Fantasy Football Player Notes

Well, it was nice to see that Josh Downs was a full-time player in Week 1 as he had an 88.7% snap rate and 85.3% route share, but the offseason narrative about him playing on the perimeter didn't come to fruition as Downs ran 82.8% of his routes from the slot. Downs finished fourth on the team with a 12.9% target share while ranking third in first-read share with 21.1%. He had one deep target but zero red zone targets as he finished with 37 receiving yards (1.28 YPRR, 10.2 aDOT). Downs is a low-end flex play with a tough matchup this week. In Week 1, Kansas City allowed the 13th-fewest yards per target and the eighth-fewest fantasy points per target to slot receivers.

In Week 1, Alec Pierce had a 58.5% snap rate and 64.7% route share, which is about where I figured he'd be coming off a lost training camp and preseason as he made his way back from injury and surgery in the offseason. Pierce tied for the team lead with a 19.4% target share (27% TPRR, led the team) and led the team with a 31.6% first-read share. He had a 17.1 aDOT, which I don't think will continue throughout the season if he's going to continue to operate as the team's WR1. Pierce finished with 61 receiving yards (2.77 YPRR), one red zone target, and one deep target as the WR34 for the week. Pierce should see his playing time increase slightly in Week 2 as the team continues to ramp him up. He could be a volume-based flex/WR3 for Week 2 with a tough matchup. In Week 1, Kansas City allowed the 12th-fewest fantasy points per target and the second-fewest yards per target to perimeter wide receivers.

Keenan Allen was a full-time player for the Colts in Week 1 with a 73.5% route share (67.9% snap rate). He was tied for the team lead with a 19.4% target share and was second on the team with a 26.3% first-read share. Allen finished with 32 receiving yards (1.28 YPRR), one red zone target, and zero deep targets as he ran 72% of his routes from the perimeter. Allen is a middling flex play this week with a tough matchup. In Week 1, Kansas City allowed the 12th-fewest fantasy points per target and the second-fewest yards per target to perimeter wide receivers.