Fantasy football week 1: top performers and underachievers identified
Analyst Joe Metz highlighted several players who exceeded expectations and others who fell short in the first week of the NFL season, focusing on usage trends rather than raw point totals.
Joe Metz evaluated the first week of NFL action, pointing to players whose roles suggest future fantasy value and those whose early usage raises concerns. Running back Bucky Irving of Tampa Bay emerged as a surprise, handling all red-zone carries and receiving a significant share of passing targets after the Buccaneers added Kenneth Gainwell. Irving recorded seven targets and 2.9 fantasy points per target, indicating a potentially larger role in the offense.
Texans running back David Montgomery also saw a heavy workload, accounting for 64.5% of rushing attempts and a majority of red-zone snaps, while contributing on passing routes. Metz noted that Montgomery’s usage aligns with preseason expectations of a workhorse back.
Bill’s tight end Dalton Kincaid posted a strong first week, playing 77% of snaps and handling over two-thirds of the team’s routes, which Metz described as evidence of top-five positional upside if the trend continues.
Second-year Packers receiver Matthew Golden led his team’s wideouts in snap percentage, target share and route involvement, suggesting he could outperform his draft position.
Among the less successful performers, Bears receiver Luther Burden saw limited targets despite a high snap count, while Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten remained in a backfield committee with modest involvement. Saints running back Travis Etienne, expected to fill in for the injured Alvin Kamara, received limited rushing opportunities and was largely confined to passing situations, prompting questions about his role once Kamara returns.
Metz emphasized that week-one data represent a small sample size and that trends will need to be monitored throughout the season.