September so often feels like the glorified preseason for the NFL. We need October football to clear our palate, to feel good again.

Baltimore and Cincinnati answered that call on Sunday. So did Jacksonville and Indianapolis.

However, the Ravens and Bengals deserve the top item. Contending teams, big name quarterbacks. The Ravens escaped with a 41-38 victory in overtime, in a game that featured 962 yards of offense and 53 first downs. Almost every plausible fantasy angle came up.

Lamar Jackson did a great job leading the Baltimore offense, throwing for 348 yards and four touchdowns. He added another 55 meters to the ground. There were occasional mistakes: two fumbles (one lost) and a safety, though he only recorded one sack. But Jackson’s highlights, the splash plays, more than make up for the rare mistakes. I can’t imagine how the commanders will contain him next week (now there’s a wonderful game, Washington vs. Baltimore).

Baltimore’s passing tree can be a tricky solution some weeks, but Jackson focused on his receivers, sending 20 targets to Zay Flowers (7-111-0, 12 targets) and Rashod Bateman (4-58-1, eight targets ). The tight end was split three ways, with Isaiah Likely grabbing two short touchdowns, Charlie Kolar screeching 3-64-1 on every waiver wire in America and Mark Andrews eventually joining the party, four grabs for 55 yards. Considering Andrews had two targets and zero catches over the last two weeks, I think this is progress.

For the most part, the Bengals did an excellent job with Derrick Henry, but two plays saved his day: a short touchdown run in the first half and a 51-yard gallop in overtime, the final scrimmage play of the game. That’s the joy of Henry: It can feel like he’s doing nothing, and he’s still racking up 16.10 fantasy points. Surprisingly, Justice Hill was targeted only twice.

Jackson favoring his wideouts was mirrored by Joe Burrow, and then some; Burrow sent 26 of 39 targets to Ja’Marr Chase (10-193-2) and Tee Higgins (9-83-2). Chase could legitimately be the No. 1 overall pick if you reframe it tomorrow, especially when you consider Cincinnati’s leaky defense on the other end. Higgins looks healthy again after missing the first two games of the year.

The Bengals already had a limited usage tree, and it could become even narrower in the future. Chase Brown was more effective than Zack Moss on Sunday and Moss ultimately left the game with a nasty ankle injury. Brown had a touchdown catch and a two-point conversion, moving him into the top 10 in running back scores as the 1 p.m. ET window closed. The Giants will present a reasonable game next week.

Burrow clearly didn’t look sharp in the season-opening loss to New England, but he has thrown away 12 touchdown passes in the four games since. Comically, the Bengals have lost three of those games, allowing 26, 38, 24 and 41 points over that stretch.

Perhaps Cincinnati is the best fantasy carnival in the league right now. But the Colts are also starting to give that carnival atmosphere.

The great Joe Flacco ripped for 359 yards and three touchdowns in Jacksonville, but his defense gave it all away and recovered Trevor Lawrence in one magical three hours (371 passing yards, two touchdowns, one interception). The Colts know that developing Anthony Richardson is the priority of the season, but fantasy managers may be longing for more Flacco, especially given the way he clicked with receivers here. Lawrence hit Brian Thomas Jr. (5-122-1) for an 85-yard touchdown, but it’s criminal that Thomas still hasn’t seen 10 targets in any game. Use your best players, guys.

Tank Bigsby is starting to look like Jacksonville’s best running back. He rumbled for 101 rushing yards and two scores on 13 carries, including a romp of 65 yards. Travis Etienne Jr. was held at 6-17-0 on the ground, although he was useful in the passing game (6-43-0). Bigsby seemed lost as a rookie, but he is one of the most improved players in the league right now. It’s time to proactively start him in medium and deeper fantasy formats. He has been included in only 22% of competitions.

Jacksonville heads to London for two weeks and takes on the Bears and Patriots. Flacco or Richardson draw Tennessee in Week 6.

Others pop

Bears are starting to get going

The Bears controlled their game against Carolina immediately, so the volume would be difficult for the passing options. But DJ Moore still came through in his revenge match against Carolina, posting a 5-105-2 line against his former club. There is talent behind Moore in the Chicago Passing Tree, but we all know who the alpha is.

Say this for D’Andre Swift, the Bears remain loyal to him. Although he couldn’t get up to four yards per carry against Carolina, he collected 23 touches for the second straight week and produced 120 total yards and a score. Yes, Roschon Johnson has scored two shorthanded touchdowns, but Swift is undisputed as the team’s player. He will target the Jaguars in the breakfast game in London next week.

Rhamondre Stevenson dodges clumsy problems

Stevenson didn’t start in Miami, a slight slap on the wrist due to recent fumbling issues. He then hit 12-89-1 on the ground and caught four passes that went nowhere. New England has a paltry 62 points through five games, so it feels like it’s limited to one touchdown per week. But if you had to bet, you’d expect Stevenson to score.

In other early window failures

Bills (and opponents) are putting pressure on Josh Allen

Do the Bills need Davante Adams more than the Jets? Allen doesn’t get much help these days. He was held to a miserable 9-of-30 passing game in Houston, absorbing three hours of physical pounding (he briefly entered the medical tent in the fourth quarter but was quickly cleared). Keon Coleman had a 49-yard catch, but his other targets hit the turf. No one else on the Buffalo roster managed 35 yards receiving. Buffalo coaches also need to look in the mirror; puzzling decisions in the final minute of the game set up the decisive field goal for the Texans.

Dolphins remain lost despite winning

The Dolphins won in New England, but there are no fantasy winners if your key players can’t score touchdowns. The only Dolphins TD was a troll job by Alec Ingold, of all people. At least Tyler Huntley climbed to 6.3 YPA on his 31 attempts, so Tyreek Hill (6-69-0) and Jaylen Waddle (4-46-0) produced as fantasy WR3-4s. De’Von Achane suffered a concussion in the first half, which created more work for Raheem Mostert (19-80-0) and Jaylen Wright (13-86-0). Miami is quietly hoping Tua Tagovailoa can return around Week 8.

Deshaun Watson’s battle continues

I don’t know what it will take to get Deshaun Watson on the bench, but apparently it hasn’t happened yet. Watson picked up seven sacks and posted a putrid 4.5 YPA against a Washington defense widely considered one of the five worst in football.

Would the Browns listen if someone called about an Amari Cooper trade?

Fast hitters

• No matter how well the Rams block and how well they sustain the offense, Kyren Williams is unstoppable. He now has 12 touchdowns in his last eight games, including seven this year. Sure, Blake Corum was sprinkled into the offense and even saw some botched goal line work. But Corum can have his six touches if Williams has a slot for 20-plus. And I bet a salami sandwich Sean McVay will immediately go back to Williams the next time the Rams are inside the 5-yard line.

• Dontayvion Wicks received the most Green Bay targets, but did nothing with them. Meanwhile, all is well for tight end Tucker Kraft. Luke Musgrave and Christian Watson, injured. Romeo Doubs just left the reservation. Jayden Reed is a potential star, but you can see how much Matt LaFleur also loves Kraft’s scheduling. It’s one thing to make a few big plays when the defense is breaking down, but all of Kraft’s big plays and touchdowns over the past two weeks have come from specific, planned things. He is in the Top 5 until further notice.

• It’s great that the Jets finally promoted Garrett Wilson with the 22 targets we dreamed of. The fact that they only went 13-101-1 – that’s less than five yards per target – illustrates that Wilson and Aaron Rodgers are still not copasetic. No quarterback ever likes to get hit, but it is possible to become gun shy in your senior years to the point that it compromises your nerve and your willingness to stay in the pocket to leave things in the field to develop. Rodgers has that look now.

• Sam Darnold had a stat slump, but give the Jets defense credit for that. Now Minnesota gets a well-placed bye week, and after that the schedule is a daisy: Lions, Rams, Colts, Jaguars. Minnesota should threaten to score 30-plus against all of these teams.

• There’s probably no right answer in Las Vegas’ quarterback room, but Brock Bowers looks too good to fail. And Jakobi Meyers should be at least playable at WR3, assuming there is anything to the ongoing Davante Adams trade rumors.

• Bo Nix continues to improve, save for his three-hour hell in New Jersey last week. But as long as Sean Payton insists on a phone book for a goal tree (11 different players have drawn a Sunday goal), this passing offense serves us no purpose.

• The 49ers ranked 30th in red zone efficiency on Sunday, and they were even worse against Arizona (six trips, one touchdown). My friend and esteemed San Francisco observer Gabe has an interesting theory, wondering if Brock Purdy’s height will give him trouble processing when the windows around the goal line get tight.

• Brian Daboll and Devin Singletary go way back, but Tyrone Tracy’s explosion in Seattle may be impossible to ignore. It will be interesting to see if contenders inquire about Darius Slayton, a solid draft receiver who could be a nice consolation prize for whoever doesn’t get Davante Adams.

• Jaxson Smith-Njigba had a late touchdown to somewhat salvage a washout game, but I’m still waiting for him to flash like a touted first-round pick should. The Seahawks thought they were getting a possible No. 1 receiver. So far in his professional career, JSN resembles just another Tyler Boyd, a useful but quietly supporting piece.

Brian Hartline has been a great receivers coach at Ohio State (and he was a good professional, too), but it’s anyone’s guess how Hartline ranked JSN above Chris Olave, Terry McLaurin, and Garrett Wilson eighteen months ago when asked about the collegiate to rank players he has worked with.

• Andy Dalton has now given us all the porridge – one excellent game, one mediocre game, one bad game. Anyone who rosters Diontae Johnson and Chuba Hubbard must be sick about Sunday’s brick, because if Bryce Young’s return comes sooner rather than later, the entire offense could be in a ditch. Xavier Legette’s managers simply had bad luck in Chicago, as he suffered an early shoulder injury and never returned.