Week 1 Fantasy Football: Instant Sunday Recap

We sure found out a lot about fantasy football on the first Sunday of Week 1. We learned Knowshon Moreno was a huge draft-day bargain and Jamaal Charles' offensive line can make arguably the most promising fantasy player there is completely ineffective.

We recap the fantasy action here, including the studs (Moreno) and duds (Charles), the injured players (Doug Martin, among others) and the surprise breakouts who will be the most popular options off the waiver wire this Tuesday.

Fantasy Week 1 Studs

RB Knowshon Moreno (134 yards rushing, one touchdown)

Moreno clearly proved he should be active in all fantasy leagues as a feature back for the Miami Dolphins. Sure, Lamar Miller still gets touches (11 carries for 59 yards and four receptions for 19 yards and a TD), but it was Moreno who torched the New England Patriots' run defense. Moreno looks like he will wind up being a huge bargain once again this year.

Dolphins receiver Jarvis Landry marveled to ESPN.com's James Walker about how Moreno emerged as a monster when the lights came on in Week 1:

"

It's unreal. It's unreal to see a guy basically become another person on game day. He's definitely a veteran guy with the years he's put in, but he still comes to work like us young guys with that enthusiasm and the work he puts in. Game day is one of the days we look forward to seeing Knowshon. For us, he really shows up.

"

QB Matt Ryan (448 yards passing, three TDs, 15 yards rushing)

Ryan owners have to love their decision to wait on drafting their starting quarterback. Ryan enjoyed a monster opener that might set him up for the best season of his career. As long as Julio Jones and Roddy White stay healthy, Ryan can challenge for 5,000 yards and 35 touchdowns.

RB Marshawn Lynch (110 yards rushing, two TDs, one catch for 14 yards)

So much for a Super Bowl hangover. Lynch was typical Beast Mode for the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night, keeping his rightful spot as one of the easiest starts in fantasy.

Christine Michael (hamstring) isn't healthy enough to cut into Lynch's value yet, while Robert Turbin (six carries for 27 yards) looks like merely a situation sub. Turbin and Michael are still handcuffs to own, but they will only have true value if Lynch gets hurt.

WR Kelvin Benjamin (six catches for 92 yards and a TD)

We thought the rookie out of Florida State would be a nice fantasy sleeper as Cam Newton's favorite target, but apparently it doesn't matter who the quarterback is. Benjamin was productive enough with backup QB Derek Anderson taking the snaps.

Benjamin was modest when speaking to Jonathan Jones of The Charlotte Observer:

"

I mean it was OK. I'm pretty sure I'll make greater catches than that down the line. I'm just real big on moving on from the past. ...

I don't know, man. It's another catch to me. It's the past. It's over. We got to get ready for the next upcoming game. I don't really like to dwell on the past.

I mean I’m big. You got to use your size. You got to overpower him, go get the ball and be strong with your hands.

"

Newton was more effusive in his praise when speaking to Jones:

"

Just to see his maturation as an overall player is great to see. Not only that, he's always learning. This is his first year. We don't have time for him to play like a rookie and he hasn't been playing like a rookie since he came aboard. We've expected big things from him and that's what we've gotten.

"

TE Julius Thomas (seven catches for 104 yards and three TDs)

It was yet another huge Week 1 performance for Thomas, as he caught three touchdowns from Peyton Manning in the second quarter Sunday night. No one was calling Thomas a fluke, but clearly he can enter Jimmy Graham's rare status at the position if he can stay healthy for a full season for the first time in his career.

Fantasy Week 1 Duds

RB Jamaal Charles (19 yards rushing and four catches for 15 yards)

Charles' Week 1 yardage total was less than one of his 80-yard touchdowns a year ago. The 27-year-old didn't get much help from his revamped, struggling offensive line. Don't give up on Charles right now. That would be selling low, but you have to hate to see him struggle out of the gate, particularly with all the attention he will draw from defenses this season behind that shaky line.

Tennessee's third safety George Wilson told ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky the Titans were not going to let Charles beat them:

"

He's their horse, he's their game-breaker and by having a good game plan, by being able to contain him, it forced them to have to win the game with their other options. We just liked our chances in those matchups and we took advantage of those opportunities today.

"

RB Eddie Lacy (34 yards rushing and three catches for 11 yards)

It wasn't just the lack of production at Seattle that has to bother fantasy owners. The concussion is a huge worry as well. Lacy has had a history of injury woes, something that could make him a first-round bust. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports Lacy is "optimistic" that he'll play in Week 2, but you have to be wary of concussions impacting Lacy in fantasy later this season even if he does play.

RB Trent Richardson (20 yards rushing and three catches for 31 yards)

So much for the Indianapolis Colts establishing the power running game. Richardson's 2014 season is off to an awful start after his six carries for 20 yards Sunday night. The Colts are home next Monday night against the Philadelphia Eagles, a team that held Toby Gerhart to a mere 42 yards on 18 carries. Richardson looks like a poor excuse for a fantasy running back right now.

QB Aaron Rodgers (189 yards passing, one TD and one interception)

You had to expect modest numbers for Rodgers at Seattle, but seeing him finish the week just 23rd in the NFL in passing yards was a bit surprising. Expect him to torch a young, banged-up New York Jets secondary in Week 2. Rodgers should be active every week of the season here on out.

Injury Concerns

RB Doug Martin (knee)

Martin was hampered by a knee injury, per Jenna Laine of Sports Talk Florida, that limited him to just nine carries for nine yards and one catch for seven yards. That is not the production you wanted out of a back who should have been leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense, even if he was facing a tough Carolina Panthers front.

Martin's status will be a must-watch item this week, particularly if you want to consider picking up his backups Bobby Rainey or Mike James.

RB Ben Tate (knee)

Tate left in the second quarter with a knee injury and didn't return against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He will be evaluated Monday, but Tate's awful history of injury woes has to have you fearing the worst. Consider Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell must-add running backs if they are available in your league. 

"We're still in a wait-and-see deal," Browns head coach Mike Pettine told the Northeast Ohio Media Group's Mary Kay Cabot of the running back situation. "We'll see soon enough."

TE Jordan Cameron (shoulder)

Cameron had issues with his shoulder in training camp, and it forced him from the game Sunday. He will be evaluated this week, but clearly this could impact his performance in the early going this season. You might want to consider alternatives for your fantasy lineup in the near future.

TE Tyler Eifert (elbow)

Eifert suffered the ugliest injury of the week with a dislocated elbow, according to NFL insider Albert Breer, who also speculated the injury might make Eifert an injured-reserve (IR) candidate. You will need a replacement for Eifert in at least the near future, and you might consider cutting him entirely in fantasy right now.

TE Jordan Reed (hamstring)

Reed is another tight end you will have to find an early-season replacement for, perhaps. Reed left with a hamstring issue and might be missing some games.

WR Alshon Jeffery (hamstring)

Jeffery was limited late against the Buffalo Bills, but Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com reported it might not be that serious. "Alshon was prepared to go in there at specific times," head coach Marc Trestman told Wright. "I'll just leave it at that."

OLB Jadeveon Clowney (knee)

The Houston Texans defense had a nice performance against the Washington Redskins, but it lost the rookie sensation Clowney for an extended period to a meniscus tear, the Houston Chronicle's John McClain reported.

QB Cam Newton (ribs)

The Carolina Panthers survived without their franchise quarterback, who was held out as a game-time decision with his fractured rib. Head coach Ron Rivera expects Newton to play in Week 2 against the Detroit Lions, The Charlotte Observer's Joe Person tweeted.

Waiver-Wire Breakouts

TE Dwayne Allen (four catches for 64 yards and a TD)

Coby Fleener was limited to just three catches for 21 yards, while Allen returned impressively from his hip injury from a year ago with a 41-yard touchdown from Andrew Luck. Allen is an outstanding replacement option for those injured tight ends above, particularly against the Philadelphia Eagles secondary next Monday night. Allen is available in 57 percent of CBS Sports leagues.

RB Terrance West (100 yards rushing)

West rushed for 100 yards in his NFL debut, thanks in part to Tate's knee injury forcing the rookie into the feature-back role for the Cleveland Browns. West stands a very good chance of starting against the New Orleans Saints in Week 2. Consider him a must-add running back in the 30 percent of CBS Sports leagues he is available in.

WR Allen Hurns (four catches for 110 yards and two TDs)

The 22-year-old undrafted rookie free agent from the University of Miami got the start in place of the injured Cecil Shorts (hamstring) and made his presence felt in fantasy right away.

Hurns, owned in just 5 percent of CBS Sports leagues and active in less than 1 percent, will be behind Shorts and Marqise Lee as the Jaguars' third receiver. But the rookie proved his productive preseason was no fluke. Expect him to be one of the more coveted pickups.

Hurns, who had familiarity with the Jacksonville Jaguars offense because he played for offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch at Miami, told ESPN.com's Michael DiRocco this was no surprise performance for him.

"I'm not too excited about it at all," he said. "I feel like I can improve even more. There were two catches that I know I could have caught that is getting to me a little bit but I know I can learn from them."

RB Isaiah Crowell (32 yards rushing, two TDs)

It was West who reached the 100-yard mark, but it was the undrafted rookie Crowell who reached the end zone twice. Both backs are going to be significant contributors for the run-heavy Browns this season, regardless of Tate's status and health, apparently. Crowell is owned in just 2 percent of CBS Sports leagues.

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Eric Mack, one of the giants among fantasy writers, is the Fantasy Football Lead Writer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, where you can ask him endless questions about your team, rip him for his content and even challenge him to a head-to-head fantasy game.