Facts vs. Feelings: What eight notable Week 1 performances mean for Week 2

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  Liz LozaSep 16, 2026, 08:26 AM ET

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  Liz Loza is a writer for fantasy football and betting at ESPN and host of the "Facts vs. Feelings" podcast. Liz also appears on "Fantasy Football Now" and contributes to the "Fantasy Focus Football" podcast.

Ever laced up new Jordans only to regret how much they hurt? Or scored a table at a trendy restaurant, just to leave craving a juicy burger and some super-salty fries? Maybe you've started streaming music through high-tech earbuds, but find yourself irritated by the obvious acoustic compromises?

Sometimes we get tricked into thinking "new" means "better." It's actually a well-studied phenomenon called newness bias. According to behavioral scientists, seeing something marketed as new causes our brains to short-circuit, temporarily suspending our critical thinking.

Marketers relentlessly employ this tactic to fleece us of our money. Whether it's a "New 24-Hour Formula" cold medicine or a "Next Generation" smartphone, we are regularly sold the idea of constant updating and optimizing. But for what gain? To truly improve ourselves? Or to seem in the know?

As much as we crave the excitement of novelty, we secretly rely on the familiarity of old. That's why my step-dad refuses to toss his sole-worn New Balance sneakers (even if my mom makes him keep them in the garage). It's why the local greasy spoon has been in business since your parents were kids. And how come you immediately appreciate the bass when slipping on a pair of old school Beats by Dre.

So, try not to be shocked the next time a trio of veteran backs -- D'Andre Swift, David Montgomery, and Derrick Henry -- each manage a hat trick on the same Sunday. Or when a consistent chain mover like D.J. Moore locks in as a much-needed downfield threat for the best QB in football. Maybe resist the urge to reach for toolsy young receiver like Luther Burden III in favor of leaning into the value provided by a proven red zone threat like Mike Evans.

This is a week-to-week game. Evolution is a process. The upside of draft capital and fresh legs might take a minute to pay off. In the meantime, manage the balance. And remember to embrace the floor of players who continually - and comfortably - deliver.

Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco 49ers

Ankle injury? What ankle injury? Jeanty looked 100% healthy, shredding the Dolphins defense with three runs of 10 or more yards, which was good for the fifth-most in Week 1 and the second-best mark of his career. The sophomore back also dazzled through the air, reeling in two grabs over 10 yards that both went for touchdowns. It's only the third time in his career he's pulled off multiple chunk receptions like that in a game.

With Brock Bowers (knee) sidelined, Klint Kubiak funneled the offense through his star running back. Jeanty racked up 147 scrimmage yards, accounting for over half of the Raiders' 290 total yards. Remarkably, Jeanty led the team in receiving yards despite the fact that the Raiders never trailed. He also dominated the backfield volume, out-carrying Mike Washington Jr. 23 to 7. Given the question marks surrounding Bowers' Week 2 availability, Jeanty should eat again at the Chargers. While a tougher matchup might keep him under 30 fantasy points, his monopoly on volume makes him a must-start, top-six fantasy RB.

Ashton Jeanty, RB, Las Vegas Raiders

Ankle injury? What ankle injury? Jeanty looked 100% healthy, shredding the Dolphins defense with three runs of 10 or more yards, which was good for the fifth-most in Week 1 and the second-best mark of his young career. The sophomore back also dazzled through the air, reeling in two grabs over 10 yards that both went for touchdowns. It's only the third time in his career he's pulled off multiple chunk receptions like that in a game.

With Bowers (knee) sidelined, Klint Kubiak funneled the offense through his star running back. Jeanty racked up 147 scrimmage yards, accounting for over half of the Raiders' 290 total yards. Remarkably, Jeanty led the team in receiving yards despite the fact that the Raiders never trailed. He also dominated the backfield volume, out-carrying Mike Washington Jr. 23 to 7. Given the question marks surrounding Bowers' Week 2 availability, Jeanty should eat again at the Chargers. While a tougher matchup might keep him under 30 fantasy points, his monopoly on volume makes him a must-start, top-six fantasy RB.

Jeremiyah Love, RB, Arizona Cardinals

Love nabbed his first NFL score in the Cardinals' shocking upset over the Chargers last Sunday. While the 6 points were welcome, the rookie's debut remained otherwise tepid. Working his way back from a high-ankle sprain suffered the prior month, Love shared much of the backfield work with Tyler Allgeier. Not only did the vet earn more overall snaps (41) than Love (32), he also played 64% of the team's third-down snaps. That's pretty surprising given that Allgeier managed just 29% of third-down snaps in Atlanta last year. Suffice to say, it appears as though the coaching staff doesn't yet trust Love in an every-down capacity.

On the bright side, Love and Allgeier shared the red zone touches almost evenly. Allgeier, a notorious goal-line vulture, ultimately edged out Love, but by a narrow 4-3 margin. Love was, thankfully, utilized more frequently in the passing game, drawing two more looks than Allgeier, though both backs posted identical stat lines (2-9-0). Hopefully, that number increases in Week 2, as the Cardinals are 4.5 underdogs versus the Seahawks. Still, with Arizona facing off against a formidable Seattle defense that surrendered the fewest fantasy points to RBs last season, investors' expectations need to be managed. Love is the ESPN consensus RB21 heading into the weekend.

Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB, Washington Commanders

Croskey-Merritt may not have lit up fantasy rosters (12.6 FPTS) in Week 1, but he did finish as fantasy's RB22, ahead of brand names such as De'Von Achane (10.6), James Cook III (9.9) and Saquon Barkley (9.0). More importantly, he emerged as Washington's primary ball carrier, out-snapping and out-touching Rachaad White by a considerable margin. Most surprising was JCM's deployment in the passing game. While his single grab for negative yardage doesn't inspire confidence, it is worth noting that he ran the same number of routes as White (13). That's a sizable number for a player believed to have zero value as a receiver.

With control of the backfield and in a more favorable matchup, JCM should deliver low-end RB2 numbers on Sunday. Philadelphia allowed only two running backs to post 21 fantasy points over the entirety of 2025. Dallas, on the other hand, let six RBs clear the same mark while also surrendering three games of 30 or more fantasy points to the position. While the Cowboys spent the offseason revamping its run defense, the unit has not yet appeared to gel, yielding 111 rushing yards to Giants RBs in Week 1. Furthermore, "Bill" himself has smoked the 'Boys, posting 22.5 fantasy points -- without drawing a single target -- in W17 of last year.

Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets

Wilson's 14 fantasy points might not have moved the needle for most managers, but his domination over the corps definitely assuaged apprehension. Recording a target share of 30.4 percent (WR8), New York's alpha registered twice as many looks (7) and converted double the number of balls (6) of his fellow pass catchers. He was supported by an effective Geno Smith, who closed out Week 1 top five in completion percentage (79.2%) and QBR (84.7).

Obviously, the Jets won't get the Titans every week. That might work to Wilson's advantage, though. With his team likely an underdog for much of the season, Geno figures to throw more than 24 times per game. And with an opportunity share above 25%, Wilson figures to regularly draw double-digit targets.

That sort of volume in a Week 2 matchup against the Packers should result in low-end WR1 fantasy numbers. Green Bay's defense has struggled mightily sans Micah Parsons. In fact, in the six games since Parsons was injured, the Packers defense has allowed 11 TDs to WRs with six wideouts putting up at least 17 fantasy points. Consider Wilson's comeback effort officially under way.

DeVonta Smith, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

Reiterating the generous nature of the Titans defense, the Eagles' Week 2 opponents, Smith should fare better than his 3-53-0 stat line from the opener. However, investors expecting A.J. Brown-like production need to recalibrate their outlooks. The incumbent wideout played only two more snaps, ran one additional route and received just two more targets than Dontayvion Wicks.

While Smith figures to remain the team's No. 1 WR, his restricted usage is a bit concerning. Recording only four slot snaps (as supposed to Wicks' 14 and Makai Lemon's 25), Smith stayed glued to the boundary, attracting constant defensive attention. This opened up the field for Wicks, who capitalized by hauling in a career-long 64-yard reception. Notably, that big play occurred out of a 13 personnel grouping (one running back, three tight ends and one wide receiver), meaning Wicks was the lone wideout on the field.

Sean Mannion clearly trusts Wicks. He also has obvious plans to use the former Packer in a vertical capacity. That means Wicks is going to be a big part of this offense, potentially capping Smith's ceiling. Fold in the fact that none of Jalen Hurts' red zone passes were directed Smith's way (two to Dallas Goedert and one to Wicks), and Smith's alpha status appears in question. He projects as a WR2 for fantasy purposes in Week 2. However, if Philadelphia commands a large lead (-7 at Tennessee), a run-heavy game script could limit his overall target volume.

Colston Loveland, TE, Chicago Bears

The donut was disastrous. But the underlying metrics suggest we need to keep calm and carry on. Loveland ranked third at the position in routes run in Week 1. In fact, his 33 routes led all Bears pass catchers, with Luther Burden III following behind at a distant 26. While Loveland drew only two looks on a day in which Caleb Williams threw the ball 29 times, his second target notably occurred in the end zone. This usage indicates that Loveland remains an integral fixture and high-value weapon in Ben Johnson's scheme.

He figures to post legit numbers versus Minnesota in Week 2. Although the Vikings successfully restricted opposing tight ends throughout 2025, Skol struggled against the Packers duo in the opener, surrendering five catches for 115 yards on nine targets to Tucker Kraft and Jonnu Smith. This vulnerability bodes well for Loveland heading into Sunday's divisional matchup, which features the week's second-highest projected point total (49.5). Given the expected explosive game environment, Loveland's regular deployment should garner solid volume, cementing him as a top-three fantasy option at the position.

Harold Fannin Jr., TE, Cleveland Browns

Fannin was out-targeted by Denzel Boston, KC Concepcion and Jerry Jeudy in Week 1. He did, however, run the third-most routes of any Browns pass catcher. This performance came after having zero prior game experience with Deshaun Watson. Looking ahead, Fannin's fantasy value should stabilize when Shedeur Sanders, who fueled Fannin's 14.6 fantasy points per game (TE4) from Weeks 12 through 18 last season, eventually replaces Watson.

That said, Fannin could see a boost versus Tampa Bay in Week 2. The Buccaneers failed to slow Mike Gesicki in Week 1, allowing the Bengals TE to convert a team-high seven looks for five catches, 78 yards and a score (18.8 fantasy points). While managers should note his potential upside for this matchup, Fannin remains a borderline starting option, ranked as the TE14 for the week.