Biggest Week One Surprises

Matt Harmon uses A.J. Brown as an example of a slow starter who recovered, noting that despite a WR99 finish in week one, he ultimately finished the season as the WR12.

Matt Harmon notes that Amon-Ra St. Brown finished as the WR4 after a slow week one.

Antonio Williams finished as WR14 in Week 1. While he only ran routes on 44% of dropbacks, he was targeted on 36% of those routes, showing efficiency. Matt Harmon notes he is a crafty route runner but advises patience as he is not yet a locked-in starter.

Matt Harmon notes that Bryce Young was a top-six quarterback in air yards per attempt in week one, though he questions how much of this performance was due to the Bears' weak defense versus sustainable offensive improvement.

Caleb Douglas earned a full-time role for the Dolphins, finishing as the WR8 in yards for Week 1. He led all rookies in target share, catches, yards, and YAC, recording 119 yards—the most in a rookie debut since Puka Nacua. Harmon is encouraged by his 31% slot usage rate and immediate productivity, viewing him as a player to monitor.

Matt Harmon cites Calvin Austin III as a cautionary tale of week one volatility, as he finished as the WR12 in week one but dropped to WR77 in points per game for the rest of the season.

Chris Bell served as the WR3 for the Dolphins in Week 1, running fewer routes than teammates Caleb Douglas and Malik Washington. He recorded a 25% slot usage rate and one catch for 25 yards.

Matt Harmon notes that Devon Vele's role as a power slot receiver complements Chris Olave's game well within the Saints' offense.

Matt Harmon notes that Christian Watson had a successful week one outing, specifically highlighting his frequent downfield routes against the Vikings defense. Watson is a primary receiver for the Packers, running more routes than Jaden Reed in Week 1 and operating alongside Matthew Golden as a key part of the passing attack. Harmon does not consider the performance a 'surprise' given Watson's draft capital.

Matt Harmon expresses concern over Colston Loveland's lack of production in week one, noting he recorded zero catches on only two targets despite being a full-time player. Harmon notes the two targets thrown his way were Caleb Williams' most inaccurate passes of the game.

Matt Harmon notes that Davante Adams finished as the WR8 after a slow week one.

Matt Harmon highlights Deebo Samuel as a WR13 in Week 1 who benefits from his familiarity with the 49ers' system. While he experienced a drop-off from WR5 in week one to WR36 for the remainder of the previous season, his role is currently secure for at least a month due to Don Stribbling's injury, making him a viable fantasy start against upcoming defenses like the Dolphins and Cardinals.

Denzel Boston earned a full-time role as the X receiver, leading the team with a 97% route participation rate. Matt Harmon notes he is a great long-term dynasty asset despite the poor quarterback play from Deshaun Watson, whose performance Harmon describes as abhorrent.

Matt Harmon identifies DeVonta Smith as the clear-cut number one receiver for the Eagles, noting he commanded a 20% target share in week one.

Dontayvion Wicks finished as WR15 and operated as a full-time player, running 31 routes. Matt Harmon emphasizes his ability to win on high-value routes like out-cuts and vertical routes, noting he is currently the Eagles' clear WR2. Wicks is a strong flex option for upcoming matchups against the Titans and Bears, citing his 82.4% success rate on out/corner routes and a high average depth of target (nearly 20 yards).

Matt Harmon notes that George Pickens had a slow start in week one but ultimately finished as the WR6, serving as a reminder that early-season struggles do not preclude a great overall fantasy season.

Matt Harmon notes that Ja'Marr Chase finished as the WR3 after a slow week one.

Matt Harmon identifies Jaylen Coker as a top-tier breakout performer who finished as the WR1 overall in week one. Harmon believes this performance is sustainable due to Coker's role as a priority target and his proven ability to win against man and press coverage. He is considered one of the two true surprises among the top 12 fantasy wide receivers and remains a strong dynasty buy-low candidate.

Matt Harmon notes that Jaxon Smith-Njigba finished as the WR2 despite a lower week one ranking.

Matt Harmon admits he was wrong to prefer Jaden Reed over Matthew Golden coming out of Week 1. Reed was not a full-time player, running only 29 routes and finishing well behind both Matthew Golden and Christian Watson in route participation.

Matt Harmon notes that rookie wide receiver Jordan Tyson is on IR with a hamstring injury, which has opened up playing time for Devon Vele.

Matt Harmon highlights Khalif Raymond's surprising week one performance, where he led the Bears in receiving while being targeted on 41% of his routes. While Raymond is a smart player who knows Ben Johnson's system well and will remain involved, Harmon doubts he will be the most productive receiver every week.

Kendrick Bourne had a strong Week 1, catching all eight targets for 75 yards. Matt Harmon highlights his role as the team's primary slot receiver, noting he ran 64% of his routes from the slot. Harmon believes this role is sustainable due to Bourne's familiarity with Mike LaFleur's system and expects him to remain a consistent safety valve, though high production may fluctuate.

Matt Harmon describes Keon Coleman's week one performance as the 'biggest fib of all,' noting he did little until a fourth-quarter surge and eventually finished the season as WR60 while dealing with multiple healthy scratches. Harmon uses him as a negative benchmark for performance consistency, noting his tendency to fade throughout the season.

Luther Burden played 50 snaps in Week 1, and Matt Harmon expects him to out-snap Khalif Raymond moving forward, though he notes Burden was not consistently on the field in heavier personnel packages.

Malik Nabers had a disappointing debut, but Matt Harmon advises patience given he missed significant offseason time due to a hamstring injury. He ran 29 routes and received four targets, but is currently behind Wicks in the pecking order. His usage was inefficient with an average depth of target of zero yards down the field, suggesting his role is less valuable than Wicks' deep-threat usage.

Malik Washington led the Dolphins' receivers with 37 routes run in Week 1 and a 46% slot usage rate. Matt Harmon notes he was not used as a 'Mickey Mouse' receiver, evidenced by his 17 yards per target, and suggests he is a player worth monitoring.

Matt Harmon uses Marquise Brown as an example of a 'week one liar,' noting that despite finishing as the WR13 in week one of the previous season, he fell to WR55 in points per game for the remainder of the year.

Marvin Harrison Jr. is utilized as the vertical threat in the Cardinals' offense, evidenced by his 24 air yards per target in Week 1. He ran only 12% of his routes from the slot, and while Harmon expects him to be volatile on a week-to-week basis, he remains confident in his long-term outlook despite a slow start for the offense.

Matthew Golden saw significant Week 1 usage, leading the Packers with 40 routes (90%+ participation) and a 30% target share while operating as a pure perimeter receiver. Matt Harmon highlights his vertical route tree and productive role, noting that despite a few drops, his profile is far from a bust and he is a potential weekly WR3 candidate given the upcoming schedule.

Michael Wilson is a key pass catcher in the Cardinals' offense, recording a 31% slot route rate in Week 1. Matt Harmon notes that while Wilson had a contested catch win, he may be a risky start in Week 2 against the Seahawks as the offense experiences a slow takeoff.

Matt Harmon views the 49ers' usage of Demarcus Robinson as an on-ball X receiver as a positive development for Mike Evans, as it allows Evans to move into the slot. This positional flexibility is considered encouraging for Evans's season-long fantasy outlook, provided he stays healthy.

Matt Harmon notes that Nico Collins finished as the WR10 after a slow week one, serving as a reminder that early-season struggles do not preclude a great overall fantasy season.

Matt Harmon references Puka Nacua as a benchmark for a high-performing week one receiver, noting he finished as the WR1.

Rome Odunze played only 34 snaps in Week 1 while dealing with a calf injury. Matt Harmon expects his snap count to increase as he gets healthier and regains rhythm in the passing game.

Matt Harmon highlights Stefon Diggs' 60% route participation as an encouraging metric for his fantasy outlook.

Matt Harmon notes that Tee Higgins finished as the WR11 after a slow week one, serving as a reminder that early-season struggles do not preclude a great overall fantasy season.

Terry McLaurin faced a tough matchup against the Eagles' secondary, resulting in a low 5.5 average depth of target. However, Matt Harmon notes that his 31% slot route participation is an encouraging sign for his usage moving forward.

Matt Harmon believes Tetairoa McMillan will be a productive player and that the production gap between him and Jaylen Coker was vastly overstated by ADP and public perception.

Matt Harmon includes Trey McBride in the 'circle of trust' for the Cardinals' pass-catching group. Despite a lost contested catch in Week 1, he remains a core part of the team's offensive future alongside Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson.