After all the anticipation of Week 1 of the NFL season, it finally came. And for most people, it was not what they were expecting—a relatively lower-scoring fantasy week for many teams. However, there were some significant news and trends that we should be following throughout the season. This article will take those trends to their maximum. Now, these five overreactions are a little out there, but that’s what overreactions are supposed to be. With that being said, let’s get into it.
5 Fantasy Football Overreactions from Week 1
1) Puka Nacua will be the Overall WR 1
The first overreaction of the day is that Puka Nacua will be the best wide receiver in fantasy football this season. In a game versus a stout Houston Texans defense, Puka Nacua had 10 catches and 130 yards. Now, this doesn’t sound like an extraordinary Puka game, but he was in and out of the game due to some bleeding from a hit he took to the head. Nacua was evaluated for a concussion but returned to the game.
Nacua ran 14 of his 23 routes from the slot, exactly what we were expecting this offseason. This is the same role that Cooper Kupp was playing in his historic 2021 season. With Nacua being the talented player that he is and getting this slot role, he is going to be a monster in fantasy football. And, to think that Nacua didn’t even play the whole game. He can finish as the best receiver in fantasy football if he can stay healthy.
2) Emeka Egbuka Finishes as a Top-15 WR
After all of the offseason hype, Emeka Egbuka delivered for fantasy owners in his debut. He finished the game with four catches for 67 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner in the Buccaneers’ 23-20 win against the Atlanta Falcons. Egbuka was as-advertised and played on 54 of the Bucs’ 58 offensive snaps. He ran more routes than any other receiver on the team and will continue to see significant usage on this high-powered offense. With this, Egbuka finishing top-15 is in the range of outcomes for fantasy football.
3) Travis Etienne Finishes as a Top-15 RB
Throughout the offseason, there were many questions about the Jaguars’ backfield. In week 1, our questions were answered on and off the field. During the game, Travis Etienne took 39/65 RB snaps in a week 1 win versus the Panthers. He also took 16 carries for 143 yards and looked great in the primary role.
On top of this, the Jaguars on Monday traded their backup running back Tank Bigsby to the Philadelphia Eagles. Bigsby was in talks all summer to be that primary back, but after a great week 1 performance by Etienne, the Jaguars decided that they didn’t need him. With Etienne now in line for the majority of carries in this Liam Coen offense, Etienne could be the steal of the year for fantasy football.
4) Miami Dolphins don’t have any Top-25 Receivers
In their season debut, the Miami Dolphins looked like the worst team in the NFL. Tua Tagovailoa played terrible, and it reflected on the receivers. Tyreek Hill finished with four catches and 40 yards, while Jaylen Waddle also had four catches, but with 30 yards. I don’t see this offense getting much better either. The offensive line is still bad, and this offense just doesn’t look like it has the juice it had in 2023. I wouldn’t be surprised if Tyreek Hill or Jaylen Waddle finish outside the top-25 wide receiver’s for fantasy football.
5) Derrick Henry Finishes as the Overall RB1
On Sunday Night Football, everyone got to witness the extremely efficient offense of the Baltimore Ravens. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that this Ravens team has the best rushing offense of all time, led by Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. At the ripe age of 31, Henry showed that he is not slwoing down any time soon. With the talent of him, and the pieces around him, Henry could rush for 1800 yards once again, along with 15+ touchdowns. He could easily finish as the RB1 even without much receiving work at all.
The Last Word
Week 1 of the NFL season is now in the books, and now is not the time to panic or overreact. This article does take positives and negatives from week 1, but don’t put too much stock into really bad or really good performances from this week. With that being said, it feels good to see the NFL back in action, and fantasy football is now in full swing.
Main Image: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
