We waited for this day for months and it did not disappoint thanks to some big-time performances from some of the league’s best. Unfortunately, we also saw quite a few injuries along with some dud performances from some major players.
As I did last year, in the Monday Daily Dose, I’ll recap each game from a fantasy perspective. Here we go!
Jacksonville- 20
NY Giants- 15
The Jacksonville Jaguars once again relied heavily on their defense to win the game and it came through, though the Giants put up a solid fight against one of the top contenders in the AFC. Jaguars star RB Leonard Fournette got off to a hot start, rushing for 41 yards on nine carries, along with three receptions, but was forced to leave the game in the first half with a hamstring injury and did not return. Backup RB T.J. Yeldon played well in his place, totaling 69 yards and a touchdown. Jags HC Doug Marrone claimed he was “pretty optimistic” about Fournette’s injury moving forward, but this will be a situation to watch moving forward. We spent all offseason trying to decipher the Jacksonville receivers’ depth chart and, in the end, it might not really matter. WR Keelan Cole led the way with three catches for 54 yards and fellow second-year WR Dede Westbrook posted a 5/51 line, but rookie D.J. Chark didn’t even see a target and former Colt Donte Moncrief only caught one of his five targets.
Everyone seemed excited to see the Giants take the field as this not only marked the return of WR Odell Beckham, but the debut of rookie RB Saquon Barkley. Neither would disappoint. OBJ dominated all day long despite often being matched up with Jags DB Jalen Ramsey. Beckham finished with 11 receptions for 111 yards. Barkley was slow to get started but broke a long 68-yard touchdown run in the second-half, which padded his number. He finished with 106 rushing yards and added two grabs for 22 yards on six targets. Second-year TE Evan Engram also disappointed, catching just two of his five looks for 18 yards.
Tampa Bay- 48
New Orleans- 40
The Buccaneers were short on defense and without suspended QB Jameis Winston. None of that mattered as veteran QB Ryan Fitzpatrick enjoyed one of the best games of his career and the Tampa defense stepped up against QB Drew Brees and the Saints. Fitzpatrick finished with 417 yards and four touchdowns and even added 36 rushing yards and another score. Barring some huge Monday Night Football performances, he’ll finish as the QB1 for the week. WR Mike Evans caught all seven of his targets for 147 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown. Veteran WR DeSean Jackson was also perfect, catching five looks for 146 yards and two scores, but he was also forced from the game with a concussion. TE O.J. Howard (2/54) and WR Chris Godwin (3/41/1) chipped in with solid performances as well. We knew veteran RB Peyton Barber had earned the starting gig, but rookie RB Ronald Jones was so iffy that the Bucs made him a healthy scratch.
As it was for much of last season, the highlight of the Saints offense was RB Alvin Kamara, who scored three times to keep New Orleans in the game. Kamara was a bigger factor in the passing game, catching nine balls for 112 yards and added 29 rushing yards on just eight carries. Kamara wasn’t the only star in this offense though. WR Michael Thomas set a new team record with 16 receptions on 17 targets, good for 180 yards and a touchdown. He also had another long score wiped off by a questionable penalty. Veteran WR Ted Ginn added five grabs for 68 yards and a score, but the other complementary pieces of the offense failed to show up. Former Bears WR Cameron Meredith was a healthy scratch and rookie WR Tre’Quan Smith failed to catch his only target.
New England- 27
Houston- 20
This battle between expected AFC contenders was not as close as the score might indicate. The Patriots got off to a hot start as QB Tom Brady found TE Rob Gronkowski for the first touchdown of the day and the game was never really in doubt after that. Houston and sophomore QB Deshaun Watson, returning for a season-ending ACL tear last year, led a pair of scoring drives in the second-half to close the gap.
Brady finished with 277 passing yards and three scores, finding RB James White and WR Phillip Dorsett along with Gronk. Both the star tight end and Dorsett, who was filling in for a suspended WR Julian Edelman, caught seven balls in the game. With rookie RB Sony Michel (knee) out, RB Rex Burkhead led the team in rushing while White made his impact as a receiver. One player expected to make a big impact was WR Chris Hogan, but he managed to only catch one of his five targets for 11 yards. Backup RB Jeremy Hill suffered a second-half knee injury and could miss some time.
After posting some unreal numbers in his limited action as a rookie, Watson struggled in this one, throwing for just 176 yards, while rushing for 40 yards. WR DeAndre Hopkins was the top target, as expected, catching eight of 12 looks for 78 scoreless yards. WR Will Fuller (hamstring) missed the game. RB Lamar Miller did what he always does, relied on heavy volume to post respectable numbers, totaling 109 yards on 21 touches.
Minnesota- 24
San Francisco- 16
One of the biggest concerns about 49ers QB Jimmy Garappolo was his propensity to turn the ball over and on Sunday, he tossed three interceptions, which helped the Vikings win this game. QB Kirk Cousins did all that could’ve been expected of him with this new offense, tossing for 244 yards and a pair of scores. In a bit of a surprise, it was WR Adam Thielen that emerged as the top target, catching 6 of 12 targets for 102 yards, while WR Stefon Diggs posted a 3/43/1 line. RB Dalvin Cook was also heavily involved in the pass game, catching six balls for 55 yards. The Vikings backfield was not quite the 50/50 split some projected, but veteran RB Latavius Murray was the more effective runner, carrying 11 times for 42 yards compared to 16/40 for Cook, who also lost a fumble. TE Kyle Rudolph had a quiet day with just one reception, but he made it count for an 11-yard score.
There were many questions about the 49ers team entering the season, most centering around the backfield after losing free agent acquisition RB Jerick McKinnon to a torn ACL. RBs Matt Breida and Alfred Morris saw a near dead even rushing split with Breida gaining 46 yards on 11 carries, while Morris ran 12 times for 38 yards. Neither was a real factor in the passing game. WR Marquise Goodwin was projected to be the team’s top receiver but suffered an early quad injury and was forced from the game. That left TE George Kittle as the primary target and he responded with a 5/90 line. Rookie WR Dante Pettis also impressed in limited playing time, with a touchdown and 61 yards on just two receptions.
Cincinnati- 34
Indianapolis- 23
A back-and-forth game ended with a score that did not represent how tight the game truly was. In the return of QB Andrew Luck, the Colts led for much of the game before a fourth-quarter meltdown that saw the Bengals put up 17 unanswered points.
There was some concern we’d see nothing but a dink and dunk offense as questions about Luck’s arm strength began to pop up, but he impressed, throwing for 319 yards and a pair of scores, including a 26-strike to TE Eric Ebron. WR T. Y. Hilton led the team with 11 targets, but only caught five for 46 yards and a short touchdown. TE Jack Doyle led the way with a 7/60 line, but it was his fumble late in the game that led to a defensive score for the Bengals that sealed the game. WR Ryan Grant chipped in with a solid 8/59 on nine targets. The Colts backfield relied on a pair of rookies with RB Marlon Mack out. RB Jordan Wilkins drew the start and gained 61 total yards, while RB Nyheim Hines added 52 yards, mostly coming as a receiver out of the backfield.
The Bengals offense ran through second-year RB Joe Mixon, who touched the ball 22 times and compared to just two for veteran RB Giovani Bernard. Mixon gained 149 yards and scored a touchdown. He made a real impact in the pass game, serving as the second-leading receiver behind WR A.J. Green (6/92/1). A healthy TE Tyler Eifert caught all three of his targets for 44 yards and WR John Ross caught his first NFL touchdown, but that was his only reception of the day.
Cleveland- 21
Pittsburgh- 21
Either the new-look Browns would end their losing streak and get a huge divisional win or the streak would continue and questions about HC Hue Jackson’s job would once again pop up. Except of course, the game ended in a tie. After being down by two touchdowns entering the fourth-quarter, QB Tyrod Taylor led a pair of drives to tie the game, which eventually headed to overtime. Each team missed field goal attempts in the extra period and the time expired with the score tied at 21 points each. WR Jarvis Landry served as a clear top target, catching only seven of his 15 targets for 106 yards, while WR Josh Gordon caught just one ball, but it was good for a 17-yard score. The Browns run game was a bit disappointing as RB Carlos Hyde rushed for 62 yards on 22 carries but did score a short touchdown. Rookie RB Nick Chubb was largely a non-factor but did have a 17-yard carry late in the game. Preseason star TE David Njoku caught three passes for only 13 yards.
The Steelers star posted huge numbers, but it might not be the ones you expect. Instead of RB Le’Veon Bell (holdout), it was second-year RB James Conner leading the way with 192 total yards and a pair of scores. While WR Antonio Brown (9/93/1) enjoyed a great game, it was WR Juju Smith-Schuster who led the team with 119 yards on five receptions. QB Ben Roethlisberger had a solid stat line for fantasy players (335 yards, one TD) unless you lose points for turnovers. Big Ben tossed three interceptions and lost a pair of fumbles as the Browns defense aggressively attacked him all day long.
Miami- 27
Tennessee- 20
What a strange game. For the second consecutive season, weather impacted Miami’s opener. After having their Week One game cancelled last season, the Dolphins and Titans endured multiple delays due to lightning, which led to the being longest NFL game since the merger, starting at 1:00 and finishing just before the Sunday Night Football kickoff.
The Dolphins led at halftime, although technically there was no halftime observed and both teams posted 17-point fourth quarters. Miami QB Ryan Tannehill made his return to the field and has to consider this a success. He threw for 230 yards and two scores, both going to WR Kenny Stills, who finished with a 4/106/2 line. RBs Frank Gore and Kenyan Drake were listed as co-starters and that is essentially how the situation played out. Gore carried nine times for 61 yards, while Drake saw 17 total touches for 61 yards. Rookie TE Mike Gesicki was a non-factor, catching one ball for 11 yards.
This was a disastrous day for the Titans, who lost a winnable game and saw QB Marcus Mariota (elbow) and TE Delanie Walker (ankle) leave the game with injuries. Mariota’s status going forward is unknown, and Walker’s season is almost certainly over. TE Jonnu Smith might be next in line, but if Mariota can’t return (and improve) it might not matter. WR Corey Davis saw a team-high 13 targets, but only turned that into a 6-62 line. RB Derrick Henry led the way early, but after the weather delay, former Patriots RB Dion Lewis was the difference-maker, finishing with 110 total yards and a touchdown.
Baltimore- 47
Buffalo- 3
Everyone expected a rough start for the Buffalo Bills, but this whitewashing by the Ravens was worse than imagined. Baltimore dominated this game from the jump and the Bills didn’t even bother to put up much of a fight. The Ravens defense were all over Bills QB Nathan Peterman all day and the team eventually trotted out rookie QB Josh Allen in his place. The duo combined for less than 100 passing yards on the day. HC Sean McDermott refused to commit to either signal caller moving forward, suggesting more work was necessary before making the decision. The one Bills player fantasy owners were most interested in also struggled as RB LeSean McCoy totaled 21 yards on only eight touches.
This was such a dominant performance by the Ravens that backup QB Lamar Jackson took over for starter Joe Flacco in the middle of the third quarter. Flacco finished with 236 yards and three scores in just over a half of work. He spread the ball around as WR Willie Snead led the team in receiving with just 49 yards. Other newcomers made an impact too, including WR Michael Crabtree (3/38/1) and John Brown (3/44/1).
Carolina- 16
Dallas- 8
After losing WR Dez Bryant and TE Jason Witten over the offseason, there was many questions about the Dallas Cowboys offense. With one game in the books, there are now even more questions. QB Dak Prescott struggled throughout and finished with 170 scoreless yards. A late touchdown run saved the fantasy day for RB Ezekiel Elliott, but he still only gained 69 yards on 15 carries. He did see four targets, catching three for 17 yards. Slot WR Cole Beasley led the team in receiving as many had projected, but rookie WR Michael Gallup saw just one target in the game. Other than Elliott, this is an offense to avoid.
The Panthers offense, despite having several established playmakers, wasn’t much better. RB Christian McCaffrey was the talk of the preseason and drew 16 touches, good for 95 yards. As usual, QB Cam Newton led the team in rushing with 58 yards and a score to go along with his 161 passing yards. WR Devin Funchess posted a 3/41 line and rookie WR D.J. Moore didn’t even see a target. The story of this game for the Panthers is the injury to TE Greg Olsen. Although nothing has been confirmed, Dr. David Chao is concerned this could be a Jones fracture to Olsen’s foot. This is the same injury Olsen suffered last year that cost him nearly half his season. Olsen reportedly strongly considered retiring this offseason. If Olsen is out a while, rookie Ian Thomas would likely take his place.
Washington- 24
Arizona- 6
In somewhat of a surprise, the Redskins traveled cross-country and dominated the Cardinals in every way, shutting out Arizona for the majority of the game. Veteran RB Adrian Peterson looked like he was in his prime, leading the Skins in both rushing (96 yards, touchdown) and receiving (2/70) in his first revenge game of the season. Peterson overshadowed the return of RB Chris Thompson, but he was just as impressive, totaling 128 yards and a touchdown. QB Alex Smith threw for 255 yards and two scores with TE Jordan Reed catching four passes for 48 yards and a touchdown.
There is little to get excited about for the Cardinals, other than the potential upcoming debut of rookie QB Josh Rosen. Starting QB Sam Bradford was dreadful, throwing for 153 scoreless yards, and fans were already calling for the rookie by the early second-half. RB David Johnson made his return after missing most of the 2017 campaign. He totaled 67 yards and a touchdown. After just one first-half reception, WR Larry Fitzgerald got things going after the break and finished with 7 grabs for 76 yards.
Denver- 27
Seattle- 24
In one of the more entertaining games of the day, the Broncos held on at home to defeat the Seahawks. QB Russell Wilson just didn’t quite have the fourth-quarter magic he has displayed in the past and the Seahawks fell short in their comeback attempt. Wilson did finish with 298 passing yards and three scores but threw a pair of picks to go along with it. WR Doug Baldwin suffered a knee injury and missed most of the game. We don’t know anything definitive yet, but there is cause for concern that this could be a multiple week injury. Rookie TE Will Dissly surprised as the leading receiver for the Seahawks, posting a 3/105/1 line for the game, while WR Tyler Lockett, who recently signed a contract extension, caught three passes for 59 yards and a score. If Baldwin misses time, Lockett will likely be the key beneficiary. There was little run game going as the Seahawks were in catch-up mode for much of the game, but RB Chris Carson did gain 51 yards on just seven carries.
QB Case Keenum made the difference in this game, just as Broncos fans had expected after their difficult QB situation in recent years. Keenum finished with 329 yards and three scores, but also tossed three interceptions. WR Emmanuel Sanders was the leading receiver, catching 10 passes for 135 yards and a score, while teammate Demaryius Thomas posted a 6/63/1 line. Perhaps the story for the Broncos was the emergence of rookie RB Phillip Lindsay, who matched the rushing statline of fellow rookie RB Royce Freeman (15/71) and also chipped in 31 yards and a touchdown on two receptions. Lindsay is your priority waiver add of the week.
Kansas City- 38
LA Chargers- 28
WR Tyreek Hill kicked off the scoring with a 91-yard punt return for a score and that was only the beginning as the Chiefs scored 38 points on the day. Hill was the star, with 173 yards from scrimmage and three total touchdowns and QB Patrick Mahomes enjoyed his 2018 debut, throwing for 256 yards and four scores. Although Mahomes slung the ball all over the field and has a reputation for turning the ball over, he avoided the interceptions in this game. WR Sammy Watkins (3/21) and TE Travis Kelce (1/6) were held in check while RB Kareem Hunt gained 49 yards on the ground.
The Chargers put up a good fight but could never get close enough to really threaten the Chiefs. Veteran QB Philip Rivers had a huge opener with 424 passing yards and three scores, hitting WR Keenan Allen (8/108/1), RB Austin Ekeler (5/87/1) and WR Tyrell Williams (2/8/1) for scores. RB Melvin Gordon exploded for 166 total yards. Second-year WR Mike Williams also chipped in with five catches for 81 yards.
Green Bay- 24
Chicago- 23
The Bears got off to an amazing start, scoring the first 20 points of the game, thanks to a dominant performance from new LB Khalil Mack and the offensive game plan from HC Matt Nagy. Oh, they also knocked out Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, who grabbed for his knee after a first-half tackle and had Packers fans and fantasy players reliving last season’s disaster. Backup QB DeShone Kizer committed a pair of turnovers in taking over for Rodgers and that was nearly the difference in the game.
Rodgers returned to the game following halftime and led to 17 unanswered points, including touchdown passes to WRs Geronimo Allison (5/69/1) and Davante Adams (5/88/1). The Pack got the ball back with just over two minutes remaining and Rodgers eventually found an open WR Randall Cobb (9/142/1), who avoided tacklers and took it 75 yards for the go-ahead score. The Bears had time, but fell just short of regaining the lead.
Bears QB Mitch Trubisky didn’t post flashy numbers, but got the job done with his 171 scoreless yards. He also added 32 rushing yards and a touchdown. New Bears WR Allen Robinson led the team with 61 yards on three receptions, but TE Trey Burton caught just one pass for 15 yards. True to his word, Nagy used RB Jordan Howard in the passing game as the starting back totaled 107 yards for the game, catching all four targets for 19 yards.
