Tunnel Vision – Injuries, free agents and Sunday stars

Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.

 

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
Dak Prescott 379-7 3
 Brock Purdy 288-41 3
Lamar Jackson 182-87 2
Malik Willis 202-73 2
Andy Dalton 319-(-2) 3
Running Backs Yards TD
Saquon Barkley 156 2
Kyren Williams 116 3
Derrick Henry 174 2
Chuba Hubbard 159 1
Jonathan Taylor 135 2
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Jauan Jennings 11-175 3
Malik Nabers 8-78 2
Amari Cooper 7-86 2
Diontae Johnson 8-122 1
Rashee Rice 12-110 1
Tight Ends Yards TD
Dallas Goedert 10-170 0
Cole Kmet 10-97 1
Jake Ferguson 6-95 0
Tyler Conklin 5-93 0
Noah Fant 6-60 0
Placekickers XP FG
Will Lutz 2 4
Eddy Pinero 3 3
Brayden Narveson 3 3
Will Riechard 4 2
Brandon Aubrey 1 2
Defense Sack – TO TD
Jets 7-1 0
Packers 7-2 1
Broncos 7-2 0
Seahawks 3-2 0
Vikings 5-2 0

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

QB Justin Herbert – Ankle
QB Sam Darnold – Knee
QB Skylar Thompson – Chest
TE Sam LaPorta – Ankle
TE Trey McBride – Head
WR Van Jefferson – Eye
WR Tank Dell – Hand
WR Adam Thielen – Hamstring
WR DeVonta Smith – Concussion

Chasing Ambulances

QB Justin Herbert – He was already playing through a high-ankle sprain and reaggravated it in the loss to the Steelers. His availability to face the Chiefs will be determined later in the week. Taylor Heinicke joined the Chargers just a few weeks ago and replaced him on Sunday.

QB Sam Darnold – Was hit low by a defender but returned to the game. He will get an MRI this week to ensure there is no damage.

QB Skylar Thompson – Was hit by a defender in his ribs and remained down for a while. Tim Boyle replaced him, which dropped the offense by yet another notch. His status for this week’s game against the Titans will be determined during the week, but the Dolphins also signed Tyler Huntley, who may be an option if Thompson remains out.

TE Sam LaPorta – Left the field on a cart after getting rolled up while blocking. He returned later in the game only to leave again when he further aggravated his ankle sprain. The Lions play football on Monday night and then take their Week 5 bye. If LaPorta’s sprain has any severity, they may elect to sit him this week and then have him return in Week 6 after their bye.

TE Trey McBride – Hit helmets with the Lions safety and remained down on the field for a while. He will be evaluated for a concussion. The Cardinals likely do not need McBride this week, but no fantasy player should ever miss a home game against the Commanders.

WR Tank Dell – Injured his hand at the end of the loss to the Vikings but later said it would not be a problem.

WR Adam Theilen – On the day the Panthers magically found an offense, Theilen injured his hamstring during his touchdown catch. He remained down for a while and finally limped off the field. His status will be determined later in the week for the home game against the Bengals this week, but it appeared to be more than a minor strain.

WR DeVonta Smith – The Eagles star wideout was in a scrum when a defender came in from the side and hit him helmet to helmet which the Eagles considered a “dirty shot” (hard to argue). He was immediately diagnosed with a concussion and left the game. If A.J. Brown remains out, the Eagles may be very short on viable wide receivers. Britain Covey and Jahan Dotson would see increased playing time, but Dallas Goedert and Saquon Barkley would likely see bigger roles.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

QB Andy Dalton – Well, this changes everything. At least for this week. Bryce Young was benched and Dalton started against the Raiders. The Red Rocket merely threw for 319 yards and three touchdowns for one of the best fantasy performances by any quarterback this year, let alone on the Panthers. This was an entirely different team than the previous two weeks, and it happened on the road.

WR Diontae Johnson – After his first two weeks as a Panthers only totaled five catches for 34 yards, it was more than a small surprise to see Johnson turn in eight receptions for 122 yards and a touchdown in the win over the Raiders. His 14 targets were nine more than any other Carolina player.

WR Demario Douglas – The Patriots’ slot receiver was busy in the loss to the Jets when he fielded nine targets and caught seven for 69 yards. No other Pats’ receiver gained more than 19 yards and Douglas ended with more than twice as many targets as anyone else.

RB Braelon Allen – The Jets rookie continues to be more involved each week.  Granted, the Jets easily beat the Patriots and Allen helped mop up, but he ran 11 times for 55 yards and had three receptions. Breece Hall gained 54 yards on 16 rushes and caught four passes. Hall scores every week, but any chance for the occasional 25+ carry monster game may be capped off thanks to Allen who is nearing stand-alone fantasy value.

WR Malik Nabers – No matter than he was drafted by one of the worst passing offenses in the NFL, the rookie looks capable of carrying the team by himself in some games. He finished the upset at the Browns with eight catches for 78 yards and two touchdowns. Nabers not only is a difference-maker, he’s making Daniel Jones look great good capable.

WR Amari Cooper – After two weeks of nearly zero production, Cooper showed up in Week 3 against the Giants when he led the Browns with seven catches for 86 yards and two touchdowns. No one else on the Browns’ offense scored or gained more than 33 yards.

Bears backfield – There’s no real fantasy value here, and the Bears’ offense just became even more convoluted with Roschon Johnson leading the backfield with 30 rushing yards on eight carries, while D’Andre Swift gained 20 yards on his 13 rushes and Khalil Herbert (4-9) pitched in as well. It was Johnson’s first work of the season, so expect more of the less.

QB Caleb Williams – After his first two games failed to record a passing touchdown or throw for more than 174 yards, Williams’ owners started quietly returning him to the waiver wire last week. That was premature. The Bears lost in Indianapolis, but the rookie passed for 363 yards and two touchdowns. He threw two interceptions again, but Williams looked more like a No. 1 overall pick in the draft.

WR Stefon Diggs  – The ex-Bill came at a discount in fantasy drafts because he changed teams, but he led the Texans with ten catches for 94 yards this week – twice as much as any other receiver. When the game against the Vikings went bad, Diggs was the preferred target for C.J. Stroud.’

TE Dallas Goedert – The Eagles’ tight end needed to help compensate for the injured A.J. Brown and turned in a career-best ten catches for 170 yards in the win over the Saints. That was double the yardage of his first two games combined. His role may remain large if Brown misses this week in Tampa Bay.

WR Courtland Sutton – He led the Broncos with only seven catches for 68 yards, but Bo Nix passed better and Sutton’s role should continue to grow. Those first two games caused some to give up on him, but Sutton is one to at least hold on to and see how quickly Nix improves.

RB Bucky Irving – He is consistently better than Rachaad White. In the loss to the Broncos (I know, right?), White only ran for 17 yards on six carries (2.8 YPC) while Irving gained 70 yards on nine rushes (7.8). And it wasn’t just trash yardage at the end of the game. By halftime, Irving had already run four times for 49 yards while White had his six rushes. White still caught five passes, while Irving snared three passes.

WR Michael Wilson – The Cardinals saw Marvin Harrison Jr. catch fire in Week 2, and now their No. 2 wideout Wilson logged his best game with eight catches for 64 yards in the loss to the Lions. Harrison still managed five receptions for 64 yards and a touchdown.

Huddle player of the week

Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Jauan Jennings (SF)  –  It doesn’t happen often, but it does happen – the best fantasy player for the week is probably not on anyone’s roster (until waivers are processed this week). The 49ers No. 3 receiver was asked to do more with Deebo Samuel and George Kittle out. He did.

Jennings caught 11 passes for 175 yards and three touchdowns for a career-best performance. And yet, the 49ers still lost 24-27.

Salute!

Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to  cry

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Malik Willis 202-73 2 QB Anthony Richardson 167-24 0
RB Chuba Hubbard 21-114 rush
5-55 rcv
1 RB Rhamondre Stevenson 6-23 0
RB Emanuel Wilson 12-50 rush
2-35 rcv
1 RB Josh Jacobs 14-43 rush
1-5 rcv
0
WR Jauan Jennings 11-175 3 WR Davante Adams 4-40 0
WR Tre Tucker 7-96 1 WR Mike Evans 2-17 0
WR Rome Odunze 6-112 1 WR Tyreek Hill 3-40 0
TE Tyler Conklin 5-93 0 TE Mark Andrews nope 0
PK Will Lutz 2 XP   4 FG PK Ka’imi Fairbairn  1  XP
Huddle Fantasy Points = 207 Huddle Fantasy Points = 39

Now get back to work…

Tunnel Vision – Injuries, free agents and Sunday stars

Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.

 

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
Kyler Murray 266-59 3
Derek Carr 243-1 3
Sam Darnold 268-32 2
Baker Mayfield 185-34 2
Joe Burrow 258-9 2
Running Backs Yards TD
Alvin Kamara 20-115
2-65
4
De’Von Achane 22-96
7-69
1
James Cook 11-78
1-17
3
Breece Hall 14-62
7-52
1
J.K. Dobbins 17-131 1
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Marvin Harrison Jr. 4-130 2
DK Metcalf 10-129 1
Malik Nabers 10-127 1
Davante Adams 9-110 1
Calvin Ridley 4-77 2
Tight Ends Yards TD
George Kittle 7-76 1
Hunter Henry 8-109 0
Brock Bowers 9-98 0
Trey McBride 6-67 1
Mike Gesicki 7-91 0
Placekickers XP FG
Austin Seibert 0 7
Daniel Carson 2 4
Evan McPherson 1 4
Brandon Aubrey 1 4
Justin Tucker 2 3
Defense Sack – TO TD
Bills 2-3 1
Packers 1-3 0
Steelers 2-2 0
Chiefs 3-1 1
Cardinals 5-1 0

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

PK Graham Gano – Hamstring
WR Cooper Kupp – Ankle
WR Justin Jefferson – Quad bruise
QB Justin Herbert – Leg
TE Taysom Hill – Chest
TE Evan Engram – Hamstring
RB Tyjae Spears – Ankle
RB Isiah Pacheco – Leg IR

Chasing Ambulances

WR Cooper Kupp – Left the loss to the Cardinals with an ankle injury on a team that already lost Puka Nacua for an extended period. If Kupp cannot return for Week 3, it will be catastrophic for the Rams. Demarcus Robinson becomes the primary wideout and the rest of the receivers have to step up, but it is far less certain who, if any, can outplay the rest. The early speculation is that it may be a high-ankle sprain but that will be determined on Monday.

WR Justin Jefferson – Early diagnosis was a quad bruise and that he would be day to day. Already missing Jordan Addison, the Vikings still beat the 49ers in what apparently is an annual tradition in Minnesota. But Jefferson turned in four catches for 133 yards and a score before he left, which included a 97-yard touchdown catch. Jalen Nailor (3-54, TD) was effective subbing for Addison, but there are no other wideouts that merit grabbing if Jefferson was to miss any time.

TE Taysom Hill – Left the win over the Cowboys with a chest injury and went to a local hospital as a precaution. If he misses time, there is no real replacement for the versatile Hill who has been more of a rusher than a receiver.

TE Evan Engram – It doesn’t happen often, but it does happen. Engram strained his hamstring during pregame warmups and fantasy owners barely had 30 minutes to replace him in their lineups.  Brenton Strange (3-65) replaced him with some success, but the second-year tight end now totals just eight career receptions.

RB Tyjae Spears – Left the loss to the Jets with an ankle injury and will be diagnosed on Monday. Tony Pollard already has been the primary back and more effective rusher, so any Spears absence boosts Pollard’s workload.

RB Isiah Pacheco – Suffered an ankle injury at the end of the win over the Bengals. HC Andy Reid said Pacheco would be assessed on Monday. If he misses time, the rookie Carson Steele would take over the rushing chores along with increased usage of third-down back Samaje Perine. Pacheco left the stadium on crutches wearing a walking boot.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

 RB Devin Singletary – He is no Saquon Barkley but against the Commanders, he looked like him. Singletary gained 95 yards on 16 rushes with a touchdown. Hope you didn’t blink.

RB Carson Steele (KC) – The undrafted rookie gained 24 yards on seven carries in the win over the Bengals, and while he lost a fumble, the Chiefs still did not use Samaje Perine for any rushes. Steele is a handcuff need for the Pacheco owner.

WR Malik Nabers – The rookie logged his first 100-yard effort, gaining 127 yards and a touchdown on ten catches. Again, against the Commanders, which maybe should carry an asterisk on it. But at least Daniel Jones threw 18 passes at him and no more than four to any other receiver.

RB Brian Robinson – Ended with 133 yards on 17 carries and caught a three-yard pass. Apparently, you should just circle your fantasy player calendar when they face the Commanders or the Giants.

WR Calvin Ridley – He ran in a score, unlike any actual Titan running back, and he caught a 40-yard bomb for a second touchdown. He supplied both offensive touchdowns and a big chunk of the meager yardage for the Titans.

WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba – Last year’s bust draft pick is starting to exert himself for the Seahawks, leading the team with 12 catches for 117 yards from 16 targets. DK Metcalf (10-129, TD) was also busy, but we expected that.

RB Antonio Gibson – After a quiet debut in New England last week, the ex-Commander running back was a difference-maker with 96 yards on 11 carries and one catch for seven yards. Rhammondre Stevenson ran for 81 yards on 21 carries with a score, but Gibson was also used as an effective rusher. Neither back did much as a receiver.

RB Jordan Mason – With the news that Christian McCaffrey was placed on IR for the next four to whatever weeks, Mason again shined with 100 yards and a score on 20 rushes in the loss to the Vikings. Notable too – He handled all but one carry for the running backs.

RB Josh Jacobs – To no surprise, the Packers went run heavy with Jordan Love out. To some surprise, the Colts still let Josh Jacobs (32-151) cruise to a monster yardage game.

WR Amon-Ra St. Brown – After gaining just 13 yards on three catches in Week 1, St. Brown was back in business, turning 19 targets into 11 catches for 119 yards in the surprise loss to the Buccaneers.

WR Quentin Johnston – Another of the high-draft pick flops from 2023, Johnston showed up with a team high five catches for 51 yards and two receiving touchdowns in the win over the Panthers. He was the only notable receiver for the Chargers but being the primary target is encouraging.

TE Brock Bowers – The rookie was a major part of the Raiders’ shocking win over the Ravens, and ended with nine catches for 98 yards and that was every target he was thrown. He led the Raiders with six catches for 58 yards in Week 1. Notable is that he is killing the fantasy value of Jakobi Meyers and gets the benefit of being “the guy who is not Davante Adams.”

TE Isaiah Likely vs Mark Andrews – Likely became the biggest waiver wire darling last week when he dominated the Baltimore receivers (9-111, TD) and Andrews was left with just two catches for 14 yards because the Chiefs planned on just covering him. After fantasy owners spent stupid money in free agency after Likely, he rewarded them with two catches for 26 yards. Andrews  reeled in four receptions for 51 yards. Sometimes Week 1 is just Week 1, not Week 1 of Many.

TE Mike Gesicki – The Bengals new tight end stepped up when Tee Higgins was out and Ja’Marr Chase was well covered. He led the Bengals with seven receptions for 91 yards, more than double that of any other team receiver.

QB Derek Carr – He’s worth sticking on your roster after OC Klint Kubiak’s offense just paved the Cowboys. That makes two straight weeks that Carr was a Top-7 fantasy quarterback scorer.

WR Marvin Harrison Jr. – After his debut resulted in only one catch for four yards, he’s figured out this NFL thing in hurry since his four catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns (23 and 60 yards) led all wide receivers for Week 2. So, maybe, yeah – he’s gonna need to be covered better.

Huddle player of the week

Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

RB Alvin Kamara  –  The Cowboys are unbeatable at home, at least during the regular season, until now when the Saints went all “Packers” on them for Week 2 with a 44-19 beatdown that was greatly credited to Alvin Kamara who ran for 115 yards and three scores on 20 carries, and caught two passes for 65 yards and a fourth touchdown. Kamara wasn’t just the best fantasy play of Week 2, he was the top dog by a 15-point margin.

Salute!

Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to  cry

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Sam Darnold 268-32 3 QB Josh Allen 139-2 1
RB Braelon Allen 7-33
2-23
2 RB Rachaad White 10-18
1-5
0
RB Devin Singletary 16-95
1-0
1 RB Najee Harris 17-69
1-5
0
WR Quentin Johnston 5-51 2 WR Mike Evans 3-24 0
WR Jalen Nailor 3-54 1 WR Cooper Kupp 4-37 0
WR Jalen Tolbert 6-82 0 WR Tyreek Hill 3-24 0
TE Hunter Henry 8-109 0 TE Travis Kelce 1-5 0
PK Austin Seibert 7 FG PK Jake Moody 2  XP 1 FG
Huddle Fantasy Points = 158 Huddle Fantasy Points = 48

Now get back to work…

Tunnel Vision – Injuries, free agents and Sunday stars

Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
Josh Allen 232-39 4
 Baker Mayfield 289-21 4
Jayden Daniels 184-88 2
 Anthony Richardson 212-56 3
 Lamar Jackson 273-122 1
Running Backs Yards TD
Saquon Barkley 109
2-23
3
Joe Mixon 159
3-19
1
De’Von Achane 24
7-76
1
J.K. Dobbins 135
3-4
1
Alvin Kamara 83
5-27
1
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Jayden Reed 4-138
1-33
2
Tyreek Hill 7-130 1
Mike Evans 5-61 2
A.J. Brown 5-119 1
Cooper Kupp 14-110 1
Tight Ends Yards TD
Isaiah Likely 9-111 1
Foster Moreau 4-43 1
Brock Bowers 6-58 0
Kyle Pitts 3-26 1
Juwan Johnson 2-26 1
Placekickers XP FG
Chris Boswell 0 6
Blake Grupe 5 4
Brandon Aubrey 3 4
Ka’imi Fairbairn 2 3
Chase McLaughlin 4 3
Defense Sack – TO TD
Vikings 5-2 1
Bears 3-3 2
Cowboys 6-2 0
Saints 4-3 0
Chargers 3-3 0

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

QB Jordan Love (GB) – MCL
WR Jordan Addison (MIN) – Ankle
WR Puka Nacua – Knee
TE David Njoku (CLE) – Ankle
TE Jake Ferguson (DAL) – Knee
RB Kenneth Walker III – Abdomen

This feels very light for a group of players that are just now playing games that matter.

Chasing Ambulances

QB Jordan Love (GB) –  He suffered a Grade 2 sprain to his MCL, which is expected to sideline him for around three weeks. That puts newly-signed Malik Willis into the starting role. Willis was just acquired, so he has no real experience in the scheme or with the receivers. Downgrades for all Packer fantasy options until Love gets healthy.

WR Puka Nacua (LAR) – He was injured this summer and once again is having problems with his knee. We’ll know more soon, but it is a bad sign that he was ruled out of the game and was visibly limping. Should Nacua miss any time, he’ll be replaced by Tyler Johnson and Demarcus Robinson would see an uptick, but as was shown on the Sunday night game, it ends up to be mostly Cooper Kupp shouldering a giant share of the targets.

WR Jordan Addison (MIN) – Sprained his ankle and it was not the same ankle he injured this summer. Addison was not on crutches when he left the stadium, but he also did not speak with anyone. Brandon Powell is his backup if needed, but the Vikes didn’t pass much in Week 1. The Vikes host the 49ers this week and will need more than just Justin Jefferson to stay in the game. But there are no fantasy options here that warrant a pickup.

RB Kenneth Walker III (SEA) – The Seattle back left the game with what was described as an abdominal injury but he said that he was “good” after the game and it does not appear to be an issue going into this week’s game at the Patriots.

TE Jake Ferguson (DAL) – The tight end went down with a knee injury that appeared to be potentially serious. Early speculation is that he may have missed an ACL tear, but he’ll get an MRI on Monday to determine the prognosis and treatment.

TE David Njoku (CLE) – He is speculated to have a nigh-ankle sprain which could last weeks depending on the severity. Jordan Akins would take his place but his receptions would more likely end up with other wideouts or running backs.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

Week 1: Reality check – What says fantasy football more than Week 1 when your best players flop and mediocre players blow up. Here’s a quick reminder of the best players from Week 1 of last season.

QB Mac Jones – 316 yards, 3 TD
RB Tyler Allgeier – 94 yards, 2 TD
RB Joshua Kelley – 91 yards, TD
RB Miles Sanders – 98 yards
RB Justice Hill – 9 yards, 2 TD
WR Kendrick Bourne – 64 yards, 2 TD
WR Romeo Doubs – 26 yards, 2 TD
WR TuTu Atwell – 112 yards

And some of the worst from Week 1, 2023:

QB Dak Prescott – 143 yards
QB Lamar Jackson – 169 yards
QB Jalen Hurts – 170 yards, TD
RB Rachaad White – 49 yards
TE Trey McBride – 23 yards
WR Ja’Marr Chase – 39 yards
WR Amari Cooper – 37 yards

Week 1 is usually very different from the rest. Never make any decisions based off just Week 1.

RB Najee Harris (PIT) – It is just one game and Justin Fields was the quarterback but the first week of the new offense under OC Arthur Smith and there wasn’t any committee backfield. Harris gained 70 yards on 20 carries, and caught one pass for nine yards. Jaylen Warren was held to only two runs for seven yards (he had been banged up, though) and the dreaded Cordarrelle Patterson only ran four times for 13 yards.

TE Kyle Pitts (ATL) – The Steelers defense did a great job on the Falcons, but it was still encouraging to see Kyle Pitts score a touchdown on his three catches for 26 yards in his first game with Kirk Cousins. Drake London (2-15) had a bad debut, but at least this offense noticed Pitts.

Rookie Wide Receivers – So, how well did those rookie wideouts repay your optimism?

Marvin Harrison (1-3)
Malik Nabers (5-66)
Rome Odunze (1-11)
Brian Thomas Jr. (4-47, TD)
Xavier Worthy (2-47 catch, 1-21 rush, 2 TD)
Keon Coleman – (4-51)

A few scores, but not much yardage. Welcome to the NFL!

Rookie Quarterbacks

Caleb Williams (14-29-93 pass, 5-15 rush)
Jayden Daniels (17-24-184 pass, 16-88 2 TD rush)
Bo Nix (26-42-138 pass, 5-35 TD rush)

Rough start for passing yardage, but those passing touchdowns are coming. Soon. We hope.

RB Tony Pollard (TEN) – Another team where the committee backfield never appeared. Pollard ran for 82 yards on 16 carries and scored, while Tyjae Spears was limited to four runs for 21 yards. They split the work as receivers with three or four short catches each. They both averaged over five yards per carry against the Bears, but Pollard was the clear primary.

QB Baker Mayfield (TB) – Granted, he played the Commanders and their terrible defense from last year, but it was still impressive when he passed for 289 yards and four touchdowns.

RB J.K. Dobbins (LAC) – The dangerous runner has always been an injury waiting to happen, and that may hold true again with the Chargers. But for Week 1, Dobbins was back to rookie form when he ran for 135 yards and a score on ten carries versus the Raiders. He added three receptions for four yards while Gus Edwards plodded his way to 26 yards on 11 rushes. Get him while he is still healthy…

RB Jamaal Williams (NO) – Kendre Miller is on injured reserve for at least four weeks and Williams was effective rushing for 38 yards and a score on 11 carries, plus caught a 13-yard pass. Granted – it was against the woeful Panthers but Williams let Kamara rest in the second half.

RB Bucky Irving (TB) – The Buccaneers added Irving in the draft since Rashaad White was far from effective last year, despite his heavy workload. White only gained 31 yards on 15 carries against the Commanders while the rookie gained 62 yards on nine rushes. White also caught six passes for 75 yards and was always a weapon as a receiver. Irving is doing everything he can to become the lead rusher.

RB Tank Bigsby (JAC) – The second-year running back impressed coaches this summer as a player who finally “got it.” Travis Etienne was one of the heavier-used backs last year and Bigsby was brought on to help last year. Bigsby ran for 73 yards on 12 carries (6.1 YPC) with the same amount of carries as Etienne, who was limited to only 44 yards on his twelve runs. Bigsby doesn’t yet have stand-alone fantasy value, but he is impacting what Etienne did.

WR Alec Pierce (IND) – He scored and almost had two touchdowns. He gained 125 yards on three catches that included the 70-yard score. The third-year wideout has been locked into sub-600-yard and two touchdown seasons. Michael Pittman and the rookie Adonai Mitchell are still more attractive fantasy options.

WR Devaughn Vele (DEN) – I’m sorry, who? The Broncos seventh-round pick is a 6-4, 203-pound  ex-Utah wideout who is a 26-year-old rookie because he was on a Mormon mission. Unbeknownst to all but his closest friends and family, he caught eight passes in the preseason as the Broncos weeded through their crop of rookies and free agents. Oh, and he also tied Chris Godwin with eight catches on Sunday, more than any other NFL receiver not named Kupp . Not Troy Franklin, their fourth-round pick. Vele was the preferred target for Bo Nix and while he only gained 39 yards, he became a pass sponge for a team that needs to throw a lot.

Different and NOT good – NFL teams use the summer to determine their eventual final roster, and each Week 1 ushers in lower production from teams that are still getting into synch and mostly trying to avoid summer injuries. That’s translated into mostly lower scores and, even worse, lower production from our fantasy players.

Last year, there were five 300-yard passers in Week 1. Five years ago, there were 13 300-yard quarterbacks in Week 1. For this season? Just two. Tua Tagovailoa and Matt Stafford, and both passed for just one score.

Last year, there were eight 100-yard receivers. Five years back, there were 18 in Week 1. This week there were just seven. Only 11 wideouts gained more than 75 yards. There were 15 last season and 26 in 2019. Fantasy scoring is down.

Let’s talk tight ends. Isiah Likely was the only tight end with more than 60 yards. Only four gained more than 40 yards and just five caught a score. It was a fantasy point drought to kick off 2024.

The good news – it will be turning up starting next week.

Huddle player of the week

Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Saquon Barkley (PHI)  –  The Giants were long-limited to only Barkley as their only offensive weapon. Without him, they could do nothing in their loss to the Vikings and chances are every fan and front-office type regrets letting him go. But in his first game as an Eagle, he looked like the missing piece that can propel the Eagles to the Big game. He ran for 109 yards on 24 carries with two scores, plus caught two passes for 23 yards and a third touchdown.

He won’t get 33.2 fantasy points every week, I mean, probably not, right?

Salute!

Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to  cry

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Baker Mayfield 289
3-21
4 QB Joe Burrow 164 0
RB J.K. Dobbins 135
4-3
1 RB Javonte Williams 23 0
RB Alexander Mattison 19
4-43
1 RB Derrick Henry 46 0
WR Jayden Reed 171 2 WR Marvin Harrison 1-4 0
WR Alec Pierce 3-125 1 WR Chris Olave 2-11 0
WR Xavier Worthy 2-47
1-21
2 WR Drake London 2-15 0
TE Isaiah Likely 9-111 1 TE Evan Engram 1-5 0
PK Chris Boswell 6 FG PK Younghoe Koo  1  XP 1 FG
Huddle Fantasy Points = 196 Huddle Fantasy Points = 27

Now get back to work…