Week 1 was weird. Every NFL week is strange in a vacuum, but Week 1's singularity and newness make it stand out. 

Still, Week 1 was weird. 

Teams averaged 186 passing yards per game, down from 220 in 2023. And we cannot even blame it all on Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman, though Justin Herbert's 144 yards were the third lowest of his career and a realization of the worst fever dreams of Ladd McConkey dynasty rookie drafters. 

Defenses are traditionally ahead of offenses early in the season. But if you had the pleasure of mainlining 7 hours of commercial-free football direct from Scott Hanson, you know this felt different. Rushing was up marginally, about nine yards per game, and the kickoff position was better, with the new “dynamic kickoff” moving the starting position up about five yards.

So what is going on?

My cohost Matt Waldman and I discussed the impact of "2 High" safety coverage throughout the 2023 season. Matt has especially espoused the return of power run game schemes. That may be some of the change.

We are in a transitional period. Football is a constant push/pull sport. Offenses exploded in the early 2000s, led by the Rams' “Greatest Show On Turf.” Spread concepts migrated throughout the sport, permeating college and high school offenses especially, with the NFL figuring out which elements to apply. Explosives and splash plays became what every offense hunted. Almost every team transitioned to base three wide receiver sets.

Defenses were flat-footed.

Longtime NFL fans remember big-run specialist players like Gilbert Brown, Jerry Ball, and Ted Washington, thumper linebackers like Levon Kirkland or Brandon Spikes, and run-supporting box safeties like Steve Atwater. All became extinct. 

Defenders had to play in space. Retraining life-long skills is very difficult. Eventually, players who had spent their lives playing against these spread schemes came of age. Linebackers who had operated in space against thousands of pass reps came of age. Specialized hybrid defensive backs with safety, corner, and linebacker skills replaced nickel cornerbacks, who traditionally ended up at nickel simply because they could not cover outside. Defensive lines trimmed down and became pass-rushing specialists. 

It is not just defenses placing two safeties deep and choking off the vertical passing game that plays a part. It is also the development of players comfortable in space underneath and pass rushes capable of eliminating time to let plays develop downfield. All play a part.

So what is next?

Some teams are in trouble. The Giants and Panthers look radioactive to any fantasy relevance. The Broncos cannot push the ball downfield at all. The Commanders have a lot of work to do with Jayden Daniels in the passing game. Deshaun Watson looks like he would rather be anywhere else. The Jaguars cannot protect Trevor Lawrence. The Bengals need to figure out you have to pay your best players. The Titans are going to have some serious Will Levis growing pains. The Patriots have gone from a Tom Brady - Bill Belichick team capable of winning in any style to one that requires a specific game script. The Falcons must figure out how to play with an immobile quarterback, or Kirk Cousins must recover fast. 

Even though they lost, the Ravens may be the most exciting team in counterbalancing current trends. Previous versions were hyper-focused on power running, with Lamar Jackson's ability to break plays, make defenses pay for losing contain outside, and extend to open receivers deep. Derrick Henry's arrival dominated the offseason storylines, but Week 1 was about the emergence of Isaiah Likely. Likely is the tweener player who would have struggled in previous generations. Not big enough to handle traditional tight-end duties against bigger defenders not quick enough to win outside. Now, he is the type offenses are hunting, with the size to give defensive backs problems and the skill to stress linebackers in coverage downfield. The Ravens focused heavily on the quick passing game, allowing Zay Flowers and Justice Hill the opportunity to create after the catch. Those types of plays have come to stand in for run attempts that used to serve to soften a defense. As the defense starts to work up anticipating those plays, a player with the skillset of Likely can occupy the vertical space. 

And yes, they lost. The Chiefs are a very, very good football team. 

The NFL is a punch-and-counter-punch league. Offenses will reset and bounce back—well, every offense except the Giants and Panthers. The only silver lining is that they have only 16 games left.

I want to recognize the work done by Nathan Jahnke at PFF. He posts snap information quicker than anyone in the industry; without his work, much of the context for this article would not be possible. Please check it out!

And now, The Roundup.

Blind Resume

Home run receivers hit home runs in Week 1. Can you place this production?

Deep Dynasty Watch List

Identifying players rostered in less than 50% of Sleeper Dynasty leagues (give or take).

• QB Malik Willis, Green Bay (17% Sleeper rostered) - Fortunately, Jordan Love avoided long-term injury at the end of Friday night's NFL on Ice in Brazil. Willis gets his last best opportunity in his absence. Unless…

• QB Ryan Tannehill, Unemployed (19% Sleeper rostered)—Rumors came quickly on Saturday that the Packers were in contact with Tannehill. Tannehill and Packers head coach Matt LaFleur missed each other by a year in Tennessee, with LaFleur serving as Titans OC in 2018 and Tannehill arriving in 2019. Honestly, I looked through the Packers coaching staff for a tie to Tannehill because that makes the easy narrative connection, but there are no direct ties. The Packers' passing game coordinator is even Jason Vrable, spelled differently than Tannehill's former Titans coach Mike Vrabel. Still, in the short term, Tannehill likely comforts the staff more than Willis, who arrived late in camp. 

• WR Tyler Johnson, LA Rams (0% Sleeper rostered) / WR Jordan Whittington (71% rostered) - Puka Nacua's preseason knee injury came back quickly in Week 1. He tried to return before being carted off. Nacua is a warrior who will try to play through anything, but the team should be cautious. Dynasty brain will say Whittington, and he will surely lead some waiver columns, but Johnson routinely repped above him when Nacua was out in the preseason. Sean McVay wants to set base personnel and prevent defenses from matching substitutions. Johnson is the more relevant pickup at present. 

• RB Jeff Wilson Jr., Miami (17% Sleeper rostered) / RB Jaylen Wright (96% rostered) - Raheem Mostert earned more leash in 2023 than just one poor game. At 32 years old, Father Time is undefeated. Wilson was active over Wright due to special teams, but he was also the only back to have much success on the ground. Mike McDaniel is a mad scientist and will tinker. This offense has shown you want pieces, especially in the backfield. 

• TE Luke Schoonmaker, Dallas (32% Sleeper rostered) / TE Brevyn Spann-Ford (1% Sleeper rostered) - We are holding our breath on injury clarification from Jake Ferguson. The latest speculation is he may have avoided a season-ending injury. In a perfect world, this would be 2023 2nd round pick Schoonmaker's opportunity to showcase his ability and build depth for the team. It was a blowout, but Schoonmaker and Spann-Ford split snaps equally without drawing a target. Schoonmaker is likely rostered already in deep leagues, given his draft capital, but Spann-Ford can make this a competition. 

• TE Jordan Akins, Cleveland (2% Sleeper rostered) - Early indications show David Njoku with the dreaded high ankle sprain. Akins is the only other tight end who made the final roster. Akins has a history with Deshaun Watson and posted a couple of 400-yard seasons in Houston. He could dominate snaps if Njoku misses time. The ceiling is low, but in deep leagues, a tight end playing near 100% of the snaps is a touchdown-dependent play at worst. 

• WR Devaughn Vele, Denver (52% Sleeper rostered) - Vele is behind Josh Reynolds as the compliment to Courtland Sutton, but both players saw eight targets. Vele is positioned well to grow during his rookie season, and Sean Payton has found success with big-bodied wide receivers. Vele converted on all 8 of his targets, becoming the 11th Denver rookie to catch at least eight balls, with Royce Freeman the last to do it in 2018. Eddie Royal, in 2008, was the only other player to do it in his debut. 

• RB / WR Velus Jones Jr, Chicago (9% Sleeper rostered) - The Bears defense and special teams were the engine in their comeback win against the Titans. The offense has a lot of work to do. Jones was a pet project through the offseason, earning showcase time on Hard Knocks. The lack of success is the type of thing that will keep the team hunting for answers. Jones' speed and explosiveness are undeniable, and the team is trying to find a way to implement him offensively. He is a handcuff at best, but if D'Andre Swift misses time, he can be a rare wide receiver-eligible player who sees regular rushing work. 

• WR Ray-Ray McCloud III, Atlanta (31% Sleeper rostered) - The Falcons are one of the more disappointing teams from Week 1. Kirk Cousin's mobility is a problem. McCloud could be the biggest beneficiary as the wide receiver is best suited to operate in the quick game and screen usage. He has consistently been a strong performer since arriving and made a play down the field while leading the team with six targets. McCloud has a chance to emerge as a consistent PPR performer in an offense searching for footing. 

Stats Of The Week

• WR Xavier Worthy, Kansas City - 21 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, 47 receiving yards, one receiving touchdown. Worthy became the 8th rookie to rush for a touchdown and catch a touchdown pass in his NFL debut. In total, 188 rookies have accomplished this double in a game. Worthy is especially noteworthy with just three touches. But the Cowboys' Bob Hayes accomplished the double on just two touches in 1965. 

• WR Jayden Reed, Green Bay - 33 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, four receptions, 138 yards, one touchdown. Reed and Marcus Allen are the only players in NFL history to rush for at least 30 yards, score a rushing and receiving touchdown, and top 130 receiving yards on four catches or less. 

• RB Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia - 109 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, two receptions, 23 yards, one touchdown. 24 NFL players have posted two rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown in Week 1 in NFL history. Ten of those players topped 100 rushing yards in the game. No player had done that since 2004. (Interestingly, in 2004, three players did it: Shaun Alexander, Ahman Green, and Quentin Griffin). It turns out that Barkley is still good, and the Eagles have added a new dynamic element.

• RB Joe Mixon, Houston - 30 attempts, 159 rushing yards. Mixon tied his career high with attempts; his yards were his third most. Breece Hall and Jonathan Taylor were the only two backs to hit 30 rush attempts and 150 yards in 2023. This game was the first time a Texan hit those numbers since Arian Foster in 2011. 

• WR Cooper Kupp, LA Rams - 21 targets, 14 receptions, 110 yards, one touchdown. Kupp became the 26th player in NFL history to see 21+ targets in a game. Roddy White in 2010 was the only other player to do it in Week 1. Stories from Rams camp indicated that Kupp was motivated and that “2021 Kupp” was back. They were right. Kupp's depressed ADP is quickly emerging as one of the best values in fantasy drafts. (Stathead.com's target data only goes back to the early 1990s, but going out on a limb and saying offenses before that were not volume-targeting players.) 

• Kick Return percentage: 22%—A historic low kick return rate in 2023 led to implementing the “Dynamic Kickoff.” Unsurprisingly, teams experimented in the preseason, with 70% of kicks returned. So far, the rate in the regular season is much lower, in the mid-30 %, but an increase from 2023 and leading to exciting plays like Arizona's DeeJay Dallas's 96-yard touchdown against the Bills. The play has added intrigue. Mission accomplished.

Backfield Hierarchy

Splitting backfields into key categories based upon snaps and opportunities (rushes plus targets). While carries may be similar, backfields that fall into a Committee with a Lead over a straight Committee saw wide disparities in snap counts.

BELLCOWS

• Arizona (James Conner - 20 touches / Emari Demercado - two touches / Trey Benson - four touches)

• Atlanta (Bijan Robinson - 23 touches / Tyler Allgeier - three touches)

• Buffalo (James Cook - 22 touches / Ray Davis - four touches / Ty Johnson - three touches)

• Cleveland (Jerome Ford - 19 touches / Pierre Strong Jr. - 5 touches / D'Onta Foreman - 0 touches)

• Green Bay (Josh Jacobs - 19 touches / Emanuel Wilson - seven touches)

• Houston (Joe Mixon - 33 touches / Dameon Pierce - three touches / Dare Ogunbowale - one touch)

• Indianapolis (Jonathan Taylor - 16 touches)

• Kansas City (Isiah Pacheco - 18 touches / Samaje Perine - two touches / Carson Steele - two touches)

• LA Rams (Kyren Williams - 21 touches / Ronnie Rivers - 2 touches)

• New England (Rhamondre Stevenson - 28 touches / Antonio Gibson - seven touches)

• NY Giants (Devin Singletary - 15 touches / Tyrone Tracy Jr. - 5 touches / Eric Gray - 3 touches)

• New Orleans (Alvin Kamara - 20 touches / Jamaal Williams - 12 touches / Jordan Mims - 4 touches)

• Philadelphia (Saquon Barkley - 26 touches / Kenneth Gainwell - two touches / Will Shipley - no touches) 

Conner had his third-most receiving yards since the 2021 season with 33 and is on pace for 323 touches, which would have been good for fourth in 2023…Robinson saw a perceived value dip with rumors that Allgeier would split the backfield. Robinson dominated snaps and touches and has overall RB1 in his range with this usage… Cook looked more like a bellow than at any point in a breakout 2023. The coaching staff is usually cautious with rookies, and Davis's involvement will likely increase… The Browns may be the most surprising Bellcow, featuring Ford heavily. It is encouraging in the short term, with an eye on Nick Chubb's timeline. Better days ahead for Cleveland… Jacobs took a while to get his feet under him but was ripping chunk yardage in the second half. Marshawn Lloyd will be back soon, but Jacobs dominated the opportunity.

Mixon picked up where Devin Singletary stood in this offense in 2023 with 30 attempts, tying a career-high. This type of usage in a high-end offense gives Mixon a Top 5 range of outcomes… Taylor was the only back to see touches in Indianapolis, with Anthony Richardson as his compliment. There was no role for Taylor in the passing game, limiting his ceiling and making him a touchdown-dependent player… Pacheco was another player who faced rumors of split backfield usage. It might have been the short lead-up for Perine or a leading game script, but Pacheco owned the backfield in Game 1… We all had the Rams continue using Williams as a bellcow, right? The Lions' run defense is notable and should be an avoid for iffy backs, but this type of usage puts Williams in play to replicate his surprise RB2 per game season from 2023… The Patriots leaned hard on Stevenson in their upset win over Cincinnati. This game script is exactly what New England hopes to accomplish, and Stevenson is the centerpiece.

Rock meet hard place. Singletary owns the backfield in New York, but this offense struggled severely and has a low ceiling… The Saints ran out a massive lead with their backfield depth pieces. Everything was clicking, but in a closer game, Kamara's ceiling was even higher… Barkley showed how innovative teams adapt to their personnel. Swift had one 24 carry / 2 target game for the Eagles in 2023, and Sanders had one in 2022 and one in 2021. Barkley did it in his debut. 

COMMITTEE WITH A LEAD

• Chicago (D'Andre Swift - 11 touches / Travis Homer - two touches / Khalil Herbert - two touches / Velus Jones - three touches)

• Cincinnati (Zack Moss - 13 touches / Chase Brown - six touches)

• Dallas (Ezekiel Elliott - 12 touches / Rico Dowdle - 9 touches / Deuce Vaughn - 1 touch)

• Miami (De'Von Achane - 17 touches / Raheem Mostert - 9 touches / Jeff Wilson - 5 touches)

• Minnesota (Aaron Jones - 16 touches / Ty Chandler - 11 touches)

• Pittsburgh (Najee Harris - 22 touches / Jaylen Warren - 4 touches / Cordarrelle Patterson - 4 touches)

• Seattle (Kenneth Walker - 23 touches / Zach Charbonnet - 11 touches)

• Tampa Bay (Rachaad White - 20 touches / Bucky Irving - 12 touches)

• Tennessee (Tony Pollard - 20 touches / Tyjae Spears - 8 touches)

• Washington (Brian Robinson - 17 touches / Austin Ekeler - 6 touches)

The Bears ran four different backs, which does not factor in Roschon Johnson as a healthy scratch. Swift is the leader here, but that may not say much with this varied usage… Cincinnati struggled to get much working without Tee Higgins and with Ja'Marr Chase limited. Moss outpaced Brown 2 to 1 and saved his day with a goal-line opportunity… Elliott got the money work in Dallas, converting a touchdown in the Cowboys' blowout win. This offense runs through the passing game, and neither Elliott nor Dowdle was involved… Miami probably belongs in “True Committee” territory, as Achane and Mostert split opportunities. However, Mostert showed his age much more than at points in 2023, and the overall lack of rush success could lead to trying more with Achane… The Vikings look set up to give Jones two series, then Chandler one. That pattern continued through the game. If one of the two players misses time, the other projects significantly increase value.

The Steelers' split was one of the more unexpected of the day. The light touches for Warren could be due to his preseason injury or to Justin Fields at quarterback, but he cannot play in fantasy lineups in Week 2… Walker dominated early work for Seattle but picked up an injury, and the game was out of hand, allowing Charbonnet to get involved. A healthy Walker in a tight game is in Bellcow territory… I have a hunch the Buccaneers' usage trends are closer to bell-cow with White, but Irving has generated positive buzz and ran hard in closing out a big lead… Pollard outpaced Spears. Preseason usage indicated this, but coach speak suggested closer to an even split. Spears is currently a handcuff… Robinson dominated rushing attempts in Washington, but Ekeler was equal through snaps and passing game work. Passing game work equality is a death sentence for Ekeler. He is only a handcuff.  

TRUE COMMITTEES

• Baltimore ( Derrick Henry - 18 touches / Justice Hill - 9 touches)

• Carolina (Miles Sanders - 7 touches / Chuba Hubbard - 6 touches / Mike Boone 4 touches)

• Denver (Jaleel McLaughlin - 15 touches / Javonte Williams - 10 touches)

• Detroit (David Montgomery - 18 touches / Jahmyr Gibbs - 17 touches)

• Jacksonville (Travis Etienne - 15 touches / Tank Bigsby - 12 touches)

• Las Vegas (Zamir White - 15 touches / Alexander Mattison - 11 touches)

• LA Chargers (J.K. Dobbins - 13 touches / Gus Edwards - 12 touches)

Hill outpaced Henry in snaps, but Henry had a stranglehold on rush attempts. This looks like a clear run / pass split… Hubbard started, but the Panthers offense was ineffective, and he ceded time to Sanders. Week 1 was the type of performance to send a team back to the drawing board; this could break any direction… The Broncos suggested heavy usage for Williams, but McLaughlin emerged over him. The team struggled to push the ball down the field, and a receiving back is important… The Lions continued their very effective running back rotation. Both Montgomery and Gibbs are starting players. Both possess elite upside if the other is out of the lineup. 

The Jaguars experienced Bizzaro 2023 Week 1. Last year, Bigsby fumbled a valuable possession and allowed the Colts to hang around. That led to his relegation out of the offense. In 2024, Etienne fumbled, heading in for a score that could have iced the game. Etienne won't fall out of the offense, but Bigsby is much improved… This game was the worst-case scenario for White drafters. Mattison dominated the pass game reps, and White was relegated to run-downs. White is a low-ceiling, touchdown-dependent play… Dobbins is a more explosive player than Edwards. He showcased in Week 1. His health is the only impediment to claiming a feature-back role. 

The Target Report

• Likely's impact was discussed initially, but nothing about his performance felt like a flash in the pan. Lamar Jackson trusts him, targeting him multiple times in the end zone at the end of the game. Flowers was heavily involved, a very positive sign. He was a defensive pass interference, with 17 Ronnie Stanley procedure penalties and Jackson missing him high open in the end zone away from a monster game. Those will come. 

• We all knew Rice was a screaming draft value once confidence that he would likely avoid suspension started to rise. Early returns suggest that an ADP that rose to Round 3 was still a value. Rice picked up right where he left off in 2023, serving as the volume piece for Patrick Mahomes. He should be valued as a Top 10, if not a Top 5 fantasy wide receiver. 

• Reed experienced some negative sentiment about a limited slot role during the preseason. It turns out that was correct. But it also turns out it does not matter. Reed was limited to three wide receiver sets, but the Packers played three-receiver sets much more often. He also showed the ability to score from anywhere. We should focus more on who gets the ball and what they can do with it and less on who is run-blocking. Reed believers are getting early rewards.

• Dortch made the report, but Marvin Harrison Jr. did not. Dortch and Trey McBride were the volume pieces, as the Bills limited Harrison's opportunities to win downfield. This is one of the biggest concerns coming out of the week. Harrison was open and missed, and he will win downfield, but if the Cardinals are not dedicated to involving him in the short and intermediate passing game, he has no chance to live up to an aggressive preseason ADP.

• On the bright side, Coleman was the Bills' leading receiver as a rookie. He even had more yards than Xavier Worthy! But the whole picture for Bills receivers is troubling. Josh Allen played efficiently and supported his elite fantasy standing with two rushing touchdowns. But Joe Brady's offense spread the targets around, and Dalton Kincaid was particularly disappointing. Allen has grown dramatically as the type of player who hyper-targeted Stefon Diggs, likely gone forever. However, in this instance, better quarterback play may not be good if the offense involves nine different targets. 

• Pickens is either the first receiver to survive Arthur Smith or the beneficiary of Justin Fields, who is still in the hyper-targeting phase of his development. Either way, he had an encouraging performance in an offense that otherwise got little going. Pickens currently looks to have the number one receiver volume and the big play ability to combine and be a fantasy star. Pickens is a trade target in Dynasty. 

• Hopkins is a warrior who is going to give all he can. The news he is playing through a torn MCL was concerning. Seeing him a distant fourth in snaps behind Calvin Ridley, Treylon Burks, and Tyler Boyd is worse. Hopkins is more name value and feels like a player who wants to end on his terms. Trade him for what you can get. 

• Allen is another veteran battling injuries. His 11 targets are inspiring, but everything else is not. The Bears' offense struggled severely and was bailed out by special teams, defense, and Will Levis. One would think they need to focus on featuring DJ Moore and Rome Odunze sooner rather than later at the expense of Allen. 

• Osborn was the leading Patriots receiver with six targets, three catches, and 21 yards. Rhamondre Stevenson here. Nothing else. Hopefully, we can see Drake Maye work with young receivers like Ja'Lynn Polk and Demario Douglas at some point this year. But right now, the team seems content playing ball control with Jacoby Brissett and too many receivers. One of the best lessons in fantasy is learning that sometimes there just is not a fantasy-receiving option.

• Chase was on a pitch count. Kind of. He still led the team in targets and was near 85% snap share. The Bengals were the flattest team of the day and looked like they took opening with the Patriots for granted. Culture is often one of the biggest reasons for success in the NFL. A team with two stars upset about their contracts and a locker room that does not have those guys is a nightmare. 

• The Texans trio presented the best outcome possible. Collins, Dell, and Diggs were all involved. Collins made multiple big plays downfield. Diggs was used in an underneath role and scored twice. Dell was quieter. There are likely few scenarios where all three go off, but there is little reason to be concerned with Dell unless he is the clear low man for multiple weeks in a string. 

• Pittman presents fun with analyzing ratios. He posted a “dominant” 42% target share, but it did not matter. The Colts' game plan or answer for dealing with potential accuracy issues for Anthony Richardson looks to be hammering the run game with Richardson and Johnathan Taylor and softening up defenses for vertical shot plays. Pittman is not likely to get a lot of vertical shot plays. It is hard to imagine a volume-dependent player succeeding in an offense that wants to avoid throwing 20 passes.  

• The Jaguars played like a Sun Belt team that jumped out to a surprise 17-7 lead against an SEC team and attempted to kill 40 minutes of game time. For those unfamiliar with college football, that strategy rarely ends well. Protecting Lawrence was an issue in 2023; it looks like it will be again in 2024. Thomas looked strong in his debut, and a touchdown made his week, but if the Jaguars are going to turtle up because they know they can't protect Lawrence, passing volume with Evan Engram, Christian Kirk, and Gabe Davis as potential targets is going to be a consistent issue.

• Tyreek Hill did Tyreek Hill things. 

• At least we do not have to worry about Olave's unrealized air yards. The good news is that he was not solely a downfield option for Derek Carr to miss. The bad: two catches and 11 yards. It is hard to criticize the Saints for a 47-10 win they dominated from the start. An offense content with spreading the ball or Olave and Carr still not on the same page is concerning. It is worth chalking Week 1 up to the game script. 

• When do 12 targets not matter? With Daniel Jones. Robinson realized the hopes of all his believers, handling massive volume. The reward was 10.4 PPR points. Unless something changes with Jones quickly, every Giants fantasy option is in trouble. 

• Jefferson did Jefferson things. His volume was down in a contest that was not close. Jordan Addison left with an injury. Sam Darnold looked competent enough to believe Jefferson's ceiling was still intact. 

•  Bowers had eight targets, Adams six. Hmm. Bowers was precisely what people who ignored the narratives about his volume had hoped. He is on pace for 102 receptions and 986 yards. A quiet game from Adams in a trailing game script and weak corner matchup is concerning. Bowers and Jakobi Meyers are talented enough to be involved; meanwhile, Gardner Minshew is not talented enough to give Adams a volume role if they are. 

• McConkey's touchdown and 28% target share are good. Justin Herbert's throwing for 144 yards is not. Herbert will have more significant days, but this is precisely how Harbaugh and Roman want to win games. 

• When do 12 targets not matter, part two? With Bo Nix. The Broncos never tried to push the ball downfield. Sutton finishing with 7.8 full PPR points on 12 targets is very disappointing. 

• Lockett missed portions of the preseason and did not play in two receiver sets. So, of course, he led the team in targets, receptions, and yards. The news item here is that Lockett is staying. With Lockett involved at a high level, Jaxon Smith-Njigba's breakout and DK Metcalf's dominance were put on hold. 

• Cooper had nine targets. Nothing else about the Browns' offensive performance was positive. Deshaun Watson needs to get better fast. 

• Lamb had a floor week in a blowout win. It's disappointing for people who took him in their leagues' top two. But better days will come. 

• McLaurin is a Week 1 concern. Jayden Daniels struggled with progressions in the preseason and frequently bailed to scrambling. The Commanders lack other options to divert defensive attention from McLaurin, which feels like trouble. 

• The Commanders' defense is still probably bad. There is plenty of room for Godwin and Evans to be elite fantasy options. This debut was encouraging for new OC Liam Coen's first game. 

• Guess whose back? Cooper Kupp is back. Kupp did Kupp things, with 21 targets, 14 receptions and 110 yards. Hopefully, Puka Nacua will quickly return from his knee injury. But Kupp posting volume like this makes his second or third-round ADP the best pick in fantasy football. The overall fantasy WR1 is back in play.

• With Williams, Sam LaPorta, and Jahmyr Gibbs, is there even room for St. Brown? Williams's breakout game flipped the narrative about his ability to emerge in the offense. Unfortunately, the victim was pretty much everyone else, especially St. Brown. While this performance is encouraging for the offense as a whole, St. Brown's consistent elite volume looks shaky.

The Landmine Lineup

We often focus on “Spike Weeks” in fantasy football. Explosive 30+ point per game performances that win weeks almost single-handedly. Dud lineups that ruin your week are the opposite end of that spectrum. Every week, I will highlight the hypothetical Landmine Lineup. If you have started this lineup, message me, and I will feature your misfortune, and we will find a way to brighten your week!

• QB: Caleb Williams - 7.2 points
• RB: Javonte Williams - 3.3 points
• RB: Raheem Mostert - 3.9 points
• WR: Marvin Harrison Jr. - 1.4 points
• WR: Chris Olave - 3.1 points
• Flex: Drake London - 3.5 points
• TE: Dalton Kincaid - 2.1 points

This ZeroRB build turned into a ZeroPoints build, posting 24.5 full PPR points. It would have lost to any of Isaiah Likely, Jayden Reed, Cooper Kupp, Tyreek Hill, Saquon Barkley, Joe Mixon, Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield, Jayden Daniels, or Anthony Richardson. 

If you started this lineup, send me a message at Bell@Footballguys.com!

Revenge! (Not sponsored by Immaculate Grid, but it could be!)

Week 1

• QB Matthew Stafford, LA Rams vs. Detroit, lost 26-20, 34/49, 317 yards, one touchdown, one interception.

• QB Jared Goff, Detroit vs. LA Rams, won 26-20, 18/28, 217 yards, one touchdown, one interception.

• WR Amari Cooper, Cleveland vs. Dallas, lost 33-17, nine targets, two catches, 16 yards. 

• TE Noah Fant, Seattle vs. Denver, won 26-20, with four targets, two catches, and 11 yards. 

• TE Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati vs. New England, lost 16-10, with four targets, three catches, 18 yards, and one overturned touchdown that broke my heart.

• RB Cordarrelle Patterson, Pittsburgh vs. Atlanta, won 18-10, with four rushes and 13 yards. 

• TE MyCole Pruitt, Pittsburgh vs. Atlanta, win 18-10, two targets, one catch, nine yards. 

• WR Van Jefferson, Pittsburgh vs. Atlanta, won 18-10, with two targets, one catch, and one yard.

• WR Scotty Miller, Pittsburgh vs. Atlanta, win 18-10.

• QB Andy Dalton, Carolina vs. New Orleans, loss 47-10, 0/1 passing.

• RB Jeremy McNichols, Washington vs. Tampa Bay, loss 37-20.

Week 2

• QB Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh vs. Denver

• QB Sam Darnold, Minnesota vs. San Francisco

• WR Brandin Cooks, Dallas vs. New Orleans

• RB Samaje Perine, Kansas City vs. Cincinnati

• WR Mack Hollins, Buffalo vs. Miami

• WR Nelson Agholor, Baltimore vs. Las Vegas

• WR D.J. Chark, LA Chargers vs. Carolina

• WR DeAndre Carter, Chicago vs. Houston

• QB Nick Mullens, Minnesota vs. San Francisco

• QB Joshua Dobbs, San Francisco vs. Minnesota

• RB D'Ernest Johnson, Jacksonville vs. Cleveland

• TE Pharaoh Brown, Seattle vs. New England 

Prospects Of The Week

QB Dillon Gabriel, Oregon
RB Jordan James, Oregon
WR Evan Stewart, Oregon
WR Tez Johnson, Oregon

Oregon vs Oregon St. - 3:30 - FOX

There is no more prominent victim of college football's realignment than Rivalry Week. Historically placed at the end of the season, it gave teams who had experienced disappointing seasons one last opportunity to beat their rival and end strong. It also provided more than a couple of upset stumbles that shifted the national championship picture, most notably in the fabled 2007 season. 

Oregon and Oregon St. finding a way to continue the Civil War is commendable.

Oregon has multiple players with hopes of improving their NFL draft stock. James is a physical runner who played the 1B role to Buccaneers rookie Bucky Irving. Stewart was the number one wide receiver recruit in the 2022 class, including Missouri's Luther Burden, Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan, and Colorado's Travis Hunter, players looking to fill the Top 10 of April's NFL draft. Stewart's career has been quieter; he transferred from Texas A&M hoping to raise his draft stock in a better offense. Meanwhile, Tez Johnson, the adopted brother of the Broncos' Bo Nix, is the holdover from the explosive 2023 Ducks offense. Johnson is a potential possession receiver who could work in the slot at the next level. 

The early college football schedule is light on top-end matchups. This game allows the watching of multiple NFL hopefuls with a bit extra to play against their rivals. 

Blind Resume Answer

Hill and Williams, sure. Reed, yes. And, of course, Alec Pierce.  Pierce's name consistently ran in front of Adonai Mitchell through camp. In 2023, he was the poster child for unrealized production. He only saw three targets but caught them all. Turns out we should have been drafting him in Round 18 in Underdog.

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Deep Players To Watch On Monday Night Football

WR/KR Xavier Gipson, NY Jets
WR/PR Jacob Cowing, San Francisco

Gipson and Cowing represent changes within NFL offenses, leaning towards smaller, quicker receivers capable of creating with the ball in their hands. Gipson was trending toward solidifying the slot role in the Jets offense during the spring, but injuries held him out of portions of the summer. He proved his bonafide in 2023 with a walk-off punt return touchdown to beat Buffalo in Week 1, and his 511 kick return yards were the second most in the NFL. Drafting Malachi Corley and signing Mike Williams further crowded the Jets receiver room, but Gipson is a fun deep league player and a must-roster in return yard formats. 

At 5-8, Cowing is similar to Gipson, although Gipson is built a bit stocker with an additional 20 pounds on his 5'9” frame. Like Gipson, Cowing battled some injuries, and now, with Brandon Aiyuk extended, the 49ers receiver room is much more crowded than New York. However, Ricky Pearsall's scary shooting incident and subsequent PUP placement opened an opportunity. The 49ers beat has compared Cowing to Ray-Ray McCloud's 2023 role, but noting Cowing has more speed, an ability the other 49ers receivers lack. Expect Cowing to be more limited in a special teams function, but he is a potential difference maker that adds an element to the 49ers offense they otherwise lack. 

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