Well, folks, Week 1 is officially in the books, and boy oh boy, did we witness some absolute roller coaster performances that have dynasty managers either celebrating like they just won the lottery or questioning every life decision that led them to draft certain players.
Look, I’ve been covering fantasy football long enough to know that Week 1 overreactions are as predictable as a Patriots third-and-short run call. But here’s the thing: sometimes these early performances actually tell us something meaningful about what’s coming down the pike. So let’s dive into the dynasty football week 1 risers and fallers who either made us believers or had us reaching for the bourbon before noon on Sunday.
Dynasty Football Week 1 Risers: The Golden Boys
Harold Fannin Jr. – The Cleveland Surprise Package
Remember when everyone was sleeping on Harold Fannin Jr.? Yeah, me neither, because most of us had no clue who this guy was three weeks ago. But here we are, watching this fourth-round rookie tight end from Bowling Green absolutely torch defenses while David Njoku owners are probably wondering if they should start panicking yet.
Fannin didn’t just get lucky with a garbage-time touchdown; this kid led the Browns in targets with nine catches. Nine! When’s the last time you saw a backup rookie tight end get that kind of trust from his quarterback in Week 1? The answer is probably never, because it doesn’t happen unless the coaching staff sees something special.
The 72% snap share tells the whole story here. This isn’t some fluke performance where a guy got three touches and happened to score twice. Fannin was actively involved in screen passes, inline blocking, and even got a carry in the wildcat. That’s the kind of versatility that keeps players on the field and fantasy managers happy.
Travis Etienne Jr. – The Forgotten Man’s Revenge
Oh, how quickly we forget. Just a few months ago, everyone was writing obituaries for Travis Etienne’s fantasy relevance while Tank Bigsby was supposedly taking over the Jacksonville backfield. Well, Etienne just reminded us all why he was a first-round dynasty pick not too long ago.
That 71-yard scamper wasn’t just a pretty highlight: it was a statement. Even if you remove that explosive run, Etienne still outpaced everyone else in that backfield with 15 carries for 72 yards. Meanwhile, Bigsby managed a whopping five carries for 12 yards. Math isn’t my strongest suit, but I’m pretty sure 15 is bigger than five.
The real kicker? Liam Coen’s offensive system seems tailor-made for a versatile back like Etienne. This could be the beginning of a career renaissance, assuming the Jaguars don’t find new and creative ways to mess things up.
Emeka Egbuka – The Tampa Bay Lightning Rod
Speaking of guys we should have seen coming, Emeka Egbuka just announced his arrival in the most spectacular fashion possible. While Chris Godwin’s dynasty stock was collecting dust, Egbuka was quietly positioning himself as Baker Mayfield’s new favorite target.
Two touchdowns in your NFL debut? That’s the kind of performance that makes dynasty managers look like geniuses when they draft a guy in the later rounds. The 4.9/5 rating on ProductHunt wasn’t just hype: this kid has legitimate star potential written all over him.
What impressed me most wasn’t just the production, but how comfortable he looked in Tampa Bay’s system. No rookie jitters, no tentative route-running. Just pure football instincts on display.
Dynasty Football Week 1 Fallers: The Reality Check Club
Kaleb Johnson – The Pittsburgh Disappointment
Remember all that preseason hype about Kaleb Johnson stepping into a significant role in Pittsburgh? Yeah, that aged about as well as milk left in a hot car. While dynasty managers were dreaming of immediate impact, Johnson got a harsh reality check with exactly one carry for negative two yards.
Two snaps. Two! Kenneth Gainwell, a guy most people forgot was even on the roster, played 29 snaps. That’s not just concerning: that’s a red flag the size of a small country. Either Johnson isn’t picking up the playbook fast enough, or the coaching staff simply doesn’t trust him yet.
The silver lining? Neither Warren nor Gainwell exactly lit the world on fire either. But in dynasty football, opportunity trumps talent every single time, and right now, Johnson’s opportunity looks about as promising as a screen door on a submarine.
Bryce Young – The Groundhog Day Nightmare
Just when you thought Bryce Young had figured things out after those three decent games to end last season, he goes and reminds us all why he was benched in the first place. That 18-of-35, 154-yard performance with two picks and a fumble was like watching a horror movie sequel: you keep hoping it’ll be different this time, but it’s the same disappointing story.
The most frustrating part? Young had opportunities to make big plays and simply couldn’t execute. That underthrown ball to Hunter Renfrow that should have been a touchdown? That missed connection with rookie Tetairoa McMillian? These aren’t coaching problems: these are execution problems.
Dynasty managers who bought into the late-season resurgence are probably feeling pretty foolish right about now. And honestly, they should.
Miami Dolphins Offense – The Complete Disaster
Let’s just call this what it is: a complete and utter catastrophe. When your entire offense manages eight points against a defense that most people wouldn’t describe as “elite,” you’ve got problems that go way beyond just one player.
Tua Tagovailoa’s 5.26 fantasy points would be laughable if it wasn’t so painful to watch. Three turnovers before getting benched? That’s not just bad luck; that’s a quarterback who looked completely overwhelmed by basic defensive pressure.
Tyreek Hill getting animated on the sideline tells you everything you need to know about the vibes in Miami right now. When your star receiver is visibly frustrated in Week 1, you’re probably in for a long season.
The Bigger Picture: What Week 1 Really Tells Us
Here’s the truth that nobody wants to admit: Week 1 performances matter more in dynasty formats than people like to acknowledge. Sure, we all preach patience and long-term thinking, but when a rookie tight end leads his team in targets or a supposed starter can’t get on the field, those are data points worth paying attention to.
The dynasty football week 1 risers and fallers we’ve discussed today represent real shifts in value and opportunity. Fannin’s emergence doesn’t just affect his own stock: it potentially impacts Njoku’s long-term value in Cleveland. Etienne’s resurgence doesn’t exist in a vacuum; it diminishes the ceiling for Bigsby and other Jacksonville running backs.
Moving Forward: The Dynasty Manager’s Dilemma
So what do you do with this information? If you’re smart, you’re already working the phones to see if you can buy low on some of these fallers before their managers completely panic. Conversely, if you own any of the risers, now might be the perfect time to see what kind of premium you can extract from impatient competitors.
The key is understanding the difference between legitimate concerns and Week 1 noise. Bryce Young’s accuracy issues? Those are real problems that have persisted since college. Kaleb Johnson’s snap count? That could change dramatically by Week 3 if injuries or poor performance open doors.
Dynasty football is ultimately about identifying talent and opportunity before everyone else catches on. Week 1 just gave us a fresh batch of clues about who might be worth betting on for the future.
