Irving finished as the RB14 in Week 1, but if his Utilization in Week 1 is indicative of his role for the season, he is going to challenge for a top-six finish.
The big change? Irving overtook Rachaad White for a larger role on passing downs. That led to a massive snap share of 77%.
Irving's Week 1 Utilization Score was held down by inefficiency. He only gained 37 yards on his 14 attempts. We use fantasy points as a proxy for talent in the Utilization Score—it accounts for 23% of a player's score.
His 83 Utilization Score tied his career high from Week 17 last year when he delivered 23 fantasy points. While Week 1 is a small sample, this Utilization mirrors what we saw over the final two games of 2024 when the Bucs were striving to make the playoffs.
Irving's closest Utilization Score comparisons over the last four seasons:
RB1 to RB6 season: 26%
RB7 to RB12 season: 38%
RB13 to RB18 season: 29%
The Bucs RB1 averaged 20.6 points per game last season in games where he reached 50% of the snaps.
Irving is a mid-range RB1 with high-end RB1 upside once the Bucs get their offensive line right. Check the trade temperature with your local Irving owner.
2. Keon Coleman earned the No. 1 WR Utilization Score and is available in 46% of Yahoo leagues.
The Bills' early-second-round pick struggled to generate targets as a rookie with a 15% target share and 17% targets-per-route run rate (TPRR).
On the one hand, some of his Week 1 production was fluky (tipped pass for a TD on a scramble drill) in an offense that doesn't always throw so often without much scheme protection (2% motion, one screen look). On the other hand, he made several great grabs and was a shoestring tackle away from another score, and he plays with Josh-Freaking-Allen, man.
It's worth noting that historical Year 2 and 3 comparisons with Coleman's profile haven't broken out often. Still, we play a game where outliers happen, and Coleman deserves an upgrade after a strong Week 1 performance.
Coleman UPGRADES to WR3 territory and will join the WR2 conversation with another strong outing in Week 2. If you are in a league where he is available, he is a MUST-ADD option. If you have him and someone is willing to pay a WR1 price, I would deal him.
3. Tyler Warren is a mid-range TE1 with top-three upside.
Warren posted the No. 2 TE Utilization Score (91) in his first game as a pro. The Colts' Round 1 draft pick led the team with a 31% target share and added a rushing attempt, delivering 14.9 fantasy points.
Shane Stiechan's RPO-heavy and play-action-centric offense is tailor-made to get a yards-after-the-catch alpha like Warren into space. In Week 1, 33% of Warren's targets came off of play action. He was targeted on one RPO and also got a look in the screen game.
This is a tiny sample, but tight ends with a Utilization Score of 90-plus for the season have produced a top-six finish 100% of the time, with 60% reaching top-three status. The comparison group averaged 13.9 points.
If you drafted Warren, congratulations, you might have the centerpiece to the Colts' passing attack for 2025. He is a must-start player moving forward.
4. Hollywood Brown should be added in all fantasy leagues.
Brown hasn't shown the explosive playmaking ability we saw when he was younger in some time. Still, he is a veteran WR who did demonstrate similar target-earning ability in Arizona when DeAndre Hopkins was out.
Brown UPGRADES to low-end WR3 territory and has some room to grow, but the return of Rashee Rice will cap his long-term ceiling. He is available in 75% of Yahoo leagues.
5. Is Zach Charbonnet the new RB1 in Seattle, and what does it mean for Kenneth Walker?
The Seahawks coaching staff told us all offseason that they had a plan for Walker. Unfortunately, my interpretation of that was a plan to rest him in the preseason, not reduce him to the RB2 in Seattle's backfield.
In Week 1, Charbonnet handled 59% of the snaps versus 41% for Walker. Welp.
The Seahawks figure to be one of the more run-heavy squads in the NFL under Klint Kubiak, which helps both backs. However, this split is not ideal for either player, as evidenced by their Utilization Scores of 49 and 48 for Charbonnet and Walker, respectively.
While Charbonnet held the edge in snaps, passing-down work and attempts inside the five-yard line, Walker saw more total opportunities.
Charbonnet: 11 attempts, zero targets (11 total)
Walker: 10 attempts, three targets (13 total)
The Seattle backfield is suddenly a challenging situation to navigate in fantasy until something changes.
Charbonnet UPGRADES to RB3 status while Walker DOWNGRADES to RB3 territory.
6. Chase Brown lost pass-down reps but still had a massive workload.
Brown looked like he was headed for a big day in the fantasy boxscore after scoring a sweet cutback TD on the first drive, but the Browns' defense stiffened to hold him to 13.1 points.
Brown gave up the two-minute and LDD snaps to Samaje Perine, which could make him a bit more game-script dependent, but overall, these numbers are very close to the ones that made Brown one of the best fantasy RBs down the stretch in 2024.
After the Zack Moss injury in Week 8, Brown averaged 20.9 points over eight games in 2024.
Snaps: 85%
Attempts: 88%
Routes: 66%
Targets: 13%
LDD snaps: 52%
Two-minute snaps: 82%
Brown gets a SMALL DOWNGRADE with the loss of passing down work, but 20 totes plus three targets is still a strong outing.
7. Deebo Samuel is an excellent fit in Kliff Kingsbury's offense.
Samuel led Washington with a 34% target share (10) and one rushing attempt for a vintage 19-yard score.
Samuel was the beneficiary of play-action targets (30%), motion at the snap (31%), and a heavy dose of slot reps (75%). In addition to that, he also caught a 21-yarder on a 19-yard crossing route and snared a pass on a 15-yard in-route for 19 yards.
Terry McLaurin is going to get his as well, but McLaurin has never been a target monster. There is room for Samuel in this offense, and he is the favorite to lead this team in targets. He is simply getting too many mismatch opportunities.
Samuel UPGRADES to WR2 territory.
8. How worried should we be about the rookie RB performances in Week 1?
Ashton Jeanty | Raiders: RELAXXXXX.
Remember that efficiency is a fickle beast, y'all. If you are going to be mad at Jeanty's two yards per carry, I have a list for you from Week 1:
Now, if you are willing to downgrade all those players, then feel free to take your Jeanty sucks shots. The wiser play is to understand how much variance plays a role in YPC and lean into what the Raiders told us about Jeanty: He is their clear-cut RB1.
Jeanty's ranks this weekend:
Snaps: 53 (4th)
Attempts: 18 (8th)
Routes: 22 (14th)
Targets: 2 (26th)
Even if Jeanty is inefficient the rest of the way, he is going to score more than 12 points per game. The Raiders' passing attack looked good under Geno Smith; they could move the ball better than we anticipated.
If there is any action to take on Jeanty, it is to BUY LOW if your leagumate is panicking. He remains an RB1.
Omarion Hampton | Chargers: CHILL PEOPLE.
Like Jeanty, Hampton was not efficient in Week 1, but faced the No. 1 opponent-adjusted RB fantasy defense in the Chiefs. I rewatched every carry, and the Chiefs were in the backfield on most of his negative runs. Did he leave some yards on the table? Probably. Does that mean we should panic? No.
Hampton handled 81% of the snaps with an 83% rush share.
The Chargers spent a first-round pick on this man, and they are going to use him. As Najee Harris gets back in shape, I expect these numbers to come down. An 80%-plus snap share is rare in the NFL. But the good news is that Hampton has plenty of room to give and remain in a significant role in an offense that looked fantastic in Week 1.
Hampton is a mid-range RB2 thanks to tougher competition than what Jeanty faces, but that is where we drafted him. I am buying if folks are panicked in my leagues.
TreVeyon Henderson | Patriots: NOT IDEAL.
Let's start with this: we assumed Henderson would split work with Rhamondre Stevenson to start the season. We also believed that he would provide value as a pass-catcher immediately to help soften the blow. Both of those things happened in Week 1.
The 34% snap share is troubling, but Hendo was a priority when he was on the field, ending up with 11 total opportunities versus 10 for Stevenson. The rookie was targeted on 33% of his routes.
These things can take time, and we know the Ohio State product has game-breaking ability, even if he remains in a timeshare. We have seen players like Alvin Kamara and Jahmyr Gibbs post great fantasy numbers as rookies in part-time roles.
Henderson DOWNGRADES from RB2 to RB3 territory, but we need to keep the big picture in mind. Hold Henderson if you have him, and inquire about his services if you don't.
RJ Harvey | Broncos: THIS SUCKS, BUT DON'T LET HIM GO.
Harvey ended up with a snap share (31%) similar to Henderson, but unlike Henderson, he was not highly integrated into the passing game when on the field.
Sean Payton instead opted for Tyler Badie (26% routes and 55% TPRR) on those plays and used J.K. Dobbins as the hammer with 63% on the short-yardage totes.
Harvey is in no-man's land at the moment, which will make it tough to start him in fantasy, but we need to remain patient. He still has the skillset to thrive when he gets his opportunity.
Harvey DOWNGRADES to borderline RB3 territory but remains a strong candidate to score fantasy points when we need them most as the season progresses.
Note: For notes on more guys I am or am not freaking out about in Week 1, see the Utilization Bytes below.
9. Travis Etienne and Javonte Williams: Surprise, they're back!!!
Travis Etienne | Jaguars
Etienne delivered 18.6 fantasy points (6th) and a 78 Utilization Score (11th) as the top out of the Jaguars backfield in Week 1. The former first-rounder posted a 62% snap share and 57% rush share.
The Jaguars also saw enough, dealing Tank Bigsby to the Eagles for Round 5 and Round 6 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.
LeQuint Allen siphoned the long-down-and-distance (LDD) work, but Etienne retained the more valuable role as the two-minute back (80%). The Jaguars didn't have an attempt inside the five-yard line, but Etienne accounted for 60% of the short-down-and-distance snaps.
We could still see a hot-hand approach from the Jaguars at some point if Etienne falters, but for now, he gets an UPGRADE to RB2 status. The remaining Jaguars backs downgrade to bench-stash status.
Javonte Williams | Cowboys
The beat reporters and Cowboys staff indicated that Williams was their No. 1 back at the end of the preseason, and that proved true in Week 1 against the Eagles. Williams bogarted 80% of the snaps, registering an impressive 82 Utilization Score with 20.4 fantasy points.
The 2021 second-round NFL draft pick locked down the short yardage (SDD) work and all of the passing-down snaps. He wasn't heavily targeted, and that probably won't change given the Cowboys' receiving corps, but he offers spike-week upside as a pass catcher thanks to his robust role.
Williams didn't flash the pre-injury juice we saw early in his career, but he ran hard behind a young Cowboys line that posted the No. 3 run-blocking grade (72.2) at PFF. The Eagles didn't have Jalen Carter after an ejection before the first play, but most teams don't have a player of Carter's caliber inside.
It's worth noting that Jaydon Blue, who has dealt with injuries through the preseason, wasn't active and could push Williams for opportunities at some point. However, it's impossible not to upgrade Williams after his Week 1 workload.
Williams is in the RB2 mix for the immediate future.
10. Jaxon Smith-Njigba ascending to ALPHA WR status?
Smith-Njigba exploded over the second half of last season, and he kept the good times rolling against the 49ers in Week 1 with a mouth-watering 59% target share (13). He finished the day with 19.4 points and a robust 91 Utilization Score.
While a 59% target share isn't sustainable, this is an ascending young talent who expanded his role into new territory. He led the team with a 91% air yards share, working downfield more than we have seen in the past (13.6 aDOT). He still played from the slot 29% of the time, but demonstrated an ability to win on the outside as well. Klint Kubiak also kept the easy layups intact, with three (23%) of his targets coming on screens.
The Seahawks only passed for 150 yards and appeared committed to the ground game, but Darnold played well enough, completing 16 of 23 passes. There will be better passing performances for this offense in the future.
Smith-Njigba UPGRADES to high-end WR2 status.
11. Wide Receivers that demanded opportunities, but the QB play was suspect.
I am not going to go deep on these players. The headline summarizes my thoughts. The main takeaway is let's not panic with these guys. Their days could have been much better, and they are all rebound candidates in Week 2.
Calvin Ridley | Titans: 32% target share (8); tough day against the Broncos.
Chris Olave | Saints: 32% target share (13); working from slot (41%) on lower aDOT looks.
Tyreek Hill | Dolphins: rested in the fourth quarter; 27% TPRR with 50% of reps from the slot.
12. Kevin Stefanski has a plan for Harold Fannin Jr., and you can pick him up in most leagues!
Fannin notched an 88 Utilization Score with 13.6 fantasy points in his first game as a pro. While his route participation rate is still lower than we like (65%), carving out that large a role out of the gate is a major positive.
Now we know why the team moved on from Diontae Johnson as their slot option. There is a new weapon in town. While we could see variance in his Utilization, his ceiling weeks are likely to outshine names like Hunter Henry.
Fannin UPGRADES to borderline TE1 status and offers more upside than many of the other names in that range. He is available in 98% of Yahoo leagues. He does carry some fragility should Joe Flacco lose the starting role.
13. Waiver Wire Roundup
QB
Michael Penix Jr. | Falcons: Penix threw for 298 yards and a TD. He also demonstrated new life on the ground, with a 9% scramble rate and one designed rush attempt. Penix scored 24 fantasy points, and the Falcons could be a shootout machine. The second-year QB is available in 68% of Yahoo leagues, and if his dual-threat work sticks, he offers the ability to spike in two categories.
Daniel Jones | Colts: Jones has flashed a massive ceiling over the last three years with outings of 36.2, 30.7, 28.9, 27.8, 24.6 fantasy points. He notched another such performance in Week 1 with 29.5. He has eclipsed 22 points in 25% of his games. Steichan's RPO and play-action offense is perfect for Jones, who ran for 26 yards and two TDs against the Dolphins. Jones UPGRADES to mid-QB2 status and will climb into borderline QB1 territory with another solid performance. He is available in most leagues.
RB
Quinshon Judkins | Browns: Judkins signed with the Browns last week. The second-round pick could take over the early-down work quickly. Judkins scored well in the Rookie Super Model with 68% of his comps reaching top-24 status in their first three seasons. Judkins is available in roughly half of leagues.
Dylan Sampson | Browns: Sampson took over the Browns' backfield in the second half of Week 1 and appears to be the favorite to see heavy Utilization in the passing game. He was targeted on 53% of his routes, notching a 77 Utilization Score with 17.3 points. Sampson moves into RB3 territory and offers contingent RB2 upside.He should form a one-two punch with Judkins—he is available in 60% of leagues.
Keenan Allen | Chargers: Allen led the Chargers with a 29% target share, rekindling his connection with Justin Herbert. He was technically the No. 3 with a 78% route participation. He finished the day with 19.8 fantasy points and a 90 Utilization Score. Allen UPGRADES to WR3 status and is available in 50% of Yahoo leagues.
Quentin Johnston | Chargers: Johnston is notorious for his bad hands, but the Chargers are scheming him up with advantageous looks. He posted an 88% route participation with a 21% target share, with 29% of his looks coming on play action in Week 1 against the Chiefs. Johnston UPGRADES to boom-bust WR4 territory and is on the waiver wire in most leagues.
Cedric Tillman | Browns: There are a lot of mouths to feed in Cleveland, which could be scary should Flacco ever lose the starting job. Still, Tillman outdueled Jerry Jeudy for the team lead in targets after the Amari Cooper trade last season, and he tied Jeudy with a 20% target share in Week 1. Tillman UPGRADES to borderline WR4 territory and on the wire in 70% of leagues.
Calvin Austin | Steelers: Aaron Rodgers breathed new life into the offense with 244 yards and four TD passes. While that isn't sustainable, at least we know there is a new ceiling when the Steelers are pushed in game scripts. Austin scored 17 fantasy points with a 71 Utilization Score on a 21% target share in Week 1. Austin is available in most leagues and UPGRADES to boom-bust WR5 status.
Kayshon Boutte | Patriots: I am skeptical about Boutte because he hasn't done much with his opportunities over the first two years of his career. However, he is still a young player, and the New England depth chart is weak. My bet remains on Kyle Williams over the course of the season, but that could be a mistake. Boutte's route participation (83%) and target share (19%) were decent but not great in Week 1. Boutte is a WR5/6 stash option in deep leagues.
Elic Ayomanor | Titans: If the Titans' upcoming schedule were more manageable, I would have Ayomanor higher on this list. Over the course of the season, he could be the best option listed. The rookie carved out an impressive 28% target share on an 82% route participation rate in his first game despite a lackluster 3.3 fantasy points. Ayomanor is a PRIORITY bench stash WR6 in deep leagues.
TE
Juwan Johnson | Saints: The Saints QB room is a complete mess, but Johnson is in line for the most significant role of his career with Taysom Hill out. Kellen Moore sang his praises through the offseason, and Johnson garnered an ELITE 96% route participation rate in Week 1. He finished second on the team with a 27% target share and posted the No. 1 TE Utilization Score in Week 1. Johnson UPGRADES to borderline TE1 status and is available in nearly every league.
Brenton Strange | Jaguars: Strange posted a 70% route participation and 14% target share in Week 1. Those aren't great numbers, but he is a former second-rounder in Year 3. Strange is available in 80% of leagues and is a mid-range TE2 we could like more and more as the season progresses.
14. It's a Fugazi!!!
A few players pop up weekly in the fantasy boxscore but lack the underlying goods to back them up. They are best left for the next fantasy manager to worry about.
Donnie Brasco: "You should give it to somebody who doesn't know any better because that's a fugazi."
Tre Tucker | Raiders: Tucker finished with 13.4 fantasy points thanks to a TD. He is in a full-time role for the moment (93% route participation rate), but his 8% TPRR and 9% target share look like the Tucker we have seen the last two years.
Jonnu Smith | Steelers: Smith is going to have his spike games, but good luck figuring out when they are going to happen. Just check the 2023 Utilization game logs with the Falcons and let me know how you feel. He offers contingent upside should something happen to Pat Freirmuth, but they are splitting time right now. Smith played only 53% of the passing plays in Week 1 on an offense that will run more when it can.
Utilization Bytes
Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers | Steelers: Rodgers passed for 244 yards and four TDs. It's great to see that there is a ceiling, but we will need another strong performance to move him up the ranks. The Steelers will still be a run-oriented offense, and I am not entirely sold on this group of weapons. Rodgers remains a low-end QB2.
Bo Nix | Broncos: Nix had a forgettable Week 1 with only 8.8 fantasy points. Variance is going to variance, y'all. On a positive note, Nix remained involved in the run game with 15% of the designed rush attempts—ranking fifth behind the four elite dual-threat options. Nix remains in the QB1 conversation.
Brock Purdy | 49ers: Purdy had a solid Week 1 with 18.8 points, but could be without Jauan Jennings (shoulder) and George Kittle over the coming weeks. If both are out, he should be considered a high-end QB2 rather than a QB1.
Drake Maye | Patriots: Maye scored 16.8 points in Week 1. He finished the day with 287 passing yards, one TD, and one INT. He also posted a 7% designed rush rate (12th) and scrambled on 6% of his dropbacks. Maye remains a borderline QB1.
Justin Fields | Jets: Fields was the QB2 overall in Week 1 with 29.5 fantasy points. While my confidence in him as a consistent passer remains low, there is no denying his upside as a runner (48 yards and two TDs) in a Jets offense committed to pounding the rock. New York ran the ball on 60% of their plays in a competitive back-and-forth game, posting a -20% dropback rate over expected (DBOE). That is unbelievable. Fields is a low-end QB1 with high-end QB1 upside.
Running Back
Alvin Kamara | Saints: Kamara posted the fifth-best snap share (82%) in Week 1. He wasn't heavily targeted in this one (5%), and there is some concern that Moore won't feature him like previous regimes. We will see how it plays out, but my gut says Kamara will get back on track in the targets department. Kamara is a borderline RB1.
Blake Corum | Rams: Preseason Utilization pointed toward Corum as the RB2 in Los Angeles, and that was confirmed in Week 1 with Jarquez Hunter as a healthy scratch. Corum is the handcuff to roster on the Rams.
Braelon Allen | Jets: Allen was the No. 3 runner behind Breece Hall and Fields with a 16% rush share. He punched in a rushing score, but once again didn't look great. Allen isn't David Montgomery, but I don't know if the Jets coaching staff will act on that or not. Allen is an RB5 that shouldn't be near lineups.
Breece Hall | Jets: Hall was clearly the best back on the Jets in Week 1, scoring 16.5 points. He parlayed 19 attempts into 107 yards and tacked on two catches for 38 yards. When Fields is thriving as a runner, it could keep the running lanes unclogged for Hall, who is also the team's second-best option in the passing game. His route participation was lower than expected (32%), but he collected a 25% TPRR and got most of the two-minute work (67%). Hall is a mid-range RB2.
Christian McCaffrey | 49ers: CMC finished with a perfect Utilization Score of 100. He finished the game with 22 attempts and 10 targets. CMC is a high-end RB1.
Chuba Hubbard | Panthers: We had some concerns about Hubbard losing passing down work after a subpar 2024 in that capacity and the additions of Rico Dowdle and Trevor Etienne. That partially manifested in Week 1 with a 48% route participation (down from 61% last year), but he retained the two-minute work (71%) and delivered a 13% target share. Hubbard scored 17.9 points and is a mid-range RB2.
De'Von Achane | Dolphins: Despite a terrible outing from the Dolphins' offense, Achane still managed 16.5 points. He was on the field for 72% of the snaps and bogarted 70% of the attempts. He earned a target share of 13%. Miami is pushing the envelope with their bad play, but Achane withstood the test in Week 1 and remains an RB1 in fantasyland.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt | Commanders: Bill was in a committee in Week 1 but led the team in rushing attempts (40%) on his way to 14.2 fantasy points. He remains the best bet to take over the RB1 role this season, but for now, he is a boom-bust RB3 option who needs a TD to pay off.
James Conner | Cardinals: While Benson expanded his role, Conner remained in control of the backfield with a 62% snap share. His rush share was a little lower than usual (52%), but he played all of the SDD snaps and got the lone tote inside the five-yard line. We could see Benson limit Conner's upside more than last season, but the veteran RB remains a strong RB2.
James Cook | Bills: Cook notched a career-high Utilization Score of 85 with 21.2 fantasy points. He played 59% of the snaps and handled 59% of the rushing attempts with a 52% route participation. Last season, those numbers were 48%, 50% and 40% with a 66 Utilization Score. There is a chance the Bills want to get more out of Cook now that they paid him—if that is the case, he will upgrade to RB1 territory soon.
Jaylen Warren | Steelers: Warren led the Steelers' backfield with 58% of the rushing attempts and was the top option in short-yardage situations. However, Kenneth Gainwell played 50% of the snaps and dominated all of the LDD and two-minute snaps. We can live with that for now, but if Kaleb Johnson gets going, this situation could deteriorate quickly. Warren is a mid-range RB3.
Kaleb Johnson | Steelers: Johnson only played 4% of the snaps against the Jets. He DOWNGRADES to bench-stash-only status.
Nick Chubb | Texans: Chubb came up short in the box score with only six fantasy points as the lead back for Houston. He played 49% of the snaps and accounted for 57% of the rushing attempts. Chubb is an RB4 until we see signs of life from this offensive line.
Ray Davis | Bills: Davis worked behind Ty Johnson and lost work to Cook's expanded role in Week 1. He played only 10% of the snaps. Davis DOWNGRADES to RB6 bench status.
Tank Bigsby & Will Shipley | Eagles: Bigsby will battle Will Shipley (rib injury) for the RB2 duties behind Saquon Barkley. Bigsby DOWNGRADES to stash-only status and Shipley no longer offers clear-cut handcuff value, making him dropable in deep leagues.
Tony Pollard | Titans: Pollard played a whopping 89% of the snaps but finished with only 7.9 points in a tough matchup against Denver. Pollard is a borderline RB2 with RB1 upside in easier matches until Tyjae Spears returns.
Tyrone Tracy Jr. | Giants: Tracy dominated the Giants' backfield with a 73% snap share against the Commanders. He wasn't able to get anything going with 5.5 fantasy points, but the role was there, notching 59% of the rushing attempts with a 67% route participation. How firm Tracy's grip remains is yet to be seen, but he gets at least a temporary UPGRADE for now—he is a borderline RB2.
Wide Receiver
Drake London | Falcons: It sounds like London (day-to-day) avoided a serious injury after leaving the game on the ninth drive after a dropped TD pass. Before the injury, he posted a 42% target share and a 44% air yards share. Michael Penix Jr. loves this man. When healthy, London is a low-end WR1 with high-end WR1 upside.
Emeka Egbuka | Buccaneers: Egbuka scored 23.6 points in his professional debut thanks to two TD receptions. The first-round pick was hyped all summer and delivered in Week 1. He finished the day with a 21% target share and a 73 Utilization Score. Egbuka UPGRADES to low-end WR2 territory.
Garrett Wilson | Jets: Wilson boomed in Week 1 with 22.5 points on a massive 44% target share. He is a high-end talent, but I continue to have concerns about the passing attack under Justin Fields in a run-first offense. It is ridiculously hard to pull off a big fantasy campaign in an offense with a hot-and-cold accuracy passer without high attempts. Maybe I am wrong, and Wilson can be the next D.J. Moore, but the data still says Wilson is a sell-high candidate if your leaguemates are willing to pay you like he is a WR1. Wilson UPGRADES to low-end WR2 territory to appease our CEO, Jets' fan Eliot Crist.
Jakobi Meyers | Raiders: Why did Meyers want a trade from this offense? He got the JSN treatment from Geno Smith, who can dot the i with the best of them in the intermediate passing game. Meyers led the team with a 30% target share and an 86 Utilization Score, notching 17.7 fantasy points in Week 1. Meyers is a borderline WR2 who offers WR1 upside if Bowers (knee) misses time.
Jayden Reed | Packers: Reed overcame the Jones fracture in his foot to post 13.5 fantasy points in Week 1. However, he didn't expand his role. The Packers limited him to a 52% route participation rate. I am a believer in his talent profile—his breakout profile compared closely with JSN. However, the history of his injury and the uncertainty around his role are enough to make him a SELL-HIGH candidate.
Matthew Golden | Packers: Golden notched a lowly 53% route participation and 22 Utilization Score against the Lions. When he was on the field, he wasn't highly targeted with a 15% TPRR. The first-round pick was dealing with a minor ankle injury heading into the game, and in a script that turned run-heavy, he rotated out often. Golden should remain on rosters, but he DOWNGRADES to WR5 status until we see more playing time.
Mike Evans | Buccaneers: Evans came up small in the box score with 10.1 points but still led the team with a 28% target share. Better days are coming—he remains a high-end WR2 with Godwin out, despite the emergence of Egbuka.
Ricky Pearsall | 49ers: Pearsall wasn't dominant (18%), despite the absence of Kittle for most of the game and Jauan Jennings (shoulder) for part of the contest. However, he still came through with 14.8 points on a 51% air yards share. The former first-rounder locks into WR3 territory with WR2 upside in games without Kittle and Jennings.
Troy Franklin | Broncos: Franklin posted a 65% route participation rate with a 21% TPRR as the WR2 for the Broncos. While he continues to rotate, Franklin offers big-play upside and could expand his role over the coming games. He is a stash WR6 option that is available in most leagues.
Tight End
Brock Bowers | Raiders: Before his knee injury, Bowers posted a 75% route participation with a 30% target share. Most notably, he was working further downfield with a 10.4 aDOT. It could be a small sample thing, but historically, the TEs that have broken fantasy earned targets and worked downfield, unlocking massive TD upside (e.g., Rob Gronkowski, Jimmy Graham and Travis Kelce). Hopefully, Bowers is ready to suit up in Week 2; he is day-to-day. Bowers is the TE1 when healthy.
Dalton Kincaid | Bills: Kincaid notched 14.8 fantasy points in Week 1, but remained in his regular part-time role with a 62% route participation. Furthermore, his 12% TPRR and 9% target share were lackluster. Kincaid remains a mid-range TE2 option.
David Njoku | Browns: Njoku disappointed in the fantasy box score with only 6.7 points. While Fannin Jr. enjoyed a better game, his playing time didn't come at the expense of Njoku—the veteran tight end still led the way with an 85% route participation. The more crowded receiving room puts a strain on all the Browns' receiving options, but Njoku remains in the mix. Njoku is a low-end TE1.
Kyle Pitts | Falcons: Pitts compiled an 83% route participation and a 21% target share on his way to 12.9 points with a 76 Utilization Score. It's important to note that Darnell Mooney was out, and London left with an injury late. Still, Pitts looked more spry than the version we saw over the last two seasons. Pitts is a mid-range TE2 who upgrades to low-end TE1 territory if Mooney or London misses time.
Mason Taylor | Jets: Taylor collected an 84% route participation in his first game as a pro. He didn't do much with his routes (6% target share), but the door is open for a No. 2 option to step up behind Wilson in a weak receiving corps. Taylor is worth a bench-stash in deep TE-premium leagues.
Michael Mayer | Raiders: Mayer posted a 70% route participation and 30% target share in a small sample of snaps after Bowers left the game. Should Bowers miss Week 2, Mayer offers TE1 upside—he was a very talented prospect coming out of Notre Dame.
Join Our Newsletter
Trusted by 400,000+ fantasy football players. Get access to Fantasy Life's free award winning newsletter and tools, all in one step.
1. Bucky Irving: Massive Season Uploading
2. Keon Coleman earned the No. 1 WR Utilization Score and is available in 46% of Yahoo leagues.
3. Tyler Warren is a mid-range TE1 with top-three upside.
4. Hollywood Brown should be added in all fantasy leagues.
5. Is Zach Charbonnet the new RB1 in Seattle, and what does it mean for Kenneth Walker?
6. Chase Brown lost pass-down reps but still had a massive workload.
7. Deebo Samuel is an excellent fit in Kliff Kingsbury's offense.
Ashton Jeanty | Raiders: RELAXXXXX.
Omarion Hampton | Chargers: CHILL PEOPLE.
TreVeyon Henderson | Patriots: NOT IDEAL.
RJ Harvey | Broncos: THIS SUCKS, BUT DON'T LET HIM GO.
Travis Etienne | Jaguars
Javonte Williams | Cowboys
12. Kevin Stefanski has a plan for Harold Fannin Jr., and you can pick him up in most leagues!
