Okay folks, we need to do our best and not overreact to Week 1 (I’m sure this is the first time you’ve heard that). Really, really do your best, okay? It’s only one game and your fantasy team is still as good as you thought it was after you made that last draft pick.

Okay, I lied, maybe not, but there’s still a lot of football left. Maybe Bryce Young, Deshaun Watson, and Kirk Cousins ​​can get better? Who knows? Even if it’s just one week, we have some answers, let’s take a look at them now.

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Cooper Kupp, WR, Rams

Sunday evening football on NBC provided footage of a monstrous comeback to elite-tier fantasy relevance by Kupp. He saw a whopping 21 targets, went 14-110-1 and finished as a WR2 in Week 1 (MNF pending). This is all the more significant given that Puka Nacua was carted off with a knee injury in the Rams’ loss. It’s a devastating blow to a Rams offense that had high hopes for 2024. Kupp was drafted nearly two rounds behind Nacua early in the fantasy draft season, and while the gap has narrowed as the season approaches, Kupp should be treated like a WR1 in fantasy again now, as evidenced by the attention and chemistry he has with Matthew Stafford.

JK Dobbins, RB, Chargers

All the talk about the Chargers this season was about how they were going to run, run, run. Some people said “nope, you still have Justin Herbert.” Dobbins was the Chargers’ best offensive weapon, going 10-135-1, highlighted by a 61-yard run en route to being ranked RB4 in fantasy for Week 1 (MNF pending). His old running mate in Baltimore, Gus Edwards, carried the ball 11 times for 26 yards. Either way, the run was established and it’s clear that Dobbins is the running back the Chargers need in their backfield. He’ll be a top priority to pick up off waivers, if he’s not already on someone’s roster in your league.

Keon Coleman, WR, Bills

Coleman received more praise for his personality than his play all summer, as critics cited his inability to separate defensive backs. Josh Allen likely didn’t get the memo, as he caught the rookie wideout five of his 23 pass attempts. Coleman was easily the Bills’ leading receiver with 51 yards on four catches and saw an incomplete target in the end zone. Expect Coleman to get those red zone looks in the future with his high-point catching abilities. The Bills’ receiver room is still tough to figure out, but you should definitely bet on the young buck.

Brock Bowers, TE, Raiders

The Raiders couldn’t do much on offense, but they made sure their stud rookie tight end got his looks. Bowers led the team in targets (eight) and receptions (six) while racking up 58 receiving yards in his debut. He also played 68% of the snaps despite missing most of the preseason with an injured foot. This could potentially be a floor stat line, as the Raiders will certainly want to increase his usage. Many felt like the Raiders would “run the ball into the ground,” which is what they want to do, but you can’t do that if you’re not winning.

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Tyjae Spears, RB, Titans

Last week I wrote about how Tony Pollard’s stock was on the rise and he proved it by going 16-82-1 while adding another 12 yards on three receptions. Spears was negatively affected by this as he only totaled eight touches for 32 yards. Despite being the more efficient runner, Spears took a back seat to Pollard, who had a resurgent opening game and quite frankly carried the Titans’ offense. We’ll likely see Spears get more opportunities in the future, but with Pollard soaking up 61.5% of the Titans’ carries, it’s pretty clear who’s calling the shots in Tennessee right now.

Diontae Johnson, WR, Panthers

Johnson was one of my favorite players to draft in fantasy this season, but the Panthers offense was tough to watch in Week 1. Johnson saw a half-decent six targets (20% target share), but only caught two of them for 19 yards. A big reason for that was a miserable day from Bryce Young, who completed 13 of 30 for 161 yards and two interceptions. There was not a single skill player on the Panthers that could come into play in their loss to the Saints. There is still hope for Johnson given that Adam Thielen could find success with Young at quarterback in 2023, but there is certainly reason to be concerned after the Panthers’ Week 1 performance.

Malik Nabers, WR, Giants

In much the same scenario as above, Nabers was unable to get going due to inefficient quarterback play (Daniel Jones was 22 of 42 for 186 yards with two interceptions). Unlike Johnson, Nabers was able to at least rack up 66 receiving yards on five catches (with seven targets), but he could have done so much more. At some point, the Giants’ rookie wideout is going to make spectacular plays on the ball, no matter how bad Jones is, but you’d like to see a consistent rhythm. A 16% target share for Nabers is alarming, but this is only Week 1. For reference, Wan’Dale Robinsin had a 28% target share.

Mark Andrews, TE, Ravens

It’s not a panic move to talk about Andrews here, it’s more of a compliment to the Ravens’ other tight end. The emergence of Isaiah Likely (who started in 2023) could put a damper on Andrews’ days as an elite fantasy tight end, but both could still be productive. The Ravens still lack a top fantasy receiver (Zay Flowers is loading up) and that gives both Andrews and Likely a chance to flourish, but maybe not what you’ve come to expect from Andrews. In fact, I’d be almost shocked if Andrews managed another season close to 1,000 yards with Likely around.