Week 1 has passed us by, and there are countless fantasy owners sitting at 0-1, panicking that their big-ticket guys didn’t perform. Several first-round picks, or $50-plus buys in auction drafts, did not perform to the level they’re expected to be at. That does not mean you need to panic trade them, or glue them to your bench.
Here are five such stars that will be just fine.
Adrian Peterson, RB, Vikings
Peterson did next to nothing in his return to the gridiron on Monday night vs. a 49ers defense that entered the game down three starters from a year ago due to retirement. He only ran 10 times for 31 yards, and didn’t sniff the end zone. It was scary stuff from a guy who very likely was drafted first overall. Then again, the whole Vikes’ offense was out of sync. Teddy Bridgewater was throwing the ball to empty space, they seemed to be forcing the passing game, and for some reason Minnesota was mixing in Jerick McKinnon and Matt Asiata.
The upside here is that Peterson caught three passes, and will likely not cede too many third-down passing situations to McKinnon. The caution with carries may have simply been an effort to keep him fresh, and to not overdo it after basically a year out of action. Don’t panic!
Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Giants
Beckham Jr. didn’t blowtorch Dallas on Sunday night. It’s the NFL, and that’s to be expected sometimes. The Cowboys know Beckham is far and away the Giants’ best option, and they made damn sure he was covered from every angle. Other teams are going to do it too. It doesn’t mean Beckham’s going to fall off the face of the earth.
He will have plenty of huge games throughout the season, but if you drafted him expecting 110 and a touchdown per game like he did as a rookie then that was your fault.
Calvin Johnson, WR, Lions
Some folks were down on Megatron before the season, and his opening-week two-catch, 39-yard performance will not help that perception. If you’re a smart fantasy owner, your fin is peeking above the water and you’re trying to strike at this potentially incredible bargain.
For some reason Matthew Stafford only targeted Johnson four times. That is insane and it absolutely cannot continue. Since 2008 he has averaged 153 targets per season, which breaks down to more than 10 per game. Just relax.
Peyton Manning, QB, Broncos
There should admittedly be a little more concern surrounding Peyton’s putrid showing in Week 1. His throws were almost exclusively dying quails, he threw zero touchdowns, and only managed 175 yards. These are all bad things. He was also sacked four times, an indictment of his untested offensive line.
That said, his day could’ve been a lot better. He missed Emmanuel Sanders on a long touchdown score that was right there. Don’t chalk it up to age -- that’s just Manning being human. Baltimore’s defense is one of the best in the NFL, especially in terms of rushing the passer. Pressure can disrupt any QB, so against lighter matchups, Manning should be his old self.
Lamar Miller, RB, Dolphins
Miller got a ton of hype as draft season neared, even creeping into Round 1 of some drafts. Then Week 1 came, and he ran for 53 yards against a supposedly soft Redskins D. Wtf?
Well, Washington’s defense might have improved. They did add some players in the offseason. Then there’s the Dolphins’ curious decision to only run Miller 13 times all game, and target him once in the passing game. Miller averaged four yards per carry, so moving forward the ‘Fins will probably realize they should feed him more, and put less on QB Ryan Tannehill.
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