NFL Barometer: Blues For Mister Baldwin

Week 1 had a bit of everything, right down to the final pair of games that closed it out Monday night. We're already dealing with usual intriguing mix inherent to the NFL – season-ending injuries, quarterback controversies and unexpected Week 1 usage. With an abundance of fantasy scenarios to pore over ahead of Week 2, let's jump in without further ado.

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Quarterback

Ryan Fitzpatrick, Buccaneers: No, 417 passing yards per game is not close to sustainable for Fitzpatrick, especially at this point in this career. Based on what he demonstrated in Week 1, though, there's something to be said for a smart veteran getting a chance to prepare with the starters for the entirety of training camp and preseason. Fitzpatrick and his receivers looked locked in with each other, and he encouragingly hit his top trio of Mike Evans, DeSean Jackson and Chris Godwin for a touchdown apiece (two in Jackson's case) against the Saints. The next two weeks present stiff challenges in the form of the Eagles and Steelers, but for the moment, Fitzpatrick has actually managed to give those rumblings about Jameis Winston not being guaranteed his starting job upon return from a three-game suspension some credence.

Andrew Luck, Colts: Two seasons ago, Luck's Week 1 line – 39-for-53, 319 yards, two TD, one INT – would have been virtually ho-hum for a player of his caliber. What makes matters different this time around is the fact that it provided unequivocal evidence of the health of his surgically repaired shoulder. The volume of pass attempts were certainly a sufficient test, and although Luck's 26-yard touchdown to Eric Ebron served as his longest completion of the day, the zip and velocity he demonstrated throughout the afternoon certainly had to give fantasy owners peace of mind.

Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs: Sure, Tyreek Hill did most of the work on one of Mahomes' touchdown passes, but there were three others for the second-year signal caller on what turned out to be a prolific afternoon for him out west. Mahomes still has work to do with his accuracy, but the Chiefs have put him in the best possible situation to succeed with the cache of weapons they've afforded him. It also bears noting that the young gunslinger's impressive afternoon came with Sammy Watkins and Travis Kelce combining for just four receptions and 27 yards and with Kareem Hunt a complete non-participant in the passing game, certainly all outliers based on the past body of work of each player.

Running Back

James Conner, Steelers: Le'Veon Bell's exact return date remains firmly up in the air as of Tuesday morning, leaving Conner in line for a second consecutive start in Week 2 against the Chiefs. The second-year back gave the Steelers a healthy dose of leverage in their ongoing contractual tug-of-war with Bell, doing an excellent impersonation of the Pro Bowler in terms of both volume and production. Head coach Mike Tomlin afforded Conner a very Bell-like workload with a whopping 36 touches against the Browns, and the former Pitt Panther responded with 192 total yards. While a lost fumble was a blemish on an otherwise fine afternoon, Conner amply validated his status as an excellent early-season asset in all formats.

Joe Mixon, Bengals: There'd been plenty of talk all summer about a slimmed-down, quicker version of Mixon evolving into a true lead back this season, even potentially seeing his fair share of third-down work despite the presence of Giovani Bernard. Fantasy players were naturally skeptical, given that Mixon has a limited NFL resume and pass catching has been Bernard's domain for multiple seasons. However, if Week 1 is any indication, there's reason to believe after all. Mixon was indeed a smaller, faster version of his rookie self, and he essentially monopolized running back touches on the ground and through the air. If his passing game volume in particular – five receptions (on seven targets) for 57 yards – holds on most weeks, it vaults Mixon to the next level in the running back fantasy hierarchy.

Rex Burkhead, Patriots: Burkhead earns the designation not just due to the healthy carry volume he saw in Week 1, but because what helped lead to it – what turned out to be a season-ending knee injury to backfield mate Jeremy Hill. Given the perpetual uncertainty surrounding the division of labor in the Patriots' ground attack, the removal – albeit under unfortunate circumstances – of one of its pieces helps provide some clarity for fantasy owners. Burkhead not only looks primed for a more dependable week-to-week allotment of touches, but he should see his fair share of goal-line work.

Dion Lewis, Titans: For the past two seasons, Derrick Henry had no choice but to share carries with accomplished veteran DeMarco Murray, but 2018 was supposed to mark his ascension to true lead-back status. However, for the Titans' Week 1 marathon against the Dolphins, it was Lewis who actually assumed that mantle, carrying on 16 occasions (for 75 yards) while adding five more touches through the air (on seven targets). The former Patriot was expected to have a solid passing-game role, but new coach Mike Vrabel appears to have plenty of confidence in Lewis' running ability as well after seeing him rack up 896 yards at 5.0 yards per tote in New England last season. Additionally, Delanie Walker's season-ending ankle injury only bumps Lewis' prospects up further, considering he may be asked to serve in even more of a pass-catching capacity in the veteran tight end's absence.

Phillip Lindsay, Broncos: While fellow rookie Royce Freeman was impressive in his own right in Week 1, Lindsay surprisingly logged 17 total touches, 15 coming on the ground. Meanwhile, while he only notched a pair of receptions, he made them count, taking one of them for a 29-yard touchdown. Whether this type of volume persists remains to be seen, but with Lindsay seemingly offering the same skill set as Devontae Booker in a more dynamic package, he could well be set for a solid workload as a complement to Freeman on many weeks.

Adrian Peterson, Redskins: It's only one week, but Peterson deserves the accolades after treating fantasy owners to a throwback performance that surely had visions of 2015 dancing in their heads. The multi-time Pro Bowler was able to comfortably tolerate 28 touches versus the Cardinals, proving he still had plenty left in the tank in the fourth quarter by rumbling for 52 yards off a short reception before losing the handle. Despite that miscue, both coach Jay Gruden's heavy usage of Peterson and the running back's corresponding production have him trending in the right direction early.

Wide Receiver

Kenny Stills, Dolphins: Granted, DeVante Parker (finger) was missing from the lineup, but Stills' performance was nevertheless encouraging. A 106-yard, two-touchdown tally against a team with a competent secondary like the Titans seems to foretell good things for Stills in his fourth Dolphins season, and the fact he sees an upgrade at quarterback this season with the return of Ryan Tannehill certainly helps his cause as well. Parker's eventual return could also help more than hurt, considering he'll help keep defensive attention away.

Mike Williams, Chargers: He'd been showing signs of emerging in training camp and the preseason, and Williams ultimately delivered on some of that promise in Week 1 against the Chiefs. The fact that Los Angeles had to play from behind for the entirety of the contest certainly didn't hurt, but Williams undoubtedly has the talent to produce lines like Sunday's (5-81) on a regular basis, and the ability to considerably exceed it as well. His six targets and career-high 44 snaps versus Kansas City were big steps in the right direction, and Williams could eventually wrest the No. 2 job from Tyrell Williams altogether if he continues on this path.

Emmanuel Sanders, Broncos: It was almost inevitable that Broncos pass catchers as a whole would enjoy a bump in production to some degree this season, considering the dire circumstances of their quarterback situation in 2017. However, to what extent was still an open question, and Sanders went a long way toward answering it in Week 1. The veteran feasted on the Seahawks secondary to the tune of a 10-135-1 line (on 11 targets), and although those lofty numbers aren't attainable every week, the obvious rapport with new signal caller Case Keenum had to put a smile on the faces of fantasy owners.

Brandon Marshall, Seahawks: Not only was Marshall's Week 1 performance as a No. 3 receiver encouraging (3-46-1), but he now stands to be much more than that moving forward. Doug Baldwin is dealing with a Grade 2 sprain of the MCL in his right knee, which is more than likely going to prompt a multi-week absence at minimum. Enter Marshall, who has the savvy and frame to run much of Baldwin's typical route tree and make the tough catches that the latter is known for. Tyler Lockett isn't typically going to be asked to do that kind of dirty work, while Jaron Brown is largely unproven. That should open up plenty of volume for Marshall for the foreseeable future, especially on a team with no proven tight end options.

Kenny Golladay, Lions: Golladay was one of the only rays of sunshine for the Lions in the nightmare that was Monday night, posting seven receptions for 114 yards on a whopping 12 targets. All three figures were career highs, and while a certain amount of that opportunity came as a result of the surprising game script, there had already been plenty of momentum surrounding the second-year receiver heading into the regular season. He validated some of that hype Monday, and given his talent, there's reason to believe he's capable of generating plenty of similar lines this season.

Tight End

Eric Ebron, Colts: Ebron was brought to Indianapolis to serve as a down-the-seam threat that could potentially thrive with a quarterback the caliber of Luck throwing to him. So far, so good. The former Lions first-round pick got his Colts career off to a solid start with a 4-51-1 line, the touchdown coming on a pretty 26-yard grab down the sideline. Considering his ability to get downfield and Luck's apparent return to full health, Ebron could be primed for one of the best seasons of his career, although it should be noted that Jack Doyle still saw twice as many targets as Ebron did.

Jordan Reed, Redskins: All eyes were on the oft-injured tight end heading into Week 1, as the chatter about Reed's toe issues finally having been corrected through offseason surgery still had to be corroborated on the field. Reed helped ease those doubts by snagging four of five targets for 48 yards and a touchdown while making his first appearance since Week 8 of last season, and the early chemistry he displayed with Alex Smith, a quarterback used to targeting a talented tight end, is certainly reason for optimism.

Jonnu Smith, Titans: Unlike the others discussed thus far, Smith earns his spot for the new opportunity afforded him, rather than for any of his Week 1 on-field exploits. The athletic second-year tight end now holds the reins of the position in Tennessee following Delanie Walker's season-ending ankle injury, an unfortunate development that could nevertheless be the impetus for Smith unlocking his considerable potential. At 6-foot-3 and 248 pounds with good speed, Smith should see plenty of work in the Titans offense moving forward, especially considering he already logged 30 targets last season as Walker's understudy.

Jared Cook, Raiders: Was it the "revenge narrative" against one of his old squads? That's hard to say for certain, but there was nothing ambiguous about Cook's stellar numbers in Monday night's blowout defeat against the Rams. The veteran drew a whopping 12 targets from Derek Carr, securing nine of them for 180 yards. Jon Gruden won't typically lean this heavily on his tight end with a starting wide receiver duo of Amari Cooper and Jordy Nelson, but Cook could nevertheless be in for a boost on the already-solid 86 targets he managed in 2017 under a different regime.

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Quarterback

Sam Bradford, Cardinals: It's early, but Bradford – and by extension, the Cardinals passing game outside of Larry Fitzgerald – looked dreadful against the Redskins in the opener. The veteran signal caller already has plenty of health-related concerns surrounding him based on prior history, and Sunday's performance only served to further dim his outlook for the time being. His 11 passing yards in the first half encapsulated exactly how much of a struggle it was for the 2010 first-round pick, and with the improved defenses of the Rams and Bears on the docket over the next two games, his chances of early-season success appear relatively slim.

Dak Prescott, Cowboys: Not that it should have been much surprise, but much like Bradford, Prescott looked out of sorts in Week 1, although he can thank some curious offseason personnel decisions by the Cowboys for a lot of that. Considering his positively pedestrian group of pass catchers, as well as an offensive line missing Pro-Bowl center Travis Frederick, the third-year quarterback will be bringing the proverbial knife to a gunfight on the majority of weeks this season, which should often leave him looking as outmanned and overwhelmed as he did for much of the game versus the Panthers.

Nathan Peterman, Bills: We don't yet know whether Peterman keeps his starting job heading into Week 2, but it's not going to matter much. Given how Week 1 played out, it's clear Josh Allen is going to enter and remain in the starting lineup sooner or later. Moreover, even if Peterman manages to hang on to the job for a while longer, a porous offensive line is likely to make his life extremely difficult on many of his dropbacks. The next several weeks don't project to be too kind to him if he does remain under center, either, as the Chargers and Titans come to town in Week 2 and 5, respectively, with those games sandwiched around back-to-back road tilts against the Vikings and Packers.

Running Back

Giovani Bernard, Bengals: As alluded to in Mixon's entry, Bernard was a forgotten man in Week 1, receiving a mere two touches (one rushing, one receiving). The veteran change-of-pace option saw only 14 snaps on offense overall, with all of those metrics surprisingly meager for a player who's been as consistently involved as he has over the years. The biggest concern for Bernard's prospects is Mixon's six targets, as the passing game has typically been Bernard's path to the majority of his playing time and fantasy production. While he figures to see an uptick from his Week 1 workload in other games, it appears his role will be hard to pin down on a week-to-week basis as long as Mixon is healthy and productive in front of him.

LeSean McCoy, Bills: The three main components of the Bills offense are all getting saddled with the Trending Down label this week, as the future simply looks bleak in Orchard Park. McCoy could well end up playing the role of Herschel Walker on the '89 Cowboys this season – a prolific back stuck in the worst of circumstances. The mediocre (at best) nature of the Buffalo offensive line is of as much concern as McCoy's Week 1 line (seven carries for 22 yards, one catch for minus-one yard), as there doesn't appear to be any light at the end of the tunnel for the multi-time Pro Bowler, barring a Walker-like escape to a better team via trade.

Ronald Jones II, Buccaneers: There isn't much more that needs to be said about Jones other than the fact the second-round pick found himself inactive against the Saints in Week 1. That status was the latest taste of early-career adversity for the former USC Trojan, whose selection last April was accompanied by plenty of optimism due to his big-play ability. He showed anything but during the preseason (28 carries for 22 yards and one short touchdown), and with Peyton Barber firmly in possession of the No. 1 running back job, there's no clear indication of when Jones may even suit up.

LeGarrette Blount, Lions: The Lions – Blount certainly included – were already in the midst of a miserable night Monday when the veteran running back appeared to have his left leg bent backward in the third quarter. Blount ultimately limped off and never returned to the contest, but the injury is just one of the dark clouds surrounding him. The other was his performance before exiting, which consisted of four rushes for minus-three yards. Granted, there were no shortage of extenuating circumstances for Detroit versus a shockingly effective Jets team, so Blount may have just fallen victim to the malaise. However, with a talented rookie around in Kerryon Johnson capable of taking plenty of early-down carries from him, Blount's prospects are firmly trending downward after one game.

Devontae Booker, Broncos: Booker went from projected starter to No. 2 on the depth chart to third wheel over the course of a couple of weeks, as he played a minimal Week 1 role. Booker, whose primary value was expected to come in the passing game, played on just nine offensive snaps and totaled a modest four touches (two rushing, two receiving). Meanwhile, Lindsay impressed with his 26 snaps from scrimmage by parlaying 17 touches into 102 yards, looking like a much more productive version of Booker in the process. With coach Vance Joseph apparently willing to entrust the majority of the backfield work to the first-year duo of Freeman and Lindsay, Booker looks like he could often be the odd man out.

Wide Receiver

Doug Baldwin, Seahawks: Baldwin had already declared himself as incapable of playing at 100 percent in 2018 before the season even started due to a left knee issue that prevented him from practicing or playing for almost the entire summer. Before a Week 1 loss to the Broncos had even concluded, Baldwin was already sidelined with a right knee problem that was ultimately diagnosed as a Grade 2 MCL sprain. Not only does that injury typically entail a multi-week recovery period, but Baldwin now faces the very likely prospect of playing on two bad wheels for whatever games he does manage to suit up for.

Cameron Meredith, Saints: Meredith was another surprise Week 1 inactive, with Austin Carr unexpectedly called on to serve as the No. 3 receiver and impressive rookie Tre'Quan Smith filling the No. 4 role against the Buccaneers. While this may have just been a one-week experiment on the part of coach Sean Payton, it certainly gives reason for pause until matters are further sorted out.

Kelvin Benjamin, Bills: Benjamin makes it a Bills trifecta in the Trending Down department, as he too will be hard-pressed to come close to his full potential playing in a Buffalo offense destined to struggle on most weeks. Benjamin has undeniable talent, but he faces the triple whammy of poor/inexperienced quarterback play, a bad offensive line that is likely to lead to plenty of rushed and inaccurate throws, and a lack of other proven options at his position to draw attention away from him. The 2014 first-round pick may find his way to serviceable production based on sheer volume of targets, but his YPC figure in particular could end up checking in as the lowest of his career given the previously cited factors.

Travis Benjamin, Chargers: It's all about the Benjamins this week, as Travis' fantasy trajectory is heading the wrong direction after Week 1. The veteran speedster corralled just one of five targets for one yard and gained 19 yards on one rush in the loss to the Chiefs, and he may be headed for many similar lines this season. Second-year receiver Mike Williams showed well with five receptions for 81 yards, and he's an exponentially better red-zone, and indeed all-around, threat than Benjamin as well. After a career-high 68 receptions and 966 yards in Cleveland in 2015, Benjamin has seen his catches dwindle in each of his first two Chargers campaigns. With Williams a strong breakout candidate this season, Benjamin could well slip below the modest 34 grabs he tallied over 16 games in 2017.