NFL Nation fantasy implications: What’s next for the Jets?

Week one is over and there’s no shortage of fantasy football news to digest.

Every Tuesday and Saturday throughout the season, ESPN fantasy analyst Eric Moody will ask our NFL Nation reporters their most pressing questions ahead of the weekend and what to think about the implications after games are played. Who is ready for a big performance, who is affected by injuries, what roles may change? Here’s what our crew had to say about the biggest stories that took place after week one and leading into the weekend of week two.

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What will the New York Jets offense look like without Aaron Rodgers?

More conservative and more vanilla. Not only is Zach Wilson relatively inexperienced as a QB, but he is also a neophyte in this offensive system. The coaches will do it again and make him the game manager. In the case of wingers, there will be fewer explosive plays. The running backs may be given more control than they would have with Rodgers at the helm. From a fantasy perspective, each player’s receiving numbers will change significantly, but Breece Hall and Dalvin Cook should see their options increase in the run game. — Rich Cimini

Not only did Rashaad Penny perform well for the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1, but D’Andre Swift played minimal snaps. Were you surprised that Kenneth Gainwell dominated the contact from the back so much?

I got the impression that the Eagles wanted to stick to what was known in the first week. Gainwell earned their trust throughout last season, and that trust was rewarded with 18 contacts with the Patriots. He will still be a big part of the running back offense, but Swift’s role is expected to grow from Thursday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings. Two touches isn’t enough for a point guard like Swift, and the coaches know it. Penny will need to show more in training to get into the running back position. For now, Boston Scott is ahead of him as RB3. — Tim McManus

Without Cooper Kupp, who will be sidelined for at least another three weeks, how much confidence do you have in the performances of Puka Nacua, Tutu Atwell and Kyren Williams in week one?

The performances can be believed, but the target share may become even more even in the coming weeks. Sean McVay said after the game that Van Jefferson (four catches for 24 yards) “will still be a big part of it,” so Nacua might not get 15 targets — seven more than the next pass catcher — each game. McVay and the Rams coaching staff are high on Williams, but Cam Akers will still likely get plenty of opportunities like he did Sunday in Seattle. — Sarah Barshop

Is Joshua Kelley expected to be a regular for the Los Angeles Chargers alongside Austin Ekeler?

Ekeler will never be a mass runner. He’s never actually had 20 carries in any of his 90 NFL career games, so Kelley will serve as a complementary defender. But how often will Kelley see the same number of carries as Ekeler or, more importantly, produce a solid 5.7 yards per attempt on them? It was just the third time Kelley topped 3.5 yards per carry in eight games with 10 or more catches. Treat Kelley as a fantastic playmaker or a flexible option in today’s top matchups, especially since he can always score touchdowns at the goal line to provide a potent Chargers offense. — Daniel Greenspan

With JK Dobbins out this season, how do you expect the Baltimore Ravens backfield interactions between Gus Edwards, Justice Hill and Melvin Gordon III to take place?

Ravens coach John Harbaugh said the team will replace Dobbins by committee, with the primary workload expected to be split between Edwards and Hill. Judging by how Baltimore has handled the linebacker since Dobbins’ injury, Edwards should get most of the snaps early in drives, and Hill will get most of the touches in the red zone. Gordon has plenty of experience, but he has been running behind Edwards and Hill throughout training camp. It will be interesting to see how much the Ravens utilize impressive rookie Keaton Mitchell while he is injured. — Jamison Hensley

How might the increased use of David Montgomery in last Thursday’s game against the Chiefs impact rookie Jahmyr Gibbs’ role and opportunities going forward?

Gibbs was solid in his NFL debut, gaining 60 yards rushing while averaging 6.0 yards rushing. His versatility and explosion were certainly on display in Kansas City, but head coach Dan Campbell said before kickoff that he wouldn’t overload Gibbs in his first game. While fantasy managers might have expected more from the 12th overall pick, the plan is for Gibbs to get more touches now that he has a game under his belt. Gibbs and Montgomery will get used to how the New Orleans Saints have used Mark Ingram II and Alvin Kamara as a two-headed monster in the backfield. So Gibbs’ chances may depend on the matchup or who has the good hand in a given game. — Eric Woodyard

What information can you share about Diontae Johnson’s injury and how do you see the Pittsburgh Steelers adjusting their offense in his absence?

Johnson left the game early in the second half with a hamstring injury after his longest play of the day and was sidelined fairly quickly. Johnson is expected to be sidelined “a few weeks” with a hamstring injury he suffered, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Tuesday. The winger has had a history of soft tissue injuries, particularly early in the season, and these types of injuries are particularly difficult to treat. It should be noted that Allen Robinson II will have a larger role on offense, as he did in the second half of Sunday’s loss to the 49ers. — Brooke Pryor

Is the usage split between Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier that we saw in Week 1 what we should expect from the Atlanta Falcons on a regular basis?

You won’t like this answer, but that will be an unknown. This is due to many, many factors – from Arthur Smith’s weekly play, to match scripts, to the eventual return of Cordarrelle Patterson, who was also an effective goal-line striker last season. It’s clear that both Robinson and Allgeier will continue to play big roles; Robinson as a versatile player who can position himself anywhere in the attack, and Allgeier as a forward who can play effectively on screens and short passes. Throughout his three years in Atlanta, Smith has made it clear that he doesn’t care about fantasy production, only real-life wins, so his game plans will reflect that on a weekly basis. — Michael Rothstein

Do you think the Kansas City Chiefs’ decision to use all seven wingers against the Lions last Thursday is indicative of a trend that will continue for the rest of the season?

It’s hard to imagine that they will play with seven players in all 17 matches. It’s quite possible that this is the case for now, as all seven of them have specific roles based on their particular skills. At some point, however, the most inexperienced of their wingers, Rashee Rice and Justyn Ross, will be able to expand their roles, and it seems likely that the Chiefs will cut this group down to a more manageable number on game day. — Adam Teicher

With Jakobi Meyers sidelined with a head injury, who do you think will most likely benefit the Las Vegas Raiders’ offense?

Sure, the easy answer is All-Pro Davante Adams, but he’ll always get his due. Hello, Hunter Renfrow. Forgotten in the Raiders’ game plan during their 17-16 victory in Denver – the former Pro Bowl player was never targeted against the Broncos – Renfrow believes he’s putting more emphasis anyway. However, if Meyers is out, it only makes sense for new QB Jimmy Garoppolo to look for the mercurial Renfrow underneath. For the first time in Renfrow’s 57-game career, he wasn’t targeted, let alone left off the stat sheet, so a big bounce-back is expected after he played a career-low 13 snaps. — Paul Gutierrez

How will the Tennessee Titan’s hits be split between Derrick Henry and Tyjae Spears?

Last week, the Titans strayed from their tradition of giving Henry the ball in the fourth quarter in close games. Henry had only three carries for two yards in the fourth quarter. What’s more surprising about all of this is that rookie Tyjae Spears played 33 snaps in the game, while Henry had only 28. Titans coach Mike Vrabel said Henry’s limited number of touches in New Orleans was out of the norm and vowed to make that he will play a big role in the attack. Offensive coordinator Tim Kelly said he “would be a fool to run away from what the Titans do best” when asked about Henry being the focal point of the offense during training camp. Expect Henry to get most of the carries, but the passing game will feature Spears. — Turron Davenport

The Jacksonville Jaguars mainly played Christian Kirk in their game against the Colts on Sunday. Will this situation continue for the rest of the season?

Yes, and that was the plan from the beginning. Kirk completed 73% of his routes from the slot last season (according to NFL NextGen Stats), but head coach Doug Pederson has said he wants Kirk to work primarily out of the slot and Calvin Ridley to work primarily outside in 2023. It worked. in the first game – 20 of Kirk’s 22 runs came from the slot – and that should continue to be the case for the rest of the season barring any injuries. — Michael DiRocco

Do you have any concerns about the Cincinnati Bengals’ offense after Sunday’s game against the Browns?

The level of concern is moderate. Some of Cincinnati’s problems can be attributed to a number of unique factors that occurred in Week 1: a terrible matchup against the Browns, a very wet day that limited the passing attack and a slippery field that could have been dangerous for a quarterback dealing with a calf problem. The final question, however, is why there are concerns. After the game, quarterback Joe Burrow said his right calf was “good enough.” Dry game and field may give a better indicator of Nora’s health. However, the calf strain that forced him to miss almost six weeks could pose a problem in the future. — Honey, I’m home