👉 TAP TO SAVE 50% WITH CODE SPRING
X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Compare Any Players
24x7 News and Alerts

Disaster Recovery, Week 1 - Studs Turned Duds

Welcome to Disaster Recovery, where each week I'll examine why your studs played like duds. This isn't a place to find out why you should have benched a player for somebody on your bench. Disaster Recovery is to examine the guys who you didn't think twice about benching, and deciding if you should be panicking at all about their value moving forward.

The players covered in this column will usually have to be in the RotoBaller top 10 at their respective positions, but it may vary depending on the status of the players each week.

As for this week, it's only Week 1, so I'll do my best to avoid overreacting on anything.

Featured Promo: Looking for some more fantasy football action? Adopt a dynasty orphan team over at FFPC. Sign up today and get $25 off any FFPC league. Sign Up Now!

 

Week 1 Duds

Le'Veon Bell (RB, PIT) (#1 RB)

What Happened: Bell, a consensus top two player heading into the 2017 season, had just 10 rushes for 32 yards and three receptions for 15 yards.

How Did It Happen: It was a sloppy performance for Pittsburgh all around, only beating the rebuilding Cleveland Browns by 3. Pittsburgh back ran the ball just 14 times and when Antonio Brown goes 11/11 on his targets, you're going to continue to feed him the ball. Bell also missed the entire Pittsburgh preseason due to a contract dispute.

Panic Meter: Low. We should give Le'Veon Bell the benefit of the doubt here. He may have just needed a week to shake off the rust. Bell played 73% of Pittsburgh offensive snaps and got a carry on both of Pittsburgh's red zone appearances. It's too early to panic for Bell.

 

Dez Bryant (WR, DAL) (#10 WR)

What Happened: Bryant caught just two passes on nine targets for 43 yards.

How Did It Happen: Since joining the Giants in 2016, cornerback Janoris Jenkins has blanketed Dez Bryant when they go head to head. Dez had two receptions for 18 yards on 14 targets last season against the Giants. This week was actually Bryan's best performance against Jenkins since he's joined the Giants. Both Bryant and Jenkins are fierce competitors and I'm sure they both have a Week 14 rematch circled on their calendars.

Panic Meter: Low. Bryant has never been the most consistent fantasy performer and has had fits dealing with Jenkins in the past. Bryant still led Cowboys receivers in targets, including four times in the Red Zone, and the Cowboys had no reason to force him the ball thanks to a comfortable lead for most of the game. There were a lot of positives to take away from this negative performance. Expect better things from Dez in the coming weeks.

 

Rob Gronkowski (TE, NE) (#1 TE)

What Happened: Gronk caught two passes for 33 yards on six targets in a loss to the Chiefs.

How Did It Happen: Eric Berry gave Gronk fits and essentially took him out of the equation. It was a matchup of two alpha dogs at their respective positions, and Berry came out on top.

Panic Meter: Low. Here's the biggest silver lining for Gronk owners: in a game where numerous players including Berry suffered major injuries, Gronk came out of the game unscathed. With Danny Amendola suffering a concussion and Malcolm Mitchell heading to the IR that already features Julian Edelman, the Patriots are going to need Gronk now more than ever. If he can't bounce back against the Saints next week, then it'll be time to panic.

 

Tom Brady (QB, NE) (#2 QB)

What Happened: Tom Brady completed just 44% of his passes for 267 yards and no touchdowns in a loss to the Chiefs.

How Did It Happen: As mentioned above, the Patriots were already missing Julian Edelman before losing Amendola and Mitchell, and the Chiefs took his best weapon out of the game by blanketing Rob Gronkowski. An always dangerous Chiefs defense came to play and gave Brady and the defending champions fits all night. Brady was just 3-12 on deep passes, connecting with Amendola once and new target Brandin Cooks twice.

Panic Meter: Medium. Am I going to sit here and say I doubt Tom Brady will come back from this game? Absolutely not. But am I concerned that a guy who was typically drafted as a top two quarterback may fail to live up to that expectation this season? Absolutely. Losing the three aforementioned receivers hurts and the Patriots need to hope Amendola, a man with a history of concussions, recovers quickly from his concussion. Brady will have to rely heavily on Cooks, Gronk, and his running backs in the passing game in the coming weeks. He didn't connect well with Chris Hogan and Dwayne Allen in Week 1, and newly acquired Phillip Dorsett is a mystery at this point.

And I know the media has beaten this horse to death this week, but Tom Brady is 40 years old. Even if a regression is unlikely, it's not out of the question. We should have more clarity on what Brady's season outlook will look like after next week.

 

Isaiah Crowell (RB, CLE) (#10 RB)

What Happened: Crowell ran 17 times for 33 yards, caught two passes for 33 yards and scored a two point conversion in a loss to the Steelers.

How Did It Happen: The biggest knock on Crowell heading into the season was that he isn't that good of a real life football player. In Week 1, he still did not look like a good football player. Crowell averaged four yards per rush, something that he achieved four times last season. Even with rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer playing well, the Browns refused to abandon the running game, and drove Crowell into the ground all day long. His fantasy day was salvaged with a two point conversion late in the game.

Panic Meter: Medium. As of now, it doesn't seem like Crowell's carriers are going anywhere, but owners should still be panicking a bit. If any other Cleveland running back has a breakout game, there isn't much on Crowell's resume that justifies him staying as the starter. He needs to have a solid game in the coming weeks to reassure not only fantasy owners but the entire Cleveland Browns staff that he deserves to be a starter. Crowell had an eight game stretch last season where he ran for 211 yards on 84 carries. All we can do is hope for is that he does the opposite of that.

 

Saved By The Pie Line

Each week I'll touch briefly on guys who may have appeared in the Disaster Recovery column, but had their fantasy day saved by a touchdown.

Low Panic Meter: DeAndre Hopkins (WR, HOU) - Hopkins had just 55 yards and a touchdown on Sunday, but was targeted 16 times by the stable of Texans quarterbacks. At this point he's the only proven talent on the Texans offense, and literally every single tight end on the Texans offense was injured in Week 1. Rookie quarterback DeShaun Watson should only improve as the season goes on. Hopkins will have high volume and should see higher production than he did this week.

Medium Panic Meter: Todd Gurley (RB, LAR) - There's too much to unpack with Gurley's performance on Sunday, but the positives are that he received a ton of touches, looked good catching the ball, and defenses should have to respect the passing game more in the coming weeks. Even with the serious red flags in the Rams rushing attack, Gurley should improve on his abysmal 2016 season. The only question is how much.

High Panic Meter: Jordan Howard (RB, CHI) - Sound the sirens, ring the alarms, Jordan Howard is entering a timeshare. Howard had 16 total touches for 66 yards and a touchdown, while rookie Tarik Cohen had 13 total touches for 113 yards and a touchdown. I'd suggest owners don't sell low on Howard and see how the situation plays out, but the panic meter is at full tilt right now. It's hard to imagine Howard putting up a repeat performance of his rookie year with Cohen still in the mix.

 

More Week 2 Lineup Prep




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Compare Any Players
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

NFL

Zachariah Branch Arrested for Misdemeanor Obstruction
New York Giants

Sonny Styles One of the Top Targets for Giants at No. 5 in NFL Draft
Renardo Green

49ers Looking to Trade Renardo Green?
Keenan Allen

Chargers Not Closing the Door on a Reunion With Keenan Allen
Grayson Allen

is Available for Game 1 on Sunday
A.J. Brown

Eagles Preparing for A.J. Brown's Departure?
Peter Skoronski

Titans to Pick Up Peter Skoronski's Fifth-Year Option
Breece Hall

Dynasty Upside Remains Limited by Offensive Environment in New York
Cincinnati Bengals

Dexter Lawrence Signing One-Year Extension With Bengals
Kristaps Porzingis

Unsure About Returning to Golden State
Drake London

Dynasty Upside Remains Limited by Quarterback Questions in Atlanta
Mark Williams

is Ruled Out for Game 1 on Sunday
Chris Olave

Dynasty Value Rising After Resurgent 2025 Season
Coby White

Hornets Want to Bring Back Coby White
Bucky Irving

Can Bucky Irving Bounce Back After Injury-Marred 2025?
Kenneth Walker III

a Major Dynasty Riser After Offseason Move to Kansas City
Desmond Bane

Considered Probable for Game 1
Bo Nix

Dynasty Value in Question Coming Off Injury?
Tarik Skubal

Fans 10 in Win Over Red Sox on Saturday
Raisel Iglesias

Dealing With Shoulder Issue
Davante Adams

Glaring Opportunity to Sell High on Davante Adams?
Jordan Addison

Can Jordan Addison Overcome Ugly Quarterback Situation?
Emeka Egbuka

a Trade Target in Some Dynasty Leagues
Alec Pierce

Stock Rising Following Payday
Michael Pittman Jr.

Gets a Fresh Start in Pittsburgh
Rhamondre Stevenson

an Affordable Target in Dynasty Leagues
Kyle Larson

Should not be Underestimated for the Win at Kansas
Cooper Kupp

Two-Time Super Bowl Champion Cooper Kupp has Become a Fantasy Afterthought
Jaylen Warren

A New Running Mate is Business as Usual for Jaylen Warren
Denny Hamlin

Can Denny Hamlin Dominate at Kansas Again?
NASCAR

Christoper Bell Should Contend for First Win at Kansas
Joel Eriksson Ek

Powers Minnesota Past Dallas in Opening Game
Tyler Reddick

Fastest in Practice and Qualifying for Kansas Race
Ryan Blaney

Could Score another Top-10 Finish at Kansas
Ty Gibbs

Poised to Continue Hot Streak at Kansas
Logan Stankoven

Makes Big Impact in Carolina's Game 1 Victory
Chris Buescher

Always Consistent, Has Speed Heading Into Kansas
William Byron

is A Solid DFS Option for Kansas Lineups
Carson Hocevar

Poised for Career-Best Run at Kansas
Porter Martone

Nets Game-Winning Goal to Defeat Pittsburgh
Frederik Andersen

Shuts Out Ottawa in Game 1
Chase Briscoe

Is Chase Briscoe Worth Rostering for DFS at Kansas?
Chase Elliott

Is A Favorable DFS Option for Kansas Lineups
Matt Boldy

Delivers Huge Game 1 Performance in Win
Joey Logano

Could Joey Logano be Considered Playable In DFS This Week at Kansas?
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace is A Favorable Driver to Consider for Kansas Lineups
Ross Chastain

Is Ross Chastain A Worthy DFS Option for Kansas?
Brad Keselowski

Could Brad Keselowski be A Sneaky DFS Option for Kansas?
Daniel Suarez

Should DFS Managers Roster Daniel Suarez at Kansas?
Dylan Harper

is Ready for Sunday's Game
Grayson Allen

is Questionable for Sunday's Game
Mark Williams

is Questionable for Game 1 on Sunday
Reed Sheppard

Moves into Starting Five on Saturday
Kevin Durant

is Ruled Out for Game 1 on Saturday
Stuart Skinner

Starting Game 1 Against Flyers
Alexandre Carrier

Back at Practice
Jared McCann

Undergoes Lower-Body Procedure
Andrei Kuzmenko

Activated From Injured Reserve
Victor Hedman

Out for Game 1 on Sunday
William Karlsson

Unavailable for Start of First-Round Series
Quinn Hughes

Available Saturday
Miro Heiskanen

Cleared for Game 1
Jhoan Duran

Placed on 15-Day Injured List With Oblique Strain
Kyle Stowers

Will be Activated on Sunday
Jesper Wallstedt

to Start in Goal for Minnesota on Saturday
LaMelo Ball

Scores 23 Points in Season-Ending Loss
Jordan Goodwin

Fills Stat Sheet in Play-In Win
Paolo Banchero

Powers Magic Into Playoffs
Jalen Green

Drops 36 Points to Clinch Playoff Spot
Amen Thompson

Off Injury Report for Playoff Opener
Jabari Smith Jr.

Cleared After Resting in Season Finale
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Cleared for Game 1 Against Lakers
Logan Stankoven

Presumed Ready for Game 1
Max Muncy

has Another Multi-Homer Game at Coors Field
Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

Expected to Make Season Debut on Saturday
Austin Riley

Hits Two Home Runs in Shutout Win Over Phillies
Daulton Varsho

Removed Early on Friday With Knee Discomfort
Aaron Gordon

Available for Game 1 Against Timberwolves
Julius Randle

Cleared for Playoffs
Jaxson Hayes

Available Saturday Night
Grayson Allen

Will Play Against Warriors
Edwin Uceta

Having More Shoulder Issues, "Shut Down for a Few Days"
Josh Hader

Moved to 60-Day Injured List
Willson Contreras

Returns to Red Sox Lineup on Friday
Daniel Palencia

Goes on 15-Day Injured List With Oblique Strain
Juan Soto

Still on Track to Return Next Week
Los Angeles Angels

Garret Anderson Dies at 53 Years Old
Mike Malott

A Favorite At UFC Winnipeg
Gilbert Burns

Set For UFC Winnipeg Main Event
Kyler Phillips

Set UFC Winnipeg Co-Main Event
Charles Jourdain

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Jai Herbert

An Underdog At UFC Winnipeg
Mandel Nallo

Set For His UFC Debut
Karine Silva

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Jasmine Jasudavicius

Looks To Bounce Back
Robert Thomas

Wraps Up Season With a Hat Trick
Macklin Celebrini

Establishes Sharks' New Scoring Record
Scott Wedgewood

Keeps Kraken From Scoring Thursday
Nathan MacKinnon

Wins Rocket Richard Trophy With 53 Goals
Connor McDavid

Secures Sixth Art Ross Trophy With Four-Assist Performance
Connor Dewar

Ready for Game 1
Parker Messick

Flirts With No-Hitter in Latest Gem Against Orioles
Mike Trout

Hits Five Homers in Series Versus Yankees
Spencer Arrighetti

Fans 10 in Season Debut, to Remain a Focal Point in Rotation?
Nick Pivetta

Dealing With Flexor Strain, Could Miss Months
Nico Hoerner

Homers, Drive in Five in Win Over Phillies
Shota Imanaga

Strikes Out 11 in First Win of the Season
Sal Stewart

Continues to Hit, Goes Deep Twice on Wednesday
CFB

Michigan Lands Commitment From Quarterback Kamden Lopati
Sahith Theegala

Brings Strong Form Into Harbour Town
Wyndham Clark

Needs Putter to Show Up at RBC Heritage
Jacob Bridgeman

Looks to Return to Elite Form at Harbour Town
J.J. Spaun

a Volatile Option at RBC Heritage
PGA

Sungjae Im Offers High-Upside Value at RBC Heritage
Matt Fitzpatrick

Set for Another Strong Showing at RBC Heritage
Jason Day

Eyes Bounce-Back After Sunday Struggles at the Masters
Akshay Bhatia

Looking to Rebound at Harbour Town
Cameron Young

Hoping to Secure Second Win of Season at RBC Heritage
Scottie Scheffler

Looks to Win Again at RBC Heritage
Shane Lowry

Has Disappointing Final Round at Masters
Viktor Hovland

Hoping to Build on Final Round at Masters
Brian Harman

Struggling For Consistency Heading to RBC Heritage
Chris Gotterup

Putting Together Outstanding 2026 Season
Justin Thomas

Looks to Defend in Hilton Head
Jordan Spieth

in Search of Improved Putting at RBC Heritage
Marco Penge

May Continue Up-and-Down Ride at the RBC Heritage
Xander Schauffele

Could Get The Job Done at RBC Heritage
Jake Knapp

Keeps Building Strong Results in 2026
Kurt Kitayama

Trying to Regain Form From Florida
Collin Morikawa

Continues to be a Scary DFS Play at RBC Heritage
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF