Week 1 of the 2021 NFL season is in the books and the gameplay definitely lived up to the hype. There were big plays, epic fails, and everything in between. Some stars shone brightly while others were disappointing. And as there are in every week of an NFL season, some trends emerged that warrant some further investigation and scrutiny — especially in terms of fantasy football stats.
Jared Goff attempted 57 passes in his Detroit Lions debut.
This translated into a decent fantasy day for Jared Goff owners because he completed 38 passes for 338 yards and three touchdowns. However, this will not be sustainable. The Lions fell behind early and that dictated the air show in Detroit. Head coach Dan Campbell knows the key to success for his Lions is to smash opponents in the proverbial mouth with the run game and not ask Goff to be Matthew Stafford. In the last nine games that Goff threw 43 or more passes, he has a 2-7 record. If Campbell values job security, he will nip this trend in the bud.
Arizona flexing their Defence muscles.
Heading into Nashville on Sunday, the Arizona Cardinals were facing a team that had the 2020 NFL’s leading rusher in Derrick Henry as well as the number four overall offense last year. Oh, by the way, the Cardinals were near the bottom of the league against the run. So when the final gun sounded on a stunning 38-13 Arizona win, the league was put on notice. The immediate impact of the offseason acquisition of JJ Watt was seen immediately in the form of Chandler Jones having the freedom to improvise to the tune of five sacks and two forced fumbles. Look for this playmaking defense to continue.
The Big Three make their splash early.
One of the most interesting storylines coming into the season was which of Ja’Marr Chase, DeVonta Smith, or Jaylen Waddle would make their mark first. Turns out it was all of the above. Chase went 5-101-1, Smith 6-71-1, and Waddle 4-61-1. All flashed brilliance, including in terms of fantasy football stats. All made errors. But all will be in the running for Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2021. This will be fun to watch all season long.
Aaron Rodgers lays a dud.
The reigning NFL MVP looked nothing of the sort against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. I am not going to make the statistical claim that it was his worst game as a pro, but the eye test says otherwise. Aaron Rodgers, part of the offseason soap opera that was the Green Bay Packers, posted a league-worst 36.8 QBR in Week 1. For his fantasy owners, this was the worst start imaginable. Will this trend continue? Absolutely not. There are too many weapons, with too much talent for this to possibly continue. Rodgers and company will right the ship against the aforementioned Detroit Lions who were just torched for 41 themselves
Rookie QB Zach Wilson looked better than ‘meh’.
Zach Wilson has and will continue to have, no running game this season. The entire New York Jet backfield rushed 17 times for a grand total of 45 painful yards. And the worst part is that the rest of the NFL knows this. So Wilson, and offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, will have their work cut out for them each week just to be in ball games.
Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers is any indication, Wilson may have some fantasy value after all. Although the yards were not impressive, Wilson did throw two touchdowns and more impressively, he had 20 completions to eight different receivers. That shows poise and maturity for a rookie quarterback. That trend looks good moving forward.
