Week 1 of the fantasy football season is almost in the books.
The takes are flying and overreactions can be found everywhere, meaning it’s easy to make a decision that could ultimately cost your team in the long run. Remember, it’s a long season.
We can’t win the championship in Week 1, but we can lose it with a disastrous emotional decision.
The inaugural week of the season is often a liar, meaning what is true now may not be the case in a few weeks. Let’s try and decipher what took place in the games to this point and what that means for your fantasy team.
It’s a collaborative effort so help us, help you. Here are some players you can give an early pink slip to this fantasy season.
Waiver wire players to drop: Week 1
Tank Bigsby, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
All eyes were on the Jacksonville backfield with the addition of Liam Coen as head coach. Some thought it would be Bigsby who would get the work. Others thought maybe it would be Bhayshul Tuten. Instead, it ended up being ol’ reliable, Travis Etienne.
Bigsby managed just six carries in the contest, finishing with 12 yards. Etienne was the clear RB1 in the room, leaving little doubt about the player to roster there. Bigsby’s fantasy relevance falls off a cliff barring injury and you shouldn’t wait to cut bait if there’s a better option available.
Jerome Ford, RB, Cleveland Browns
Much like Bigsby, Ford’s fantasy relevance took a significant hit in Week 1. The running back’s snaps will only diminish over time, especially with Quinshon Judkins’ debut quickly approaching. Rookie Dylan Sampson led the charge on Sunday, finishing with 12 carries for 29 yards. However, the real hit to Ford’s value came with Sampson’s involvement in the passing game.
Ford was projected to be a receiving option for Cleveland, but finished with just one catch. Sampson totaled eight receptions for 64 yards, establishing himself as the running back to roster for the Browns until Judkins returns.
Jaydon Blue, RB, Dallas Cowboys
Many thought that Blue could make an immediate impact for Dallas given the state of its running back room. Previously littered with questions, Javonte Williams provided a clear answer to that, staking his claim to the RB1 role for Brian Schottenheimer’s squad.
Blue was inactive for Thursday night’s contest, but could ultimately take over for Miles Sanders after a costly fumble in the opener. You likely weren’t rostering Blue as a player to start immediately, but it’s a tough start for the rookie. If you need the roster spot, we won’t fault you for moving on.
Ollie Gordon II, RB, Miami Dolphins
Similar to Blue, Gordon came into Week 1 with a certain level of hype from the fantasy community, but fell short in a big way. The first game of the season showed that we want no part of the Dolphins right now – overreaction or not. They were dominated by the Indianapolis Colts all day long and it was never a game.
Even De’Von Achane struggled to get involved, proving that we should avoid this team like the plague. Gordon is nothing more than an Achane handcuff, but that may not even be that valuable.
Josh Downs, WR, Indianapolis Colts
On the flip side of the dominating Colts’ victory, Downs was a ghost in the passing attack. He finished with just two catches for 12 yards, despite a historic effort from Daniel Jones. Considering this is likely to be the Colts’ best offensive performance of the season, it’s a hard sell to keep Downs on your roster when this team plans to run everything through Tyler Warren and Michael Pittman Jr.
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