Fantasy Football Recap: Week 1
Week 1 of the NFL season is in the books, and it’s safe to say that it lived up to the hype. Fans were on the edge of their seats, as suspense built into intrigue that turned into, for some, despair.
We saw a blowout in Arizona, a tie in Houston, and walk off wins in Carolina, Cincinnati, Atlanta and Tennessee. As teams move to 1-0 or 0-1 (and for some 0-0-1), we review some of the top fantasy performers from this past week, as well as recommendations as you set your lineups for Week two.
Last Week’s Top Performers
Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings (39.4 pts)
Jefferson absolutely tore it up Sunday, torching the Green Bay Packers for a whopping nine receptions for 184 yards and two scores.
Jefferson came into 2022 as the overall WR2 (ADP 5 on ESPN) behind last year’s triple-crown winner Cooper Kupp, but could very easily finish as the overall WR1 if he can continue the production we saw this past week.
Jefferson is in for a tougher matchup this week, as the Vikings face a Philadelphia Eagles team with two legit outside corners in James Bradberry and Darius Slay.
Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs (34.9 pts)
We’re all aware of Patrick Mahomes’ fantasy prowess week in and week out. Well, in case you had forgotten — Mahomes threw for not one, not two, not three, but five passing touchdowns this past week in Arizona.
The Cardinals pass defense was no match for the Chiefs quarterback, as he went 30-for-39 passing for 360 yards, notching those five scores. Kansas City went on to dismount Arizona 44-21, and the offseason rumors of the Chiefs offense slowing down post-Tyreek Hill have been hushed.
Kansas City will have its work cut out for them this week however, as the Chiefs are set to take on a star-studded Los Angeles Chargers squad.
Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants (33.4 pts)
Saquon is so back. After battling injuries the past two seasons, it seems that NFL fans have forgotten how good a healthy Saquon Barkley is.
Barkley dismantled the Tennessee Titans, notching 24 touches for 194 yards from scrimmage and a score. Barkley was effective on the ground and through the air, averaging 9.1 yards per carry while also logging six receptions.
It can be difficult to expect the Giants running back to repeat this performance on a weekly basis, as New York’s offense is one of the most volatile and inconsistent in the league. Saquon fantasy owners should be licking their chops for this week’s matchup though, as the Giants take on a Carolina Panthers team who seemingly have lost their direction defensively.
Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams (31.8 pts)
After coming off debatably the greatest fantasy season of all time, Kupp is primed for another remarkable campaign. Kupp was named the NFL’s fourth ever triple-crown winner last season, leading the league in receptions (145), yards (1,947) and touchdowns (16).
The Rams wideout picked up right where he left off, catching 13 passes on Thursday for 128 yards and a touchdown. Kupp got his against a very sound Buffalo Bills pass defense, and we can expect more of the same this week as the Rams matchup against a subpar Atlanta Falcons team.
Start ‘Em
Derek Carr, QB, Las Vegas Raiders
Carr struggled last weekend, throwing three interceptions in a loss against the Chargers. He will look to bounce back this week, as he faces an Arizona defense that was just torched by the Chiefs on Sunday.
With the off-season addition of wide receiver Devante Adams, Carr is poised for a good year with the weapons around him. Expect him to bounce back this week in a big way.
Antonio Gibson, RB, Washington Commanders
Coming into this season there were many question-marks surrounding Antonio Gibson. With his teammate Brian Robinson Jr. being placed on the non-football injury list, Gibson will receive most of this early-season workload.
Last week, Gibson managed a stellar performance, totaling 130 scrimmage yards and seven catches out of the backfield. Look for Gibson to continue his strong start, as he approaches a favorable matchup with the Lions on Sunday.
Juju Smith-Schuster, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
After an offseason move to Kansas City, Smith-Schuster’s fantasy outlook has taken a significant leap.
In the first game of the season, he notched six catches amounting to 79 yards, along with a lost fumble in the second quarter. Smith-Schuster’s game could’ve been much better, if it weren’t for the dominant display his team had against the Cardinals.
A quick turn-around now awaits Smith-Schuster against the Chargers, in a game where he should be heavily involved in.
Zach Ertz, TE, Arizona Cardinals
Through the early part of this year, Ertz should expect more volume with the absence of DeAndre Hopkins. Ertz managed to find the endzone in week one, but only finished with two catches for 14 yards.
Expect more volume from Ertz, as he faces a Las Vegas Raiders defense that is notably weak against opposing tight ends. Fully expect a more productive performance from Ertz in week two.
Sit ‘Em
Ryan Tannehill, QB, Tennessee Titans vs. Buffalo Bills
Tannehill had a good Week 1 performance in the Titans' loss to the Giants. He went 20-for-33 passing for 266 yards with two touchdown passes. He added seven yards on the ground on two attempts as well.
In Week 2, however, Tannehill runs into a much more formidable defense in the Bills. A defense that sacked the reigning super bowl champion quarterback Matthew Stafford seven times and intercepted him three times, holding him to less than eight fantasy points.
The Bills' defense will give Tannehill fits this week, so keep him on the bench.
Dameon Pierce, RB, Houston Texans vs. Denver Broncos
Pierce shot up draft boards this fantasy draft season after an impressive preseason display had people believing him to be the Texans running back to have this season.
Week 1 led to a different story being told. Pierce carried the ball 11 times for 33 yards and caught one target for six yards. While playing just 28 percent of the snaps.
The Texans will likely have to throw the ball much more this week against the Broncos, leaving Rex Burkhead, who saw eight targets last week, to be just as involved again this week. So sit Pierce this week.
Elijah Moore, WR, New York Jets vs. Cleveland Browns
Moore had a solid rookie season catching 43 passes for 538 yards and five touchdowns in 11 games. Many expected Moore to continue the rapport he was building with Zach Wilson. However, that will have to wait until Wilson can return from his knee injury suffered during the pre-season.
Instead, in Week 1, Moore caught passes from Joe Flacco. Moore put up a decent stat line of five catches for 49 yards on seven targets.
This week, however, Flacco will have to deal with the dominant pass-rushing duo of Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney, which will likely leave him with little time to throw the ball. In addition, pro bowl corner Denzel Ward is expected to cover Moore.
These factors should cause Moore to have a challenging game this week, so you will be best off leaving him on your bench.
Allen Robinson II, WR, Los Angeles Rams vs. Atlanta Falcons
After coming over to Los Angeles this offseason on a three-year 46.5 million dollar deal, many expected Robinson II to excel in Sean McVay’s offense, taking over as the primary WR2 following the departures of Odell Beckam Jr. and Robert Woods.
Week 1 did not go as expected for Robinson. He caught one pass for 12 yards on two targets in a blowout loss to Buffalo. In a game where Matt Stafford attempted 41 passes, having just two go to Robinson II is very concerning.
Keep Robinson II on your bench this week in a game where Stafford should have to throw the ball a lot less, as they should build up a lead early.
Parker Silverman is a first-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, please email pws5405@psu.edu.
Brady McCormick is a third-year majoring in Telecommunications. To contact him, please email bmm6399@psu.edu.
Ben Palillo is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, please email bgp5079@psu.edu.
