NFL Week 1 Dynasty Detour

NFL action kicked off this week, which means there is a lot to look at. We’re sure you’ve been seeing stuff all over, but we dug through it all to get you the early analysis on every 2025 NFL squad. It’s time to make moves, before it’s too late… Let’s hit the Detour.

-- Dynasty Detour Ryan

📝 Traffic Report

Week 1 meant our first look at some situations, a temp check on players on the rise and fall, and some injuries. Let’s look at the biggest news, and what it means your squad should do.

🌦️ Getting Stormy in Miami

The Colts absolutely thrashed the Fins on Sunday, leading to lots of justified speculation that Miami could be headed for a rebuild. Not to say I told you so, but on July 24th, I literally told you “The Dolphins seem headed towards a rebuild”. What does it mean for their assets? Let’s break it down:

Here’s what a Miami rebuild looks like if things can’t be turned around:

• Mike McDaniel is fired by season’s end. The Dolphins likely pivot to a different offensive strategy. That means Achane 📉 

• Tua is released after the 2026 season using the team option that spares the Dolphins another 2 years and $120M spent on the QB. His replacement may be drafted as soon as this next draft.

• Tyreek Hill is traded for scraps to a contender. His ceiling and floor probably fall, depending on situation, and retirement probably comes very soon. Jaylen Waddle gets to be WR1 and has some solid weeks when he can stay healthy.

This is no sure thing, but it is a very real possibility that should be baked into your value on these guys. Even were they to turn it around, I’m not sure this team is built for the long haul. Except for Waddle, everyone on this team is a sell for me.

 🏆️ Record Setting Rookie Tight Ends

Tyler Warren (7 rec. on 9 targets, 1 rush, 79 tot. yards) and Harold Fannin Jr. (7 rec. on 9 targets, 66 rec. yards) simultaneously set the record for Week 1 receptions by a rookie tight end. It looked a little different for both, but here’s what I took away from both:

• Tyler Warren - Warren was an obvious favorite of Daniel Jones’ in his break out game that has the whole league talking. Dynasty Detour Tom will talk about him later, but I will say this: he looked good, but let’s not crown him the next Geno/Darnold/Baker type rebirth. Either way, the offense looks like it’s going to be at least functional, and that Warren is a focal point for it. We’ve seen how Jones can pepper the middle of the field, and Warren is going to be the main benefactor. He’s a buy at cost, but I’m sure his owners want a premium right now. I don’t hate buying even at that cost if you like how he looks, I’d personally like to see him against a real defense first.

• Harold Fannin Jr. - The Division 1 leader in targets and receptions last year, Fannin was no stranger to volume. The most shocking part to me was that he saw this volume with quality tight end and longtime Browns weapon David Njoku (3/6, 37 yards) on the field. I think Njoku will keep Fannin from being all that consistent this year, but with 45 throws out of Flacco in a game the Browns weren’t way behind him makes me think Fannin could have some big outings. Fannin’s a buy right now for the long term if his owners aren’t too fired up.

🚑️ Injury Report

Unsurprisingly we saw some injuries this week. Here’s what we know and what to do about it:

• Xavier Worthy - Return depends on if something ripped or chipped, we still don’t know. Guessing they take their time with him and he misses a couple of weeks. Mahomes got it done without he and Worthy, but I don’t trust Hollywood to get it done like this week consistently.

• George Kittle - Out ~3 weeks with hamstring. I wouldn’t be surprised if it ends up being a few more. Jake Tonges got some love in his absence, but I don’t think any 49ers TE is worth the grab, let alone start.

• Brock Purdy - Questionable for Week 2 with shoulder and toe problems. Already down Aiyuk and Kittle, potentially no Jennings. Don’t hate showing him the bench if you have a solid QB in waiting and he does play.

• Jauan Jennings - Shoulder not big concern, should go this week. If Purdy plays, Jennings could have some upside without Kittle.

• Chris Olave - Evaluated in medical tent twice for chest injury but returned to action. Was absolutely peppered while out there, but clearly as fragile as ever. I’d sell if at all possible.

• Brock Bowers - could miss a week or two, might be good to go Sunday. Receivers get a bump, Mayer potentially worth a start without him if he’s out.

• Chris Godwin - Technically week to week, but probably just out until Week 5. Egbuka was big play dependent last week, but worth a start until he shows you otherwise while Godwin’s out.

• Evan Engram - Calf issue may cost him a couple of weeks. Makes me concerned that this is the new normal for Engram, but doesn’t change how I feel about Denver, except maybe liking Sutton’s red zone potential a little more.

• Joe Mixon - Saw a new specialist for foot injury. Might be this year’s CMC. Grabbing Chubb for cheap is fine with me, but don’t go crazy. Offense looked kind of rough.

-- Dynasty Detour Ryan

🚦 Scouting Stoplight

Reading signals and shifting gears - here are 5 players we’re going to give the green, yellow, and red light to for dynasty…

🟢 Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB WAS - 10 carries, 82 yards, 1 TD

• BILL. BILL. BILL. Bill-ievers everywhere rejoice, as Dynasty Detour Ryan puts his head in his hands. How could you not be thrilled with Bill’s performance? As expected, it was a fairly even split between JCM and Ekeler in terms of touches, but Bill stole the show with a sweet jump cut before running in for a 6 yard score. The 7th rounder followed that up with a 42 yard gain flashing his explosiveness.

• While Ekeler only had 6 carries, he owned all of the receiving work and looked good doing so. However, if you’re like me, you’re not expecting Bill to be a fantasy star year 1. The 30 year old Ekeler will be a free agent in 2026, and if JCM owns the backfield of a rising offense with ROY Jayden Daniels… the sky is the limit.

🟢 Daniel Jones, QB IND - 272 passing yards, 26 rushing yards, 3 TDs

• Daniel freakin’ Jones. A few weeks ago I wrote this piece, where I tried to predict who could be the next Sam Darnold/Baker Mayfield/Geno Smith. My pick? Daniel Jones. Now I won’t go victory lapping just yet, (maybe victory walking), but a fantastic start for the Colts QB.

• Josh Allen. Justin Fields. The only two Quarterbacks to outscore Dimes in week 1. With the best supporting cast he’s had since… ever, good things could be in line for Jones truthers. Also, how about a pseudo-green light for Tyler Warren & Michael Pittman with a true passer of the football under center. Maybe I’m overselling a win over the Dolphins… but I don’t care. Vanilla Vick is here!

   

 🔴 Kenneth Walker, RB SEA - 10 carries, 20 yards | 3 catches, 1 yard

• Kenneth Walker - 40% of the snaps. Zach Charbonnet - 54% of the snaps. Need I say more? I try not to overreact to 1 week of football but it’s certainly concerning. Not only did Charbo lead the team in touches, but he also looked like the better back.

• After an exciting rookie season, we’ve seen Walker’s yards per attempt fall nearly half a yard each season. The explosive burst that was there in 2022… seems to have gone missing. I’m smashing the panic button here, as I wouldn’t be terribly surprised if we see a changing of the guard at RB for Seattle.

   

 🟡 Keon Coleman, WR BUF - 8 receptions, 112 yards, 1 TD

• A little over a year ago I selected Keon Coleman with the hopes of big things. Potential to be the #1 target in Josh Allen’s offense? Sign me up. Clearly, that did not come into fruition and perhaps the warning signs were there. We knew Coleman to be a raw prospect coming out of FSU, and not everyone can make the leap as fast as Jefferson, Chase & Nabers.

• One game into the season and it looks like we could have the player we hope for. Not only did he lead the team in targets, receptions, and yards, but he was creating separation and was even trusted for a jump ball on MASSIVE 2 pt conversion.

• Why the yellow light? His TD was fluky (still a heck of a play). I don’t expect Josh Allen to be throwing the ball 46 times a game in the run heavy Buffalo scheme. Khalil Shakir, Dalton Kincaid, and Josh Palmer are still competing for targets. Should we be excited? Hell yes. But let’s give it a few more weeks to see how this target share shakes out. 

-- Dynasty Detour Tom

🚘 A Look Under The Hood

Overshadowed, but not forgotten: The Jets Offense might have already shifted into high gear 🍏

Yes, the Jets’ 34–32 loss to the Steelers was eclipsed by the Aaron Rodgers’ 4-TD spectacle and Pittsburgh’s dramatic win. But dynasty players shouldn’t overlook what they saw from this offense: Justin Fields, Breece Hall, and Garrett Wilson all balled out.

Before getting into it, I need to stress one thing: This Steelers defense is supposed to be good. The Steelers defense gave up the 7th lowest points per game last season when the defense was on the field. They returned one of the best D-Lines, while also adding household name veterans Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay (although trading away Minkah Fitzpatrick).

• TL;DR the betting markets predicted a Jets point total around 17 points against a stout Steelers defense… they scored 32. That should make your ears perk up.

Let’s look under the hood to see who helped them get there.

1️⃣ Justin Fields — 29.52 FPTS

Fields looked nearly flawless in his Jets debut. Ahead of MNF, his stellar performance landed him as the QB2 in all of fantasy this week.

• Passing: 16/22 for 218 yards, 1 TD

• Rushing: 12 carries for 48 yards, 2 TDs

Value Check: KeepTradeCut currently has Fields valued as a 2028 Late 1st. In other words, it’s barely worth a first (maybe) in Superflex formats.

Dynasty Take: If I’m a contender I’m riding the wave and not selling him— maybe just maybe Fields can be a league winning asset. And unpopular take: if you’re rebuilding, I think you continue to let it ride as well. There’s a mild-to-moderate chance Fields is the long term answer to the Jets QB woes. That lottery ticket is worth more than an early second, which is probably all you are getting for Fields now.

2️⃣ Garrett Wilson — 22.5 PPR FPTS

As everyone expected, Fields’s college teammate Garrett Wilson was the Jets top target (awesome 43% target share BTW). He delivered on that expectation, turning in a top 10 PPR performance (WR7).

• Receiving: 7 receptions for 95 yards, 1 TD (should’ve been 2, though)

Value Check: KeepTradeCut has Wilson as worth a 2026 Early 1st.

Dynasty Take: To me, that sounds like fair value all around. If you are looking to contend and could get him for an early first, I’d take that in a heartbeat. Wilson will likely outperform any player you hope to draft in the near term. Wilson has performed his whole career without solid QB play, so if Fields doesn’t work out, I’m still confident in his long term value.

 3️⃣ Breece Hall — 16.5 PPR FPTS

Before moving on, I have to shout out Dynasty Detour Tom for his great commentary on last week’s edition on the Jet backfield. Tom was on the money: the story after week 1 is that Breece Hall was the lead back for the Jets in this one (58% snap rate), turning in a respectable RB11 week. After all the chatter, myself included, backfield-mate Braelon Allen was not heavily involved— he had 6 carries for 9 yards and 1TD, playing only 31% of offensive snaps.

Here are Breece’s stats:

• Rushing: 19 carries for 107 yards, 0 TD

• Receiving: 2 receptions for 38 yards, 0 TD

Value Check: KeepTradeCut values Breece slightly more than a 2027 or 2026 mid 1st round pick.

Dynasty Take: Breece could be a bounce-back candidate after a disappointing 2024. But I, a self-described Braelon Allen (aka Prince Henry) Believer, think Breece won’t continue to dominate the touches. Right now I’m firmly a hold on Hall for both contenders and rebuilders (and picking up Allen shares while I can). Even if Breece doesn’t work out this year, I think he gets a big contract somewhere else in free agency this summer, giving a nice hedge to any potential downturn in dynasty value.

✅ Driving it Home

Sure, the Jets fell just short on the scoreboard, but for dynasty players, this was the kind of performance you circle on the map. Fields, Wilson, and Hall each showed they can carry their weight, and against a defense that was supposed to put up roadblocks. Buckle up…this ride could be smoother than expected.

-- Dynasty Detour Jesse

A lot to digest, but we’re happy to chew it up for you. Stay tuned for another Preseason Pulse newsletter this Thursday, and definitely make sure you’re keeping an eye out for our regular season programming. Follow us @dynastydetour on Instagram and X/Twitter to get our reactions and opinions in between write-ups, as well as email us with any questions at [email protected]. See you out on the road 🚘️.