What a wild Week 1 that was! So many games came down the wire, and many teams surprised us on the field. Not all of the surprises were good, unfortunately. Let’s look at some players that saw their value rise so you can begin to plan out your Week 2 lineups.
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Week 1 Risers
I had a hard time coming up with a QB to put on this list but decided to go with Lamar Jackson for a few reasons that may not be clear. While he finished as QB8 on the week, I expect him to do better going forward. JK Dobbins is likely to miss a few more weeks, and Jackson will likely pick up that slack. He loves to run the ball when given a chance, and now that he’s playing for a contract. He should have a chip on his shoulder.
In addition, Jackson only threw 30 passes in Week 1, the fewest for any QB in the top 12. Of those, three were touchdowns. He threw two to waiver-wire darling Devin Duvernay and one to Rashod Bateman. Mark Andrews wasn’t all that involved, but I’m sure he will be in the future. When he does, this team might be a passing force to be reckoned with, elevating Jackson to that elite category.
Contrary to many fantasy players, Travis Etienne was not the lead back for the Jaguars in Week 1. That job seems to have gone to James Robinson instead. Etienne finished with a meager 47 yards on four attempts, while Robinson got 11 carries for 66 yards and a touchdown. Etienne also fumbled the ball once, which isn’t ideal. On the other hand, Robinson looked pretty good in his first game action returning from the Achilles. Robinson was RB11 in PPR scoring on the week, and I expect him to do well again in Week 2.
I’m as shocked as you are to find Miles Sanders on my list of risers after Week 1, but here we are. Sanders got 13 carries for 96 yards and a touchdown in Week 1, making him the clear RB1 on the Eagles. Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott both got in the end zone, but neither running back was all that impressive with their touches. Sanders finished as the PPR RB13, making him start-worthy in all formats. I don’t expect him to do this every week, but his value has increased.
This one feels a little easy, but I think it’s still worth mentioning. Gabriel Davis had a terrific offseason in the fantasy community. He broke out in the playoffs after most fantasy leagues had ended and came into the year with many expectations. In Week 1, Davis lived up to the hype, getting four catches on five targets for 88 yards and a touchdown on Thursday night. Davis is a clear WR2 option with WR1 upside and should be on everyone’s radar heading into Week 2. If he does it again this week, his stock could continue to rise.
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Andrew Hall is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Andrew, follow him @AndrewHallFF.
