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Week 1 Red Zone Alert - Risers and Fallers

Gladys Tyler reviews the top red zone risers and fallers heading into Week 1 of the 2021 NFL season at QB, RB, and WR to help fantasy football managers find an edge in their weekly lineups.

It is the first week of fantasy football and we all want to get an edge.  Frankly, there is no better feeling than having your fantasy player score a touchdown.

Hopefully, this segment will help you determine who is doing it for you in the red zone and who is letting you down.  For now, in Week 1, let’s just recap the 2020 stats of the players against their opening-week matchup.

Since this is the first edition, these are the top-eight in each category.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Wide Receivers

INSIDE THE 20 YARD LINE

Player Targets Receptions Target Share Week 1 Opp. Rank
Davante Adams 28 TGT 23 REC 37.3% TGT SHARE v New Orleans Saints; Saints (2020 17th in fantasy points to WR w/17TD; 23.6 fantasy points/g)
Darren Waller 22 TGT 18 REC 33.3 % TGT SHARE v Baltimore Ravens (2020 3rd best in fantasy points to WR w/11TD; 19.5 fantasy points/g
Travis Kelce 20 TGT 13 REC 25.3% TGT SHARE v Cleveland Browns (2020 29th in fantasy points to TE w/10TD;9.8 fantasy points/g)
Calvin Ridley * 20 TGT 11 REC 26.3% TGT SHARE v Philadelphia Eagles (2020 24th in fantasy points to WR w/17TD; 25.7 fantasy points/g)
Jimmy Graham 19 TGT 13 REC 22.4% TGT SHARE @ Los Angeles Rams (2020 11th in fantasy points to TE w/ 7TD; 7.2 fantasy points/g)
Adam Thielen 19 TGT 16 REC 33.9% TGT SHARE @ Cincinnati Bengals (2020 16th in fantasy points to WR w/20TD; 23.4 fantasy points/g)
Mike Evans 18 TGT 11 REC 23.1% TGT SHARE v Dallas Cowboys (2020 31st in fantasy points to WR w/27TD; 29.3 fantasy points per game)
Allen Robinson 18 TGT 7 REC 21.2% TGT SHARE @ Los Angeles Rams (2020 1st in fantasy points to WR w/ 7TD; 16.0 fantasy points per game

 

Running Backs

Rushing inside the 10-yard line

Player Attempts Touchdowns Week 1 Opponent Opp. rank
Josh Jacobs 18 ATT 8 TD v Baltimore Ravens Ravens allowed an average of 0.7 rushing TD/g 2020 (2nd ranked)
Derrick Henry 17 ATT 8 TD v Arizona Cardinals Cards defense allowed an average of 0.8 rushing TD/g 2020 (8th ranked)
Dalvin Cook 22 ATT 8 TD @Cincinnati Bengals Bengals 0.8 rushing TD/g 2020 (7th ranked)
Kenyan Drake 21 ATT 9 TD v Baltimore Ravens See Jacobs
Jonathan Taylor 14 ATT 6 TD v Seattle Seahawks Seahawks allowed avg 1.1 rushing TD/g 2020(22nd ranked)
Ezekiel Elliott 12 ATT 5 TD v Tampa Bay Bucs Bucs 0 rushing TD 2021
David Montgomery 22 ATT 4 TD @Los Angeles Rams Rams allowed 0.8 rushing TD/g 2020 (6th ranked)

 

Quarterbacks

RED ZONE PASSES INSIDE 20-YARD LINE

 Player Pass Attempts Touchdowns Interceptions Opponent rank
Aaron Rodgers 84 ATT 35 TD 0 INT v New Orleans Saints gave up avg 1.7 passing TD/g 2020
Russell Wilson 82 ATT 29 TD 3 INT @ Indianapolis Colts gave up avg 1.5 passing TD/g 2020
Josh Allen 84 ATT 25 TD 0 INT v Pittsburgh Steelers gave up avg 1.5 passing TD/g 2020
Patrick Mahomes 74 ATT 23 TD 2 INT v Cleveland Browns gave up avg 2.0 passing TD/g 2020
Baker Mayfield 71 ATT 21 TD 0 INT @Kansas City Chiefs gave up avg 1.8 passing TD/g 2020
Ben Roethlisberger 73 ATT 20 TD 2 INT @ Buffalo Bills gave up avg 1.5 passingTD/g 2020
Justin Herbert 71 ATT 20 TD 1 INT @WFT gave up avg 1.5 passing TD/g 2020

It's Week 1 of the 2021 NFL season and this is how the teams and players trended in 2020.

But stick with Rotoballer.com week after week, and we will keep you up on the risers and fallers in the red zone.  Your fantasy season may depend on it!

Come talk at me on Twitter @gladysLtyler



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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Shane Bieber

Staying in Toronto for 2026
Salvador Perez

Agrees to Two-Year Extension With Royals
Gustav Nyquist

Jets Move Gustav Nyquist to Injured Reserve
Noah Hanifin

Expected to Return From 10-Game Absence Tuesday
William Eklund

to Remain Out Wednesday
TB

Max Crozier Available Tuesday
Tristan Jarry

Lands on Injured Reserve
Jason Zucker

Placed on Injured Reserve
Trevor Story

Opts in for Remaining Two Years on his Contract
Pyotr Kochetkov

Starts on Tuesday
Luguentz Dort

Available on Tuesday
Yu Darvish

to Miss All of 2026 Following Flexor-Tendon Surgery
Jacoby Brissett

to Start Again in Week 10
Kyler Murray

Given 4-8 Week Timetable for Foot Injury
Anthony Edwards

Considered Questionable For Wednesday
Yves Missi

Out Tuesday
Zion Williamson

Expected to Miss at Least One Week
Bradley Beal

Sidelined on Tuesday
Kawhi Leonard

Out Versus Thunder on Tuesday
A.J. Brown

Won't be Traded at Deadline
Garrett Wilson

"Untouchable" in Trade Talks
Jakob Poeltl

Questionable Vs. the Bucks on Tuesday
Kawhi Leonard

Uncertain for Tuesday
Precious Achiuwa

Has Agreed to Sign With the Kings
Darius Garland

Could Make Season Debut As Early As Wednesday
Shota Imanaga

Becomes a Free Agent
Jimmy Butler III

Downgraded to Questionable Against the Suns
Luis Robert Jr.

White Sox Pick Up 2026 Option on Luis Robert Jr.
LaMelo Ball

Will Not Play Tuesday
CFB

LJ Martin Expected to Play in Top-10 Matchup Against Texas Tech
PGA

LIV Golf Expanding To 72-Hole Format In 2026
Rashid Shaheed

Being Shipped to the Seahawks
Sauce Gardner

Colts Acquiring Sauce Gardner From the Jets
Travis Hunter

Not Expected to be Out Long-Term
Brian Thomas Jr.

has Low-Grade Ankle Sprain, has Chance to Play in Week 10
Jakobi Meyers

Jaguars Acquiring Jakobi Meyers
Al Horford

Sits Out Tuesday's Game
Chet Holmgren

Back in Thunder Lineup Tuesday
LaMelo Ball

May Remain Out Tuesday
Zion Williamson

Considered Questionable for Tuesday
Jared McCain

on Track to Make Season Debut Tuesday
Joel Embiid

Available Tuesday
Filip Forsberg

Has Multi-Point Outing Monday
Brock Boeser

Notches Three Points in Overtime Victory
Joey Daccord

Continues Home Success Monday
Connor McDavid

Surpasses 1,100 Career Points
Auston Matthews

Sparks Maple Leafs Comeback
Noel Acciari

Sustains Upper-Body Injury
Kyler Murray

Still the Starting QB When Healthy
Atlanta Braves

Braves Hire Walt Weiss as Their Next Manager
Kris Bubic

Cleared to Begin a Throwing Program
Brandon Woodruff

Declines Mutual Option for 2026
Freddy Peralta

Brewers Exercise 2026 Option on Freddy Peralta
Lucas Giolito

Declines his 2026 Player Option
Daniel Gafford

to be Limited on Monday
Jabari Smith Jr.

Sidelined on Monday Night
Josh Hart

Available to Play on Monday
Kyler Murray

Officially Inactive on Monday Night
J.J. Spaun

Finishes Sixth at Procore Championship
PGA

Matti Schmid Finishes Tied for 46th at Baycurrent Classic
Keith Mitchell

Finishes Tied for 10th at Baycurrent Classic
Si Woo Kim

Finishes Tied for 21st at Genesis Championship
Mackenzie Hughes

Misses The Cut at Sanderson Farms Championship
Max Greyserman

Finishes Second at Baycurrent Classic
Austin Eckroat

Finishes Tied for 56th at Baycurrent Classic
Luke Clanton

Finishes Tied for 56th at Bank of Utah Championship
Morgan Barron

Out Week-to-Week
Terry McLaurin

Commanders Don't Think Terry McLaurin Will Play in Week 10
Jayden Daniels

to be "Out for a While" With Dislocated Elbow
Adam Lowry

Ready for Season Debut Tuesday
Pierre-Luc Dubois

to Miss "Extended Period of Time"
Omarion Hampton

Not Expected to Return to Practice Until After Week 12 Bye
Robert Thomas

Set to Return Monday
Quinn Hughes

Available Monday
Justin Brazeau

Remains Out Monday
William Nylander

Rejoins Maple Leafs Lineup Monday
Pete Alonso

Officially Opts Out of his Contract With Mets
Alex Bregman

Opts Out of his Contract With Boston
Edwin Díaz

Edwin Diaz on the Open Market This Winter
Cody Bellinger

Becomes Free Agent After Opting Out
Robert Suarez

Opts Out, Becomes Free Agent
Kyle Larson

Wins His Second NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix
Ryan Blaney

Concludes the 2025 Season with A Win at Phoenix
William Byron

Strong Championship Effort Ends With Late-Race Flat-Tire Crash
Quinshon Judkins

Browns Optimistic Quinshon Judkins Can Play in Week 10
Tucker Kraft

Done for the Year With Torn ACL
Denny Hamlin

Overtime Four-Tire Call Costs Denny Hamlin the Championship
Chase Briscoe

Championship Bid Never Really Started After Two Tire Failures
Brad Keselowski

Nearly Steals Phoenix Race
David Onama

Suffers First-Round TKO Loss
Steve Garcia

Scores First-Round TKO Win
Ante Delija

Suffers His First UFC Loss
CFB

Dylan Raiola Suffers Season-Ending Injury
Waldo Cortes-Acosta

Gets Knockout Win
Themba Gorimbo

Drops Decision At UFC Vegas 110
Jayden Daniels

Suffers Dislocated Elbow on Sunday Night
Jeremiah Wells

Gets Back In The Win Column
Yadier del Valle

Remains Undefeated
Jayden Daniels

X-Rays Come Back Negative on Jayden Daniels' Left Arm, MRI to Come
Jaelan Phillips

Gets Dealt to Eagles for a Third-Round Pick
Isaac Dulgarian

Cut By UFC Following Submission Loss
Daniel Frunza

Still Winless In The UFC
Charles Radtke

Dominates Daniel Frunza
Allan Nascimento

Gets Submission Win
Philipp Kurashev

Stays Hot on Sunday
Cody Durden

Suffers Second-Round Submission Loss
Jaylen Warren

Records First Career Two-Touchdown Game in Week 9 Win Over Colts
Michael Pittman Jr.

Leads Colts With Nine Catches in Week 9 Loss at Pittsburgh
Max Scherzer

Doesn't Plan on Retiring
Michael King

Becomes Free Agent After Declining Mutual Option
Austin Cindric

is A Driver to Avoid for Phoenix DFS Lineups
Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Named World Series MVP
Alex Bowman

Could Alex Bowman be A Sneaky Tournament Play for Phoenix?
Noah Gragson

Should DFS Players Roster Noah Gragson At Phoenix?
Erik Jones

Is Erik Jones Worth Rostering for DFS at Phoenix?
Michael McDowell

an Easy Recommendation for DFS at Phoenix
Chase Briscoe

Probably Won't Win the Title
Joey Logano

Could Play Spoiler in Championship Battle at Phoenix
Tyler Reddick

Seeking to End Winless Drought, but Probably Won't Have the Speed
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Looks to Protect Top-10 Points Finish at Phoenix
Brad Keselowski

Hasn't Been Fast at Phoenix With RFK Racing
Daniel Suarez

With Nothing at Stake, Expect Little From Daniel Suarez
Kyle Busch

Qualifies Well, but Will Probably Finish Worse Than he Starts
Chris Buescher

Ryan Preece has a Shot to Overtake Chris Buescher as RFK Racing's Lead Driver
Austin Dillon

Looks to Avoid Finishing Last in NASCAR Playoffs
AJ Allmendinger

A.J. Allmendinger Might be a Worthy DFS Option
Shohei Ohtani

to Start Game 7 of World Series
Alejandro Kirk

X-Rays Come Back Negative on Alejandro Kirk's Hand
David Onama

Set For UFC Vegas 110 Main Event
Steve Garcia

Returns At UFC Vegas 110
Waldo Cortes-Acosta

Set For Co-Main Event
Ante Delija

In Search For His Second UFC Win
Themba Gorimbo

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 110
Jeremiah Wells

Looks To Return To The Win Column
Yadier del Valle

Looks To Remain Undefeated
CFB

Arizona State Quarterback Sam Leavitt Out for the Season
Isaac Dulgarian

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Daniel Frunza

Looks For His First UFC Win
CFB

Arch Manning Listed as Questionable for Vanderbilt Matchup
CFB

Arion Carter Listed as Questionable Ahead of Oklahoma Matchup

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