The start of September means that another NFL season is upon us. With that comes everyone's favorite thing to argue about during their Monday classes: fantasy football. Week 1 always has the Booms, players who overperform their projected stats, and the Dooms, who fall short of high expectations.

Booms

Saquan Barkley

On Friday night, Barkley kicked off his career as an Eagle with a monumental performance in Brazil. Saquan overcame the rough grass situation in Sao Paulo and dominated on the ground. He helped bring a new-look Eagles offense to a win in a 34-29 thriller versus the Packers. He totaled 24 carries for 109 yards and two rushing touchdowns, coupled with two catches for 23 yards and a receiving touchdown, for 33.2 points per reception (PPR) fantasy points.

Cooper Kupp

Cooper Kupp during Sunday Night Football

Kupp showed up on primetime Sunday night in a harsh road environment in Detroit. His stat line took a boost with the injury to his fellow all-pro wide receiver Puka Nacua, allowing him to garner an absurd 21 targets and 14 receptions. He averaged 7.9 yards per catch, totaling 110 yards and a touchdown. He had 32 PPR points, helping many fantasy owners gain a considerable lead before Monday Night Football.

Bears D/ST

The Bears defense celebrating a big play

In first-round overall pick Caleb Williams's first career game, the Bears won 24-17 over the Titans in comeback fashion. Despite a lackluster performance, he became the first number-one overall pick to win his career debut since 2002. The Bears defense had two interceptions, a fumble recovery, a blocked punt, three sacks, and two touchdowns. Those numbers were good for 26 fantasy points, five more than any other fantasy defense in week one.

Dooms

Marvin Harrison Jr.

Marvin Harrison Jr. in his NFL Debut

The son of Hall of Fame wide receiver Marvin Harrison Sr. was one of the most hyped-up prospects in recent memory, but unfortunately, his debut did not go according to plan. He garnered one catch for four yards, accumulating only 1.4 PPR fantasy points, despite the Cardinals vs Bills game being a 34-28 shootout win for Buffalo. However, this shouldn’t be too big of a concern for fantasy owners of Harrison, as rookie wide receivers across the league (other than the Chiefs’ Xavier Worthy) underperformed.

Amon-Ra St. Brown

Amon-Ra St. Brown struggles against the Rams

The sun god Amon-Ra performed nearly opposite to his week one opponent, Cooper Kupp. St. Brown put up a lackluster three catches for only 13 yards, totaling only 4.3 PPR points in week one. The Lion's run game looked dominant, with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs reaching paydirt, and when they did put the ball in the hands of Jared Goff, his number one target was third-year wide receiver Jameson Williams.

Dalton Kincaid

Dalton Kincaid in his home-opener against the Cardinals

Marvin Harrison Jr. was not the only offensive underperformer in the Cardinals vs. Bills matchup. In the Bills’ comeback victory versus the Cardinals, the tight end only managed one catch for 12 yards, totaling only 2.1 PPR points, 11 below his projection before the game. This slow performance comes with an extra surprise, as many thought that Kincaid would be quarterback Josh Allen’s number-one target after the exit of both Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis in the offseason.

The Weeks to Come

Week one of the NFL season brought big surprises in fantasy football, as it always does, but it’s vital not to overreact. Strong performances from stars like Saquon Barkley are promising, but one week doesn’t define the season. Disappointments like Marvin Harrison Jr. aren’t reasons to panic, either. Stay patient, watch for trends, and adjust wisely for long-term success.