There’s an unremarkable line from the 1991 classic “Cape Fear” that finally hit home for the Fantasy Madman. Sam Bowden (played by Nick Nolte) tells Max Cady (Robert De Niro), “You’re gonna be hurting like you never dreamed.”
Bowden didn’t deliver on that promise, at least not how he envisioned. But 2024 has your back, Sammy — decades later and with a different victim.
The Madman got beat up, smashed, left for dead, hurting like we’ve never dreamed following the first week of the season. It felt like every single player we touted went belly-up. Now the mission is to determine which of those were merely flesh wounds, and which are going to leave a lasting scar on our roster.
Should we enhance our calm, or hit the panic button?
CALM: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions WR
Was invisible in Week 1, but this offense is too good for him to stay that way, and Jameson Williams isn’t going to have a breakout game every week.
PANIC: Terry McLaurin, Commanders WR
Was invisible in Week 1, plus his rookie QB is quick to run and was bottom-third in pass attempts — especially troubling for a team that was trailing all day. This does not look like a steady-volume environment.
CALM: Mark Andrews, Ravens TE
He missed a ton of practice time after a car crash. As good as Isaiah Likely is, Andrews should remain the Ravens’ top tight end — but also, this is a rare TE handcuff situation.
PANIC: Travis Etienne, Jaguars RB
Virtual even split with Tank Bigsby. We expect Etienne to still have an advantage long-term, but it seems clear that edge will be much smaller than in the past. Wait for a big game, then immediately put Etienne on the trading block.
CALM: Marvin Harrison Jr., Cardinals WR
Rookie QBs weren’t the only newbies to deliver opening-week duds. Look, Greg Dortch isn’t going to lead the team in receiving most weeks, and Trey McBride won’t always lead in targets. Harrison is gonna get his share, it just might take a few weeks to get fully up to speed.
PANIC: Diontae Johnson, Panthers WR
Well, not just Diontae, anyone on the Carolina roster, really. Bryce Young looks like an epic disaster, Johnson was unable to produce even in the best of game scripts, and he didn’t dominate the target share in the manner we hoped. Lock him to your bench, with a finger on the eject button.
CALM: Chris Olave, Saints WR
Nothing to worry about here. The Saints got up early and didn’t need to throw. That won’t happen often.
PANIC: Amari Cooper, Browns WR
Similar to Johnson, Cooper looks like he is going to be a victim of putrid QB play.
CALM: Evan Engram, Jaguars TE
Maybe it was the Tyreek Hill pregame run-in with the cops, maybe it was the heat, maybe it was Mike McDaniel’s new hip hairdo, maybe it was Maybelline, but Jags-Dolphins was just a weird game. Trevor Lawrence attempted the fewest passes of any Week 1 starter other than Anthony Richardson. Future games will be less weird, and Engram will be more productive.
PANIC*: Joe Burrow, Bengals QB
This one comes with a *temporary asterisk. Last season, he averaged 8.4 (QB31) over the first four weeks. In the next five (before he was injured), he averaged 22.2 (QB6). He had a similar slow start in 2021. Lump in Ja’Marr Chase sitting out during training camp and Tee Higgins’ injury, and it could be a few weeks before we see peak Burrow.
Get low
Devin Singletary RB, Giants
Virtually everything about the Giants looked abysmal, but we did like one thing: Singletary’s volume. He can be the 2024 version of 2023 Chuba Hubbard — an OK RB on a terrible offense.
Drake London WR, Falcons
Nope, we didn’t like what we saw from the revamped Atlanta offense either. But this unit will get better over time — though the Ray-Ray McCloud usage felt like a visit from the ghost of Arthur Smith.
DK Metcalf WR, Seahawks
Another who struggled in a new offensive system. Another who we think will turn it around. Tyler Lockett led the team in targets but is its third-best WR, and not every game will be so Kenneth Walker-dominant.
Tyler Johnson WR, Rams
Puka Nacua will miss at least 4 weeks, and Johnson is the best next-man-up option. But keep in mind, in the past this hasn’t always materialized — Tutu Atwell, Van Jefferson, Josh Reynolds, etc.
Trade high
Rhamondre Stevenson RB, Patriots
Good news: He shared much less with Antonio Gibson than feared. But the Pats surprisingly played with a lead all day, which means the volume isn’t reliable.
J.K. Dobbins RB, Chargers
Gus Edwards got half the work, and he is built to be the goal-line/short-yardage RB. Considering Dobbins’ injury history, as good a time as any to shop him to see if someone will overpay in trade.
Betting on the NFL?
Stefon Diggs WR, Texans
The Texans have a new No. 1 WR! Whoa, pull on those reins, you jolly rancher. Nico Collins and Tank Dell both got more targets, Diggs just happened to score the TDs. This is going to be a three-headed crapshoot each week. Look for an overly eager trade partner.
Jayden Reed WR, Packers
Hello … hello. Echo … echo. That thing we just said about Diggs … Diggs. We think the same thing about Reed … Reed.
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