My 12-year-old daughter woke up Saturday having won all 25 cross country meets she’d ever entered, but she finished fourth during this season's first race and ended the day in the ER. And I thought losing Xavier Worthy the night before was bad. Chloe ultimately checked out ok, and she got to experience numerous firsts like bloodwork, ultrasounds and emergency room life for 10 hours.
The fact she finished her race while clearly ailing makes me prouder than any first-place medal (side note: there appears to be a new ringer this year who may beat a fully healthy Chloe moving forward). My daughter’s health quickly put any fantasy football frustrations in perspective, although there’s still room to complain about all the receivers disappearing this week.
Onto the Week 1 recaps, highlighted by an epic shootout in Buffalo, Aaron Rodgers’ revenge game and awful kicking.
Baltimore Ravens @ Buffalo Bills
• Josh Allen scored by far the most fantasy points in Week 1, leading Buffalo to a 15-point comeback with four minutes left. Allen threw for 251 yards and a touchdown in the fourth quarter alone and continues to look like Superman.
• Keon Coleman entered dealing with a groin injury, but he led Buffalo in targets, catches, receiving yards and touchdowns while finishing as a top five fantasy WR this week. Coleman benefitted from Allen throwing 46 times in a game Buffalo trailed throughout the second half, but he’ll have every opportunity to act as the Bills’ WR1 this season. A fantasy breakout looks in store.
• James Cook scored again and nearly had another TD but was tackled at the one-yard line after a 51-yard play. Allen swooped two goal-line touchdowns from Cook on Sunday night, but he still finished as the RB5.
• Lamar Jackson was close to fantasy’s QB2 this week despite attempting only 19 passes.
• Zay Flowers saw a 47.4% target share and was the top fantasy WR this week. More red-zone work would help, but Flowers could make a leap in 2025.
• DeAndre Hopkins’ first target as a Raven was a one-handed touchdown grab.
• Derrick Henry had three 40-yard runs for the first time in his career during a monster fantasy game Sunday night. Henry had 10 touches for 136 yards from scrimmage at halftime, although a late lost fumble helped fuel the Bills’ comeback. Henry looks like the favorite to win Offensive Player of the Year this season.
• The Ravens somehow lost while getting 8.6 yards per play, and the Bills have now won 12 in a row at home.
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