It has been a surprising start to the NFL season. The Minnesota Vikings are one of three undefeated teams, the Los Angeles Rams are in last place in the NFC West and the Dallas Cowboys are not playing great football. That last note might not be much of a surprise. What is surprising is that the Cowboys challenged an incomplete pass late in the fourth quarter when George Pickens just missed on a connection with Dak Prescott.
I mean, come on Dallas. You thought you were going to win a challenge on a dubious catch interpretation at Lambeau Field? Do you not even know your own history? That's like pretending you didn't realize Tom Landry wore fedoras on the sideline.
But my favorite storyline so far this season is the Cleveland Browns, a team that could finish with a top-10 pick in next year's draft. To be fair, that's not normally surprising for the Browns, but the real surprise is that it's the pick they received from the Rams in the Myles Garrett trade. I mean, if the Browns make the playoffs and get a top-10 pick, that might be the biggest moment in Cleveland sports history since the Miz won his first WWE title in 2010.
The only problem I have with the Browns -- alright, fine, not the only one -- is that they don't have a truly reliable fantasy option. I suppose it could be rookie WR Denzel Boston, who has a great matchup this week against Tennessee Titans cornerback Cor'Dale Flott, who has allowed 1.72 yards per route covered. Boston also has six end zone targets. A great play for traditional fantasy leagues and not a bad option for an anytime touchdown, either.
Here are some other notes that you might find useful this week.
Quarterback notes
C.J. Stroud is a quarterback you can rely on for the rest of the season. And the Houston Texans' matchup with the New York Giants this week is great. The Giants allow more than 18 fantasy points per game to the position and nearly nine air yards per attempt. It's a great spot for Stroud, and you can start him the rest of the way.
We've loved Aaron Rodgers ... well, at least for fantasy purposes over the last month. We started to see some worrying signs last week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, although a late rally allowed him to have a decent fantasy performance. But the New Orleans Saints have recorded 19 sacks and 6.4 yards per attempt this season. I'm not saying you need to bench him, but the Pittsburgh Steelers' matchup is not quite as appealing as it might seem.
Running back notes
I keep hearing the Las Vegas Raiders' Ashton Jeanty isn't so efficient. He has the highest stuff rate among qualifying running backs this season, but his receiving yardage makes him extremely valuable.
Chase Brown has been a disappointment. His 3.5 yard per carry keeps his ceiling low. But he's another runner who can remain valuable because of his receiving production. Let's see what the Cincinnati Bengals do after the bye week before we make any big moves.
Wide receiver notes
If you're looking to make a trade, might I suggest the Atlanta Falcons' Drake London? It seems a little weird, but would you believe he's underperforming just a bit? He has 550 receiving yards, no touchdowns and just two red zone targets. But he does have a 28.8% target share and 3.7 yards per route run this season. The touchdown progression will happen, and London is going to be one of the most targeted receivers down the stretch.
Meanwhile, I'd look to move Nico Collins if I had the chance. Collins is averaging 18.4 fantasy points per game on 29 targets in four games and has a target share under 15%. It's way too touchdown- and big-play dependent. And now that we have Marvin Harrison Jr. running similar routes and Tank Dell getting healthy, Collin's production is going to be extremely volatile.
Jalen Coker has been pretty great this year, and it looks like he and Tetairoa McMillan are the 1A and 1B of the Carolina Panthers receiving corps. Did you know that 32% of Coker's routes result in a target?
Matthew Golden was my top receiver entering the 2025 NFL draft, and he has lived up to that promise so far this season. The Detroit Lions are 31st against the pass this season, and Golden has a 14.4 ADoT, nine red zone and seven end zone targets for the Green Bay Packers this season.
Tight end notes
I would love to see that translated for Tucker Kraft at some point this year. If it doesn't happen against a Lions defense that has struggled mightily against tight ends this year, it's not happening at all this year.
It was awesome watching Kyle Pitts Sr. score a pair of touchdowns last week. If you had him on the bench last week, keep him there. The San Francisco 49ers are the toughest against tight ends this season.