Going Yard – Week 1 Game Changers

Football is back!  Great to see live games and huge plays again.  The NFL was packed with great games this weekend that seem to do flip-flops from one half to the other. There were a number of games that look like blow-outs when they started, only to end up being close games with completely opposite halves.  With so much action this past weekend, there were a number of fantasy players “Going Yard” while showcasing their talents, and although most of them were drafted, there were a couple of gems that might be on the waiver wire ready for you to grab.  The following NFL players were the week 1 fantasy football game changers.

Top Week 1 Fantasy Football Quarterbacks

  • Matt Ryan – This fantasy stud went yard going 448 passing yards along with 3 touchdowns and no picks. His performance in week 1 was the best of his career so it’s probably not expected every week, but seeing how well he can play when he has all of his weapons back, makes fantasy owners very happy. Must start every week.
  • Andrew Luck – After starting off the first half with dismal fantasy numbers, 118 yards and no touchdowns, he came back out the second half and put up 252 yards and 2 touchdowns for a total of 370 passing yards. He also added one rushing touchdown to give him 3 total on the day.  Quite a performance on the road and shows a lot of good fortunes for fantasy owners.  Start with confidence.
  • Matthew Stafford – It doesn’t hurt having a receiver named Mega-tron. Stafford was able to find his star receiver for several touchdowns, as well as ran in a touchdown for 3 total on the day. He also put up 346 passing yards given him the 5th most in week 1.  With so many weapons, he is fantasy gold.
  • Jay Cutler – Bonus: Here is a little fantasy game changer for those that might need a QB. Jay was the 4th highest QB in week for passing yards. He put up 349 yards along with 2 touchdowns. With weapons like Marshall, Jeffery, Forte, and Bennett, he is going to put up a lot of receiving yards each week. This week, I grabbed him off the wire and started in place of a drafted QB.  The extra points he got me edged out a very close win and can certainly can mean the difference between winning and losing for other teams.

Top Fantasy Running Backs

  • LeVeon Bell – Giddy-up. This workhorse back is “Going Yard” this season. I’ve said since day 1 that he should be a first round pick and considered a top running back getting drafted right behind the likes of Lacy and Lynch.  This dude is going be putting up huge numbers this season. He can run, catch, and yes and is going to score. The tally for week 1 was 107 yards rushing on 21 carries to go with 88 yards in the air for almost 200 total yards on the day and 1 rushing touchdown. Bell is a solid play every week and should have no problem stacking up fantasy points like they were blocks.
  • Knowshon Moreno – I was happy to let people know that Moreno was making more than other running back on the team and that he was most likely going to see the majority of the carries. I drafted him in most leagues where other players didn’t reach higher than me.  If he is on the waiver wire now, stake a claim. He is going to be a solid fantasy option  this season, just like last season. The veteran back knows his way around the field, and after week 1, is the NFL leading rusher with 134 yards on the ground along with 1 touchdown. His 24 attempts ranks second among all running backs to start the season so you can pretty much count on him as a RB1 from here until otherwise noted.
  • DeMarco Murray – He was able to do a lot of things in the Cowboys offense and should continue to be a huge part of their options as long as he stays healthy. His 118 rushing yards ranks second among all backs and his attempts rank 4th. He is off to a great start for this year and all hopes that it will continue. He is a solid RB1 option on all weeks.

Top Wide Receivers in Week 1 Fantasy Football

  • Calvin Johnson – Mega-tron just defies logic sometimes. Watching tape on the second touchdown was like seeing a giant reach out and pluck a pebble in mid air as it seemed to fly by without hesitation.  He covered a lot of ground so fast that he was able to get his hands under the ball, which was perfectly placed by Stafford so that only his man could make a play on it.  The magic that these two players make together is like fantasy fairy dust that sprinkles your team with tons of points that floats your team into fantasy playoffs.  There can be only one. He put 164 yards receiving along with 2 touchdowns to lead the NFL.
  • AJ Green – He just picks up where he left off. He was the second leading receiver in week 1 with 131 yards and 1 touchdown. His connection with Dalton is getting so well groomed now that you can count on solid numbers each week. With 9 targets in week 1, there is no reason to think that this isn’t going to keep on going all year.
  • Allen Hurns – Well this guy just came out of nowhere. He broke into fantasy ranks by catching 2 touchdowns in week 1 along with 110 yards. He got the start because Shorts was out, but if Shorts comes back, there would be a good chance that his targets are limited. He could be a good option to stash if you have room, but don’t consider him a start unless Shorts is out.
  • Steve Smith Sr. – Number 1 in targets in the NFL for week 1 with 15 along with 118 yards and 1 touchdown.  Flacco is throwing a ton of passes and Smith is going to be the beneficiary as teams double Torrey.  He is worth picking up now if he is available on the waiver wire.

Top Fantasy Tight-ends for Week 1

  • Julius Thomas – He is the NFL leading scorer right now with 3 touchdowns.  This Juggernaut of the red-zone is going to be very familiar with knocking downs points as Manning rains downs TDs on receivers this season.  He is perfectly suited to be a primary option for them as Welker is out, but could see a little drop once he returns. It’s not going to matter as there will be plenty to go around.  Good pick no matter where you got him.
  • Dennis Pitta – What a great value this guy was and even more so in PPR leagues. His 15 targets and 10 receptions is best in the NFL in both categories among all receivers and tight-ends. He is in a great offense to get a lot of receptions and he can make some plays. Continue to start with confidence because he is going to get consistent points for fantasy owners and if he is out on the wire, get him now.