Week 1 didn't go to plan for a host of NFL teams expected to contend to go deep into the postseason.
As a result, fantasy owners who picked players from those apparent contenders may have seen their line-ups fail to deliver the points needed for victory.
But in many cases, Week 1 is not indicative of how a team's season will pan out, with the opener often seen almost as an extension of the preseason.
There is plenty of time for teams to get back on track, especially following the advent of the 17-game season, and the four players and a defense selected as this week's fantasy picks all come from teams who will be looking to bounce back from defeat in Week 1 on Sunday.
Quarterback: Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams vs. Atlanta Falcons
Is it time to worry about Stafford after his and the Rams' opening night shocker against the Buffalo Bills?
Probably not, but it may well be if those struggles are repeated against the Falcons.
The Falcons allowed the ninth-most yards per play in the NFL last season and conceded 16 fourth-quarter points in their collapse versus the New Orleans Saints last week.
Stafford should have no problems exploiting their defense and rebounding in style with a performance to delight fantasy owners.
Running Back: Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals @ Dallas Cowboys
Mixon struggled to get going against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Bengals' remarkable overtime loss last week. He should not have the same difficulty against the Cowboys, who were gashed for six yards a carry by Leonard Fournette of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1.
With Mixon also making seven catches and winning his matchup with a defender on six of his nine targets against Pittsburgh, according to Stats Perform data, he should also be in line for plenty of touches through the air as Joe Burrow and the Bengals look to frustrate a Dallas pass rush that should have plenty of success against their offensive line.
Mixon likely won't come close to the 34 touches he had last week, but he will still be heavily involved and will be expected to have much more success on the touches he does receive against a defense that showed scant resistance to the ground game in its opener.
Wide Receiver: Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks
With the 49ers' starting running back, Elijah Mitchell, going down with a knee injury in Week 1, the lion's share of the carries in the backfield are up for grabs.
Chances are they won't go to Mitchell's backups in the running back room, but to Samuel, San Francisco's 'wide back'.
The versatile wide receiver was the heartbeat of the 49er offense down the stretch in their run to the NFC Championship Game last season and had eight carries for 52 yards and a touchdown in San Francisco's surprise Week 1 loss to the Chicago Bears.
With Mitchell on the sideline, Samuel should see a much larger workload against a Seahawks defense that surrendered 5.2 yards per rush on Monday against the Denver Broncos.
Through the air last season, Samuel racked up 156 yards and two touchdowns in his lone game against the Seahawks. With the prospect of additional running back work on top of his receiving targets, Samuel could be the difference for the Niners and for scores of fantasy players in Week 2.
Tight End: Darren Waller, Las Vegas Raiders vs. Arizona Cardinals
After giving up 121 yards and a touchdown to Travis Kelce in their blowout loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Cardinals draw another of the game's top tight ends in Week 2.
Waller was held to 79 yards receiving in the Raiders' loss to the Los Angeles Chargers but won his matchup with his defender on five of his six targets.
Look for Waller to emulate Kelce in taking advantage of a Cardinals back seven seemingly ill-prepared for the challenge of facing an elite tight end and putting a together an impressive statistical performance.
Defense/Special Teams: Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears
It may be easy to be concerned about the Packers after their opening 23-7 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, but such worries are likely to alleviated against the Bears.
Even with Justin Jefferson exploding for 184 receiving yards and two touchdowns, the Packers' defense still produced what should have been a winning effort in Week 1.
Green Bay gave up fewer first downs than Minnesota and held the Vikings to 4-13 on third down, but the Packers' defense received little support from the offense.
That will not be the case versus Chicago. The Bears stunned the 49ers in Week 1 with 19 unanswered points, but they turned the ball over twice while Justin Fields completed just eight passes. A Packers defense that has talent at every level should have similar success forcing Chicago into negative plays and generating fantasy points in a bounce-back win for Green Bay.
'Super simple' – Lille president rules out January exit for Jonathan David
Lille president Olivier Letang has categorically ruled out a January exit for forward Jonathan David amid links with a number of European clubs.
David is out of contract at the end of the season and has been touted as a target for the likes of Bayern Munich, Juventus and Barcelona.
Speaking this week, the Canada international named Barcelona as his "dream" club but suggested he would prefer not to leave Lille mid-season.
And in an interview with After Foot RMC, Letang confirmed no bids have yet been tabled ahead of the January window.
"We are not going to sell him in January, and we have not received any offer for him," he said.
"Jonathan's situation is super simple. We are very happy to have him with us.
"Last season he had one more year left on his contract. We were trying to qualify for the Champions League.
"You have a guy who scores 20 to 25 goals a season. We had no obligation to sell him."
David is into his fifth season with Lille and has scored 97 goals in 202 games for the Ligue 1 side in all competitions while assisting a further 18.
Seven of those goals have arrived in 11 appearances this term, including in Champions League games against Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus.
The 24-year-old's best league season with Lille saw him score 24 goals in 2022-23, while he has netted 19, 15 and 13 in the other full campaigns.
Lille chief Letang reiterated that David has been offered a new deal to stay on at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, but selling him has never been an option.
"He is a player who scores between 20 and 25 goals and helps us qualify for the Champions League," he said.
"Plus, Jonathan loves Lille, which is his club. Our position was very clear from the beginning – we think of the athlete.
"Obviously, he already has an offer that is in his hands, the ball is in his court."
Browns score late touchdown to end Steelers' streak in snowy contest
Nick Chubb ran for a 2-yard touchdown in heavy snow with 57 seconds left, and the Cleveland Browns stunned division rival Pittsburgh 24-19 on Thursday night, ending the Steelers' five-game winning streak.
Chubb's score came in his first game against the AFC North-leading Steelers (8-3) since the running back sustained a season-ending left knee injury on a carry last year at Pittsburgh.
The Browns (3-8) had blown a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter and were down 19-18 before getting the ball back with 3:22 remaining after Pittsburgh punter Corliss Waitman shanked a 16-yarder.
With snow piling up and covering the yard lines on the field, Cleveland's Jameis Winston completed a third-down pass to Jerry Jeudy to the Pittsburgh 9. Two plays later, Chubb barrelled into the end zone.
The Steelers had one last chance, but quarterback Russell Wilson's Hail Mary on the final play was knocked down by Browns safety Grant Delpit in the end zone, touching off a wild celebration at Huntington Bank Field.
McKenna fired up for 'biggest game in world football' against Man United
Kieran McKenna believes Ipswich Town's Premier League clash with Manchester United will be the "biggest game in world football" this weekend.
United are in action under new manager Ruben Amorim for the first time since the Portuguese officially replaced Arne Slot as head coach.
While plenty of focus is on the visitors at Portman Road, Ipswich are fired up after beating Tottenham 2-1 before the international break.
That was Ipswich's first league win of the season – and their first in the Premier League in 22 years – and now attention turns to facing United.
McKenna, who previously coached United, said at a fan event this week: "Sunday, what a game. It's one we're really, really looking forward to.
"Not for the personal connection, but as manager of Ipswich Town, to be on that stage, it's what we've worked so hard for.
"It's the biggest game in world football anywhere this weekend, the biggest game in the world in the biggest sport in the world and it's at Portman Road."
Ipswich's surprise win at Tottenham last time out moved them up to 17th, while United are 13th after beating Leicester City 3-0 in Ruud van Nistelrooy's final game in caretaker charge.
Amorim took his first training session on Monday, albeit with many first-team stars away on international duty, and the former Sporting CP boss believes his style of play will be clear to see from the off.
"I think you will see an idea," he told the club's website. "You could like it or not, I don't know, but you will see an idea.
"You will see a positioning. You will see something that we want to reach that kind of level. You will feel that.
"We have to know it's [only] two trainings before the first match. This is the best league in the world. But if I have to say something to you, [it's that] you will see an idea. This I can guarantee."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Ipswich Town - Liam Delap
Delap scored what proved to be Ipswich's winner against Tottenham and has now netted six of his side's 12 Premier League goals this term.
That makes the Manchester City academy product one of only three players to have scored at least half of his side's goals in the competition this season, along with Erling Haaland at City (55%) and Chris Wood at Nottingham Forest (53%).
Manchester United - Alejandro Garnacho
Garnacho was among the scorers against Leicester two weeks ago and has now been directly involved in 20 Premier League goals for United (13 goals and seven assists).
The Argentina international is one of only two non-British players to reach that figure for United before turning 21, along with Cristiano Ronaldo (25 goals).
MATCH PREDICTION: MANCHESTER UNITED WIN
Ipswich are seeking back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time since February 2022, with that run also beginning with a 2-1 victory against Tottenham.
The Tractor Boys are the only side in the competition without a home win this season. Only five newly promoted clubs have failed to win any of their first six home matches, all of whom went back down.
United have won 17 of their past 19 Premier League games against newly promoted opponents, meanwhile, including nine wins in a row in away fixtures.
The Red Devils were 1-0 winners on their most recent league trip to Portman Road in April 2022, but only once have they won successive league games away to Ipswich.
However, the Tractor Boys have lost four of their past five league matches against Man United, failing to score in each of those losses.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Ipswich Town - 22.2%
Draw - 23%
Manchester United - 54.8%
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