Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. put up 47 yards on four receptions, including a 14-yard touchdown, in a 17-14 loss to the Miami Dolphins. The Jaguars passing attack struggled overall, but BTJ was a lone bright spot, catching Trevor Lawrence's only passing touchdown on the day in the second quarter. The rookie wide receiver had four targets, tied for the team lead position with Christian Kirk and Evan Engram, who each mustered only one catch. While rookie WRs tend to be volatile early in the season (see Xavier Worthy and Marvin Harrison Jr.), the LSU product has a chance to step up and become a reliable option in the Jacksonville passing game. In the future, the first-round rookie should be viewed as an upside FLEX option that could easily disappoint. BTJ faces off with the Cleveland Browns secondary in Week 2, who held CeeDee Lamb to just five catches for 61 yards.

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Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk finished with just one catch for 30 yards in a 17-14 loss to the Miami Dolphins. Kirk was expected, along with Evan Engram (one catch for five yards), to be the offensive skilled players with the best chemistry with Trevor Lawrence to start the season, but that was not the case. Kirk tied for the team lead in targets with Engram and Brian Thomas Jr. with four each. However, the rookie wideout caught all his targets and showed great chemistry with Lawrence. Free agent acquisition Gabe Davis also showed good chemistry with Lawrence, catching all three of his targets for 62 yards to lead the team in receiving. Kirk was merely a flex option/WR3 entering the season, so this Week 1 performance is concerning. Kirk still has the potential to be the top receiving option for the Jaguars, but the only way to know for sure is for the offense to have more success overall. In Week 2, Jacksonville faces the Cleveland Browns and their top secondary, making Kirk a risky flex play.

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Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III was the leading receiver on Sunday in the team's season-opening loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 28-year-old finished the game with four receptions for 52 yards on seven targets while returning two kicks for a total of 56 yards. McCloud is usually the return specialist and sees minimal work in the passing game as his stats show over the last six seasons. He only saw 15 targets throughout all of last season with the San Francisco 49ers. The offense struggled mightily in their first game against a determined TJ Watt and company, especially with this being Kirk Cousins' first game back from injury. McCloud likely won't remain the team's top receiver but could be worth a flyer in very deep leagues moving forward.

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New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson scored a touchdown in Sunday's 47-10 win over Carolina. Johnson was targeted three times, securing two receptions for 26 yards and a score. He split time at tight end with Foster Moreau (concussion), who also caught a touchdown on a 16% target share. If Moreau misses Week 2, Johnson has much more intrigue than he would if Moreau were to play. Derek Carr showed in the win that he will not hesitate to spread the ball around this year, making most New Orleans pass-catchers inconsistent options at best. Johnson and the Saints will take on Dallas in Week 2.

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New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave had a disappointing outing in Week 1's 47-10 win over Carolina. Olave was only targeted twice, catching both passes for 11 yards. Derek Carr only attempted 23 passes due to the fact that New Orleans was up big early, but the performance was still discouraging for fantasy owners. Olave still projects as the Saints' top receiver and should remain in lineups despite a bad Week 2 matchup with Dallas.

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Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. finished with 44 rushing yards on 12 carries and 15 yards on two catches in a 17-14 loss to the Miami Dolphins. He also fumbled out of the back of the endzone for a touchback. The Jaguars offense disappointed overall, scoring all 17 points in the first half. Backup running back Tank Bigsby was one of the few bright spots, putting up 73 yards on 12 carries of his own. However, it was Etienne Jr. who scored the lone rushing touchdown from one yard out in the first quarter, salvaging his fantasy output. His fantasy managers shouldn't be too concerned going forward, as the Jaguars offense won't struggle as badly as they did in the second half for the entire season. The third-year pro should maintain RB1 expectations next week against the Cleveland Browns in Week 2, a defense that allowed 40 yards and a touchdown to Ezekiel Elliot on 10 carries in Week 1.

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Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram only had a single catch for five yards in a 17-14 loss to the Miami Dolphins. Week 1 was not kind to the Jaguars from a fantasy perspective, with the offense struggling, especially in the passing game. While the final stat line is concerning, a positive takeaway for Engram was he tied for the team lead in targets with four. The former Giants TE was drafted as a TE1 by most fantasy managers so that this performance will leave a sour taste in their mouths. However, given the volatility and lack of depth in the fantasy position, Engram should still be relied on as a fantasy starter going forward. The Jaguars offense should improve in the coming weeks, meaning Engram should be way more involved. It may not feel great, but Engram should be started once again with expectations for a bounce-back performance in Week 2, even against the tough Cleveland Browns secondary.

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New Orleans Saints running back Jamaal Williams closed out the 47-10 win over Carolina. The veteran carried the ball 11 times for 38 yards and a score, while also catching his lone target for 13 yards. Williams had a down year in 2023 after his NFL-leading 17 rushing touchdowns in 2022. He only saw as much work as he did due to the game being a blowout, but Williams appears to be the direct handcuff to Alvin Kamara with Kendre Miller (hamstring) on injured reserve. He should be rostered by the Kamara manager in all 10+ team leagues.

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New Orleans Saints tight end Taysom Hill lined up all over the field in Sunday's blowout victory over the Carolina Panthers. Hill rushed the ball five times for 35 yards and was targeted twice, catching one pass for a yard. The veteran did not put together an impressive fantasy performance but will remain a dart-throw option at tight end in leagues that allow him to fill the tight end slot due to his touchdown upside. Hill and the Saints take on the Cowboys next Sunday in what will be a much tougher matchup than the Week 1 game.

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New Orleans Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed connected with quarterback Derek Carr on a 59-yard touchdown bomb early in the first quarter, marking the first touchdown of the Sunday slate. Shaheed and the Saints would go on to win 47-10 over divisional rival Carolina. The speedster was targeted five times, accounting for 20% of the team's targets. He caught three passes for 73 yards and a score, proving he will again be a boom-or-bust option. Shaheed will be a tougher start in Week 2 against a Dallas defense that stifled Cleveland in Week 1.

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Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence had a solid first and rough second half, finishing with only one touchdown and 162 passing yards in a 20-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins. Lawrence and the Jaguars scored all 17 points in the first half, allowing the Dolphins to make a comeback, which they topped off with a last-second field goal. The fourth-year QB didn't have the highest expectations from a fantasy perspective entering this season, but this performance does not bode any confidence for his fantasy managers. Lawrence only had one rush for eight yards, a pattern that can't continue for his future fantasy relevance. The Clemson product was already a borderline QB1/QB2, so this performance means he will move to many benches in Week 2. The impatient move would be to drop him, but one bad performance isn't enough to warrant that. However, managers should move Lawrence to the bench next week, where he faces a tough Browns secondary in Week 2.

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New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr picked up where he left off at the end of last season in Week 1's 47-10 win over Carolina. Carr completed 19-of-23 passes for 200 yards and three touchdowns, leading the team to an early 17-0 first-quarter lead. Carr's first touchdown on the day came on a 59-yard connection with receiver Rashid Shaheed, followed by a dart to Foster Moreau and a second-quarter touchdown throw to Juwan Johnson. His debut in new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak' system could not have gone much better. Carr will look to continue his hot start next Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, who also looked dominant in Week 1.

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Carolina Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson caught just two his six targets for 19 yards in the team's loss to the New Orleans Saints. Johnson was the second most targeted pass-catcher, but was unable to connect with quarterback Bryce Young as the team struggled to move the ball on offense. Johnson was brought in to be a WR1 for Young, and did see encouraging enough usage to be a viable fantasy option moving forward. While it was a lackluster performance, Johnson can be considered a WR3 option in Week 2 when the Panthers take on the Los Angeles Chargers.

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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins struggled in his first game with his new team, completing 16-of-26 passes for 155 yards and one touchdown with one rushing attempt for no gain in an 18-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Coming off the severe leg injury, it's not a complete shock that Cousins struggled in his first game back from recovery. The newly revamped offensive line was also no help, as he was sacked twice and was under constant pressure throughout the game. It may take some time for Cousins to find that efficiency he had back in Minnesota, especially with a prime-time matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles on deck next week on Sunday Night Football.

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Atlanta Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo converted his lone field goal attempt on Sunday from 24 yards out and tacked on one extra point in an 18-10 loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Koo is among the most intriguing kicking options this season, with the newly revamped offense for the Falcons and the fact that he plays half of his game indoors. Unfortunately for Koo, the offense wasn't quite in good shape in this game, as they barely got into field goal range. Once this offense starts clicking on all cylinders, expect more opportunities for Koo moving forward. He should still be a solid start in a matchup that should provide plenty of offense for both sides when the Falcons face the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football in Week 2.

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Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride had a team-high nine targets in Sunday's loss to the Buffalo Bills. The chances translated to a five-catch day but resulted in just 30 receiving yards. On a day when Arizona's offensive line was doing all that it could to withstand Buffalo's pass rush, quarterback Kyler Murray had to get rid of the ball quickly and McBride proved to be a reliable safety valve even if he didn't have time to get downfield. The second-year pro saw a couple of passes that could have gone for 20 or more yards, though both throws were off the mark. Despite the subpar day, McBride's eight PPR points were still enough for him to rank in the top 12 at his position in the first week of NFL action. He will continue to be a TE1 candidate as the season progresses and should be locked into lineups in Week 2 when the Cardinals play the Rams in their home opener.

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Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray completed 21 of his 31 pass attempts for 162 yards and one touchdown in Sunday's loss to the Buffalo Bills. He gained an additional 57 yards on the ground on 5 rushes, including a 29-yard scamper that ended up being Arizona's longest play from scrimmage. Murray's touchdown pass went to wide receiver Michael Wilson from five yards out in the first quarter. The 27-year-old signal caller had an efficient start to the game with only one incompletion in his first 12 attempts but as the game went on Arizona's offensive line found it harder and harder to keep up with the pass rush, forcing Murray to hurry his throws. While he was never picked off he eventually coughed up a fumble late in the third quarter that gave the Bills the ball on Arizona's 21-yard line, setting them up for the go-ahead score. Despite the lackluster final line, Murray will be a QB1 candidate in Week 2 when Arizona hosts the Los Angeles Rams.

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The hype surrounding Marvin Harrison Jr. pushed his ADP to 15 during the fantasy draft season. He fell well short of expectations in Sunday's loss to the Buffalo Bills, drawing just three targets and making a single catch for four yards. The fourth overall pick from the 2024 NFL Draft may have disappointed fantasy managers in Week 1 but his usage leaves room for optimism. Harrison was on the field for nearly every offensive snap, missing only six plays, all of which were three tight end sets. While Buffalo's secondary seemed at times to be giving the rookie receiver special attention downfield, the defensive pressure on Kyler Murray also lent to Harrison's lack of production. With Harrison running mostly intermediate and long routes, there simply wasn't time for him to complete a route before Murray had to get rid of the ball. The debut was a dud but Harrison should remain in starting lineups in Week 2 when Arizona takes on the Los Angeles Rams.

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Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing described running back James Conner as the team's "bell cow" in recent comments to the media. Anyone left wondering how much Petzing's coachspeak could be trusted got their answer on Sunday. Conner handled the ball in each of the Cardinals' first six plays from scrimmage to open the game and paced the team's running backs with 16 rushing attempts. The eighth-year veteran gained 50 rushing yards and caught three passes for another 33 yards through the air. Conner scored his first touchdown of the season in the second quarter, taking the handoff from three yards out and punching it through the line for the score. Conner and the Cardinals next face the Rams, who allowed a combined 131 rushing yards and two touchdowns to David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs of the Lions in Week 1.

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Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Michael Wilson scored the team's first points of 2024 when he caught a five-yard pass from Kyler Murray in the first quarter of Sunday's season opener against the Buffalo Bills. Wilson showed good awareness on the play as he took it upon himself to find some open space in the back of the end zone while Murray did his best to stay on his feet despite a heavy pass rush on the play. The touchdown reception ended up being Wilson's only reception of the day and he drew just one other target in the loss. Wilson did start opposite Marvin Harrison Jr. and had the second-highest snap count among Arizona's wide receiver group. Next week the Cardinals host the Rams, who just gave up 121 receiving yards and a touchdown to the Lions' WR2, Jameson Williams.

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