JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 15: Travis Etienne Jr. #1 of the Jacksonville Jaguars runs for yardage during the game against the Indianapolis Colts at EverBank Stadium on October 15, 2023 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
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There was no shortage of surprising fantasy football stat lines during Week 1, both good and bad. On the positive side, Geno Smith threw for 362 yards, which was the second-highest mark in the league. Among the disappointing stat lines was Nico Collins catching just three passes for 25 yards.
Let’s dig deeper into the week and highlight some players on the rise heading into Week 2, as well as some fallers who you should consider dropping.
Fantasy Football Risers
1. Travis Etienne Jr., RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
Etienne dominated in the Jaguars’ win over the Panthers, rushing 16 times for 143 yards. He also caught all three of his targets for an additional 13 yards. The Panthers had a difficult time bringing him down, leaving Etienne to average 5.8 yards after contact.
As if Etienne’s stat line from Week 1 wasn’t exciting enough, the Jaguars made a trade Monday that sent backup running back Tank Bigsby to the Eagles. Behind Etienne on the Jaguars’ depth chart now is fourth-round rookie Bhayshul Tuten and seventh-round rookie LeQuint Allen Jr. Etienne has the potential to receive a ton of carries moving forward.
2. Keon Coleman, WR, Buffalo Bills
Coleman didn’t provide much for fantasy managers during his rookie campaign. He appeared in 13 games, finishing with 556 receiving yards and four touchdowns. As underwhelming as that was, the former second-round pick stood out Sunday against the Ravens. He caught eight of 11 targets for 112 yards and one touchdown. It was just the second game of his career with at least 100 receiving yards and his first game with at least 11 targets.
Coleman accounted for 24.4% of the Bills’ targets in Week 1. He also had an average depth of target of 11.7 yards. The Bills might not be required to throw as much as they did against the high-powered Ravens offense, but they are still looking for a No. 1 receiver. As good as Khalil Shakir was last season, he only had four touchdown receptions and is probably better suited to be a No. 2 option on a winning team. Coleman has the potential to be a breakout fantasy option this year.
3. Javonte Williams, RB, Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys entered the season with an unsettled situation at running back. They brought in Williams and Miles Sanders to provide two veteran options. They also drafted Jaydon Blue in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. While Blue could be their future at the position, he was not active for Week 1.
With Blue not playing, Williams and Sanders were the only running backs to receive carries for the Cowboys in Week 1. Williams was the clear leader in workload, out-carrying Sanders 15-4. He finished with 54 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Sanders rushed for 53 yards on his four carries, but had a costly fumble that won’t help his chances of playing more moving forward. For now, it looks like Williams is the top running back for the Cowboys.
Fantasy Football Drops
1. Cooper Kupp, WR, Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks scored just 13 points in their loss to the 49ers on Sunday. Sam Darnold struggled in his debut with his new team, throwing for 150 yards and no touchdowns. The Seahawks went with a run-heavy approach, giving Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet a combined 22 carries. That limited Darnold to 23 pass attempts.
When Darnold did throw the ball, he looked to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The Seahawks’ promising young wide receiver was targeted 13 times, catching nine passes for 124 yards. That left just three targets for Kupp, who turned them into two receptions for 15 yards. Injuries have been a problem for Kupp, who has not played more than 12 games in a season since 2021. Last season, he averaged a career-low 7.1 yards per target. Don’t drop him yet, but if this trend continues for the next couple of weeks, it might be time to move on.
2. Isiah Pacheco, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
Pacheco was explosive when he first entered the league, averaging at least 4.6 yards per carry in each of his first two seasons. However, a fibula fracture derailed him last year. Even when he did return from the injury, he didn’t look like his normal self. He averaged only 3.7 yards per carry and finished the season with just one rushing touchdown.
In the Chiefs’ Week 1 loss to the Chargers, Pacheco only received five carries. He finished with 25 rushing yards and no touchdowns. Kareem Hunt played well when Pacheco was out last season and was also given five carries in Week 1. Not only will Hunt likely continue to eat into Pacheco’s carries, but he might be more of a factor in the red zone. Hunt was given 43 carries inside the red zone last season. Including the playoffs, Pacheco played eight games after returning from injury last season. Over that stretch, he was given just three red zone carries. A running back in a time machine who might not get many opportunities to score touchdowns is not an appealing fantasy option.