It wasn’t all sunshine and flowers for fantasy football owners. It was a topsy-turvy day, and after all the debate in the offseason, some players fizzled out in the first week. Does that mean you should dump them right away and run?
Not necessarily. But it does mean you should keep an eye on them and judge whether they will improve throughout the year.
Peyton Manning, Denver, 5 points
This was an ugly game for offense.
We haven’t been high on Manning, but other experts were. Manning entered this season as the third-highest rated quarterback in average draft position, and was drafted an average of 29th overall in fantasy football drafts.
After Sunday, fantasy football owners may reconsider their decision in drafting Manning, who usually torches secondaries in the early part of the season.
Manning finished with five points, on 175 yards passing and one interception. The bad thing is that it was much better than opposing quarterback Joe Flacco, who finished with less than a point.
The Ravens usually tout a quality defense, but after last year’s secondary performance, it looked like this was a team that opposing quarterbacks could exploit. We don’t know if the Ravens got that much better or if this is the Manning we’ll see for the rest of the year.
Frank Gore, Indianapolis, 3.1 points
Gore has new scenery this year, but after week 1, it doesn’t seem like the new location is allowing him to follow his usual trend of producing plenty of yards.
This was a tough game all around for the Colts, but Gore entered the season as the 14th-highest ranked running in ADP and was listed as 31 overall in ADP. Gore totaled only 31 rushing yards in week 1.
Part of the problem was compounded by the Bills forcing the Colts to pass. The Colts were down early and needed to pass at a high rate.
This could be just a tough game for the Colts offense, or it may be a sign of things to come for Gore, who is entering the twilight of his career.
Greg Olsen, Carolina, 1 point
Carolina tight end Greg Olsen was supposed to be Cam Newton’s main target.
Instead, at least in week 1, Newton spread the ball all around, to wide receivers and running backs, and ignored Olsen for the most part. Olsen finished with just one catch for 11 yards. He did have a target in the end zone, but it got called back for offensive pass interference on Olsen.
The Panthers relied heavily on the running game and we didn’t see Newton stretch the field with the passing game too often.
Olsen, ranked third among tight ends in ADP, should get more targets with the absence of a true wide receiver, so wait a few weeks before dismissing Olsen.
Calvin Johnson, Detroit, 3.9 points
Experts warned that Johnson may not be the regular super freak that he’s been in the past.
After week 1, he looked mortal.
Johnson notched 39 receiving yards on only two catches. What’s even scarier is that Matthew Stafford only targeted him four times.
Despite the warnings, Johnson still entered the season with the sixth-highest ADP among wide receivers and was listed at No. 18 overall.
This was an unusual game, with Detroit jumping to an early lead and then pumping the breaks on its offense. We’re not jumping to any conclusions yet, since this game didn’t bode well for any receiver on the Lions roster after Detroit jumped to an early lead.
