Week 1 didn't go to plan for a host of NFL teams expected to contend to go deep into the postseason.
As a result, fantasy owners who picked players from those apparent contenders may have seen their line-ups fail to deliver the points needed for victory.
But in many cases, Week 1 is not indicative of how a team's season will pan out, with the opener often seen almost as an extension of the preseason.
There is plenty of time for teams to get back on track, especially following the advent of the 17-game season, and the four players and a defense selected as this week's fantasy picks all come from teams who will be looking to bounce back from defeat in Week 1 on Sunday.
Quarterback: Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams vs. Atlanta Falcons
Is it time to worry about Stafford after his and the Rams' opening night shocker against the Buffalo Bills?
Probably not, but it may well be if those struggles are repeated against the Falcons.
The Falcons allowed the ninth-most yards per play in the NFL last season and conceded 16 fourth-quarter points in their collapse versus the New Orleans Saints last week.
Stafford should have no problems exploiting their defense and rebounding in style with a performance to delight fantasy owners.
Running Back: Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals @ Dallas Cowboys
Mixon struggled to get going against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Bengals' remarkable overtime loss last week. He should not have the same difficulty against the Cowboys, who were gashed for six yards a carry by Leonard Fournette of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1.
With Mixon also making seven catches and winning his matchup with a defender on six of his nine targets against Pittsburgh, according to Stats Perform data, he should also be in line for plenty of touches through the air as Joe Burrow and the Bengals look to frustrate a Dallas pass rush that should have plenty of success against their offensive line.
Mixon likely won't come close to the 34 touches he had last week, but he will still be heavily involved and will be expected to have much more success on the touches he does receive against a defense that showed scant resistance to the ground game in its opener.
Wide Receiver: Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks
With the 49ers' starting running back, Elijah Mitchell, going down with a knee injury in Week 1, the lion's share of the carries in the backfield are up for grabs.
Chances are they won't go to Mitchell's backups in the running back room, but to Samuel, San Francisco's 'wide back'.
The versatile wide receiver was the heartbeat of the 49er offense down the stretch in their run to the NFC Championship Game last season and had eight carries for 52 yards and a touchdown in San Francisco's surprise Week 1 loss to the Chicago Bears.
With Mitchell on the sideline, Samuel should see a much larger workload against a Seahawks defense that surrendered 5.2 yards per rush on Monday against the Denver Broncos.
Through the air last season, Samuel racked up 156 yards and two touchdowns in his lone game against the Seahawks. With the prospect of additional running back work on top of his receiving targets, Samuel could be the difference for the Niners and for scores of fantasy players in Week 2.
Tight End: Darren Waller, Las Vegas Raiders vs. Arizona Cardinals
After giving up 121 yards and a touchdown to Travis Kelce in their blowout loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Cardinals draw another of the game's top tight ends in Week 2.
Waller was held to 79 yards receiving in the Raiders' loss to the Los Angeles Chargers but won his matchup with his defender on five of his six targets.
Look for Waller to emulate Kelce in taking advantage of a Cardinals back seven seemingly ill-prepared for the challenge of facing an elite tight end and putting a together an impressive statistical performance.
Defense/Special Teams: Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears
It may be easy to be concerned about the Packers after their opening 23-7 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, but such worries are likely to alleviated against the Bears.
Even with Justin Jefferson exploding for 184 receiving yards and two touchdowns, the Packers' defense still produced what should have been a winning effort in Week 1.
Green Bay gave up fewer first downs than Minnesota and held the Vikings to 4-13 on third down, but the Packers' defense received little support from the offense.
That will not be the case versus Chicago. The Bears stunned the 49ers in Week 1 with 19 unanswered points, but they turned the ball over twice while Justin Fields completed just eight passes. A Packers defense that has talent at every level should have similar success forcing Chicago into negative plays and generating fantasy points in a bounce-back win for Green Bay.
NFL: Rams edge Bills despite Allen's 6 TDs
Josh Allen became the first player in NFL history with three rushing and passing touchdowns in a game, though that unprecedented feat still wasn't quite enough to extend the Buffalo Bills' winning streak.
The Los Angeles Rams held on for a wild 44-42 victory over the AFC East champions on Sunday despite Allen's superb individual effort and nearly blowing a 17-point lead after three quarters.
Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams each scored two touchdowns as Los Angeles (7-6) prevailed in the highest-scoring game of the 2024 season. The crucial victory kept the Rams, winners of six of eight following a 1-4 start, one game back of the first-place Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West.
Los Angeles also blocked a punt that Hunter Long returned for a 22-yard touchdown in the second quarter and got two touchdown passes from Matthew Stafford, who threw for 320 yards while completing 23 of 30 attempts. Nacua racked up 162 yards on 12 catches while team-mate Cooper Kupp recorded five receptions for 92 yards and a touchdown.
Allen finished with 342 passing yards and 82 on the ground while leading the Bills to 21 fourth-quarter points, but Buffalo (10-3) couldn't overcome its early deficit as its seven-game winning streak came to an end.
The Rams took a 38-21 lead into the fourth quarter following Stafford's 17-yard touchdown pass to Kupp with 18 seconds left in the third, but the Bills answered less than a minute later when Allen directed a five-play, 70-yard drive he ended with a 1-yard touchdown run.
Buffalo then marched 91 yards in 10 plays on its next series, which ended with Allen's 21-yard touchdown pass to Mack Hollins that cut the Rams' advantage to 38-35 with under nine minutes left.
Los Angeles proceeded to control the ball for nearly seven minutes on the ensuing possession and capped it with an important touchdown, a 19-yard catch by Nacua with 1:54 remaining that put the Rams up 44-35 after the extra point was missed. Nacua earlier had a rushing touchdown by scoring on a 4-yard jet sweep late in the first half.
The Bills once again answered, putting together a 70-yard drive culminating with Allen's third touchdown run of the day. They then attempted an onside kick that the Rams recovered before running out the clock.
Chiefs clinch another AFC West title with another close win
The Kansas City Chiefs extended their streak of AFC West titles, as well as their run of one-score victories, by coming through with a 19-17 win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Matthew Wright's 31-yard field goal as time expired.
Wright's kick, which hit off the left upright before landing over the crossbar, secured the Chiefs' ninth consecutive AFC West crown, the second-longest run of division titles in NFL history. The New England Patriots won the AFC East 11 straight seasons from 2009-2019.
Kansas City (12-1) also extended its NFL record by winning for the 15th consecutive time in games decided by eight points or fewer, a streak that includes last season's playoffs. The two-time defending Super Bowl champions are now 10-0 in such games this season.
This latest win came after the Chiefs blew a 13-0 half-time lead, as the Chargers went ahead on a pair of third-quarter touchdowns. After getting on the board with Gus Edwards' 3-yard run, Los Angeles took a 14-13 advantage on Justin Herbert's 4-yard pass to Quentin Johnston with 3:30 left in the period.
The division rivals then traded field goals in the fourth quarter before Kansas City put together a 14-play, 47-yard drive that set up Wright's winning kick.
Wright had four field goals for the Chiefs, whose lone touchdown came via Patrick Mahomes' 9-yard pass to DeAndre Hopkins late in the second quarter that increased their lead to 13-0.
Mahomes was 24 for 37 for 210 yards and did not throw an interception. Herbert also did not have a turnover while recording 213 yards on 21-of-30 passing for Los Angeles (8-5), which has lost two of three since a four-game winning streak from Oct. 27-Nov. 17.
Darnold throws for five touchdowns, Vikings roll by Falcons in Cousins' return to Minnesota
Looks like the Minnesota Vikings made the right decision at quarterback.
Sam Darnold set career highs with 347 passing yards and five touchdown throws to make Kirk Cousins' return to Minnesota a losing one for the spiralling Atlanta Falcons, who were handed a 42-21 defeat by the red-hot Vikings.
In Cousins' first appearance at Minneapolis' U.S. Bank Stadium since leaving the Vikings to sign with the Falcons in the off-season, the veteran quarterback was outplayed by the man who replaced him under center as Darnold completed 22 of 28 passes without a turnover to lead Minnesota (11-2) to a sixth straight win.
Jordan Addison hauled in three of Darnold's touchdown passes with Justin Jefferson on the receiving end of the two others. Addison finished with eight catches for 133 yards and Jefferson added 132 yards on seven grabs.
Atlanta (6-7) has now lost four straight and fell out of a tie for first place in the NFC South. Cousins threw for 344 yards but failed to record a touchdown pass and was intercepted twice, the last coming in Minnesota territory with the Falcons trailing 35-21 in the fourth quarter.
The game was tied at 21-21 after Atlanta's Bijan Robinson scored on a 13-yard touchdown run in the final minute of the third quarter, then ran in the ensuing 2-point conversion attempt to pull the Falcons even.
Minnesota dominated the fourth quarter, however, by scoring 21 unanswered points. Darnold's 11-yard touchdown pass to Addison with 12:59 left to play broke the tie, and the two teamed up again for a 6-yard touchdown that staked the Vikings to a 35-21 lead with 8:23 remaining.
Darnell Mooney put up a career-high 142 yards on six catches for Atlanta, while Robinson had 92 rushing yards on 22 attempts.
Buccaneers handle Raiders, claim sole lead of NFC South
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers moved a game ahead of the sputtering Falcons in the NFC South race by registering a 28-13 win over the bottom-feeding Las Vegas Raiders behind Baker Mayfield's three touchdown passes.
Mayfield shook off a pair of interceptions to throw for 295 yards in the third straight win for Tampa Bay (7-6), the NFC South's champion in each of the previous three seasons. Jalen McMilan caught two of Mayfield's touchdown strikes, including a game-sealing 29-yard reception that gave the Bucs a 28-13 lead with 1:56 remaining.
Rachaad White also had two touchdowns for Tampa Bay, one rushing and one receiving, while recording 90 rushing yards on 17 attempts.
Las Vegas suffered its ninth consecutive loss and was dealt another blow when quarterback Aidan O'Connell exited in the third quarter with a left knee injury. The Raiders' 2-11 record is tied with the New York Giants for the worst in the NFL.
O'Connell had a 1-yard touchdown run in the second quarter before departing but struggled through the air, managing just 104 yards on 11-of-19 passing with one interception.
The Raiders trailed just 14-10 at the time of the injury before Tampa Bay put the game away with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns. White extended the lead to 21-10 with a 3-yard touchdown run with 8:47 remaining, a score set up by Sean Tucker's 34-yard run.
Charbonnet leads Seahawks to key NFC West win over Cardinals
Zach Charbonnet's career-high 134 rushing yards and two touchdowns helped the NFC West-leading Seattle Seahawks gain some distance on division-rival Arizona with a 30-18 win over the scuffling Cardinals.
Seattle (8-5) also got 233 passing yards and a touchdown from Geno Smith and another strong effort on defence to extend its winning streak to four games. The Seahawks intercepted Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray twice in the first quarter, with both picks leading to touchdowns that helped them build a 17-7 lead entering the second.
Charbonnet added 59 receiving yards while taking advantage of an increased role with fellow running back Kenneth Walker inactive with ankle and calf injuries. Jaxon Smith-Njigba contributed 82 receiving yards and a touchdown on five catches to a victory that gave the Seahawks a season sweep of the Cardinals.
Arizona (6-7) dropped two games behind Seattle after losing its third straight following a four-game winning streak from Oct. 21-Nov. 10.
The Cardinals did own a 7-0 edge after Murray capped the game's opening drive with a 41-yard touchdown pass to Michael Wilson. He was picked off on Arizona's next two possessions, however, to give the Seahawks the ball in enemy territory both times.
Murray's first pick was turned into Smith's 19-yard touchdown pass to Smith-Njigba that gave Seattle a 10-7 lead. Charbonnet converted the second turnover into a 1-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter, then later ripped off a 51-yard touchdown run with 2:36 left in the second quarter that put Seattle up 24-10 at half-time.
Arizona was able to close within 27-18 on Murray's 2-yard touchdown pass to James Conner late in the third quarter, which was followed by the standout quarterback's successful 2-point conversion run.
The Cardinals could not get any closer, however. Chad Ryland missed a 40-yard field goal attempt midway through the fourth quarter before Seattle kicker Jason Myers sealed the outcome with his third field goal of the day, a 35-yard kick with 1:56 left.
Barkley sets Eagles' season rushing record as Philadelphia extends win streak to nine
Saquon Barkley put up 124 rushing yards to break the Philadelphia Eagles' season record in that category, and the current NFC East leaders rallied in the fourth quarter for a 22-16 victory over the Carolina Panthers that extended their winning streak to nine games.
Philadelphia (11-2) clinched a play-off spot for a fourth consecutive season despite trailing the non-contending Panthers 16-14 after three quarters. The Eagles went ahead with 13:45 left on Jalen Hurts' second touchdown pass of the day, a 4-yard strike to Grant Calcaterra that Barkley followed by converting the ensuing 2-point attempt for a 22-16 lead.
The Eagles' defence made it hold up by stopping Carolina (3-10) on downs twice in Philadelphia territory in the final nine minutes.
Barkley now has a league-leading 1,623 rushing yards and eclipsed LeSean McCoy's franchise record of 1,607 set in 2013.
Hurts also rushed for a touchdown in the second quarter before later connecting with DeVonta Smith for a 4-yard touchdown with 14 seconds left before half-time to give the Eagles a 14-10 advantage at the break.
Jake Elliott missed a 52-yard field goal in the third quarter that would have extended the lead, however, and the Panthers marched 58 yards in 12 plays on the following possession. Chuba Hubbard capped the drive with a go-ahead 1-yard touchdown run with 2:49 remaining in the period, though Carolina missed the extra-point try.
Hubbard finished with 92 yards on 26 rushes and Adam Thielen had nine catches for 102 yards for the Panthers. Carolina quarterback Bryce Young was 19 of 34 for 191 yards with one interception and a second-quarter touchdown pass to tight end Tommy Tremble.
Napoli 0-1 Lazio: Isaksen the hero as Partenopei miss chance to return to Serie A summit
Napoli missed the chance to return to the Serie A summit following a 1-0 defeat by Lazio at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
The Partenopei were beaten for the second time in the space of four days by the Biancoceleste, who also prevailed 3-1 in their Coppa Italia last-16 clash at Stadio Olimpico on Thursday.
Marco Baroni's side were victorious once again as Gustav Isaksen struck a wonderful winner 11 minutes from time, moving them level on points with third-place Inter.
Scott McTominay and Isaksen went closed during the first half, while Khvicha Kvaratskhelia shot narrowly wide just before the break.
Both sides struck the woodwork after the restart; Fisayo Dele-Bashiru hitting the crossbar from distance, while Frank Anguissa's header was denied by the post.
However, the visitors snatched all three points in the 79th minute. Tijjani Noslin - Thursday's hat-trick hero - found Isaksen, who rounded off a swift counter by curling a wonderful 20-yard effort beyond Alex Meret.
Data Debrief: Three is the magic number for Lazio
For the first time in their history, Lazio have won three consecutive Serie A matches away at Napoli.
Their sixth victory by a single-goal margin this term - more than any other team in the division - they have also scored a league-high 12 goals in the 75th minute or later.
Isaksen was the matchwinner with his third goal of the season, already matching his tally for the entire 2023-24 campaign.
'It's been an amazing ride' - former Man Utd and Portugal star Nani retires
Former Manchester United and Portugal star Nani has announced his retirement from football at the age of 38.
The ex-winger brings the curtain down on a decorated career, which began at Sporting CP, where he would enjoy three separate spells.
Nani's most successful period came during his eight-year stint with Man Utd, with whom he won four Premier League titles, the Champions League and Club World Cup.
He was also part of the Portugal side that won Euro 2016, captaining the side during the final victory over France following Cristiano Ronaldo's early withdrawal through injury.
Nani made 112 international appearances between 2006 and 2017 - making him the Selecao's fifth most-capped player, while he represented them at five major tournaments.
His club career was played across seven different countries - having also turning out for the likes of Fenerbahce, Valencia, Lazio, Orlando City and Melbourne Victory, before finishing his career with a short stint at Primeira Liga side Estrela Amadora.
"The time has come to say goodbye, I have decided to finish my career as a professional player," he posted on his social media channels.
"It's been an amazing ride and I wanted to thank every single person who has helped me and supported me through the highs and lows during a career which lasted over 20 years and gave me so many unforgettable memories.
"Time to turn a new leaf and focus on new goals and dreams."
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