Week 1 is officially here, and I’m already making some major adjustments to my fantasy and NFL outlook. We got monster QB performances, backfields that look more defined than expected, and a few offenses that may be much better or much more fantasy-friendly than we thought. Here are some key takeaways from Week 1.
The Rams losing Myles Garrett could create more fantasy-friendly games
Myles Garrett is headed to IR and will miss at least four games after undergoing knee surgery.
That obviously hurts the Rams’ defense, but from a fantasy perspective, I think it could have an interesting ripple effect on this offense.
If Los Angeles is forced to throw more often to keep up, Puka Nacua, Devante Adams, and RB Kyren Williams all get a boost. Puka already has one of the highest-volume profiles in football after leading the NFL with 129 receptions and averaging 107.2 receiving yards per game last season.
The Rams scored just seven points against San Francisco in week 1, so I’m not overreacting to the ugly opener. But with Garrett now sidelined, I expect Sean McVay to have to lean even harder on his offensive stars.
Rams will bounce back against the Giants next week, wheels up for Puka, Adams, Kyren, and the offense. Buy the Rams offense before the production comes.
Caleb Williams looks like an MVP candidate
I was already bullish on Caleb Williams coming into the season, but Sunday was the type of performance that makes you take the MVP talk seriously.
Williams accounted for 269 passing yards, 2 passing TDs, and 65 rushing yards with 2 rushing TDs as Chicago dropped 50 points on Carolina. The Bears’ 59 points were the most in a Week 1 game in NFL history.
That’s exactly what I want from an MVP candidate: elite production through the air AND the ability to create points with his legs. The rushing upside gives Caleb a massive fantasy floor, while Chicago’s offensive environment could give him a legitimate path to being one of the highest-scoring QBs in football.
Caleb Williams is my early MVP favorite. Bears’ offense is heating up!!
Breece Hall and David Montgomery look like true workhorses
Two RB situations became much clearer today.
Breece Hall: 22 carries, 102 rushing yards, and a TD in the Jets’ 23-10 win over Tennessee. New York dominated possession and outgained the Titans 367-195. That’s the type of workload we wanted to see from Hall. Twenty-plus carries immediately put him in the bell-cow conversation, and the Jets clearly want him to be the engine of this offense.
Then there’s David Montgomery, who scored three total touchdowns in his Houston debut and finished with 60 rushing yards. Montgomery may not rack up massive rushing totals every week, but if Houston continues giving him this type of goal-line and scoring role usage, the touchdown upside is enormous.
Both backs showed today that their teams want them heavily involved when it matters most.
The Bills are LEGIT
Buffalo might have the most dangerous offense in football. The Bills went into Houston and won a wild 36-31 game, with Josh Allen accounting for 334 passing yards and 4 total TDs.
But the biggest takeaway for fantasy managers is how many weapons are producing. DJ Moore had 5 receptions, 100 yards, and a TD in his Bills debut. Dalton Kincaid had 5 receptions for 130 yards. That’s two major fantasy pieces immediately showing that this offense can support multiple pass catchers, and don’t forget about James Cook too.
DJ Moore is firmly back on must-start fantasy players’ radar, Kincaid looks like a potential elite TE, and the Bills’ offense looks like one I want to invest in big time!
The Patriots are in trouble
The Patriots were one of my teams to watch coming into the season, but Week 1 raised some serious concerns.
They scored just 10 points against Seattle, and now they’ve lost A.J. Brown for at least four games after he was placed on IR with a high-ankle sprain. Brown had only 3 catches for 26 yards before leaving, but his presence was clearly missed once he went down.
Then there was Romeo Doubs, who had a debut to forget. He failed to provide the immediate impact New England needed, including a brutal dropped pass with the Patriots desperately looking for a spark.
And the backfield didn’t exactly inspire confidence either. TreVeyon Henderson was inactive, leaving Rhamondre Stevenson to shoulder the workload, but the Patriots still couldn’t establish much of a rushing attack.
Add in three Drake Maye interceptions and a fourth-quarter collapse, and suddenly this offense looks a lot more questionable than it did entering Week 1.
The Patriots need answers, and they need them quickly. Not a complete panic, but worth monitoring.
Ravens offense looks dangerous
The new-look Ravens offense was something to watch today. 41 points and 506 total yards in Week 1 is about as good of a debut as you could ask for.
New head coach Jesse Minter and first-year offensive coordinator Declan Doyle wasted no time showing what the offense can look like. Derrick Henry was a monster: 144 rushing yards and 3 TDs. Zay Flowers was electric, with a career-high 150 receiving yards and a TD before leaving with a hamstring injury. And then there’s Lamar Jackson, who threw for 324 yards and a TD while adding a rushing score.
Doyle’s offense was expected to bring concepts reminiscent of a highly successful system associated with Ben Johnson, and Week 1 certainly gave us a glimpse.
The Chargers Glaze needs to SIMMER DOWN
I was high on the Chargers coming into the season, but losing 24-20 to Arizona at home is a massive disappointment.
Chargers were a 9.5-point favorite entering the game today, yet the Cardinals walked into LA and pulled off the upset. This was supposed to be a breakout season to start, and while one game obviously doesn’t define a team, the hype needs to cool off a little.
The Chargers still have plenty of talent- but let’s pump the brakes before we crown.
Green Bay’s WR duo flashed
Green Bay may have something brewing with Christian Watson and Matthew Golden.
Both receivers showed the explosiveness and big-play ability that made this group so intriguing entering the season. Watson posted 6 catches on 8 targets for 147 yards and 2 TDs. Golden posted 6 catches off 12 targets and had 1 endzone look. The Packers have been searching for consistent difference-makers at wide receiver, and Week 1 gave us a glimpse of what this offense could look like.
I’m watching this receiver room closely because it could become one of the more interesting fantasy situations in the league as the season develops.
Final Takeaway
Week 1 gave us plenty of information, but it’s important not to overreact to one Sunday. Some trends will prove real, while others will look completely different in a few weeks.
The biggest thing I’m watching is which teams and offenses are showing sustainable identities. Coaching changes, injuries, usage, and game script are already starting to shape the season. We got our first real glimpse at what these teams could become. Now we get to see which Week 1 takeaways actually stick.
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