Tony Romo, Dez Bryant's Instant Fantasy Reaction After Week 1

The Dallas Cowboys 2014 season got off to a nightmarish start, with quarterback Tony Romo tossing three interceptions in the first half and struggling to get star wide receiver Dez Bryant involved in the offense against the San Francisco 49ers.

The offense never found a rhythm in the first half, and Romo's failings were compounded by a lost DeMarco Murray fumble that the 49ers returned for a touchdown.   

Bryant ended the first half with just two catches for 27 yards, a frustrating start for fantasy owners expecting big things from the Herculean wideout. His quarterback's poor performance wasn't just bad for his stats; it was bad for his health as well.

Bryant took a nasty shot on a wayward Romo pass, via Fox Sports NFL:

He's going to be Romo's No. 1 option as long as he is healthy, but if Romo struggles like he did in Week, 1, Bryant's fantasy production will be just another casualty of his signal-caller's drive-killing exploits.

It's unlikely that the interceptions will continue to pile up for Romo—he's never thrown more than 19 in a season—but his past fumbling issues could spell disaster for the 'Boys if he does see an uptick in errant throws.

Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press

Fantasy football fans would be wise to temper their expectations for Romo this season after his nightmarish Week 1. He did toss a touchdown in the second half and finish with 283 yards passing, but it was a decidedly disappointing performance overall. Bryant finished the game with just four receptions for 55 yards.

Romo clearly wasn't pleased after the game via Ed Werder of ESPN:

Romo added (via Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News): "I thought our team played well enough to have a chance tonight.”

It's quite possible this game will look like more of an aberration than a harbinger of doom as the season goes on, but good quarterbacks aren't immune to season-long downward spirals.

The New York Giants' Eli Manning is trying to bounce back from a 27-interception season that few would have expected from a two-time Super Bowl champion. This could be the year all of Romo's past struggles catch up to him.

Bryant's physical gifts should allow him to find a way to stay involved in the offense, with or without turbulence in the Cowboys' aerial attack.