Week 1’s NFL All-Star offense and defense deliver a blueprint for fantasy success: Josh Allen powers the Bills’ 41-40 comeback with 394 passing yards and dual threat scores, while Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley anchor the backfield. Puka Nacua, Zay Flowers and Jaxon Smith-Njigba headline the receivers, Brock Bowers shines at TE amid a Week 1 injury, and the O-line trio Alt-Membou-Vorhees-Goncalves with Erik McCoy paves the way. Defenders Myles Garrett, Nnamdi Madubuike, Ed Oliver and Nick Bosa pace the line, with Roquan Smith, Devin White and Harold Landry at LB and a sturdy secondary led by Adebo, Wright, Love and Curl. Special teams shine in Boswell, Cooke and Dike’s performances.

J.J. McCarthy’s NFL debut erupted in the fourth quarter, as Minnesota’s rookie delivered three TDs to stun Chicago 27-24. A rough start gave way to a late-during-the-clock comeback, capped by a 14-yard rushing score with under three minutes left. McCarthy finished 13-for-20 for 143 yards with two passing TDs, one wiped out by a 74-yard Nahshon Wright pick-six. The win solidifies his ‘gamer’ reputation and injects immediate fantasy intrigue around Kirk Cousins-era upgrade potential in Minnesota.

Key pass-catches from Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen, plus Myles Price’s field-position prowess and a productive late drive, helped flip the script. Caleb Williams sparked Chicago’s late push, but the Vikings’ surge answered, aided by McCarthy’s improved command as the game wore on and Chicago’s defense pressure waned. With Darrisaw out, the line weathered the storm, setting up a hopeful start to Minnesota’s season for fantasy managers.

Caleb Williams opened Chicago's season with 10 straight completions and a rushing TD on the Bears' first drive, the franchise's opening-drive TD since 2023. Chicago led 17-6 at halftime before penalties and execution mistakes swung momentum to Minnesota, which rallied for a 27-24 win behind J.J. McCarthy. A pick-six by Nahshon Wright and a late penalty call capped a volatile night, with Williams' accuracy dipping in the second half as Flores dialed up pressure.

Fantasy implications pivot on Williams' rushing upside and early rhythm, offset by a 29.4% off-target rate and Chicago's discipline issues (12 penalties for 127 yards). Santos' missed 50-yard field goal and the Bears' red-zone struggles underscore the volatility, while Minnesota's defense showed resilience after halftime, reshaping Week 2 projections for both teams’ playmakers.

J.J. McCarthy's rocky start flipped to history in the fourth quarter as Minnesota stunned Chicago 27-24. He became the first quarterback to throw three fourth-quarter TDs in an NFL debut, erasing a 10-point deficit on the road—the first to do so since Steve Young in 1985. A late drive featured a 27-yard TD to Aaron Jones Sr., a Thielen two-point, and a hurtling TD run helped by solid Hockenson blocking to seal it.

Jefferson snagged a 13-yard TD on the comeback, and Flores' defense locked down Caleb Williams and the Bears late. The debut reshapes fantasy expectations: McCarthy's ceiling is immense when the passing game clicks, while Jefferson's volume should stay elite. Thielen and Jones Sr. added vital touches, signaling a multi-faceted Vikings attack with upside as the season unfolds.