The NFL season is officially underway, and we witnessed a great opening act between the Lions and Chiefs in Arrowhead on Thursday night. The Lions managed to squeak out a 21-20 win sending a message that they are here for real this season.
Nathan Jahnke’s post-game recaps over at Pro Football Focus are one of the best breakdowns to go through, where he dissects the offensive personnel with snaps, routes run, and targets. This can be crucial information when evaluating for fantasy purposes and noticing usage trends on a weekly basis.
It’s a very small sample size, but here’s what sticks out after Thursday night’s contest.
DAVID MONTGOMERY VS JAHMYR GIBBS
Heading into this game, all eyes were on prized rookie Jahmyr Gibbs, who Detroit was ready to trade up and take even earlier in the first round. The talented runner out of Alabama figures to be a big part of this Lions offense as a dynamic playmaker, especially in the receiving game.
However, the proverbial training wheels were kept on Gibbs as he was heavily out-snapped by David Montgomery and was a very limited participant in the passing game. Both backs only garnering a total of 7% of the target share is a bit concerning. But, expect those numbers to climb in the future, similar to Gibbs’ overall usage. He’s far too talented to keep on the sideline and honestly looked better and more explosive than the veteran.
“That was what we talked about with him,” Dan Campbell said about Gibbs. “First game, out of the gate, there again, man — we really didn’t wanna overload any of those (rookies).”
Montgomery looks like the clear early-down bruiser and goal-line rusher. Don’t expect to see big receiving numbers from him, but he will be the focal point of a high-scoring offense with touchdown upside. He likely won’t touch Jamaal Williams’ 17 touchdowns last year, but he could easily be looking at double-digit scores.
CHIEFS PASS-CATCHERS UNDERWHELM WITHOUT KELCE
With Travis Kelce sidelined due to a knee injury, we wondered who would step up and be a fantasy-relevant pass catcher for Patrick Mahomes. Turns out, nobody stepped up, and they all looked like a pile of smelly dog turds.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Skyy Moore were the two starting receivers last night, playing the most snaps and running the most routes. The two combined for a whopping two catches for 48 yards on five targets. All the production came from MVS, thanks to Skyy Moore’s goose egg.
Tight end Noah Grey filled in for Kelce for the night and was utilized as a starting tight end. He played the most snaps and ran the most routes of any skill player, but wasn’t used much in the passing game. If Kelce is out for another week, fantasy managers are better off streaming a tight end outside the Chiefs’ offense.
The rest of the Chiefs receivers shuffled in and out of the lineup with little to no production. Kadarius Toney returned from injury, but it’s clear he’s still shaking off rust after putting up one of the most pathetic receiver performances in recent memory.
On the bright side, keep an eye on rookie Rashee Rice. He caught a touchdown and tied for the team lead in targets with five on only 12 routes run — which is impressive. As he acclimates to the NFL game and builds a rapport with Mahomes, his snap share should increase if MVS and Moore do not show something soon.
AMON-RA ST. BROWN AND SAM LAPORTA SHINE
We’ve always had high expectations for Amon-Ra St. Brown, and he delivered with his outstanding usage numbers outlined above, turning in a 6-71-1 line on nine targets. He should be a clear WR1 with top-five upside, as Jared Goff currently lacks a true No. 2 receiver. Most of his work came in the first half, but expect a heavy workload and plenty of targets for St. Brown this year. For a guy who got tackled frequently inside the five-yard line last year, seeing him run one in was a welcomed change.
He’s not fully there yet, but Sam LaPorta had a very encouraging start to his rookie season. He dominated the tight end position regarding snaps and routes run while turning in a respectable five catches for 39 yards. He’s already seeing great usage from the get-go, and the production will seemingly follow as he appears to be the third option in Detroit’s offense behind Josh Reynolds. Reynolds is a name to keep on your radar or potentially stash on your bench while Jameson Williams remains suspended.
ISIAH PACHECO VS CEH
We had a general idea that Isiah Pacheco would be the lead back for the Chiefs, which seems to be the case after Week 1. While no back surpassed 50% of the snaps or routes run, it’s encouraging to see Pacheco getting more receiving work than Jerick McKinnon. Pacheco caught all four of his targets, mostly dump-offs, and was clearly the best overall back with his power running style. However, McKinnon and Clyde Edwards-Helaire won’t go anywhere and will limit Pacheco’s ceiling.
