Week 1 Recap and Waiver Wire Adds

Tuesday, Sep 12, 2023 at 5:22 pm ET

Whether your team won or lost, the exhilaration of the NFL returning is a breath of fresh air. Let's look at fantasy performances from every game this week; I'll note players who surprised, players who disappointed, and anything else of note, and I'll point out any potentially hot waiver adds.

Thursday Game

Detroit Lions vs Kansas City Chiefs

Who surprised?

No one. Absolutely no one. Patrick Mahomes and Amon-Ra St. Brown did what they were supposed to, but no one really out-did their projection. Travis Kelce being out may have taken some air out of this one.

Who disappointed?

I want to say everyone: this was supposed to be the highest-scoring game of the week, with a total set around 54, but the teams only combined for 41 points. With that, several players stood out amongst the disappointments.
Jahmyr Gibbs is a player I was super high on for Week 1, and I admit I was wrong. He would have scored a touchdown in the first quarter if he didn't fall down, which would have put him toward 15 points, but, as is, he had six points in standard scoring (and caught two passes, the only back to do so for Detroit).
Isiah Pacheco led the Chiefs in carries but only had eight while catching four passes (a big development; pass-catching RB Jerick McKinnon had only one reception). Pacheco only had 5.4 standard points, though the receptions helped in PPR. I expect better performances to come.
Every Chiefs receiver had a chance to make a connection with Mahomes after Kelce was ruled out, but none of them had more than Rashee Rice's three receptions (one for a touchdown). Who knows who to trust in this receiving core? Rice might be the best guess right now as a player to consistently perform, and WAIVER ALERT: he's owned in less than 10% of ESPN leagues.

What else?

Rookie tight ends tend to struggle, but Sam LaPorta had five catches in his debut, albeit for only 39 yards. He's probably not a fantasy option yet, but it could happen at some point this season if this volume continues.
David Montgomery was proven to be the top back in Detroit (much to my chagrin), and he out-touched Gibbs 21 to nine while scoring a touchdown. I still believe in Gibbs, but Montgomery showed he's worth considering in Week 2.

Early Games

Houston Texans vs Baltimore Ravens

Who surprised?

Rookie receiver Zay Flowers may have proven he's the WR1 for Baltimore after his first NFL game, hauling in a team-high nine catches and 78 yards (no one else had more than three or 38). Flowers is owned in at least 70% of leagues in Yahoo and ESPN, but WAIVER ALERT: grab Flowers now if you can; he will get the ball.
Nico Collins and Robert Woods aren't players to run out and grab immediately, but they both had six receptions from rookie QB C.J. Stroud. I still don't trust either for consistency, but there are worse adds if you are short at receiver, especially Collins.

Who disappointed?

J.K. Dobbins (torn Achilles) was lost for the season after just 10 touches. I'm not calling him a disappointment, it's just disappointing for fantasy owners. WAIVER ALERT: This is a big one: Gus Edwards would figure to be the lead back now, but Justice Hill scored two touchdowns after Dobbins left. Hill only had nine yards on his eight carries, though, so the touchdowns saved him from anonymity. Edwards also had eight carries, so this is a situation to monitor, and Melvin Gordon was added to the roster in what's been described as a "committee." I'd grab Edwards first, but this is a huge question mark moving forward.
The Ravens won the game comfortably, but Lamar Jackson had 169 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception while running for just 38 yards. There wasn't a need to put him in danger, but Jackson's performance hurt fantasy owners.
I wrote that Dameon Pierce would struggle against a tough Baltimore defense, and that came to pass. He had just 47 yards and no touchdowns on 13 touches. He will be the guy moving forward, but it may be hard for Pierce to find holes if the passing game continues to struggle.

What else?

This game went the way I expected, even if the fantasy production was lacking. Jackson should bounce back through the year, but the running back situation is the thing to watch in Baltimore. Houston will struggle all year probably, but Pierce should have better weeks.

Cincinnati Bengals vs Cleveland Browns

Who surprised?

I said Deshaun Watson would score more points than Joe Burrow, and it wasn't even close. Using ESPN standard scoring (which I will for this whole article), Watson scored 20.66 points. I thought Watson's running would carry his performance (no pun intended), and that was also the case; Watson scored just under 51% of his points on the ground. This will likely be a weekly occurence, and Watson is probably a weekly starter all season.
I will only mention defenses or kickers in extreme situations, but the Cleveland Browns defense might be one of the best in the league. I predicted a bad day for Burrow because of recent history and the Cleveland defense, and the Browns didn't disappoint. They are close to a weekly defense.

Who disappointed?

Burrow (3.18 points), Ja'Marr Chase (4.1), and Tee Higgins (0) combined for less points than Joe Mixon (7.3), who had a middling game himself. It was a bad day for everything Cincinnati. There are brighter days ahead, but the rain in Cleveland and great defensive performance completely shut down a high-powered offense.
It was a soggy day, and Watson didn't put up much for throwing numbers (16-29, 154 yards). In kind, Amari Cooper had only three catches for 37 yards. Things have a chance to improve, but it was a disappointing start for the whole passing game.

What else?

Nick Chubb did what he does, running for 106 yards and catching four passes for 21 yards. The only thing holding him back from a great week was the lack of a touchdown. Watson ran in a touchdown, which is concerning for Chubb owners moving forward, but the running back will still get a bulk of the carries and plenty of scores.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Minnesota Vikings

Who surprised?

Mike Evans has never had less than 1,000 yards over nine seasons, but many downgraded him this season after going from Tom Brady to Baker Mayfield at quarterback. Looking for a new contract, Evans led the team Week 1 with six catches and 66 yards, adding a touchdown. The Vikings were terrible against the pass last season, so let's not annoint them a powerful connection yet, but Mayfield and Evans were both playable in their first game.
Kirk Cousins threw for 344 yards and two touchdowns (with an interception) against a tough Tampa defense. We've seen Cousins have big days then struggle mightily the next week, so it's hard to know what will come, but he opened the season with a strong performance.
I pegged Jordan Addison as the rookie receiver most likely to find an early role, and he caught four passes for 61 yards and a touchdown. He's rostered in a lot of leagues, but pick him up if he's available because the ball will move in Minnesota.

Who disappointed?

Rachaad White received 19 touches and only turned them into 49 yards (17 carries for 39 yards). White doesn't have much competition for touches in the Tampa Bay backfield, but he will have to be more productive with his chances moving forward.
Alexander Mattison, the bell cow on the other side, ran 11 times for only 34 yards, but he did catch a touchdown to salvage his day. He struggled against a formidable Bucs' defense, but there should be better games coming.

What else?

Cousin's top target, Justin Jefferson, had 150 yards on nine catches. Just another day at the office for the player drafted first in many fantasy leagues.

Carolina Panthers vs Atlanta Falcons

Who surprised?

Tyler Allgeier might be the surprise of the week, as he had more touches than eighth overall pick Bijan Robinson (18 to 16) and scored two touchdowns. We all assumed Allgeier was made fantasy irrelevant by Robinson's selection, but Atlanta showed they will used both backs in an offense based around running. Atlanta had the second-most running plays and second-least passing plays last season, so I'd bet on both backs being fantasy relevant all season. WAIVER ALERT: Allgeier is officially a hot commodity, and waiver claims will surely be placed in any league where he's not owned.
Hayden Hurst led the Panthers with five catches and 41 yards and scored their only touchdown. I didn't see Hurst as a fantasy factor, but tight ends can be safety blankets for young quarterbacks. Hurst is worth monitoring and might be worth streaming some weeks.

Who disappointed?

I just mentioned Atlanta had the second-least pass attempts last season, and Desmond Ridder only threw the ball 18 times in Week 1. This will likely be an every-week situation, so Kyle Pitts (two catches, 44 yards) and Drake London (no catches) must be valued appropriately. I would see if anyone wants to trade for either player (thinking they can "buy low"), as I don't think either player will get enough volume to be consistent.

What else?

Miles Sanders had a phenomenal season last year, but he is likely to regress this season in Carolina. He touched the ball 22 times and produced 98 yards, though, so he will have the volume to be productive (he did lose a fumble).
Robinson had 83 yards on his 16 touches and caught a touchdown, finishing it with an impressive run. He is an every-week starter.

Arizona Cardinals vs Washington Commanders

Who surprised?

Brian Robinson is one of my biggest breakout picks, and he had a formidable Week 1. The big stat for Robinson is touches: he carried the ball 19 times (for 59 yards) and caught one pass, which went for a seven-yard touchdown. Those 20 touches are nice, but especially compared to the four touches backup Antonio Gibson received. Gibson is an accomplished catcher of the football, but Robinson is the bell cow in this offense. He's surely rostered, but you could probably trade for him before his owner knows what he's capable of.

Who disappointed?

Terry McLaurin (two receptions, 31 yards) and Jahan Dotson (five catches, 40 yards) are talented receivers, but they are likely to be limited with Sam Howell under center. There will be bigger games, but I see these performances being more common than starter-worthy weeks.
The same goes for Arizona's receivers, primarily Rondale Moore and Marquise Brown. They are good players with the cloudiest QB situation in the NFL.

What else?

James Conner ran the ball 14 times for 62 yards and got a boost in PPR with five catches, though they only gained eight yards. The Cardinals are bad, but Conner is likely to get the ball a lot, and an unsure quarterback situation could mean a lot of dump-offs to rack up receptions. Conner seems likely to be consistently mediocre rather than have big highs and lows.

Jacksonville Jaguars vs Indianapolis Colts

Who surprised?

Calvin Ridley is another player I loved based on where he was ranked and thought he could be a WR1 in fantasy. So far, so good, as he hauled in eight receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown in his first game in Jacksonville. He and Trevor Lawrence are likely to have a good connection all season.
I've been all over Anthony Richardson, and he started his career with a good fantasy performance. His passing stats were decent, with 223 yards, one touchdown, and one interception (though four sacks hurts if your league subtracts points). His real value, though is going to be his running, and Richardson scored a touchdown on the ground and had 10 fantasy points from rushing. He will have his rookie struggles, but Richardson will run a lot (10 carries this week) and has a chance to rack up yards.
I wasn't sold on Michael Pittman with a rookie QB coming in, but he proved me wrong in Week 1. After two really good seasons, Pittman started 2023 with eight receptions for 97 yards and a touchdown. Pittman has a track record of success and proved it Week 1, so he is now in fantasy consideration every week.

Who disappointed?

Nobody really disappointed in this one. Deon Jackson struggled as the lead back for the Colts (14 yards on 13 carries), but I wasn't expecting anything from him.

What else?

Lawrence had a good day with 17.74 points. Along with his potential as a passer, Lawrence will run a decent amount, and he had five carries (not counting kneel-downs) in Week 1. They only went for 23 yards, but those yards will add up through the season.
Rookie Tank Bigsby had some preseason hype, but I was skeptical he'd get enough volume to have an impact. He carried the ball seven times and only gained 13 yards, though two of those carries were inside the five yard line and one went for a touchdown (he also lost a fumble). Travis Etienne had 18 carries and five catches for 104 total yards and a rushing touchdown, and he will get the bulk of the work, but keep an eye on Tank (though I'm not recommending him yet).

San Francisco 49ers vs Pittsburgh Steelers

Who surprised?

I liked drafting Brandon Aiyuk more than Deebo Samuel this season, not because I thought Aiyuk was better, but because he was ranked way too low. Well, he started the season with eight receptions for 129 yards and two touchdowns, catching every one of his targets. Aiyuk is close to a weekly starter after going off against a tough Pittsburgh defense.

Who disappointed?

I wrote about Najee Harris struggling this week against the team that gave up the fewest rushing yards and fantasy points to running backs last season. His six carries for 31 yards and two catches for two yards fit that theme. Harris will have better weeks, but he has never averaged 4.0 yards per carry in a season. Beware of lack of consistency.
Pat Freiermuth caught a three-yard touchdown, but it was his only catch of the day. His upside is somewhat low weekly with Kenny Pickett under center. George Kittle only had three catches for 19 yards on a tough day for tight ends.

What else?

San Francisco kicker Jake Moody was 3/3 on both extra points and field goals, hitting from 32, 40, and 41 yards. He has great matchups the next three weeks (Rams, Giants, and Cardinals), and Moody has the ability to produce every week kicking for a good 49er offense. In fact, Moody is on WAIVER ALERT, even as a kicker. Add him if you don't have a top option.
Christian McCaffrey continues to be one of the best options every week. That is all.

Tennessee Titans vs New Orleans Saints

Who surprised?

I said kickers would only be mentioned in extreme situations, and I think this qualifies. Blake Grupe, Saints kicker: 3/3 on field goals from 26, 33, and 52 yards with an extra point for 12 fantasy points. Nick Folk, Titans Kicker: 5/5 on field goals from 27, 29, 31, 45 and 50 yards for 18 fantasy points. It's nearly impossible to tell who will get the most attempts each week, but the indoor conditions made for an easier day in New Orleans.
Derek Carr threw for 305 yards with a touchdown and interception in a matchup against a team that struggled to stop the pass last season. Carr will be playable some weeks, like Week 1, but he probably can't be trusted in tougher games.
It's not so much a surprise, but Chris Olave made an instant connection with Carr, hauling in eight receptions for 112 yards. Olave had over 1,000 yards last year, and he will be a weekly starter this season.
Rashid Shaheed had five catches (89 yards) and two carries while catching a touchdown. It bears watching if the young receiver is used in multiple ways on a team that utilizes Taysom Hill.

Who disappointed?

I listed Jamaal Williams as a "must start," and that proved to be a mistake. Williams had 20 touches, a starter's workload, but he only produced 52 yards. He should continue to get a lot of touches the next two weeks before Alvin Kamara returns, but Williams will have to do more to merit fantasy consideration.

What else?

Derrick Henry had only 63 yards rushing and didn't score, but he caught two passes for 10 and 46 yards to save his day. We keep waiting for Henry to fall off, but Week 1 points the other way.
DeAndre Hopkins caught seven passes for 65 yards in his first game in Tennessee. I like Hopkins, but this was a tough matchup. His volume is a good sign moving forward, though.
Michael Thomas had five catches for 61 yards. That's not a dominating performance, but it's a positive sign for a player who has played 10 games in three seasons. Find a place on your bench for Thomas if you can.

Late Games

Las Vegas Raiders vs Denver Broncos

Who surprised?

Jakobi Meyers was brought in to complement Davante Adams, but he stole the show Week 1 with nine receptions, 81 yards, and two touchdowns (he left the game with a possible concussion, though). Adams was ok, with 66 yards on six catches. Adams is an every-week starter, but Meyers might be someone to consider if he continues producing.

Who disappointed?

Russell Wilson had a great matchup against the Raiders, but he turned his 34 attempts and 27 completions into just 177 yards, though he had two touchdowns. He only had one rush attempt for one yard, making for a 15.18 point outlet. That's not horrible, but there was potential to make a statement in Sean Payton's first game against a weak Vegas defense.

What else?

Josh Jacobs had 71 yards on 21 touches, 23 of those yards on his two catches. It wasn't a great day, but no other back on Las Vegas had more than one carry or one reception. Even if he doesn't have great stats, Jacobs will get a ton of opportunities.
It was hard to know what to expect from Javonte Williams to open the season as he is coming off a major knee injury, but he had 13 carries and four receptions. Backup Samaje Perine had eight carries and four receptions, but he turned that into 21 more yards than Williams (78 to 57). I expect Williams to be the guy, but it might take him some time to get there.
Courtland Sutton is Denver's top receiver due to injuries, and he caught a touchdown in Week 1. He had only four catches for 32 yards, but he will have some opportunities if Denver's passing game isn't totally broken.

Philadelphia Eagles vs New England Patriots

Who surprised?

While Rashaad Penny was a healthy scratch for Philly, Kenneth Gainwell had 14 carries and four receptions. He turned those 18 touches into 74 yards, a serviceable outing, but the touches are the main story here. Boston Scott and D'Andre Swift both had one carry and one reception each, so Gainwell dominated the backfield. WAIVER ALERT: Gainwell should be rostered in every league. If he continues this volume, he could be a top-20 back in the league.
Mac Jones threw for 316 yards and three touchdowns, but he had to throw 54(!) times to get there. Cousins had 344 yards on 10 less attempts, and Tua went for 466 on 45 attempts, for some perspective. Efficiency doesn't matter in fantasy; you just need raw numbers, and Jones finished with 24.14 points. Don't look at that total as a sign of things to come, though, because Jones isn't going to throw 50 times per game.
Kendrick Bourne was the biggest winner from the passing volume, catching six passes for 64 yards and two touchdowns. I don't expect Bourne to be a top fantasy performer weekly, and his numbers are sure to drop with Jones's attempts. He could be the top receiver on New England, though.
I thought the Patriot tight ends were going to be the top targets on the team, and Hunter Henry had five catches for 56 yards and a touchdown in Week 1. Mike Gesicki, a player I liked to bounce back from a down 2022, had three catches for 36 yards, and the tight ends look like they will be involved heavily in the passing game. WAIVER ALERT: Henry is a great streaming option for Week 2 against a Dolphins team that struggled against tight ends last season and allowed a touchdown to TE Donald Parham in Week 1. Grab Henry if he's on the waiver wire and you don't have a good starter.

Who disappointed?

Jalen Hurts was one of the first three quarterbacks taken in fantasy drafts, but he struggled against a tough Patriots defense. He threw for 170 yards and one touchdown and added eight non-kneel down rushes for 38 yards while losing a fumble. That's only 12.5 points, near 20th among quarterbacks.
Dallas Goedert will go as his quarterback goes, and he was held to no catches in Week 1. Many owners probably drafted Goedert as an every-week player, so this is a scary start, but there is hope against the more generous Vikings in Week 2.

What else?

Despite Hurts struggling, A.J. Brown (79 yards) and DeVonta Smith (47 yards and a touchdown) each caught seven passes. These are talented receivers who are weekly starters.
Rhamondre Stevenson produced 64 yards on six receptions, but 32 of those came on one catch. He had only 25 yards on 12 carries. The volume was there for Stevenson, but he was very inefficient. Philly is a tough defense, so there should be better performances to come. Ezekiel Elliott had seven carries and five receptions of his own, but he didn't fare much better and lost a fumble.

Los Angeles Rams vs Seattle Seahawks

Who surprised?

Cam Akers ran in a touchdown, but he had just 29 yards on 22 carries; yuck. Second-year back Kyren Williams wasn't a lot better, but he did average 3.5 yards per attempt and scored two touchdowns on 15 rushes. I was up on Akers, but that's a horrible performance. I don't feel great about it, but I will give a begrudging WAIVER ALERT and say Williams should be added to rosters. Neither back should be played next week against the 49ers, but the lead role could be up for grabs.
Tutu Atwell had 35 catches and 298 yards for the Rams last year. On Sunday, he had 119 yards on his six catches, nearly 40% of his 2022 total. Not to be outdone, rookie Puka Nacua had 119 yards of his own and 10 receptions. Cooper Kupp is out for at least the first four games, and his status is unsure moving forward. WAIVER ALERT: Nacua should be picked up in all leagues. That volume (15 targets) portends a good player, even when Kupp comes back. Atwell might be a less intriguing option, but he was second on the team with eight targets. He is worth consideration, especially if you're short at receiver or in a deep league.
With the two big receiver performances, quarterback Matthew Stafford finished with 334 yards but no touchdowns (and no interceptions or sacks). Stafford has had a long, successful career, but there was a lot of uncertainty around him coming into the season. He has a tough matchup against San Francisco next week, and that will be a good test on if he can be trusted weekly.

Who disappointed?

Geno Smith was an above-average quarterback last year for the first time in his career, and there are major questions on whether he can continue at that level this season. Week 1 was one for the negative side, as Smith was 16/26 for 112 yards.
DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and rookie Jaxon Smith-Njigba are seen as the best three-receiver set in the league by some, but none of them had more than three receptions as their quarterback struggled. Lockett only had 10 yards and Smith-Njigba 13, but Metcalf did get up to 47 yards and had a touchdown. These receivers should bounce back, but it was a rough Week 1 for Seattle.

What else?

Kenneth Walker had just 64 yards on 12 carries and four receptions for three yards, but he dominated the backfield touches while rookie second-rounder Zach Charbonnet had just three carries and no catches. That touch share will mean a lot in closer games with more rushing attempts and will quiet some concerns about a timeshare if it continues.

Miami Dolphins vs Los Angeles Chargers

Who surprised?

Tua Tagovailoa had some huge performances last season, but this was a masterclass in explosive quarterback play. Tyreek Hill had 215 yards and two touchdowns, and Jaylen Waddle added 78 yards on four catches. There are concerns about injury with Tua, but I think we overreacted; when Tagovailoa is on the field, he has the ability to go off. His 469 yards and three touchdowns were worth 27.14 points, the best QB performance from Week 1. (I wanted to put Tua in the "Obvious Starter" category when previewing this game, but I bumped him down to just consideration. I felt bad about it at the time, and I'm paying with shame after his huge performance.)
Austin Ekeler did his thing with 117 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries (and four catches for 47 yards), but backup Joshua Kelley had the same 16 carries for 91 yards and his own touchdown. Kelley is entrenched as the second option, so it's hard to expect consistency, but he showed he can be a good complement to the lead back. This feels premature, but Ekeler is an older back who has been through a lot, so WAIVER ALERT: it is a good idea to grab Kelley if you have room on your bench. It could be a big time play, especially in a dynasty league.

Who disappointed?

This was an explosive game, and no one really underwhelmed compared to expectation.

What else?

Justin Herbert was out-shined by his QB counterpart, but he ran for 18 yards and a touchdown to help lift a middling passing day (228 yards and a touchdown with three sacks). Herbert will be a weekly option, but this wasn't the type of performance that usually comes with a high-scoring game.
The Miami backfield is hard to suss out, but an injury to Jeff Wilson pushed Raheem Mostert to lead duties. He had 10 carries for only had 37 yards (and a touchdown), and the Miami offense is going to depend on the pass a lot of weeks. Mostert still has value while Wilson is out, but it's hard to expect much.
Hill might be the safest receiver in fantasy football, including Justin Jefferson.

Green Bay Packers vs Chicago Bears

Who surprised?

Green Bay has maybe the furthest distance between their ceiling and floor in the league, but Jordan Love showed he can play in Week 1. He only completed 15 passes but had 245 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Bears aren't a great team, but the Packers have to be happy with their young QB after one game.
I projected Aaron Jones would have a good game, and his 41 yards and touchdown on just nine carries isn't too bad. He added two catches, 86 yards, and another touchdown through the air, though, and finished as the top performing back Sunday with 24.7 points. AJ Dillon had more touches, with 13 carries and two catches of his own, but Jones left the game with a mild hamstring strain in the third quarter and left the rest of the game to his backup. Jones is still the big dog here.
With Christian Watson missing the game, Romeo Doubs stepped in as the top receiver and led Green Bay with four catches and two touchdowns. He only had 26 yards, but the scores made for a big day. I'm not projecting Doubs to continue his hot start, but it's better than getting shut out.

Who disappointed?

D.J. Moore was a star the last four years, but I projected a steep drop for him this year on a team that focuses on the run. He only had two catches for 25 yards to start the season, failing to beat Green Bay's top corner Jaire Alexander. I think Moore will be down all year, and he's a player to look to trade if someone in your league wants him.

What else?

Justin Fields ran nine times for 59 yards, and that will be what carries his performance all season. Just 216 yards on 37 pass attempts shows Fields isn't there as a passer, but he can go off (and score) with his legs at any time.

Sunday Night

Dallas Cowboys vs New York Giants

Who surprised?

The Dallas Cowboys defense will be good all season, and they absolutely dominated on Sunday night. Dallas' defense and special teams scored twice, had two interceptions and a fumble recovery, blocked a kick, and shut out the Giants. Oh, and they led the league with seven sacks. This will be a defense you can start often, especially with another game against the Giants and two against Washington.

Who disappointed?

Most of the Cowboys offensive players had low numbers because they didn't have to do much in a blowout. Dak Prescott had 143 yards and no touchdowns. Only CeeDee Lamb (four catches, 77 yards) had more than two receptions or 22 receiving yards, so Dallas had horrible fantasy output. Fans of the team will be esctatic, but fantasy owners are feeling the downside.
All of the Giants disappointed, but let's hit the main ones: Daniel Jones did run for 43 yards, but it took him 13 attempts and he threw for just 104 yards with two interceptions (and took those seven sacks). Darren Waller was the teams top receiver but still struggled (as I predicted) with three catches for 36 yards. Saquon Barkley did have 63 yards on 15 touches, but he dropped a pass that became a pick-six (which doesn't count against hiim in fantasy). It was an ugly, rough day for the entire New York team.

What else?

Tony Pollard had 14 carries for 70 yards and two touchdowns, adding two catches for 12 yards. He didn't have to do much throughout the game as it was a blowout early, but he did what he was supposed to and was about the only one other than the defense that came out hot in fantasy Sunday night.

Monday Night

Buffalo Bills vs New York Jets

Who surprised?

Breece Hall was near 700 total yards and had five touchdowns in the seven games he played before suffering a major knee injury in 2022. We weren't sure what to expect as he returned Week 1, but he had 10 carries for 127 yards, including an 83-yarder from inside his own five. He added one catch for 20 yards to cap an explosive day when the rest of the offense did very little.

Who disappointed?

One incomplete pass and one sack for a 10 yard loss: that's the line on Aaron Rodgers' season, as he is feared to have a serious Achilles injury. It's not his fault, but Jets fans and fantasy players alike have to be disappointed with his early end to the season.
Josh Allen turned the ball over four times and took five sacks in a rough performance. The Jets have a great defense, so I'm not overly worried, but Allen was held to single-digit fantasy points and finished outside the top-20 quarterbacks. He was a top-three QB in fantasy drafts, so owners might be panicking, but there will be better games ahead.

What else?

Hall's big day coincided with Dalvin Cook gaining just 33 yards on 13 carries. He did add 26 yards on three receptions, but Cook had a disappointing day as Hall showed out. This offense was just turned upside down by the Rodgers injury, so it's hard to know what to expect, but Hall looked like a safe choice while Cook showed the opposite.
Garrett Wilson scored a touchdown to salvage a day in which he had just 34 yards, but his season was changed more than maybe anyone else's by the quarterback situation. Wilson was great last year with bad quarterback play, but part of his breakout was predicated on a QB upgrade.
Stefon Diggs, the other lead receiver in this game, did his thing with 10 catches, 102 yards, and a touchdown. There was minor concern after a weird training camp event, but a big day against a tough defense shows Diggs is still a star.