Fantasy Football Flukes Or Gold Mines? Eight Performances From Week 1

September 16, 2022

Dennis analyzes big fantasy football performances from last week. Are they a sign of things to come, or flukes to ignore for Week 2 of the 2022 NFL season?

We all know that in fantasy football we should not overreact too much after Week 1, but a handful of players really stood out. It does not feel good to miss the opportunity to add a breakout player, and even worse watch that player beat you in an upcoming matchup.

So we are here today to take a closer look at some big performances, and see if there are any fantasy football gold mines. Below are eight players that produced a big Week 1 performance. Was their performance a fluke, or are they legit and this is a sign of things to come?

We are going to put these eight players and performances under a microscope and see whether they were anomalies, or whether the performances are sustainable.

Carson Wentz, QB, Washington Commanders

Carson Wentz is one of the most criticized quarterbacks in the league. Plenty of noise that he is not a great leader or teammate forced his way out of the Indianapolis Colts organization. Wentz was traded to Washington this past offseason, and while everything wasn't peaches and cream, he displayed what he is capable of in Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

He completed 66 percent of his passes on his way to passing for 313 yards and four touchdowns. This type of performance resembles his play with the Philadelphia Eagles. He threw passes to seven different wide receivers. Wentz has a compelling group of wide receivers in Terry McLaurin, healthy Curtis Samuel, and rookie Jahan Dotson.

Wentz takes on the Detroit Lions in Week 2, so he should explore QB1 territory again this week. He has been inconsistent throughout his career, but he has a legit opportunity in Washington to present fantasy value as a second quarterback in Superflex leagues.

Dontrell Hilliard, RB, Tennessee Titans

Dontrell Hilliard has cemented his role as the passing-down back for the Tennessee Titans. His skills were showcased in 88 percent of the team's third-down snaps. Hilliard is PPR gold and produced three catches on four targets for 61 yards and two touchdowns in Week 1.

Fantasy managers might shy away from Hilliard due to the presence of Derrick Henry. Still, Henry is not involved enough in the passing game to make you turn a blind eye to the fantasy value of Dontrell Hilliard.

Jamaal Williams, RB, Detroit Lions

Jamaal Williams is the extreme running back handcuff who still produces weekly. Williams is insurance for D'Andre Swift's managers since he gets hurt every season. Swift is already dealing with an ankle injury.

Williams still earns the goal-line work, including punching in twice in Week 1. He saw double-digit carries on Sunday, which is enough to provide value for fantasy managers. If Williams is somehow available in your league, stop reading this and pick him up immediately.

Robbie Anderson, WR, Carolina Panthers

For a player who didn't want to play with quarterback Baker Mayfield, Robbie Anderson wasn't complaining when he ran under the 75- yard bomb this past Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.

Anderson is your prototypical boom-or-bust wide receiver. If you remove that big play, Anderson produced four catches for 27 yards, which you should expect more of when you start the Carolina Panthers wideout.

Jahan Dotson, WR, Washington Commanders

The former Penn State star was a surprise selection as the 16th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Washington Commanders. Dotson displayed game-breaking talent, and the Commanders hope they found their ideal complement to wide receiver Terry McLaurin.

Dotson kicked off his NFL career with a bang with two touchdowns. Touchdowns are fluky, but Dotson showed impressive ability and promise in his pro debut. Dotson is an intriguing talent who should rise to fantasy relevancy in his rookie season.

Devin Duvernay, WR, Baltimore Ravens

Devin Duvernay is coming off his best game as a pro with four catches on four targets for 54 yards and two touchdowns as the Baltimore Ravens trounced the New York Jets in their Week 1 matchup.

Duvernay is coming an excellent preseason and some hype as we kicked the season. However, everyone knows the Ravens are a run-first team even though Lamar Jackson fancies himself as an elite passing quarterback.

The passing offense mainly runs through tight end Mark Andrews, but we should see the emergence of sophomore wide receiver Rashod Bateman to demand more targets. Any more available targets are minimal, which limits Duvernay and any other receiving option in Baltimore. One good game does not lead us to believe we will see Duvernay emerge as a consistent fantasy target.

Taysom Hill, TE, New Orleans Saints

Taysom Hill, again? With Sean Payton out as the New Orleans Saints head coach, there was a belief that we saw the last of Taysom Hill. However, Hill broke off a 50-yard run and scored a touchdown in Week 1, which is not bad for a tight end.

His usage is too inconsistent for fantasy managers to believe that you would want Hill in your weekly lineups. Hill was on the field for only 16 plays, and fantasy football is maddening enough already without exposing yourself to this fantasy dart throw.

O.J. Howard, TE, Houston Texans

The Houston Texans signed former top tight end prospect O.J. Howard just in time for their Week 1 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. Howard spent the entire preseason with the Buffalo Bills, but he was released, and after a week of practice, Howard got on the field for the Texans. Howard took another shot in the NFL into 12 snaps and two catches on two targets for 38 yards and two scores.

Fantasy managers have seen this movie before with Howard. Howard shines in a game or two to disappear and be fantasy irrelevant. The Texans already have two tight ends in Brevin Jordan and Pharoah Brown, who stand in the way of more snap shares.

In addition, the Texans have two productive wide receivers, Brandin Cooks and Nico Collins, to compete for targets. It's difficult to believe that Howard will produce enough for fantasy managers to want to roster.

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