A brief rundown of each Sunday game from a fantasy football perspective.
Overall, Week 1 used to be one of the highest scoring weeks of the year. For the last two seasons after changing preseason rules and games, it’s become one of the lowest with sloppy play and teams that are not all on the same page. It is also notable that Week 1 tends to be different than the rest in terms of which players excel or flop. It all counts, but never make your mind up about a team or player after just one game.
CAR 10, ATL 24
The debut for Bryce Young was naturally rough, throwing for only 146 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. He found his most success throwing to Hayden Hurst (5-41, TD) and Miles Sanders (4-26) but no wideout had more than two catches or 26 yards. Sanders ran for 72 yards on 18 rushes and looked solid. Chuba Hubbard (9-60) also saw a fair amount of action. The backfield carried their weight and Hurst was a big contributor but Young will need to work on his connection with the wideouts. DJ Chark was out, and Adam Thielen (2-12) played but was already banged up.
The Falcons offense operated according to plan. The debut of Bijan Robinson saw him with ten carries for 56 yards, and he caught the only touchdown on his six receptions for 27 yards as the leading receiver. Tyler Allgeier surprised with a team-high 15 rushes for 75 yards, two touchdowns, plus three receptions for 19 yards. Allgeier out-touched Robinson 18 to 16 but that’s certain to change as the rookie gets more comfortable. There were only 115 passing yards because Desmond Ridder only threw 18 times with 15 completions. It was nice to see Kyle Pitts (2-44) catch a long pass, but the minimal passing left Drake London with an unthinkable one target and no catches.
HOU 9, BAL 25
No real surprises here. C.J. Stroud’s debut resulted in 242 passing yards and no scores but no interceptions. He also ran for 20 yards. Nico Collins (6-80) and Robert Woods (6-57) were the leading receivers, and Stroud did not limit himself to just short throws to backs and tight ends. Dameon Pierce ran for 38 yards on 11 carries and only caught two passes for nine yards. Devin Singletary was no better, turning seven rushes into only 15 yards and no pass targets. The Texans are still looking for their first touchdown of the year, and while the offense looked shaky, they opened on the road versus one of the better defenses. The Texans’ defense actually impressed in this one.
Lamar Jackson had a lowkey start after his major payday in the offseason. He only passed for 169 yards and one interception and ran for 38 yards. It was a quiet start. Zay Flowers impressed with nine catches for 78 yards while no other receivers were better than Odell Beckham, with just 37 yards on two receptions. The running game is back to being a problem. J.K. Dobbins (8-22, TD) looked good on his score, but he is feared to have torn his Achilles. Justice Hill scored twice but only gained nine yards on eight rushes. Gus Edwards (8-32) wasn’t much help. If Dobbins is out for a considerable time, the Ravens certainly go running back shopping.
CIN 3, CLE 24
It was a rainy game though, that didn’t bother the Browns much. Joe Burrow may be the highest-paid athlete in the history of sports, but he doesn’t fare well in wet Cleveland. He completed an unthinkable 14 of 31 passes for 82 yards. That’s all – the entire game. $275 million. Ja’Marr Chase (5-39) was the top receiver, if that qualifies for “top” anything, while Tee Higgins defied all probability by not catching any of his eight targets. Joe Mixon gained 56 yards on 13 carries and added three receptions for 17 yards as the only remotely productive Bengal. Just one game, the Browns always play them tough, but a pretty painful way to open a season.
Deshaun Watson seemed wildly productive by comparison, throwing for 154 yards and a score, plus running nine times for 45 yards and the other offensive touchdown. Elijah Moore (3-43) and Amari Cooper (3-37) were the lead receivers. Nick Chubb ran for 106 yards on 18 carries and even caught a team-high four passes for 21 yards as the only player on the field that met fantasy expectations. Watson only completed 16 of 29 passes, and both teams had sloppy play on a sloppy field.
JAC 31, IND 21
This matchup proved fascinating for fantasy purposes. Trevor Lawrence threw for 241 yards and two scores, plus rushed for 21 yards. Calvin Ridley (8-101, TD) had zero signs of rust as he returned to 2020 form. Zay Jones (5-55, TD) scored on a jaw-dropping catch in the end zone, while Christian Kirk (1-9) mostly just tried to remind everyone what he did last year. No one is listening. Evan Engram (5-49) fared better than most Top-10 tight ends from last year. Travis Etienne (18-77, TD) scored on a game-sealing 26-yard run late in the fourth quarter, and he added five catches for 27 yards. Even the rookie Tank Bigsby (7-13, TD) opened his career with an impressive burst into the end zone.
The Colts lost, but they put up a great fight, and Anthony Richardson exceeded all expectations. He completed 24 of 37 passes for 223 yards and a score, plus rushed for 40 yards and a touchdown on 10 runs. Michael Pittman (8-97, TD) suffered no decline playing with a rookie quarterback, though no other receivers had more than 40 yards. Deon Jackson (13-41) handled almost all carries in the backfield and Evan Hull was injured. Richardson looked like a young Donovan McNabb at times, and his debut was encouraging.
TB 20, MIN 17
Welcome to Week 1. The Buccaneers made no mistakes and won despite giving up nearly twice as much yardage to the Vikings. Baker Mayfield threw for 173 yards and two scores, with the leading receivers of Mike Evans (6-66, TD) and Chris Godwin (5-51) just like last year. No other receivers mattered, nor were they really needed. Rashaad White (17-39) shouldered the primary rusher role, while preseason fantasy darling Sean Tucker (5-15) was no better. The Bucs played well enough to win the game, and the defense was great against the run and good enough versus the pass. For a team in transition with a new offense and quarterback, the results were encouraging.
The Vikings run game was bad. It did face a very good Buccaneers front defensive line that held Alexander Mattison to only 34 yards on 11 rushes while Ty Chandler gained nothing on his three carries. Again – good defense versus the run. But not the pass. Kirk Cousins threw for 344 yards and two scores, and all the right receivers caught passes – Justin Jefferson (9-150), Jordan Addison (4-61, TD), and T.J. Hockenson (8-35) while no others mattered. It was a game where a play or two could have made a big difference, but the Buccaneers pulled off one of the biggest upsets of opening week.
TEN 15, NO 16
This matchup was one of the yawners of Week 1. Ryan Tannehill only completed 16 of 34 passes for 198 yards and three interceptions. DeAndre Hopkins (7-65) was the leading receiver but plays with the worst quarterback of his career, and it showed. The only other notable offensive player was Derrick Henry, who rushed for 63 yards on 15 carries and gained 56 yards on just two receptions thanks to a short pass that he turned into a 46-yard completion. The Titans offense is still limited to Derrick Henry, and the addition of DeAndre Hopkins wasn’t a difference-maker so far.
Derek Carr debuted in New Orleans with 305 yards and one score to Rashid Shaheed (5-89). Chris Olave (8-112) led the receivers and was knocked from the game but later returned. Michael Thomas managed an encouraging five catches for 61 yards. The passing offense has promise with Carr at the helm after two seasons of alternating mediocrity. Jamaal Williams (18-45) handled the backfield work with Alvin Kamara suspended and Kendre Miller out, but wasn’t very effective. The Saints squeaked out a win, but the backfield anxiously waits for Kamara to return.
SF 30, PIT 7
There was plenty of sloppy play in Week 1, and none came from the 49ers. Brock Purdy was efficient with 220 passing yards and two touchdowns that ended up with Brandon Aiyuk (8-129, 2 TD). Deebo Samuel (5-55) and George Kittle (3-19) were next best on this day that needed minimal passing. Christian McCaffrey ran for 152 yards and a score on 22 carries and added three catches for 17 yards. That was plenty enough to take down the Steelers who were never really in this one.
Kenny Pickett threw for 232 yards and a score with two interceptions. Allen Robinson (5-64) was the top receiver, while George Pickens (5-36) and Diontae Johnson (3-48) drew the most coverage. Johnson left with a hamstring injury. The rushing effort that was expected to be better with a bigger dose of Jaylen Warren wasn’t much help, with Najee Harris held to only six runs for 31 yards, and Warren’s three carries only totaled six yards. The 49ers defense looked in mid-season form, and the Steelers trailed throughout the game.
ARI 16, WAS 20
The Cardinals’ 2023 season looked plenty glum with Kyler Murray out, but they played a credible game and gave the Commanders a fight, thanks to the Arizona defense. Joshua Dobbs took the start and threw for only 132 yards and lost two fumbles, which was enough to ensure the loss. No Cardinals receiver gained more than 33 yards, and that may hold true for most games. James Conner ran for 62 yards on 14 rushes, and he added five catches for eight yards to salvage some fantasy value. The Cardinals defense played a very solid game, and the offense could never rise above mediocre.
The Sam Howell era opened with a win, but it is likely their lightest matchup of the year, and they only won by four points. Howell passed for 202 yards and one score. Terry McLaurin (2-31) and Jahan Dotson (5-40) were never factors, and no receiver managed more than 54 yards. Brian Robinson opened the game with a touchdown on his only catch and ran for 59 yards on 19 carries. Antonio Gibson was expected to play a more significant role this year but only ran for nine yards on three carries and caught just one pass for ten yards. The only real takeaway is that Howell didn’t evoke much confidence that the passing game would be as good as last year, let alone any better.
GB 38, CHI 20
Apparently, Aaron Rodgers was nice enough to sign the title to the Bears over to Jordan Love before he left. The Packers never trailed and scored four touchdowns in the second half to secure this win. Love’s debut as the new starter went well, throwing for 245 yards and three touchdowns without Christian Watson, who was inactive. Aaron Jones (2-86, TD) and Romeo Doubs (4-26, 2 TD) handled the receiving touchdowns and Luke Musgrave (3-50) connected well with Love. Jones also rushed for 41 yards on nine carries with a second touchdown but A.J. Dillon only managed 19 yards on 13 rushes. The offense did not crank out high yardage because the Packers defense wouldn’t allow the Bears offense to do much until they were already down 24-6.
Justin Fields is slated to become a better passer this year, even if it is at the expense of his running. Week 1 looked a whole lot like last year. He ran for 59 yards as the leading rusher and passed for just 216 yards and one score with an interception and the obligatory fumble. Adding D.J. Moore (2-25) did not scare CB Jaire Alexander. Darnell Mooney (4-53, TD) was the only fantasy notable. Kahlil Herbert (9-27), D’Onta Foreman (5-16), and Roschon Johnson (5-20, TD) split up a mediocre showing, and Johnson’s score was meaningless at the end of the game. As it stands, this is the same sub-par passing attack, only with a new underused receiver and a backfield that splits everything up into three parts.
LV 17, DEN 16
Yet another mediocre game with no risk of hitting “the over.” The Broncos have a great defense, and secondary in particular, so it was no surprise that Jimmy Garoppolo was held to only 200 yards and two scores. That almost entirely went to Jakobi Meyers (9-81, 2 TD) and Davante Adams (6-66). Josh Jacobs ran for only 48 yards on 19 carries and caught two passes for 23 yards. This was not an offensive masterpiece, but the Raiders made the most of their new receiver Meyers.
The debut of HC Sean Payton could have gone better. A loss is bad enough, and a home opener is worse. Let it happen against the Raiders, and the season already has a low point. Russell Wilson’s turnaround from last year still looked a lot like last year. He threw for 177 yards and two scores and no receivers totaled more than 37 yards. Courtland Sutton (4-32, TD) was the only fantasy starting receiver with Jerry Jeudy out. Greg Dulcich (2-22) was no better than the other receivers. Javonte Williams (13-52) and Samaje Perine (8-41) were the most effective offensive players but were still underused.
PHI 25, NE 20
The Patriots hung in the whole game and made it close. Jalen Hurts was held to only 170 yards and one passing score, plus 37 rushing yards. A.J. Brown (7-79) and DeVonta Smith (7-47, TD) were the only notable receivers, including Dallas Goedert, who never caught a pass. The backfield was a surprise with Rashaad Penny inactive. The Eagles went with Kenneth Gainwell (14-54), Boston Scott (1-3) and D’Andre Swift (1-3). Their backfield feels like a constantly changing unit that lacks any true RB1. Gainwell was the primary back, but not impressive. Ignoring Swift and benching Penny seems to keep their better options on the sideline and is sure to change.
Mac Jones opened the year with an impressive performance against the reigning NFC champion Eagles. He threw for 316 yards and three scores with one interception. That split out over nine receivers and six of those had at least four catches. Kendrick Bourne (6-64, 2 TD) likely had his season-best showing, and Hunter Henry (5-56, TD) also scored. Newly acquired JuJu Smith-Schuster only managed four catches for 33 yards despite his seven targets being second only to Bourne (11). Rhamondre Stevenson is a concern with only 25 yards on 12 runs, though he added six catches for 64 yards to prop up his fantasy value. Ezekiel Elliott ran seven times for 29 yards and even caught five passes for 14 yards. All of that would have gone to Stevenson last year.
LA 30, SEA 13
You have to love Week 1 and National Go-Figure Day. It’s hard to forget how bad the decimated Rams were last year, but apparently we all need to do that. Matt Stafford threw for 334 yards even without Cooper Kupp. Starter Van Jefferson was held to only four catches for 24 yards while TuTu Atwell (6-119) and Puka Nacua (10-119) blew up. It was a great debut for the rookie Nacua and a sign that the Rams, with Matt Stafford, are always competitive. Cam Akers ran for just 29 yards on 22 carries but scored once. Kyren Williams was more effective with his 15 rushes for 52 yards and two scores. This is a split backfield, but it won’t always go this well.
The Seahawks looked like Cinderella at about 12:05 A.M. That surprisingly effective passing attack of 2022 upgraded their receivers and then had Geno Smith only pass for 112 yards and one score. DK Metcalf (3-47, TD) was the only receiver with more than 17 yards. Kenneth Walker was effective rushing for 64 yards on 12 carries, but the rookie Zach Charbonnet only gained 11 yards on his three rushes. The Seahawks led 13-7 at halftime but never scored again. It was a troubling and sloppy start for one of the surprises of last season.
DAL 40, NYG 0
This was a nightmare for the Giants and a laugher for the Cowboys. In the driving rain for much of the night, the Cowboys defense handled this by themselves. They recorded seven sacks, two interceptions, one fumble recovery, a defensive touchdown and a special teams touchdown. The Cowboys offense didn’t do much because they enjoyed great field position and never needed to press. Dak Prescott only threw for 143 yards and CeeDee Lamb (4-77) accounted for over half of that. Tony Pollard ran for 70 yards and two scores on 14 rushes but he was pulled later in the game. He was the only Dallas player with notable stats, and there wasn’t much to take away from the game other than don’t play against the Dallas defense in the rain.
Almost every team experiences a “trash” game each season, but rarely is it at home, in the opener, against your biggest rival. Darren Waller did prove to be the new lead receiver for the Giants, but that only meant three catches for 36 yards. Daniel Jones still ran the ball with 13 rushes for 43 yards, but his lack of success throwing showed up again with a vengeance. He threw 28 passes for 15 completions, 104 yards, and two interceptions. He also fumbled twice and was sacked or hit on most plays. The Giants passing game still looks like a mish-mash of unproductive players, but it was just one game in the rain. One very bad, terrible, awful game.
Game-o-the-week: MIA 36, LAC 34
How could anyone not love an upset with 70 total points? Okay, besides Charger fans. The lead constantly changed in this matchup, and the Fins led 27-24 entering the fourth quarter. Ultimately, the Chargers defense proved a little worse than the Dolphins defense.
Tua Tagovailoa passed for 466 yards and three touchdowns. Tyreek Hill (11-215, 2 TD) said he wanted 2,000 yards this season and is on a current pace for 3,655 yards. He may find the 2K by early November at this rate. Jaylen Waddle settled for 78 yards on four catches, but no one else gained more than 44 yards. Raheem Mostert (10-37, TD) and Salvon Ahmed (3-11) handled the meager rushing duties, but this game became a lot of pitch-and-catch between Tagovailoa and Hill, which may be replicated nearly every week.
The debut of the new offense under OC Kellen Moore scored 34 points, just not quite enough. Justin Herbert threw for 228 yards and one score to Donald Parham. Keenan Allen (6-76), Mike Williams (4-45), and Quentin Johnson (2-9) weren’t nearly the factors that were expected, though the Miami secondary is upgraded and the Chargers rushing offense was very effective. Austin Ekeler ran for 117 yards and a score on 16 carries, plus caught four passes for 47 yards. Joshua Kelley gained 91 yards and a score on his 16 rushes. Even Herbert ran in one touchdown.
It was anyone’s ball game and an exciting feature of Week 1. Tyreek Hill starts the year as the top wideout, while Austin Ekeler delivered one of the top running back performances of the day.
