Fantasy Football studs n duds in Week 1
· Yahoo Sports
It is time. This is what we have waited for. While each week of the NFL season is great, there’s nothing like the first. We can rejoice as the 2026 NFL season is here, so let’s dig into some fantasy football studs n duds for Week 1.
MORE: Most popular fantasy football team names ranked for 2026
Visit umafrika.club for more information.
Studs
Aug 08, 2026; Metairie, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Travis Etienne Jr. (3) during training camp at Ochsner Sports Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)Travis Etienne, RB, New Orleans Saints
Etienne makes his debut this week with the Saints as New Orleans will struggle to keep up with the Detroit Lions. The expectation is that the Saints will be playing from behind. Usually, that means phasing out the running game, but with Alvin Kamara sidelined, the expectation is that Etienne will be busy as a receiver.
Omarion Hampton, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
Let’s start by going to one of the biggest favorites of the week. The Chargers are expected to take care of business at home against the Arizona Cardinals, so that means we’ll be seeing a lot of Hampton. While his rookie season was marred by injury, he did average 4.4 yards per carry and showed positive metrics. With Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator, it will be an intriguing offense, and Hampton should be in position to pound the ball.
Isiah Likely, TE, New York Giants
Calvin Austin is out for the year, and the Giants just released Darius Slayton. Yes, Malik Nabers is “healthy” and back in action, but at this point, it’s hard to truly know what he’ll be able to do once he’s out on the field. That could leave Likely as the de facto number one receiver, at times, in what should be a fast-paced matchup against the Dallas Cowboys.
MORE: Dave Portnoy names his 2 most overrated NFL players
Duds
Aug 28, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) reacts during the second half against the Seattle Seahawks at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs
It’s great that Mahomes is back from his ACL surgery, but I’m not sure there are many worse matchups for him this week. Regardless of what he says and how he feels, Mahomes is still going to have rust, and the Chiefs will likely take things slowly. The other issue, is how good the Denver Broncos pass rush and secondary is. He might get a few nice plays, but it’s not going to be easy for Mahomes in his return.
Jeremiyah Love, RB, Arizona Cardinals
Yes, the future is bright for Love, but he’s been dealing with an ankle injury this summer, and he likely won’t be at full strength on Sunday. Additionally, in a tough matchup against the Chargers, game flow might not work in Love’s favor as his introduction to the NFL could move a little slowly.
Sam LaPorta, TE, Detroit Lions
While it’s clear that LaPorta is going to be a large part of Detroit’s offense this season, he also didn’t play at all this preseason with a hip injury. The expectation is that he’ll be ready to go for Week 1, but it’s unclear to what level or how good he’ll look. If things are initially slow for LaPorta, the Lions do have plenty of other weapons to allow their tight end to ease back into action.
— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter —