LeSean McCoy, Darren Sproles' Instant Fantasy Reaction After Week 1

No doubt about it, Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy's fantasy football campaign didn't get off to a particularly promising start in Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

His nominal understudy, Darren Sproles, made the biggest play of the afternoon with his 49-yard touchdown run on 4th-and-1 early in the third quarter, further cementing his reputation as the perfect complementary piece on a well-rounded fantasy football team.

It's a shame there are no mulligans in fantasy football, because this flukey start from the Eagles—betting on a 17-point deficit at halftime to Jacksonville would have gotten you laughed out of Las Vegas—should in no way inform the future plans of those owning either McCoy or Sproles. 

Quarterback Nick Foles' three first-half turnovers hamstrung both McCoy and Sproles, with the former missing out on several opportunities to establish a rhythm. If one looks at the number of touches he racked up—21 carries and six receptions for 115 all-purpose yards—it's clear that he is the centerpiece of head coach Chip Kelly's innovative offense. Still, McCoy needs a touchdown or two each week to justify his lofty draft ranking.

Matt Rourke/Associated Press

Expect his production to return to normal levels once Foles gets his head on straight—or puts it on a swivel so that he can avoid marauding pass-rushers.

Sproles' big run merely proved that he still is one of the premier space players in the league, well equipped to get his moment in the sun every week when the defense gives him just a sliver of daylight. His three carries prior to the big touchdown run amounted to a total of zero yards, but he found greater consistency in the second half. Sproles' final tally of 11 touches for 71 yards does show Sproles will be a fixture in the offensive gameplan. He's worth having in your back pocket, but don't expect him to usurp McCoy as the man in Philadelphia's backfield.