After an entire offseason worth of anticipation and speculation, Week 1 of the NFL season has come and gone. Fantasy managers finally have some clarity on the questions we’ve hotly debated for months. Target distributions, opportunity shares and offensive ecosystems are actionable insights managers should consider in subsequent weeks.

That being said, it’s crucial to not overreact to performances from this past week. Game scripts, injuries and touchdown production can fluctuate wildly on a week-to-week basis. For this reason, the context behind a player’s abnormal fantasy finish must be taken into account.

In what follows, I’ll be highlighting players who have seen a change in perceived value as a result of this week’s proceedings. For each “riser” and “faller”, we’ll assess how these early results should influence their fantasy outlook for the remainder of the season and fantasy start sit decisions.

Fantasy Football Risers

J.K. Dobbins (RB – LAC)

Perhaps the worst-kept secret in the NFL this offseason was that the Chargers wanted to run the ball at a high rate in 2024. The team appointed a run-centric coaching staff headlined by head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman. They also parted ways with several key pass-catching weapons, including WR Keenan Allen and RB Austin Ekeler. The question was which of Gus Edwards, J.K. Dobbins and Kimani Vidal would emerge as the lead running back.

Dobbins appears to have a stranglehold on the No. 1 RB role in this backfield. While he was out-carried 11-10 by Edwards, Dobbins proved to be the much more efficient runner. He averaged an astounding 13.5 yards per carry and found pay-dirt against the Raiders. Edwards failed to get into a rhythm in this contest, averaging an uninspiring 2.6 yards per carry.

Dobbins also appears to be the primary receiving back. His three receptions were tied for second-most among Chargers receivers. Pass-catching has never been Edwards’ forte, and it’s fair to assume Dobbins will be handling the bulk of the targets out of this backfield.

So long as these efficiencies continue, the former Ohio State Buckeye will continue to earn an increased workload. An efficient runner in a run-heavy offensive scheme has always been a recipe for fantasy success. Dobbins will be in RB3 consideration for weeks to come.

Tony Pollard (RB – TEN)

The Tennessee backfield was another whose carry distribution remained ambiguous throughout the majority of the offseason. On one hand, the team made a significant financial investment in Tony Pollard in free agency. That said, Tyjae Spears emerged as a key playmaker for this offensive unit down the stretch in 2023. Seeing as these two backs profile similarly in terms of size and play style, it was anyone’s guess as to who would garner the majority of the carries for the Titans.

In Week 1, the Titans made it clear they intend for Pollard to be the workhorse in this backfield. He earned 12 more carries than his running mate and managed to score a touchdown despite the team’s offensive struggles. The performance was truly reminiscent of Pollard’s best years in Dallas. It’s important to recall Pollard’s early struggles in 2023 were mostly due to a lingering fibula injury. After an entire offseason to gain a full bill of health, he’s now at the peak of his powers.

Tony Pollard was such an easy BUY.

PFF’s #1 graded RB from WK10 on last season (was coming off a fractured fibula first-half of year).

The ONLY RB with 250+ touches & 40+ receptions last year (other than Javonte) priced outside the Top-24 this year.

Definitively NOT WASHED. pic.twitter.com/kC4l2evlVf

— David J. Gautieri (@GuruFantasyWrld) September 8, 2024

As the unquestioned RB1 in an intriguing offense, Pollard’s value figures to spike in the upcoming weeks. Expect him to be in RB2 contention for the foreseeable future.

Joe Mixon (RB – HOU)

In hindsight, the fantasy community might have overthought Joe Mixon’s outlook in Houston. Many cited concerns about Mixon’s fit in Bobby Slowik’s run scheme. Others may have doubted Mixon’s ability as a rusher, as we’ve seen a slight decline in efficiency metrics over the years.

Mixon swiftly put these doubts to rest as he accumulated an absurd stat line of 30 carries for 159 rushing yards and a touchdown. He also added three receptions for 19 yards through the air. Mixon’s bell-cow usage cannot be doubted at this point, as Dameon Pierce earned a mere three carries against the Colts.

The Houston offense picked up where it left off in 2023. Sophomore QB C.J. Stroud appears to have ascended into MVP contention. The likes of Nico Collins, Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell will continue to help this high-flying offense score points at a frightening rate. Joe Mixon’s touchdown upside is higher than most at the RB position. He’ll continue to be on the RB1/RB2 border and will be a mainstay in fantasy lineups for the remainder of the season.

Fantasy Football Fallers

Mark Andrews (TE – BAL)

In a week where the vast majority of tight ends were disappointing from a fantasy perspective, Andrews’ struggles particularly stood out. This was, in part, because he was a complete non-factor in a primetime matchup between two electric offenses. What made matters worse is the fact that the Ravens’ other TE, Isaiah Likely, enjoyed a career day. The latter amassed nine receptions for 111 receiving yards and a touchdown against the Chiefs.

Mark Andrews had been dealing with an injury for a large portion of the preseason. As a veteran player with a lengthy injury history, the fantasy community should have perhaps expected a slow start for Andrews. Historically speaking, Andrews has been disappointing in matchups against the Chiefs. He’s averaged 2.6 receptions and 21.6 receiving yards in games against the reigning champions. The team has continuously shifted its defensive focus on neutralizing the electric pass-catcher’s impact on the passing game.

Re-watched every snap that Mark Andrews was on the field last night. I was the lowest on our show on Andrews coming into the year so I could take a pretend victory lap, but instead, I have a message after watching the film. DO NOT PANIC…here's why:

I added up every… pic.twitter.com/8lOUmbnBf2

— Andy Holloway (@andyholloway) September 6, 2024

As Andrews continues to get healthier, he’ll return to the form that made him a top-5 TE selection in drafts this year. The usage of Likely should not impede Andrews’ value throughout the season. After all, Andrews had seven more snaps than Likely in this contest.

Amari Cooper (WR – CLE)

Amari Cooper’s revenge game against the Cowboys didn’t go as planned. The veteran WR only managed a pedestrian two receptions for 16 yards in what was a blowout loss for the Browns. That said, Cooper left plenty of meat on the bone in this one. He dropped what would have been a 35-yard touchdown late in the contest.

Amari Cooper…sheesh pic.twitter.com/ZWMMV2Yg4j

— Drew Davenport (@DrewDavenportFF) September 8, 2024

If not for this uncharacteristic lapse in concentration, Cooper would have had a solid fantasy performance. Nevertheless, he led the team in targets once again. There’s no reason to doubt Cooper’s role as the team’s unquestioned No. 1 WR. He’ll continue to see a plethora of targets.

This was simply a game in which the Browns struggled to move the ball downfield. Are Deshaun Watson‘s continued struggles a concern? Possibly. The Cowboys do boast one of the league’s most feared defensive lines, though. Watson and the Browns failed to establish any offensive rhythm as they succumbed to constant pressure. Needless to say, this won’t be the case very often. Cooper remains a rock-solid fantasy asset whose volume and efficiency are bound to translate to fantasy production in the coming weeks.

Drake London (WR – ATL)

With Kirk Cousins now under center in Atlanta, we all expected London to emerge as a true focal point in the Falcons’ offense. Nevertheless, London inexplicably finished with two receptions and 15 yards. It truly felt like a continuation of London’s disappointing 2023 season, during which he was held back by subpar QB play. Cousins struggled mightily in this contest, failing to surpass 160 passing yards and throwing two interceptions.

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense is stellar. The likes of T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith gave Cousins fits for the entirety of this matchup. This was Cousins’ first game in a brand-new offensive scheme. What’s more, the contest was his first since suffering a season-ending Achilles injury in 2023. We perhaps should have expected a tumultuous start for the Falcons offense.

With this in mind, London’s performance can be taken with a grain of salt. Cousins will return to form as he gets more reps in Zac Robinson’s system. This is nonetheless an extremely talented WR who is primed for a breakout season in 2024.