TD. He did miss some relatively easy throws, though that’s been a common theme across QBs in week 1, with Mayfield being a notable exception. Given his above-average talent and exceptional weapons, he’s definitely a quarterback I’ll keep in play moving forward.
Achane and Mostert both got hurt in the game, but Achane was more involved and productive before the injuries. When everyone’s healthy, Achane looks like the back to start, showing his dynamic playmaking ability. He had 7 catches for 76 yards in this game. With Wilson Jr. potentially in for week 2, he could be a sleeper, coming in fresh this year.
Not much to say about Hill and Waddle, except yes. Yes, they are awesome. Yes, you play them.
The sleeper play of Smith at TE didn’t pan out. If Achane is out, maybe the TEs will get more looks, but right now, they don’t seem to be a significant part of the offense.
Carolina @ New Orleans
PANTHERS
CAR had a rough outing. Young struggled significantly, which might be a more pronounced reaction than warranted for just week 1. Young had one of the worst interceptions of the weekend. It was BAD.
Sanders and Hubbard split time in the backfield, with Boone also getting a few touches. The blowout early on made it tough to gauge the situation clearly, but for now, the entire offense feels risky.
The receivers—Thielen, Mingo, Legette, and Johnson—were all involved, but none made a significant impact.
Sanders at TE was similarly uninvolved, matching the team’s overall performance.
SAINTS
Carr looked great, and I don’t know if I’ll ever type that again, but I can for week 1. I didn’t see it coming.
Because it was a blowout, hard to tell what the real backfield dynamic is but Kamara and Williams split time, with Hill getting some action too. Kamara looked ready to go and age didn’t seem to be a factor in his game so I look for him to provide fantasy owners some upside.
Shaheed had his signature big play with a long TD, while Olave was quieter. Given the matchup, I’d give Olave the benefit of the doubt for now. Both Shaheed and Olave are the main WRs to focus on.
The TEs, Johnson and Moreau, both found the end zone. They seem to be splitting targets, which aligns with NO’s tendency to use multiple TEs. Keep an eye on their usage for future matchups.
I don’t know where you want to list him, but Taysom Hill was involved throughout the game all over the field, so he is definitely in the fantasy mix again this year.
Las Vegas @ Los Angeles Chargers
This was a closer game than the score suggests (Chargers 22 – Raiders 10). Raiders were only down 6 with 7:15 to go in the 4th. They ended up punting on 4th and 1 on the Chargers 45.
RAIDERS
Minshew was ok, nothing spectacular, struggling against a notably improved Chargers defense.
White had the bulk of the carries with 13 to Mattison’s 5, but Mattison’s involvement in the passing game and a TD keeps the backfield split on the table. The dynamic between White and Mattison is worth monitoring, as it might be closer than anticipated.
Adams saw limited action with just 6 targets, which echoes some of last year’s issues. While it’s unlikely this trend will persist, his DFS price might drop, making him a potential value pick. Meyers had a strong performance and continues to be a solid, underrated #2 WR. Tucker wasn’t too involved but he reminds me of Dell a bit…small, quick, and shifty. He obviously isn’t to Dell’s level but if the Raiders are smart, they’ll figure out a way to get him the ball more.
Bowers impressed as a rookie TE, leading the team with 6 catches. If he can translate his college success into the NFL, he could become an elite TE in the future.
CHARGERS
Herbert’s performance was underwhelming with just 144 passing yards, largely due to the game flow favoring a strong defense and a heavy reliance on the running game.
Dobbins made a notable debut with a spectacular 61-yard run, showcasing his ability despite being caught from behind. He outperformed Edwards and would benefit from a larger share of the carries. A 75/25 split in favor of Dobbins seems justified given his performance but we’ll see what the coaches do, as they split it 50/50 in this game. On another note, I thought their o-line looked pretty good.
McConkey had an impressive debut with 5 receptions and a TD, standing out more than Palmer, who didn’t deliver as the WR1 many expected. The receiving corps seems to be a three-headed monster with McConkey, Johnston, and Palmer. Johnston showed improvement over his rookie year despite a few mistakes. Palmer had a pretty bad endzone drop.
Hurst saw more action than Dissly at TE, but neither did enough to spark significant fantasy interest.
Denver @ Seattle
BRONCOS
Rookie Bo Nix didn’t impress in this game, whether you look at the box score or the game film. That said, I do like his skillset. I saw some glimmer of hope in his arm and legs. With the right coaching—and he’s got that in place—he has the potential to develop into a solid NFL quarterback. It might take some time, though. Playing in Seattle, with the 12th man, is a tough challenge for any QB, let alone a rookie. I believe he’ll improve over the season, but I’m not expecting any major strides in the next few games.
None of the Denver RBs really stood out, but McLaughlin got much more work than I expected. He was more active in the passing game than Williams and even had two more carries. Estime made a brief appearance and looked solid with his two carries. This backfield feels like it’s going to be a hot-hand situation, making it tough to predict week to week. If I had to pick a RB to play right now, it’d probably be McLaughlin, especially in PPR formats. That said, I have a decent investment in Williams this year, so watching this game wasn’t exactly encouraging.
10 different players caught a pass for DEN. Sutton had the most targets with 12, but only caught 4. The rookie Vele led the team with 8 receptions, and Reynolds was the top yardage earner with 45. Sutton, who had 12 targets, only caught 4, with several being uncatchable. Sutton remains the clear #1, Reynolds is the #2, and Vele is the #3/dump-off option, which holds some fantasy value in this offense. Mims and Franklin were notably absent, leaving me concerned about Mims. While I’m not completely giving up on him, he’s not making it into my fantasy lineups right now.
It’s worth noting that DEN had two safeties.
SEAHAWKS
Smith’s on the decline as a QB. He’s solid enough in real life to keep Seahawks fans happy, but as a fantasy owner, you’ll want to pick your spots. With a top-notch group of wide receivers, there’s still potential for him to put up decent numbers when the matchup is right.
Walker III looked fantastic in this game, but of course, he got hurt in the 4th quarter. My fantasy teams were not happy campers since Charbonnet ended up scoring a TD. Walker III probably should’ve had two touchdowns, but one was called back due to holding. When he’s healthy, Walker III is going to be a huge asset for fantasy owners this year. Charbonnet was a bit inefficient with his carries, but at least he found the end zone through the air in this game.
DEN’s top corner did a great job shutting down Metcalf, which was a key factor in his quiet game. Lockett, on the other hand, turned back the clock and led the team in receiving yards. Smith-Njigba didn’t quite live up to the breakout expectations some of us had for him this season. But don’t worry—better days are ahead for both Metcalf and JSN.
Fant got hurt in this game but didn’t really do much prior to the injury.
Dallas @ Cleveland
COWBOYS
Dak was pretty much a game manager in this game since CLE has a stout defense, and their offense was sputtering. This may be one of the Dak’s quietest games of the year.
Zeke scored in his return to the Dallas lineup. He and Dowdle spilt RB duties with Zeke having a slightly more prominent role. If I had to choose, I am playing Zeke over Dowdle until I see something that changes my mind. I am basing this off their stubbornness of just trying to get Zeke the ball, for better or worse.
Lamb had a relatively quiet game, but there’s no reason for concern there. Cooks showed he’s still got it, scoring a touchdown and demonstrating some impressive speed during the game. As for the #3 WR spot in Dallas, Tolbert is currently holding the role, but with minimal opportunities, he’s a fade for now.
Furguson is another TE who got hurt in week 1. Keep an eye on his status.
BROWNS
I said it last year, and I’ll say it again: Watson should not be a starting QB in the NFL. That’s all I’ll say about that.
Ford led the backfield and is a decent fantasy option. He also brought in 6 catches which was nice to see. However, as long as the passing game struggles, he might not find much running room. That said, he could be one of the few Browns worth considering for fantasy thanks to his ability to catch balls out of the backfield.
Cooper, the clear #1 WR, struggled to connect with Watson. Jeudy, as the #2, outperformed him. Given Dallas’s strong defense, maybe I’m being too harsh, but I’m avoiding all CLE WRs while Watson is the QB.
Njoku is also another TE who got injured week 1. He’s a talented TE with speed, hands, and power, but it’s tough to invest in him with Watson as the passer.
Washington @ Tampa Bay
COMMANDERS
Daniels’ rookie debut wasn’t anything to write home about, but it also wasn’t a disaster. I was actually impressed with his ability to keep up with the speed of the NFL. He’ll improve as the season goes on, but I’m holding off on plugging him into any fantasy lineups for now.
Robinson’s performance for Washington might fly under the radar since they got blown out, but I was pleasantly surprised. He looked quicker than last year, which is a great sign for a guy not known for his speed. He also showed some nice versatility with a few solid catches and runs. Ekeler got in there too, with 4 catches for 52 yards. Both of them will continue to be factors, but Robinson definitely moved up in my rankings after this game.
As for the Commanders’ WRs, it was a disappointment. McCaffrey posted the best line with just 3 receptions for 18 yards, and McLaurin only saw 4 targets, hauling in 2 catches. I expect things to get better as Daniels progresses, but McLaurin’s floor and ceiling this year worry me.
Ertz was the starting TE, and the only one worth considering for fantasy. He was involved enough in the offense to be a viable option moving forward.
BUCCANEERS
Mayfield is leading the MVP race after Week 1 with 289 yards and 4 touchdowns! He looked phenomenal out there, but let’s not get too carried away—the Commanders’ defense was terrible. This probably won’t be a weekly occurrence for Mayfield, but at least we’ve seen what his ceiling looks like.
White led the backfield in touches, but Irving was more productive with his carries. However, White was put in tougher spots and used more in the passing game. I see this being a 75/25 split in most games. I’m not concerned about starting White, but there might be situations where Irving is worth a look. He definitely backed up his pre-season hype in this one.
This receiving corps is pretty clear-cut. Evans is the #1, Godwin is the #2, and both are solid fantasy assets. McMillan and Palmer saw some action as the #3, but unless Evans or Godwin gets injured, I’d steer clear of either for fantasy purposes.
Otton didn’t pick up where he left off last season as one of Baker’s go-to targets. In this game, he was more of an afterthought. He’ll probably snag a couple of TDs this season, but right now, he’s too risky to trust in fantasy lineups.
Los Angeles Rams @ Detroit
Good game that went to OT. Both defenses played well, especially considering the weapons on each side. The Rams really should have won because they dropped a gift-wrapped interception late in the 4th quarter. Tough break, but that’s football!
RAMS
Stafford threw the ball 49 times for 317 yards. Nacua got hurt during the game but Stafford knows how to find his targets. I have no concerns with Stafford missing Nacua.
Williams dominated the backfield, getting most of the carries and finding the end zone, continuing his role from last year. Rivers stepped in as his backup, not Corum, which shows the team isn’t ready to throw the rookie into the mix just yet. Corum might not be playable right now, but he could still have a role later this season.
Rivers, who had injury setbacks last year, is an underrated backup. It’ll be interesting to watch if he can carve out a larger role behind Williams as the season progresses.
With Nacua out for at least the next four games, it’s Kupp’s time to shine once again. He looked solid and there’s no reason to think he won’t be heavily involved—especially after getting targeted a whopping 21 times! Kupp is set to be the focal point of the passing game moving forward.
Tyler Johnson and Robinson filled in as the other WRs, and either one could have fantasy relevance while Nacua is sidelined. Based on his experience and resume, Robinson feels like the safer bet for consistent production. Keep an eye on how the target share shakes out, but Kupp is the clear priority.
Parkinson seems to have emerged as the go-to TE for the Rams. He seems to have earned more trust in the offense, while Allen, with only one target (which he dropped), hasn’t made much of a case for himself. Given the increased opportunity and his involvement, Parkinson could be a sneaky, cheap DFS play in the coming weeks while Nacua is out.
LIONS
Goff played like Goff. Pretty conservative but smart. It was a pretty balanced offense.
Montgomery outpaced Gibbs in carries (17 to 11), but Gibbs saw 6 targets compared to just 1 for Monty. This backfield looks like a true timeshare, with touches likely depending on game flow and which player has the hot hand. It’ll be tough to predict week to week who gets the ball more. Gibbs is one of the most dynamic players in the game but Montgomery is no slouch.
Williams had a breakout game for the Lions with 9 targets, 5 catches, 121 yards, and a TD, while St. Brown had a quieter outing. This likely won’t be the norm, but it’s clear Williams has emerged as a serious threat and won’t be overlooked like last year. The Lions now have a dynamic one-two punch at WR. No other wide receiver caught a pass in this game.
LaPorta is a talented TE on a great offense, but with so many playmakers, his involvement might be inconsistent. He’ll have his big games, but those will likely depend on matchups and game flow.
New York Jets @ San Francisco
JETS
It was nice to see Rodgers back in the saddle but unfortunately for him, he faced a tough 49ers defense. Smartly, the team pulled him in the 4th quarter with the game out of reach to protect his health. Moving forward, I’m not concerned about playing Rodgers in fantasy.
Hall didn’t do much on the ground but still put up a respectable fantasy line. He’s easily a top 3 back in the league right now.
Lazard surprisingly led the team in receiving yards and snagged two touchdowns. His chemistry with Rodgers is undeniable. No need to panic about Wilson either—he had 11 targets and is clearly a focal point. I expected to see some Gibson in this game, but that didn’t happen. For now, it looks like the Wilson and Lazard show for the Jets.
Conklin was a dud with just one catch for 9 yards. While he could bounce back in a Rodgers-led offense, his low floor and low ceiling make him tough to rely on for fantasy.
49ERS
Purdy didn’t throw for any TDs, but he didn’t need to. Moody’s leg, the ground game, and the defense gave the team all the firepower they needed to secure the win. Purdy managed the game well, but it was clear the 49ers didn’t have to rely on his arm to get it done this time around.
In McCaffrey’s absence, the team didn’t miss a beat with Mason stepping in at RB. Honestly, it’s complete BS that we didn’t find out about CMC being out until Monday, when they probably knew a few days earlier. Anyway, Mason looked fantastic out there!
Deebo split his time between RB and WR, being a huge part of the offense. Aiyuk was quiet, still working his way back into game shape after his holdout. Jennings looked great as the #3 WR, but he got dinged up, so watch his status. When Deebo shifts to RB, Jennings becomes a sneaky fantasy play.
As for Kittle, he hasn’t missed a beat—still the hardest-working TE in the league!
Good luck in week 2!
