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Troy Franklin WR | DEN
Broncos' Troy Franklin: Targeted six times
Franklin recorded four catches on six targets for 44 yards in Sunday's 20-12 win over the Titans.
Franklin finished second on the team in targets, receptions and yards, notably out-performing Marvin Mims. Franklin got involved early, with three of his four catches coming in the first 17 minutes of game time, and he then chipped in a 15-yard reception late in the fourth quarter to help keep a key drive alive. Target distribution behind Courtland Sutton is likely to be inconsistent in Denver, but Franklin managed a solid Week 1 performance to kick off his sophomore campaign.
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Zay Flowers WR | BAL
Ravens' Zay Flowers: Monster performance on SNF
Flowers had seven receptions on nine targets for 143 yards and a touchdown while adding eight rushing yards on two attempts in Sunday's 41-40 loss to the Bills.
Flowers overcame an undisclosed injury during the practice week in order to suit up for Baltimore's season opener. Fantasy managers were elated to not only see the speedy receiver in the starting lineup, but also back producing true WR1 numbers after suffering a knee sprain in Week 18 last year. The 143 receiving yards set a new high-water mark for the third-year wideout, while his nine targets finished five ahead of the second-highest player (Rashod Bateman). Flowers is shaping up to be an elite fantasy option heading into next Sunday's tilt against the Browns.
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Khalil Shakir WR | BUF
Bills' Khalil Shakir: Six catches in Week 1 win
Shakir caught six of nine targets for 64 yards in Sunday's 41-40 win over the Ravens.
Shakir showed no ill effects from the high-ankle sprain that sidelined him during training camp, as he finished second on the team in targets, catches and receiving yards behind Keon Coleman, who had 112 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets. Shakir led the Bills in all three categories last season, but the emergence of Coleman and addition of Joshua Palmer in the offseason gives Shakir more competition for attention from Josh Allen heading into a Week 2 road game against the Jets.
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Keon Coleman WR | BUF
Bills' Keon Coleman: Breaks out in Week 1 win
Coleman caught eight of 11 targets for 112 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 41-40 win over the Ravens.
Coleman caught a deflected ball for a 10-yard touchdown to make it a one-possession game in the fourth quarter. He also had two failed two-point conversions thrown his way and was brought down by the last defender with a shoestring tackle shortly before Buffalo's game-winning field goal, so Coleman had opportunities for an even more impressive line Sunday. The 2024 second-round pick struggled to create separation as a rookie, but he got his sophomore season off to a strong start, leading the team in receiving yards, catches and targets while setting new career highs in the last two categories. Coleman will look to build on this breakout performance in a tricky Week 2 matchup against Sauce Gardner and the Jets.
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Devaughn Vele WR | NO
Saints' Devaughn Vele: Nabs one pass in NOLA debut
Vele recorded one reception (on three targets) for 13 yards during Sunday's 20-13 defeat versus the Cardinals.
Vele didn't make much noise during his first game for New Orleans. The former Broncos wideout's first target didn't come until late in the third quarter, and he caught his first pass on the team's second-to-last drive of the game. His lack of production is pretty notable considering that quarterback Spencer Rattler tossed a career-high 46 passing attempts. Nearly all of Rattler's targets went to his top three pass-catchers of Chris Olave (13), Rashid Shaheed (nine) and tight end Juwan Johnson (11). Veteran wideout Brandin Cooks also logged four targets. Vele will look to carve out a larger role for the Saints' Week 2 matchup versus San Francisco.
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Brandin Cooks WR | SF
Saints' Brandin Cooks: Catches three passes Week 1
Cooks had three receptions (on four targets) for 26 yards during Sunday's 20-13 loss versus the Cardinals.
Cooks slotted in as New Orleans' No. 3 wideout in his first game back with the team since 2016. The 31-year-old finished fourth on the squad in targets, catches and yards as quarterback Spencer Rattler chucked a career-high 46 passing attempts. But, the lion's share of targets still went toward Chris Olave (13), Rashid Shaheed (nine) and tight end Juwan Johnson (11). The surprisingly high volume of passing attempts could lead to more production than expected from the Saints' receivers, though it appears the aerial attack will be concentrated around Olave, Shaheed and Johnson. Cooks will look to gain some extra targets when the Saints host the 49ers in Week 2.
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Jayden Higgins WR | HOU
Texans' Jayden Higgins: Leads receivers with 32 yards
Higgins finished with two receptions on three targets for 32 yards in Sunday's 14-9 loss to the Rams.
Higgins wound up leading the Texans in receiving yards despite posting such meager totals. It was a missed opportunity for the second-round rookie, who was elevated into the starting lineup in place of the injured Christian Kirk (hamstring). It is unclear how long Kirk will remain out, but Higgins didn't do enough to inspire confidence in fantasy managers heading into next Monday's tilt against Tampa Bay.
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Cooper Kupp WR | SEA
Seahawks' Cooper Kupp: Non-factor in SEA debut
Kupp brought in two of three targets for 15 yards in Sunday's 17-13 loss to the 49ers.
Kupp struggled to establish himself in Seattle's new-look offense, finishing a distant second behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba (9-124-0) in overall production. The 32-year-old Kupp may not be his former MVP self, but the fact he still finished second in targets bodes well for his prospects in games with higher passing volume than the 23 attempts Seattle amassed Sunday. For now, Kupp's fantasy value may be limited to deeper formats for next week's contest against the Steelers.
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Calvin Ridley WR | TEN
Titans' Calvin Ridley: Out of sync with Ward
Ridley recorded four receptions on eight targets for 27 yards in Sunday's 20-12 loss to the Broncos.
Ridley led the Titans in targets and receptions, but he was not efficient with his chances and was slightly out of sync with Cameron Ward. The duo connected for a 13-yard gain early in the fourth quarter, Ridley's longest catch of the day. However, he had a few passes glance off his hands later in the contest as the Titans tried to mount a comeback, and Ridley had a particularly costly drop on the team's final offensive possession. While it was a disappointing opening line, Ridley should be in for better performances moving forward thanks to his secure role in the Titans' offense.
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Jameson Williams WR | DET
Lions' Jameson Williams: Underwhelms in Week 1
Williams recorded four receptions on five targets for 23 yards in Sunday's 27-13 loss to the Packers.
Williams' primary appeal as a fantasy contributor is his ability to hit for explosive plays, but the Packers held him under wraps in Week 1. His longest reception went for just 11 yards, and he was held to his lowest yardage total in a regular-season game since Week 7 of the 2024 campaign. The entire Lions' offense was ineffective, so it's not time to panic on Williams heading into a Week 2 matchup against the Bears.