Well, that was a lot of fun. It was quite the first week of the regular season. We had several top fantasy performances and great games along the way. There were some big surprises, too, seeing one teams many thought would have a good season get off to slow starts. I was shocked to see both the Packers and Titans play so badly in Week 1. Remember, it is a long season, so don’t overreact to a week of games. Things tend to even out, especially with the good players. But with that said, don’t discount what happened, including the surprise performances. These players might be factors all season.

Bucs 31, Cowboys 29

Fantasy Stud: Amari Cooper. Cooper had a monster game, catching 13 passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns. He even got off to a slow start to the game before piling up the yards and catches in the second half. He is Prescott’s safety net and is going to rack up the catches once again this season.

Fantasy Dud: Ezekiel Elliott. Elliott had a terrible first week of the season. He ran 11 times for 33 yards and caught two passes for six yards. Don’t get too down on him, though. He did face arguably the best rush defense in football. And on a positive note, he looked slimmed down and in great shape, showing some explosion on the few runs he had room to run. Expect him to get going in the coming weeks.

Game Notes: Michael Gallup was off to a good start but left because of an ankle injury. He is expected to be sidelined multiple weeks because of the injury. He had four receptions for 36 yards before getting hurt.

Dak Prescott showed no issues from his arm injury in the preseason. He looked tremendous, going 42-of-58 for 403 yards and three touchdowns with an interception.

Eagles 32, Falcons 6

Fantasy Stud: Jalen Hurts. Hurts got off to a great start to his first season as full-time starter. He was 27-of-35 for 264 yards and three touchdowns without a turnover. He also ran seven times for 62 yards, showing his big-time dual threat ability. If his is any indication on how his season might go, it was a great sign for fantasy teams.

Fantasy Dud: Matt Ryan. This seemed like a pretty good matchup for Ryan on paper but that didn’t come to fruition for Ryan. He failed to score a touchdown or throw for 200 yards. He was 21-of-35 for 164 yards. The Falcons have a new offense this year, so there could be some growing pains along the way for Ryan.

Game Notes: DeVonta Smith led the Eagles in receiving, catching six passes for 71 yards and a touchdown. The rookie looks like the favorite target of Hurts, which is a great sign for his future.

Cordarrelle Patterson didn’t start or lead the Falcons in carries but was the leading rusher for the team. He ran seven times for 54 yards compared to 15 carries for 49 yards for starter Mike Davis.

Steelers 23, Bills 16

Fantasy Stud: Gabriel Davis. Davis scored the lone touchdown for the Bills offense. He had two receptions for 40 yard and a score. Davis might not start for the Bills but is going to get his chances for this pass-first offense, especially in the red zone. He could be setup for a breakout second season.

Fantasy Dud: Najee Harris. There were a lot of fantasy disappointments in this gam but Harris gets the “dud” honors. He ran 16 times for 45 yards and caught a pass for four yards. He had just 49 total yards on 17 touches. The good news is he got a lot of work. The bad news is he didn’t have much room to run.

Game Notes: Zach Moss was a surprise healthy scratch. This gave Devin Singletary the start and most of the carries at running back. Singletary played well, rushing 11 times for 72 yard, averaging 6.5 yards per carry. He also had three receptions for eight yards.

Bengals 27, Vikings 24

Fantasy Stud: Ja’Marr Chase. Chase might have been a bust in the preseason but he quickly put that behind him in his first NFL game. He had five receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown, including a 50-yard touchdown reception. It was an impressive showing for the talented rookie. For those of you worried about his preseason showing, worry no more.

Fantasy Dud: Tyler Boyd. Boyd was pretty quiet for the Bengals, watching his teammates at receiver each scoring touchdowns. He had just three receptions for 32 yards. He will have his big games but might have a few more like this along the way, competing with two other really talented receivers for targets.

Game Notes: Joe Burrow looked very good in his first game since his ACL injury. He was 20-of-27 for 261 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover.

Joe Mixon hit the 100-yard mark. He ran 29 times for 127 yards and a touchdown. He also caught four passes for 23 yards, giving him 150 total yards and a score in the game.

49ers 41, Lions 33

Fantasy Stud: Deebo Samuel. Samuel led the way at receiver for the 49ers in this one. He had a huge game, catching nine passes for 189 yards and a touchdown. He did lose a fumble in the game, which was his only blemish. Samuel is a super talented but injuries have dogged him to start his career. If he can stay healthy, he might have a huge season for the 49ers.

Fantasy Dud: Brandon Aiyuk. The 49ers scored 41 points and topped 300-passing yards, but Aiyuk didn’t even catch a pass in the game. This was a big surprise. We wouldn’t panic too much over just a game but this is a situation to monitor going forward.

Game Notes: Raheem Mostert injured his knee early in the game and did not return. Eli Mitchell got most of the work the rest of the way, rushing 19 times for 104 yards and a touchdown. Keep an eye on the notes for the latest on Mostert.

D’Andre Swift didn’t start but had the most carries for the Lions. He ran 11 times for 39 yards while Jamaal Williams had 11 carries for 39 yards. Swift had eight receptions for 65 yards and a  score in the passing game. Williams also was a big part of the passing game, finishing with eight receptions for 56 yards.

Cardinals 38, Titans 13

Fantasy Stud: Kyler Murray. Murray showed why he might be the top fantasy quarterback in the game this season. He scored five total touchdowns on the road against the Titans. It was quite the showing. He was 21-of-32 for 289 yards and four touchdowns with an interception. He also ran five times for 20 yards and another score.

Fantasy Dud: Derrick Henry. Henry did not have his usual showing, running 17 times for 58 yards. He had three receptions for 19 yards. The Titans getting down big didn’t help matters for Henry, limiting his work a little. Henry will be fine but this showing was a disappointing one for fantasy teams.

Game Notes: Chase Edmonds and James Conner pretty much split the carries at running back. Edmonds had 12 carries for 63 yards while Conner ran 16 times for 53 yards. Edmonds was a bigger factor in the pass game, though, having four receptions for 43 yards. Edmonds had 106 total yards.

Christian Kirk scored two touchdowns. He had five receptions for 70 yards and two scores. There are a lot of mouths to feed in this offense, but Kirk is certainly in the mix for weekly work.

Seahawks 28, Colts 16

Fantasy Stud: Russell Wilson. Wilson was really sharp in the opener. He missed on just five passes and scored four touchdowns. He was 18-of-23 for 254 yards and four touchdowns without a turnover. Wilson looked as good as every, looking like a player ready for another big season.

Fantasy Dud: Michael Pittman. Pittman was a bit of a bust in what seemed like a good matchup for him. He had three receptions for 29 yards. He watched teammate Zach Pascal outproduce him. Pittman seems ready to take a step forward this year but this game wasn’t a great indicator of the happening.

Game Notes: Jonathan Taylor didn’t have big numbers but led the team in both rushing and receiving. He had 17 carries for 56 yards and caught six passes for 60 yard. Taylor had 116 total yards.

Tyler Lockett had multiple touchdowns and hit the 100-yard mark. He finished with four receptions for 100 yards and two scores.

Chargers 20, Washington 16

Fantasy Stud: Mike Williams. Williams was a big part of the offense, catching eight passes for 82 yards and a touchdown. He was the only Chargers receiver to catch a touchdown pass. Williams hasn’t posted that huge season yet but maybe that comes this year. He certainly has the talent to produce big if all goes well for him.

Fantasy Dud: Ryan Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick didn’t last long because of injury, which made him a big dud for any team that used him. He was just 3-of-6 for 13 yards. Backup Taylor Heinicke played pretty well in relief, going 11-of-15 for 122 yards and a touchdown. He moved the offense pretty well but couldn’t get the win.

Game Notes: Justin Herbert didn’t post huge numbers but did well against a really good Washington defense. He was 31-of-47 for 337 yards and a touchdown with an interception.

Austin Ekeler was able to play and got plenty of carries. He had 15 carries for 57 yards and a touchdown. Unfortunately, he didn’t catch a pass, which is rare for Ekeler.

Panthers 19, Jets 14

Fantasy Stud: Corey Davis. Davis continued his strong play from the preseason to the first game of the year, showing he is the favorite target of rookie Zach Wilson. Davis had five receptions for 97 yards and two touchdowns. Davis had his best season to date last year but could best that this season as the No. 1 option for his new team.

Fantasy Dud: Terrace Marshall. A lot of people had high hopes for Marshall this first week of the season but he was pretty quiet, as the No. 3 receiver for the Panthers. Marshall had three receptions for 26 yards. He will have some big games this year but this clearly wasn’t one of those.

Game Notes: Christian McCaffrey showed why he was everyone’s No. 1 pick this year, posting big numbers as a runner and receiver. He had 21 carries for 98 yards and nine receptions for 89 yards. McCaffrey had 197 total yards.

Tevin Coleman led the Jets in rushing but didn’t do much with those chances as the entire running game struggled. Coleman had nine carries for 24 yards. Ty Johnson ran for times for 15 yards while rookie Michael Carter had four carries for six yards.

Texans 37, Jaguars 21

Fantasy Stud: Tyrod Taylor. Taylor had a good start to his season and showed fantasy owners he has some value as a spot play. He was 21-of-33 for 291 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover. He also ran four times for 40 yards. Taylor is a dual threat with big-game ability for fantasy teams. 

Fantasy Dud: James Robinson. Robinson had a really poor showing in what seemed a prime matchup for him. He ran five times for 25 yards, seeing backup Carlos Hyde have more success on the ground (nine carries for 44 yards). Robinson also had three receptions for 29 yards. It was not a good start to the season for Robinson.

Game Notes: Three backs had carries for the Texans but Mark Ingram clearly led the way, rushing 26 times for 85 yards and a touchdown. He looks like the back to own in that offense right now. 

Dolphins 17, Patriots 16

Fantasy Stud: Nelson Agholor. Agholor had a fine debut with the Patriots, leading their team in receiving. He even found the end zone, catching five passes for 72 yards and a touchdown. Agholor can be hit or miss but this start is a plus for him. Maybe he will be a little more consistent this year.

Fantasy Dud: Rhamondre Stevenson. Stevenson is another good example of why you can’t put too much stock into the preseason. Stevenson had just a carry for two yards and a catch for nine yards. He barely saw the field, watching Damien Harris get about all the carries at running back.

Game Notes: Damien Harris had a great game until his fumble late in the game, which might have cost the Patriots the game. You have to wonder how that will impact him with the coaching staff going forward. But besides that, Harris ran 23 times for 100 yards and caught two passes for 17 yards.

Myles Gaskin had a solid game as the lead back for the Dolphins. He ran nine times for 49 yards and caught five passes for 27 yards. His ability as a runner and receiver gives him high fantasy potential this season.

Chiefs 33, Browns 29

Fantasy Stud: Tyreek Hill. There were a lot of studs in this game, but Hill gets the nod here. His numbers were off the charts, finishing with 11 receptions for 197 yards and a touchdown. He is off to another great start and could make a run at top fantasy receiver this season.

Fantasy Dud: Baker Mayfield. Mayfield didn’t have a bad game overall but not a good fantasy performance. He failed to score a touchdown and turned the ball over at the end of the game. He was 21-of-28 for 319 yards with an interception. Mayfield is going to have some big games this year but could be erratic like this much of the season in a run-first offense.

Game Notes: Patrick Mahomes scored four total touchdowns without a turnover. It was a typical huge game for Mahomes, going 27-of-36 for 337 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran five times for 18 yards with a score.

Travis Kelce found the end zone two times. He had six receptions for 76 yards and two touchdowns. Kelce looked as good as ever.

Saints 38, Packers 3

Fantasy Stud: Jameis Winston. Winston didn’t have to throw the ball a ton but sure made the most of his chances. Winston didn’t even throw for 150 yards but had five passing touchdowns. Winston was 14-of-20 for 148 yards and five touchdowns without a turnover. It was quite the performance from Winston, giving the Saints hope he can be a great replacement for Drew Brees.

Fantasy Dud: Aaron Rodgers. There were a lot of Packers to pick for the dud, but we will give it to Rodgers. He did not score a touchdown and turned the ball over twice. Rodgers was 15-of-28 for 133 yards with two interceptions. Rodgers will get it going but this game was a real downer for his fantasy owners.

Game Notes: Aaron Jones was just as bad as Rogers, rushing five times for just nine yards. He had two receptions for 13 yards, giving him just 22 total yards on seven touches.

Juwan Johnson scored two touchdowns for the Saints. He had three receptions for 21 yards and two scores, proving to be a legit target in the red zone.

Broncos 27, Giants 13

Fantasy Stud: Teddy Bridgewater. Bridgewater was solid in his first start with the Broncos. He moved the offense well and didn’t turn the ball over. He was 28-of-36 for 264 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover. He is not an every-week starter by any means but certainly has some spot start potential in this offense. The Broncos have some good options to work with offensively.

Fantasy Dud: Saquon Barkley. Barkley was able to play and led the team in carries but had little room to do much. He ran 10 times for 26 yards and caught a pass for a yard. The good news is he had double-digit touches and looked healthy. The bad news is the Giants looked pretty awful and the offensive line continues to have issues.

Game Notes: Jerry Jeudy was having a great game but was injured and carted off the field. Keep an eye on the player notes for the latest but the injury didn’t look good. He had six receptions for 72 yards.

Kenny Golladay played on his injury hamstring and looked healthy. He has four receptions for 64 yards and should get stronger going forward.

Rams 34, Bears 14

Fantasy Stud: Matthew Stafford. Stafford showed why the Rams traded to get him, coming up big in his first game with his new team. He was 20-of-26 for 321 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. He has a chance to post career best numbers in this offense. Let’s hope he can stay healthy.

Fantasy Dud: Allen Robinson. Robinson did not have his usual big game, getting held in check by a good Rams secondary. He had six receptions but managed just 35 yards. He will get better in more favorable matchups. This game was not a good start to his season, though, especially if you had him as your WR1.

Game Notes: David Montgomery was a bright spot for the Bears, hitting the 100-yard mark against a team that didn’t allow a 100-yard rusher all last season. Montgomery ran 16 times for 108 yards and a touchdown. He also caught a pass for 10 yards.

Justin Fields didn’t start but did get on the field some. He was 2-of-2 passing the ball for 10 yards and ran in one of the Bears two touchdowns. He scored on a three-yard run. Andy Dalton wasn’t bad in the game, going 27-of-38 for 206 yards with an interception, but you would have to think Fields will be in there sooner than later.

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at [email protected]. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.