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Week 1 has come and passed as the NFL season is getting into full swing.
From countless overtime games and missed field goals to unexpected performances, the NFL certainly hasn’t lost its step on being incredibly unpredictable.
With Week 1 out of the way and an entire season to look forward to, let's dive into some unexpected “boom” performances from the debut week of the NFL season.
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Unexpected Week 1 Fantasy Football Performances?
James Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars
Entering Week 1, most analysts had cast James Robinson off to the side due to concerns with recovery from the torn Achilles he suffered near the end of the 2021 season. Negative thoughts surrounding him went even further once Cam Akers (another running back with a recently torn Achilles) put up a complete dud of a performance on Thursday Night Football.
It appeared as though a running back with a torn Achilles would never be able to return to solid production, especially in the case of Robinson who suffered his four months later than Akers.
But when Robinson took the field in Week 1 against the Commanders, he looked just like the player that fans had been accustomed to seeing for the past two seasons. He handled the majority of the Jaguars’ early-down rushing work as he ran 11 times for 66 yards and a touchdown while also tacking on a three-yard receiving touchdown. That stat line led to 19.4 Half PPR points on the day.
James Robinson is back in the endzone. Feels good to see after his injury last season.
Took Carson Wentz' INT and turned it to 6.pic.twitter.com/fHftXVfXxR
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 11, 2022
Although this backfield will likely be a 50/50 split with Travis Etienne taking most of the receiving work, James Robinson appears to be far from cooked as his Achilles recovery seems to have gone better than anyone could’ve imagined. Until there’s a real reason to back off of him, Robinson should be considered a starter for most fantasy rosters from here on out.
Dontrell Hilliard, Tennessee Titans
As the backup to Derrick Henry, not much was really expected out of Dontrell Hilliard in Week 1. Henry did manage to control his massive share of the backfield opportunities but Hilliard certainly made the most of the touches he had. Against the Giants in Week 1, Dontrell Hilliard had five total touches for 69 yards and two touchdowns.
That efficient statistical output resulted in 20.4 Half PPR points and was the seventh highest scoring performance by a running back in Week 1. While it is a nice development for Hilliard, he’s still no more than a handcuff for Derrick Henry.
He does provide some upside as the best receiving back on the roster but doing this well on just five touches is not sustainable over the course of an entire season.
Curtis Samuel, Washington Commanders
After a season of completely lost hope and constant injury issues, Curtis Samuel burst onto the scene in Week 1 with his best performance since 2020. Samuel ended up leading the Commanders in targets (11) and receptions (8) as he went for 55 yards and a touchdown through the air. He also proved his worth on the ground with his four carries for 17 yards.
ATTENTION NFL:
Curtis Samuel is healthy.
Repeat: Curtis Samuel is HEALTHY.
Ooooh boy there he hoes.#HTTC pic.twitter.com/iygEstecZ2
— Chad Ryan (@ChadwikoTWW) September 11, 2022
Curtis Samuel was a name that fantasy managers weren’t really interested in prior to the start of Week 1, but they should definitely be interested now. In his last healthy season (2020), Samuel ranked as the WR25. If his usage keeps looking this way for the foreseeable future, he could easily repeat those numbers while even improving upon them.
His combination of receiving skills in addition to his athleticism and usage in the ground game has Curtis Samuel possibly providing value as sort of a Deebo Samuel lite in 2022. With that in the realm of possibilities, he’s a player that fantasy managers should definitely go after on waivers this week.
Cordarrelle Patterson, Atlanta Falcons
Coming off of his improbable 2021 season, Cordarrelle Patterson was seen as an intriguing draft pick as there was still the possibility that his seemingly random production was a mirage. Well, it apparently was not. Despite constant whispers about Damien Williams or Tyler Allgeier trying to knock C-Patt off of his perch, he still remains on top.
Cordarrelle Patterson puts the team on his back, scores this TD giving the Falcons their first TD of the season! pic.twitter.com/BUbxlC70kn
— PFF ATL Falcons (@PFF_Falcons) September 11, 2022
Patterson was the focal point for the Falcons' offense on Sunday. He had 25 total touches for 136 yards and a rushing touchdown, an output that resulted in 21.1 Half PPR points on the day. Patterson is clearly the most effective rusher in this backfield and he should continue to have a strong grip on it for this season. These performances are no longer outliers and he should consistently be in starting lineups from here on out.
Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints
Back like he never left huh? Despite Sean Payton leaving the Saints and Taysom Hill being moved to tight end, he still continues to steal rushing numbers from the rest of this New Orleans backfield. In Week 1, Hill ran the ball four times for 81 yards and a touchdown while also having one reception for two yards. Despite his unorthodox usage, Hill put up 14.8 Half PPR points while ranking as the TE3 on the day.
Taysom Hill is still a problem.pic.twitter.com/EgJgVpYz3i
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 11, 2022
It is a little ridiculous to watch but you can’t argue with the results. That being said, Taysom Hill is a player that someone else will probably pay up for in your league. Unless the gadget player gets moved to starting quarterback at some point this season, there is no reason for you to roster him on your fantasy team. While his athleticism and rushing prowess are fun to watch, his scoring isn’t sustainable enough for him to be rosterable.
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