Broncos 21, Panthers 20
vs. 
The Super Bowl 50 rematch was a very similar outcome to the game in February, with the Denver Broncos defense containing 2015 NFL MVP Cam Newton. The Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers 21-20 on Thursday night to kick off the 2016 NFL season. C.J. Anderson carried the ball 20 times for 92 yards and a touchdown and caught four passes for 47 yards and another touchdown. Anderson certainly made Trevor Siemian’s job easier in his first career start. Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas had 49 and 48 receiving yards, respectively, for the Broncos. Cam Newton wasn’t stellar, but didn’t have the explosive games that Panthers fans and fantasy football owners were accustomed to in 2015. Newton finished with 194 yards passing with one touchdown and one interception, and had 54 yards rushing with a touchdown. The big story were the hits, many of them helmet-to-helmet, on Newton that weren’t followed by a flag. A bright spot for Carolina was the return of one of Newton’s favorite targets, Kelvin Benjamin, who finished with six catches for 91 yards and a score. Tight end Greg Olsen finished with 73 yards receiving for the Panthers. The real story was the defense in this game, where Super Bowl 50 MVP Von Miller picked up where he left off and recorded a sack on Newton. Both teams should be optimistic about making a long playoff run again in 2016.
Ravens 13, Bills 7
vs. 
The Baltimore Ravens looked more like the 2005 Ravens, which is a good thing for Ravens fans, as they defeated the Buffalo Bills 13-7 in a defensive battle. Quarterback Joe Flacco three for over 250 yards and one touchdown to receiver Mike Wallace. The Bills will need more from Tyrod Taylor, who three for just 111 yards in the loss. Sammy Watkins led the team with 43 yards on four catches. LeSean McCoy rushed for 58 yards and a touchdown for Buffalo. Fantasy football owners could not have been happy if they were tracking players from this game.
Buccaneers 31, Falcons 24
vs. 
2015 NFL Rookie of the Year Jameis Winston continued his ascension to stardom with a 281 yard, four touchdown performance in a win over their NFC South rival Atlanta Falcons. The Buccaneers won 31-24 and continue their dominance over Matt Ryan and the Falcons. Ryan had a strong game, finishing with 334 yards and two touchdowns, one to star wideout Julio Jones. Atlanta had no ground threat, as the Bucs bottled up running backs Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman. Tampa Bay had four different receivers catch a touchdown pass from Winston, including top target Mike Evans, who had five catches 99 yards. Doug Martin rushed for 62 yards and caught five passes for 34 yards.
Vikings 25, Titans 16
vs. 
The Tennessee Titans turned the ball over three times in a 25-16 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings opened the 2016 season without starting quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who injured his knee during practice in the final week of preseason. The Vikings missed Bridgewater’s presence, as the offense failed to score a touchdown. Blair Walsh made four field goals and fill-in quarterback Shaun Hill managed the game for Minnesota. Fantasy football fans were expecting Adrian Peterson to run wild for the Vikings, but he finished with just 31 yards on 19 carries. Stefon Diggs caught seven passes for 103 yards. Expect newly-acquired quarterback Sam Bradford to step in for the Vikings in their week 2 matchup with the Green Bay Packers. The Titans’ Marcus Mariota threw for over 270 yards and two touchdowns, but did throw a pick-6 in the 2nd half. DeMarco Murray ran for just 42 yards and Tennessee didn’t use highly-touted rookie Derrick Henry enough for him to make an impact. Murray did catch five passes for 35 yards and two touchdowns.
Packers 27, Jaguars 23
vs. 
The Green Bay Packers held on in 100+ degree on-field temperatures in Jacksonville to beat the Jaguars 27-23. In Jordy Nelson’s first game since tearing his ACL last preseason he caught six passes for 32 yards and a touchdown. Aaron Rodgers threw for 199 yards and two touchdowns, and also ran in a score in the first quarter. Coming off of a disappointing 2015 season, Davante Adams caught three passes for 50 yards and a huge touchdown leading into halftime. Randall Cobb had six catches for 57 yards and Eddie Lacy showed flashes of dominance while rushing for 61 yards. The Jaguars have a lot to build from in a promising start to the 2016 season. Blake Bortles threw for over 300 yards and a touchdown to Julius Thomas. His top targets Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns finished with 72 and 75 yards, respectively. T.J. Yeldon filled in for the late scratch of Chris Ivory and rushed for a touchdown and had 69 total yards.
Texans 23, Bears 14
vs. 
Quarterback Brock Osweiler won his Houston Texans debut 23-14 over the Chicago Bears. Osweiler found rookie wide receiver Will Fuller five times for 107 yards and a touchdown and finished the opener with 231 yards passing and two touchdowns. His top target, DeAndre Hopkins, caught five passes for 54 yards and a touchdown. Texans fans and fantasy football owners have to feel good about Lamar Miller’s role in the offense as he finishes with 106 yards rushing on 28 carries. Former top overall pick Jadeveon Clowney had a strong game defensively, with a sack on Bears quarterback Jay Cutler. Jay Cutler struggled to open the 2016 season, finishing with 216 yards and a touchdown and interception. Alshon Jeffery caught passes for 105 yards, but Bears fans and fantasy football owners are hoping for more than three catches for 34 yards from Kevin White. Jeremy Langford carried the ball 17 times for 57 yards and a touchdown.
Eagles 29, Browns 10
vs. 
Second overall pick Carson Wentz was forced into starting for the Philadelphia Eagles after the abrupt trade of Sam Bradford to the Vikings. Wentz had a strong NFL debut completing 22-37 passes for 278 yards and two touchdowns in a 29-10 win over the Cleveland Browns. Wentz found receiver Jordan Matthews seven times for 114 yards and a touchdown. Ryan Matthews rushed for 77 yards and scored once on the ground. A shoulder injury spoiled what was supposed to be Robert Griffin III’s return as a starting quarterback; Griffin finished the game throwing for 190 yards and an interception. Isaiah Crowell rushed for 62 yards and a touchdown for the Browns. Rookie wide receiver Corey Coleman displayed his big-play ability catching two passes for 69 yards.
Bengals 23, Jets 22
vs. 
Mike Nugent’s 47-yard field goal with under a minute to play gave the Cincinnati Bengals a 23-22 road victory over the New York Jets. Quarterback Andy Dalton connected with A.J. Green 12 times for 180 yards and a touchdown. Dalton threw for 366 yards and the Bengals picked on Jets’ cornerback Darelle Revis, who covered Green for much of the game. Jeremy Hill rushed for just 31 yards, but did find the end zone in the second half. Matt Forte had a strong debut for New York, pleasing Jets fans and fantasy football owners with 96 yards rushing and 59 yards receiving. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 189 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Eric Decker caught one of the touchdown passes, but the Jets will need more than Brandon Marshall’s three catches for 32 yards performance on Sunday.
Raiders 35, Saints 34
vs. 
Fantasy football owners love a shootout, and the Oakland Raiders gutsy 35-34 win over the New Orleans Saints was just that. Raiders coach Jack Del Rio boldly decided to go for two, rather than give Drew Brees the ball again and play for overtime, and it paid off. Drew Brees was able to throw the ball all over the field, passing for 423 yards and four touchdowns. Brees’ top targets, Bradin Cooks and Willie Snead, had monster fantasy football games. Snead caught nine passes for 172 yards and one touchdown and Cooks had six catches for 143 yards and two touchdowns. Rookie wide receiver Michael Thomas had a strong debut, catching six passes for 58 yards. The Raiders rising star combination of Derek Carr and Amari Cooper opened the 2016 on a good note, connecting six times for 137 yards. Carr had 319 yards passing and one touchdown. Michael Crabtree had seven catches for 87 yards receiving. Everyone is hoping for a little more from running back Latavious Murray, who finished with 59 yards on 14 carries and a touchdown.
Chiefs 33, Chargers 27 (OT)
vs. 
The comeback of week 1 happened at Arrowhead Stadium, as the Kansas City Chiefs overcame a 21-point defecit in the second half to beat their AFC West rival San Diego Chargers 33-27 in overtime. With Jamaal Charles out for Kansas City, Spencer Ware stepped in and fantasy football owners who placed Ware in their lineup were rewarded by his monster game. Ware rushed for 70 yards on 11 carries with a touchdown and caught seven passes for 129 yards. So much for Alex Smith being labeled a game-manager, as he completed 34-48 passes for 363 yards and two touchdowns. The Chargers and quarterback Philip Rivers thought the game locked up as they took a 27-10 lead early in the fourth quarter. Rivers finished with 243 yards and a touchdown, but lost top receiver Keenan Allen to a devastating season-ending knee injury. San Diego’s rushing attack is off to a promising start, with second-year running back Melvin Gordon scoring twice on the ground and Danny Woodhead rushing for 89 yards and catching five passes for 31 yards and a touchdown.
Seahawks 12, Dolphins 10
vs. 
It looked like the Seattle Seahawks had hit the snooze button to start the 2016 season, squeaking out a tight 12-10 win over the Miami Dolphins at home. The “12th Man” at CenturyLink Field had to be wondering when the Seahawks offense was going to show up. A banged-up Russell Wilson connected with Doug Baldwin for a 2-yard touchdown pass with less than a minute to play to put the Seahawks up for good. Wilson finished with 258 passing yards with one touchdown and an interception and found Baldwin nine times for 92 yards. The Seahawks defense allowed Miami only 254 yards and 11 first downs. Ryan Tannehill didn’t turn the ball over and threw for 186 yards and ran in the Dolphins’ only touchdown. Arian Foster’s Dolphins debut ended with 38 yards rushing and 62 receiving yards. Jarvis Landry was a hot fantasy football name and he finished with seven catches for 59 yards.
Lions 39, Colts 35
vs. 
In what would be considered the upset of week 1 of the 2016 NFL season, the Detroit Lions won a shootout with the Indianapolis Colts, 39-35. Quarterbacks Matthew Stafford and Andrew Luck put on a show and rewarded fantasy football owners who drafted them, combining for seven touchdown passes on the Indy turf. The Lions’ Stafford finished completing 31-39 passes for 340 yards and three touchdowns in Detroit’s first game without future Hall of Fame receiver Calvin Johnson. Stafford completed seven passes to Golden Tate (41 yards) and connected with Marvin Jones four times for 85 yards. Detroit running backs Ameer Abdullah and Theo Riddick combined for three total touchdowns. You can’t blame Andrew Luck for the Colts loss, as he threw for 385 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for 21 yards. Luck threw three touchdowns to tight ends Dwayne Allen (1) and Jack Doyle (2). Top targets T.Y. Hilton and Donte Moncrief had solid season debuts, catching for 79 and 64 yards, respectively. Moncrief caught a 2-yard touchdown pass late in the first half.
Giants 20, Cowboys 19
vs. 
A tough divisional game to start the 2016 NFL season has the Dallas Cowboys looking up at the New York Giants in the NFC East standings after a 20-19 finish. The Cowboys were looking to set up for a Dan Bailey game-winning field goal, but receiver Terrance Williams failed to get out of bounds as the final seconds ticked away. New York’s Eli Manning connected with Victor Cruz for a three-yard touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter to the Giants ahead; Manning finished 19-28 for 207 yards and three touchdowns. Fantasy football fans saw receiver Odell Beckham Jr. projected in the top-3 and he had a solid, not stellar, performance catching four passes for 73 yards. Rookie Sterling Shepard caught three passes for 43 yards and a touchdown. All eyes were on the Cowboys’ prized rookie Ezekiel Elliott, who found the end zone and rushed for 51 yards. Wide receiver Dez Bryant was held to one catch for eight yards as he and rookie quarterback Dak Prescott (25-45, 227 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT) look to get on the same page entering week 2. Jason Witten caught nine passes for 66 yards in the loss.
Patriots 23, Cardinals 21
vs. 
The Patriots found a way to win on the road without quarterback Tom Brady (serving 4-game suspension) and All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski against an NFC favorite Arizona Cardinals team. Jimmy Garoppolo filled in nicely for Brady, completing 24-33 passes for 264 yards and a touchdown in the Patriots 23-21 victory. Chris Hogan caught three passes for 60 yards and a touchdown and Julian Edelman had seven catches for 66 yards. Carson Palmer and the Cardinals didn’t play terribly, as he finished 24-37 for 271 yards and two touchdown passes to Larry Fitzgerald (eight catches for 81 yards). Cardinals fans and fantasy football owners should feel good about running back David Johnson after he rushed for 89 yards and a touchdown to go along with four catches for 43 yards. These two teams could have a much more meaningful matchup in February.
Steelers 38, Redskins 16
vs. 
The Pittsburgh Steelers are playing without a lot of offensive weapons, but that didn’t stop them from dominating the Washington Redskins on Monday Night Football. The Steelers were balanced on both sides of the ball, and the lethal combination of Ben Rothlisberger-to-Antonio Brown lived up to its billing. Antonio Brown rewarded fantasy football owners who drafted him with the top overall pick by catching eight passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns. Rothlisberger completed 27-37 passes for 300 yards and three touchdowns. While star running back Le’Veon Bell serves his three-game suspension, DeAngelo Williams carries the load for Pittsburgh. Williams exploded for 143 yards and two rushing touchdowns and caught six passes for 28 yards. The Redskins could never match the Steelers offensive production, and scored just one touchdown. Kirk Cousins finished 30-43 with 329 yards but threw two touchdowns in the loss. DeSean Jackson had a strong season opener catching six passes for 102 yards. Tight end Jordan Reed is a fantasy football favorite and fans shouldn’t be discouraged after a seven catch, 64-yard performance.
49ers 28, Rams 0
vs. 
The San Francisco 49ers dominated the Los Angeles Rams 28-0 on a national stage in the double-header of Monday Night Football. The Rams managed just ten first downs and watched 49ers running back Carlos Hyde run over them for 88 yards and two touchdowns. Rams star running back Todd Gurley was held to 47 yards rushing on 17 carries. The Rams first game after moving back to Los Angeles from St. Louis didn’t go well, and Rams fans will be anxiously awaiting the top pick of the 2016 NFL Draft, Jared Goff, to take over at quarterback. Blaine Gabbert controlled the game for San Francisco (22-35, 170 yards, 1 TD) and left no reason for the 49ers to turn to Colin Kaepernick, who has stolen headlines more for his decision to sit or kneel during the National Anthem than for his play.
