Best Performance
DeAngelo Williams, Running Back, Pittsburgh Steelers
It's absurd what Williams is able to do when Le'Veon Bell is sitting due to injury or suspension. The backup running back continued his stellar performance Week 1 against the Washington Redskins, putting up 171 total yards and two touchdowns. This enabled Williams to finish the week as fantasy football's top running back.
With Bell suspended the next two games, Williams should continue to eat. After a difficult matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals next week, Williams will take on a Philadelphia Eagles defense that ranked in the bottom six of the NFL against running backs.
Worst Performance
Adrian Peterson, Running Back, Minnesota Vikings
No one saw this coming. Absolutely no one. Peterson had everything working for him heading into Week 1 against a bad Tennessee Titans defense. Teddy Bridgewater was injured during the preseason, forcing Shaun Hill into a starting role. This meant a vast riches of touches for a Vikings offense that was going to have to rely on last year's leading rusher.
Peterson responded by putting up 31 yards on 19 attempts en route to finishing as the 53rd-best fantasy running back. That's an absolute travesty if we've ever seen one. Thanks, AD.
Best DFS Value
Alex Smith, Quarterback, Kansas City Chiefs
Smith entered Sunday's contests as the 24th most-expensive quarterback in FanDuel leagues. He responded by putting up the third-most fantasy points among quarterbacks. Here's a guy that tossed the ball around the park to the tune of 363 yards with three total touchdowns.
Not only this, Smith completed a whopping 34 passes to help his pass catchers put up some absurd PPR numbers. Smith's performance against the San Diego Chargers was so impressive from a fantasy standpoint that we're left wondering whether it was a mirage. What we do know is that the 34 completions represent a career high with the veteran putting up the second-most passing yards of his career.
Worst DFS Value
Todd Gurley, Running Back, Los Angeles Rams
The most-expensive fantasy running back in Week 1. Taking on a San Francisco 49ers defense that yielded the second-most fantasy points to running backs last season. Yeah, Gurley was going to go off in his debut game as a sophomore. Not so fast, my friends.
The former top-10 pick put up 47 yards on 17 attempts to finish as the 46th-best fantasy running back. Sure issues with actually throwing the football enabled San Francisco to stack the box. However, Gurley looked frustrated at times, displaying a hestitation we haven't seen from the young running back in either college or at the professional level.