Fantasy Football Week 1: Key Takeaways, Injuries, and Role Changes

"Seven hours of commercial free football" sounds great and all.

But whew, buddy, was that a lot to take in.

With a full slate of football finally back in our lives, there was a lot of data flowing our direction. That's especially true with how many relevant fantasy options made their debuts with new teams.

Each week, we're going to try to parse through the data and lay out the biggest takeaways for fantasy. This list won't be exhaustive, but it should at least help you start your research for waivers, upcoming start-sit decisions, and future DFS slates.

With that all said, let's dig into all we learned in Week 1 and what it means going forward.

All snap-rate and average depth of target (aDOT) data is via Next-Gen Stats unless noted otherwise.

Key Injuries to Track Entering Week 2

Puka Nacua

Puka Nacua hurt his knee during the preseason but was able to suit up for Week 1. Unfortunately, he left early and missed the entire second half, putting his status in doubt going forward.

With Nacua out, Cooper Kupp had an absurd 21 targets, which he turned into 110 yards. His aDOT was 7.5, so these weren't bombs, but it doesn't matter when the volume is that good.

For as long as Nacua is out, Kupp returns to being a top-flight fantasy option who you start without thinking and consider even at an elevated DFS salary.

Demarcus Robinson finished second in routes with 47, followed by Colby Parkinson at 41. Robinson demonstrated last year he could earn targets, and he got seven here.

Tyler Johnson would be worth a look in deeper season-long leagues. He popped up with 7 targets on 34 routes with Nacua sidelined.

Jordan Love

Jordan Love is expected to miss roughly three games, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, and it puts a huge dent in the viability of the Green Bay Packers' pass-catchers.

Everybody gets fed in this offense, and that continued in Week 1. Romeo Doubs (21.9%) was the only player to top a 19% target share.

That works when your quarterback is efficient. And with Jayden Reed's high-leverage usage, he'll be a great target once Love returns. But for now, we need to treat this like a low-efficiency offense where nobody dominates touches.

That could apply -- in a more measured fashion -- to Josh Jacobs, as well. Jacobs played a respectable 72.4% of the snaps, but it came with MarShawn Lloyd inactive and Emanuel Wilson limited in practice the entire week entering the game. It's possible Jacobs' role was the best it'll be all season with so many factors working in his favor.

Jacobs will still be startable in season-long. But a less efficient quarterback means fewer scoring chances, so we do need to downgrade him, as well.

Kenneth Walker III

Kenneth Walker III has said "I'm good" after leaving with an abdominal injury, though head coach Mike Macdonald wasn't as definitive. We'll have to hope Walker's right because he looked great before the injury.

Walker was the conductor of the offense, turning 20 carries and 3 targets into 103 yards. He played 66.7% of the snaps despite the injury.

Although the Seattle Seahawks' offense sputtered for long stretches, we know Geno Smith can be good. If you put this sort of Walker usage in that, you can get a really solid fantasy option. If not, Zach Charbonnet played every other snap, earned three targets, and scored a touchdown, meaning we'd know where to turn if Walker were to miss time.

Jordan Addison

Jordan Addison missed time in practice last week with an ankle injury, which makes it a bit more concerning that an ankle injury forced him to exit Week 1 early, even if early reports are encouraging.

We can't get a firm read on usage without Addison because the Minnesota Vikings were up big and able to throttle down. But Sam Darnold averaged 0.31 Passing Net Expected Points (NEP, numberFire's EPA metric) per drop back. That, itself, is a big boost for Justin Jefferson and company.

With that said, Darnold's efficiency doesn't elevate any of the other pass-catchers to fantasy relevancy. They largely split snaps, and Jefferson sucks up a ton of usage within this offense. Thus, it's largely status quo here whether Addison goes or not.

Jake Ferguson

Despite getting his knee awkwardly twisted, it sounds like Jake Ferguson avoided a serious injury for the Dallas Cowboys. If he does miss time, it'll only further narrow the Cowboys' target tree.

CeeDee Lamb led with 10 targets (32.3%, along with 3 rush attempts), and Brandin Cooks had 7 (22.6%). Ferguson was the only other player with more than two targets (five) even though Jalen Tolbert ran a bunch of routes.

An absence for Ferguson would boost Cooks. In games they played together last year, Ferguson had an 18.2% target share to Cooks' 14.3%. It wouldn't make Cooks more than a fringe starter or a low-salaried option for DFS, but even that boost would be noteworthy in an offense that can hang a big score.

David Njoku

As if the Cleveland Browns' performance Sunday wasn't bad enough, they may now be without one of their best playmakers.

David Njoku is feared to have suffered a high-ankle sprain, according to Ian Rapoport. Things were tough for Deshaun Watson already. This wouldn't help matters.

Even with Njoku missing a bit of time, things were still spread out. Amari Cooper led with a 20.9% target share, followed by Jerry Jeudy at 18.6%. This was masked by 51 drop backs, but that kind of volume isn't guaranteed if the Browns decide to try to hide the quarterback.

While Njoku's out, Cooper and Jeudy can remain near their baselines. We'll just have to reevaluate once Njoku returns because there's a slippery slope here if we get dispersed market shares in a tough-to-watch offense.

Fantasy Football Role Changes

Saquon Barkley

Saquon Barkley's role on Friday was similar to what he had with the New York Giants; it's just in a dramatically superior offense.

Barkley had 24 carries, 2 targets, and 132 yards from scrimmage on an 81.1% snap rate. Importantly, he also had 9 of 16 team red-zone opportunities. He'll still miss out on some touchdowns to the tush push, but this was as good as you could have hoped for.

Now that we have confirmation this is how the Philadelphia Eagles will use Barkley, he's among the best fantasy options in the league.

Bijan Robinson

It didn't lead to the same production as Barkley, but Bijan Robinson's role was superb.

He finished with a 90.0% snap rate. His max rate last year was 80.0%.

Robinson turned 18 carries and 5 targets into 111 yards from scrimmage. That's while handling two of four red-zone chances for the team.

There aren't a lot of guys who can claim a role within shouting distance of Christian McCaffrey's. Robinson is one of them based on his usage Sunday.

Jonathan Taylor

There was some very good and some very tough in Jonathan Taylor's Week 1 data. Let's start on the plus side.

That's Taylor's astronomical 95.3% snap rate. That's the second highest mark of his career and his highest since he led the league in rushing in 2021.

The bad is that he didn't earn a single target. He also lost a pair of red-zone carries to Anthony Richardson. Those were the two biggest potential red flags on Taylor entering the year, and we saw them in the opener.

It's hard not to be an elite fantasy running back when you play 90% of the snaps. Plus, Taylor did still have a 50% red-zone share despite Richardson's work there. This all means it's a net positive for Taylor. A continued lack of passing-game work would keep him out of the Barkley and Robinson tier going forward, though.

Joe Mixon

The Houston Texans turned to Joe Mixon often Sunday, and he rewarded them for their faith.

Mixon had a whopping 30 carries and 3 targets, resulting in 178 yards from scrimmage. That's the fourth-highest mark of his entire career.

Last year, the Texans couldn't run effectively. But now, their offensive line is healthier, and they've got someone who can handle a heavy load back there. Mixon's stock is way up based on this game.

Jameson Williams

We heard an offseason drumbeat of hype around Jameson Williams, but it was fair to be skeptical.

Now it's time to buy in.

Williams turned 9 targets into 121 yards and a touchdown. His previous max target total was seven in Week 15 of last year, and his highest yardage total was 69.

It was a quiet night for Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta, and they'll get more volume down the line. But Williams is now a legit season-long option, and he's firmly on the map for DFS whether for game stacks or as a stand-alone play.

JK Dobbins

Gus Edwards got the first carry for the Los Angeles Chargers, but J.K. Dobbins bullied his way into a larger workload.

Dobbins turned 10 carries and 3 targets into 139 yards from scrimmage. It resulted in a 59.3% snap rate for him versus 40.7% for Edwards. Dobbins ran 13 routes to Edwards' 5.

If Dobbins continues to get this usage, he'll be a usable starter in season-long. If he continues to beast out and earn even more usage, he'll become more than that.

The Chargers didn't light it up on Sunday, but they have Justin Herbert and a head coach with a proven track record of creating efficient offenses. We need to have eyes on Dobbins, and it does seem like there's upside in his profile as things stand now.

Isaiah Likely

Isaiah Likely's explosion in Week 1 came thanks to a drastic change in his role.

Last year in regular-season games with Mark Andrews, Likely's max snap rate was 35.0%; he was at 70.3% for the Baltimore Ravens' opener, turning that into 12 targets and 111 yards.

This immediately makes Likely the third pass-catching option on the team, jettisoning Rashod Bateman back to purgatory before he even got out. It doesn't, however, completely torpedo Andrews.

Andrews still played more snaps (71.6%) and ran more routes (28 to 24) than Likely. He was also consistently double-covered, according to PFF's Nate Jahnke.

We should bump down Andrews with another relevant pass-catcher on the field more often. But he should still hold the slight edge over Likely on a weekly basis, and both trail Zay Flowers, who had 10 targets with 2 deep and 2 in the red zone on Thursday. Either way, Likely's showing wasn't fluky, and we should view him as a legit piece going forward.

D'Andre Swift

Although he didn't do much with it, D'Andre Swift's role was solid in his Chicago Bears debut.

Swift played 69.8% of the snaps, more than he had in all but two games last year. He had 10 of 14 carries for the team's backs, and he ran a route on 19 of 31 drop backs.

That's a fully respectable role, assuming he can maintain it. Thus, once the Bears get in better matchups and as Caleb Williams gets more comfortable, we can have a decent level of confidence in Swift.

Calvin Ridley

With DeAndre Hopkins limited, Calvin Ridley had good usage in his Titans debut.

Ridley had a 25.9% target share with 5 of his 7 targets being deep (never change, Will Levis). Levis has to eventually connect on those bombs, and Ridley's weekly floor could be poor, but he'll have a clear path to big games.

If you want someone with a dependable, steady weekly output, Ridley's unlikely to be your guy. A ceiling, though, is valuable to help erase mistakes elsewhere in your lineup, so I'd still view this as being a positive for Ridley.

Derrick Henry

Even with a touchdown in his Ravens debut, there were still flaws in Derrick Henry's usage.

Not only did he -- as usual -- lose passing-game work to Justice Hill, but Henry had just 1 opportunity on 12 team red-zone plays. This is in part because most of those snaps came while the Ravens were in two-minute mode, but it is an issue that Henry won't get those snaps, and Henry didn't get a touch on his other three red-zone snaps.

Henry will still have his big games. Lamar Jackson can open rushing lanes for him, and the touchdowns will be there. But we should downgrade expectations a bit on Henry from where they were entering the season.

Noteworthy Fantasy Football Usage

Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears

There was lots of talk of a 50-50 split in the Tennessee Titans' backfield, but Tony Pollard had a firm advantage over Tyjae Spears.

Both players had 4 targets, but Pollard out-carried (16 to 4) and out-snapped (62.3% to 44.3%) Spears. The early-down advantage being that heavily in Pollard's favor is key.

This offense really struggled against a solid defense. It's obviously not what you'd want to see, but Pollard gets a bump up from preseason expectations.

Zack Moss and Chase Brown

At least for now, Zack Moss is the Cincinnati Bengals' lead back.

Moss out-snapped Chase Brown, 66.0% to 34.0%. Moss ran one more route than Brown, as well, and recorded nine carries to Brown's three.

Brown has talent, and he could earn more work eventually. But for now, Moss is the guy with the leg up, and he should be treated as such in fantasy. Although it's not a perfect role, it's enough for him to be startable while Brown should be stashed on your bench if possible.

Ezekiel Elliott and Rico Dowdle

The Cowboys' backfield was basically an even split between Ezekiel Elliott and Rico Dowdle.

The two wound up separated by only three snaps, two carries, one target, and zero routes run. Their usage was -- for all intents and purposes -- identical.

Ideally, one of them will eventually separate. Until then, they're off the map for DFS, and they're merely "others to consider" within season-long lineups.

The Texans' Pass-Catchers

With three legit pass-catchers, there will be frustrating games for the Texans this year. But there were some good signs for them on Sunday.

All three of Nico Collins, Tank Dell, and Stefon Diggs had at least a 19.4% target share. Collins led the way at 25.8% and cashed it in for 117 yards. Diggs scored twice on six targets.

I'd argue that Dell's usage was better than Diggs', though, as he had one extra target with three of the team's five deep targets (Collins had the other two). So while Dell had the worst fantasy output, there were still positives. If he goes overlooked in DFS the next time the Texans are in a plus spot, we should bank on his ceiling and give him long consideration.

We're probably not going to see any single player pull away here. That'll lead to disappointing games. But with the ceiling C.J. Stroud gives them, they're still solid season-long targets and DFS plays at the right salary.

The Bills' Pass-Catchers

In the first game of the Buffalo Bills' post-Diggs era, they were run-heavy and spread the ball around.

The Bills' early-down first-half pass rate Sunday was 36.8%. It was 54.9% after Joe Brady took over last year (including the playoffs) and 60.4% under Ken Dorsey. The low number from Sunday won't stick -- it was just a 19-play sample -- but it's fair to expect the Bills to be more run-heavy this year than they have been in recent seasons.

Keon Coleman was the only player to get more than a 14% target share (21.7%), which is enticing. Coleman led the team in routes run and had a respectable 9.5-yard aDOT.

Other than Dalton Kincaid, Coleman's likely the Bills' top pass-catcher for fantasy right away. And there's room for growth as he grows more comfortable.

Khalil Shakir is next on that list, but his 13.0% target share and 3.6-yard aDOT left plenty to be desired.

The Bears' Pass-Catchers

Although Caleb Williams wasn't efficient in his debut, he did funnel work to Keenan Allen and D.J. Moore. We'll happily take that with the expectation that better efficiency is to come.

Allen led the team with 11 targets (a 37.9% share), and Moore was second with 8 (27.6%). Allen also had two of four deep targets and two of three in the red zone. He was limping a bit after one of the targets, but there was no concern reported about a potential injury after the game.

We've seen times in the past where two receivers in the same offense have commanded a 25% target share. Eventually, Rome Odunze should eat into this, but for now, both Allen and Moore are desirable fantasy pieces.

We can keep efficiency projections in check as Williams gets his sea legs, but from a usage perspective, arrow is fully up on the other pieces in this offense.

The Cardinals' Pass-Catchers

Marvin Harrison Jr. was quiet in his debut, opening the door for solid usage for Trey McBride and Greg Dortch.

Harrison finished with just three targets compared to nine for McBride and eight for Dortch. McBride had two of four deep targets plus one of four in the red zone.

Both McBride and Dortch have proven they can earn targets in the past. Thus, while we should expect Harrison to break out eventually, we can keep expectations in check in the short-term. McBride remains very viable at tight end, and Dortch is startable for fantasy as long as the matchup isn't too tricky.

Zamir White and Alexander Mattison

Alexander Mattison out-snapped Zamir White in a negative game script, meaning the offseason downside case against White came true.

White played just 39.0% of the snaps for the Las Vegas Raiders, down from Mattison's mark of 59.3%. Although White out-carried Mattison, 13 to 5, Mattison earned 6 targets to White's 2.

This offense doesn't look great. That means, in White, you've got a player on a team that won't light up the scoreboard who will be off the field if they have to make up ground. You'll have to be picky about when you use White in season-long unless things change here.

The Broncos' Pass-Catchers

Bo Nix stayed true to his college form with a 6.1-yard aDOT, which hurts the upside of the receivers here. But at least he zeroed in on just a couple of guys.

Courtland Sutton led the team with 12 targets (28.6%). He got basically every downfield look, too, with a 13.3-yard aDOT. Even though Sutton finished with just 4 catches for 38 yards, we should be higher on him now than we were going in.

Josh Reynolds and Devaughn Vele both had 8 targets, a 19.1% share. Nobody else had more than five.

For now, Sutton is the only guy worth starting here, but his usage is good enough where he can be in play for DFS, as well, at the right salary.

Additional Notes

• Rhamondre Stevenson played 79.7% of the snaps in his first game alongside Antonio Gibson. This was partly due to a surprise positive game script, but it is an upgrade to Stevenson, who ran 15 routes to Gibson's 2.
• Jayden Daniels ran a ton in his debut with 16 attempts for 88 yards and 2 touchdowns. This took away some passing volume, leading to just four targets for Terry McLaurin. Ideally, Daniels will run a bit less (primarily for self-preservation), but he was as-advertised there. McLaurin may require some patience until Daniels gets more comfortable.
• The Jacksonville Jaguars ran only 50 plays, so it'll be hard to have too many takeaways. But Tank Bigsby's effectiveness puts a small dent in Travis Etienne. Additionally, Gabriel Davis played 96.0% of the snaps and earned 2 of 6 deep targets, meaning he's a consideration for season-long if you need a fill-in starter in the right spots.
• James Conner kept a similar role to last year in Week 1, handling 66.7% of the snaps with 16 carries and 4 targets. His 45.5% red-zone share makes him a high-quality option you can utilize even in sub-optimal matchups.
• De'Von Achane and Raheem Mostert were both banged up at times, but Achane's usage was pretty slick. He had 10 carries and 7 targets, and he ran 6 of his 22 routes either in the slot or out wide. We'll have to keep tabs here given the dings both guys sustained, but early returns were encouraging for Achane.
• In their first game with Kirk Cousins, the Atlanta Falcons still didn't feature Drake London and Kyle Pitts. Both had just three targets, though Pitts did score. I'd still maintain decently high expectations -- both ran 27 routes on 28 drop backs -- but it was certainly an underwhelming start.
• With no Tee Higgins, Andrei Iosivas ran a route on all 32 of the Bengals' drop backs. He ran 23 routes out wide and 9 in the slot, so it does seem like the team values his talent. If Higgins misses more time, Iosivas would once again be a DFS consideration despite having just 26 yards on 6 targets in the opener.
• Aaron Jones was the Vikings' lead back, but Ty Chandler was still in the mix. Snaps favored Jones, 52.9% to 37.3%, and Jones out-carried Chandler, 14 to 8. Still, it's an imperfect role for Jones, and unless Darnold can keep up his efficient play, those flaws matter in a projected underwhelming offense.
• The Pittsburgh Steelers' backfield is a bit more spread out now. Cordarrelle Patterson snuck in a 13.6% snap rate, leaving 57.6% for Najee Harris and 28.8% for Jaylen Warren. It's possible Warren ticks up as he gets further removed from his hamstring injury, but he's not startable for fantasy in the short-term.
• Anthony Richardson went full Anthony Richardson on Sunday. He completed 3 of 5 deep passes for 171 yards and 2 touchdowns; on shorter throws, he was 6-of-14 for 41 yards and a pick. It'd be great if he could sustain the deep efficiency, but that may be hard to bank on if they're going to run as often as they did Sunday.
• The New Orleans Saints were hyper-efficient in their first game with a new offensive system. It could be just due to a plus matchup, but they've got great skill talent. We should give all the pieces here a slight nudge up.
• Wan'Dale Robinson out-targeted Malik Nabers, 12 to 7, and Daniel Jones played horrifically. Nabers will come to life eventually, but it'll require patience. As for Robinson, although he lacks upside, volume alone makes him a relevant option for season-long leagues with minimal non-Nabers competition for touches.
• Brock Bowers earned eight targets in his debut, most on the Raiders. Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers both had six. It's fun to see Bowers get work, but if we get an offense where nobody's commanding a 25% target share, it's going to be hard to trust anybody, given the quarterback situation.
• The Chargers had a 47.1% early-down first-half pass rate, in line with expectations. So while Ladd McConkey led the team with seven targets and is now the top fantasy option, we have to keep expectations in check for such a run-heavy unit.
• If you value your sanity and happiness, avoid the Carolina Panthers at all costs. It's spread-out usage on an offense that's still spinning its wheels. Love thyself and look elsewhere.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.