Week 1 of the NFL season is in the books. In this Two Minute Drill, Theo Gremminger provides his instant reaction, or fantasy musings, to the events that unfolded on Sunday!
Tyreek Hill Goes OFF
Tyreek Hill was the fantasy star of the weekend, finishing with 215 receiving yards and two TD catches. He looked even more dominant than in 2022, destroying the Los Angeles secondary all game long and looking unguardable. Last year, Cheetah only found the end zone seven times, so the two TDs were a major step forward. In terms of targets, expect more of the same, but if this game indicates what is to come, Hill could be looking at his finest season as a pro. Two thousand receiving yards and 15 TD catches are in the realm of possibilities. Lucky drafters who were able to select Hill somewhere in the 3-6 range of drafts are off to a scintillating start.
Tua SZN?
Tua Tagavailoa also shined in Miami’s big win, passing for over 450 yards for the second time in his career. He easily outproduced Justin Herbert, his fellow class of 2020 QB. The Mike McDaniel-led Dolphins offense could be even better in 2023, and Tagavailoa is a dark horse MVP candidate. Expect even more shootouts.
Dallas Cowboys: What a difference a year makes
In last season’s NFL opener, the Dallas Cowboys were demoralized as Tampa Bay completely shut them down in a 20-3 victory. Dallas not only lost the game, but lost QB Dak Prescott. They managed to rally and make the playoffs but had to watch divisional rival Philadelphia represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. Dallas flipped the script this weekend with an exclamation point 40-0 victory in Metlife Arena against another NFC opponent in New York. The defense posted 40 Fantasy Points in multiple formats and demoralized the Giants. The offense had to do little, but Tony Pollard found the end zone twice. This could be the start of a special season in Dallas.
San Francisco
There are some very positive fantasy vibes out of San Francisco. The defense shined, shutting down Pittsburgh in a 30-7 drubbing. But the Brock Purdy led offense put up 400+ combined yards including 152 rushing yards from Christian McCaffrey and an eight catch, 129 yard and two TD catch performance from Brandon Aiyuk. The 49ers had their way in Pittsburgh, and Purdy was efficient with zero interceptions. Deebo Samuel will have his occasional smash game, and George Kittle is healthy. This could be one of the league’s best offenses.
Rookie WRs Shine
Zay Flowers had an 11 touch debut and looked like an absolute star. His quickness and ability to avoid tackles are special. Expect him to be an even more significant part of the Ravens offensive game plan after Baltimore lost JK Dobbins for the year. Jordan Addison made his presence known with a long TD catch. The talk of fantasy and a player who will be a red-hot waiver wire addition was Puka Nacua.
Nacua looked somewhere between 2021 Hunter Renfrow and a poor man’s version of 2021 Cooper Kupp. It was shocking how many times he was the first read of Matthew Stafford. Game one could be his most productive game all season, but he is not done in the least. In any game Kupp misses, Nacua has to be a consideration for our lineups until we see otherwise. Rookie WRs were cheat codes in 2021 and 2022 and look to have another significant impact in 2023.
Travis Etienne the Pass Catcher
Calvin Ridley‘s dominant performance was the talk of fantasy, but Jacksonville’s win over Indianapolis had another significant fantasy development. Etienne was a dominant pass catcher at Clemson but was underutilized in 2022, catching only 35 passes. This weekend, Etienne tied a career-high with five targets and caught five passes- the most he has ever had in any game as a Pro. Jacksonville looks like one of the best offenses in football. If Etienne continues to be utilized as a pass catcher, he will be an RB1.
A Tennessee Split?
In a close, hard-fought loss to New Orleans, Derrick Henry played fewer snaps than rookie Tyjae Spears (34-30). Henry out carried Spears 15-3, but out-targeted Henry 4-2 and ran twice as many routes. Henry is still the man in Tennessee, but the presence of Spears caps his upside.
