NFL Week 1 Fantasy Football Recap: Updated September 14, 2026
The first NFL Sunday of 2026 gave fantasy managers plenty to evaluate.
Several players delivered breakout performances, backfield roles became clearer and multiple injuries will need to be monitored before Week 2 rankings and waiver-wire decisions are finalized.
Here are the most important Week 1 fantasy football takeaways, along with what FantasyLineups.com members can expect before Monday Night Football.
Caleb Williams Opens the Season with Four Touchdowns
Caleb Williams completed 21 of 29 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns against Carolina. He added 65 rushing yards and two more scores.
His rushing production raises his weekly ceiling considerably. Williams belongs in the QB1 conversation, although his Week 2 matchup against Minnesota will require a closer look.
Bryce Young Produces 371 Total Yards
Bryce Young passed for 361 yards and three touchdowns while adding a rushing score against Chicago.
The game environment helped create the enormous fantasy total, so managers shouldn’t automatically expect another four-touchdown performance. However, Young’s production makes him an important Week 2 quarterback and waiver-wire consideration.
Bucky Irving Controls Tampa Bay’s Backfield
Bucky Irving registered eight carries for 45 yards and a touchdown while catching all seven of his targets for another 48 yards.
The limited rushing volume was influenced by Tampa Bay’s game script, but the seven receptions were encouraging. His receiving involvement should keep him firmly in the weekly fantasy conversation.
David Montgomery Handles the Lead Role in Houston
David Montgomery recorded 20 carries for 60 yards and two rushing touchdowns. He also caught three passes for 19 yards and another score.
Woody Marks received only nine carries, giving Montgomery more than two-thirds of Houston’s running back attempts. That workload and goal-line role will need to be reflected in the Week 2 rankings.
Jonathan Taylor Remains an Elite Fantasy Running Back
Jonathan Taylor rushed 19 times for 98 yards and two touchdowns against Baltimore. He also added three receptions for 23 yards.
No other Indianapolis running back recorded a carry. Taylor’s control of the backfield keeps him among the strongest weekly fantasy options.
Zay Flowers’ Hamstring Requires Attention
Zay Flowers produced five receptions for 150 yards and a touchdown before leaving Baltimore’s victory with a hamstring injury.
The production demonstrated his enormous upside, but fantasy managers should monitor his practice participation and official injury status before setting Week 2 lineups. His ranking should not be finalized until more information becomes available.
Monday Night Football DFS Plays and Player Props
Week 1 continues with Monday Night Football.
FantasyLineups.com will post its top DraftKings and FanDuel DFS plays and Monday night player-prop selections before kickoff.
Members should check the site again before game time for updated projections, breaking news and finalized selections.
FantasyLineups.com Sunday Results
Our fantasy tools are designed to support lineup and roster decisions, but subscribers can also access player-prop research and NFL game analysis.
Sunday’s published selections produced the following results:
- Chazmule game picks: 2–1
- Doughboys game picks: 2–1
- Player props: 2–1
- Combined Sunday record: 6–3
The Gold Derrick Henry rushing prop was one of Sunday’s strongest results. Henry rushed for 144 yards against Indianapolis, easily clearing his posted total of 78.5.
Aaron Jones also cleared his posted rushing total of 29.5 yards.
Prepare for Week 2
FantasyLineups.com gives members access to:
- Weekly QB, RB, WR and TE rankings
- Breaking fantasy news and analysis powered by RotoBaller
- Updated NFL depth charts
- DraftKings and FanDuel DFS optimizers
- Player projections and top DFS plays
- Player Prop Analyzer
- Vegas odds and matchup information
- Season-long fantasy and waiver-wire research
The Week 2 rankings will account for updated depth charts, injuries, expected workloads, matchups and relevant coaching developments.
Show Us Your Week 1 Results
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Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Please bet responsibly.
