How’s everyone feeling after Week 1? Did Joe Burrow’s interceptions bury your fantasy team before the day began, or did Trey Lance’s debut make you want to up-chuck your wings? Was it Dontrell Hilliard vulturing Derrick Henry touchdowns, or was it one of the million other events that the week brought that made you feel some type of way? For me, it was the Dak Prescott injury, but I’m not ready to talk about that yet. Stay tuned for next week’s piece.


Depending on where your allegiances lie and/or how your fantasy teams performed, I imagine you’re either feeling like Charlie when he won the golden ticket to Willy Wonka’s factory or like Jack Dawson felt when he realized the Titanic was sinking. There’s really no in between in Week 1, but, there’s no need to get in your feels! There may be a door floating in the middle of the ocean you can pull yourself up on (if there’s no Rose to hog the real estate, that is). After all, it’s only Week 1, but you still need to be active and make changes to your fantasy team to ensure you don’t put yourself out of contention before it even begins. Let’s pop some Pepto and process some of these hot takes and reactions coming out of Week 1. 

 

 

 

Taysom Hill is the Most Infuriating Player in Fantasy Football (and Still Exists to Ruin Your Fantasy Teams)

Will Taysom Hill ever truly go away? After restructuring his contract and designation to officially make him a tight end, the Saints decided to make him a *checks notes* running back today. He’s truly the most aggravating player in fantasy because you don’t know what to make of him, but he always shows up to vulture touches away from players on your team. Today he did that in the form of a handoff that resulted in a career-long 57 yard gain, then a wildcat play that netted another 31 yards. 

He ended the day with 81 yards and a touchdown on just four carries, while lead running back Alvin Kamara finished with just 39 yards on nine carries and seven yards on three receptions. Is Taysom Hill someone you can waste your FAAB on and start on a week-to-week basis? Absolutely not. Will he continue to antagonize you and be a thorn in your side throughout the fantasy season? Undoubtedly.

Joe Burrow’s Super Bowl Hangover is Real

How can I put this delicately? Joe Burrow looked like he was doing his best Oprah impression today with his inaccuracy and decision-making. He looked completely out of character from the Joe Shiesty we came to know and love last season.

It didn’t help that Tee Higgins went out in the second quarter with a concussion, but the entire offense as a whole looked discombobulated and out of sync. With four turnovers in the first half, including a pick six by Minkah Fitzpatrick to begin the game, Burrow looked completely off his game today. He finally got into a rhythm after half-time adjustments were made, but those early mistakes were BIG and ultimately cost them the game. Even though Burrow finished the main slate of games as the QB7, his mistakes cost you some big points and, possibly, your fantasy matchup today. The Bengals have a fairly easy stretch of games coming up, but I’d advise Joe to down some Pedialyte and eat a cheeseburger to get rid of that hangover before next week’s matchup against the Cowboys.

Derrick Henry is no Longer the Pure Workhorse Back in Tennessee

PPR fantasy players have known for a while that Derrick Henry isn’t really a pass-catching back, but he’s made up for that with an insane workload and power running style that nets massive yardage. Before he was injured last season, he averaged over 27 attempts and 117 yards per game, but what we saw today looked more like Derrick Henry Lite. No sugar, no caffeine, and definitely no pizzaz. That’s not to say he was “bad,” as he still put up 82 yards, but the emergence of Dontrell Hilliard is a little concerning. Hilliard looked electric as a pass-catching back, and what’s more alarming is that the Titans turned to him in red zone situations. He turned two of his three receptions into touchdowns, and that severely limits Henry’s upside if that trend continues throughout the season.

 

Trey Lance is not the Answer in San Francisco

49ers fans, is it the game day food or uncertainty about your quarterback situation making your tummy rumble? Deluge in Chicago aside, Trey Lance did not look good in his debut. Chicago’s defense is soft, to put it mildly, so this was a perfect opportunity for Lance to ease into the league, but he looked like a deer in headlights throwing into coverage and looked indecisive on his designed runs. I understand there was weather, but a 46% completion rate, 164 yards, and zero touchdowns is not something that makes you feel great. 

The 49ers also kept Jimmy Garoppolo AND made him one of the highest paid backups in the league, so there has to be some trepidation in the front office about Lance as well. They do get another “easy” matchup with the Seahawks next week, but the Bears were supposed to be an easy win too. Lance has a lot to prove if the 49ers (and your fantasy rosters) are going to ride with him as a starter throughout the season.

Justin Jefferson is a Lock for League MVP

Today’s performance made me wonder if Justin Jefferson found the secret to teleportation. He was so wide open on so many plays, there’s just no other explanation. Green Bay’s defense was viewed by many as a top five unit going into today, but Jefferson absolutely torched them for 184 yards and two touchdowns on just nine receptions. 

The Vikings’ upcoming schedule is just TOO juicy, with matchups against the Eagles, Lions, and Saints coming up over the next three weeks, and there’s no reason to think that Jefferson’s production will drop off at all. Kevin O’Connell has this offense dialed in, and it’s only going to get better throughout the year. There has never been a wide receiver win league MVP, but if Jefferson keeps performing like he did today, it’s all but written in stone right now.

Dameon Pierce is Already a Fantasy Disappointment

Yes, I know it’s Week 1, and yes, I know I’m not supposed to over-react, but Dameon Pierce left me feeling like I dropped my triple stacked ice cream cone on the pavement. His NFL debut was, let’s say, less than stellar, with only 33 yards on 11 carries against a defense that was missing Shaq Leonard. He was even out-touched by Rex Burkhead who was supposed to only be the pass-catching back on this offense, and although Burkhead didn’t look good either, it doesn’t bode well for those who were relying on Pierce to be a pure workhorse. If you got him at a discounted ADP early on, you’ll be fine, but after Marlon Mack was cut, Pierce was being drafted in the fourth round of some drafts, and I highly doubt you’ll get that kind of fantasy return on him this season.

Next week, the Texans play the Broncos, and if their defense is anything it’s been hyped up to be, Pierce managers are in for another rough go.

 

 

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