Dallas traded Micah Parsons to Green Bay for Kenny Clark and two first-round picks, reshaping both rosters. Parsons joins a Packers defense that already boasted elite talent, signing a four-year, $186 million mega-extension that makes him the highest-paid defender in the NFL. Dallas recoups significant draft equity to fuel a rebuild, while Green Bay adds a disruptive star just before the season’s start against Philadelphia.

The sequence closed a drawn-out contract saga that saw Parsons publicly press for a new deal and Dallas’ leadership publicly navigate the standoff. With the Packers upgrading their edge presence and the Cowboys stockpiling future picks, the trade quickly ramped up the drama around both franchises as fantasy managers recalibrate expectations for pass rush and defensive production across the NFC.

T.J. Watt and Jalen Ramsey anchored Pittsburgh’s Week 1 defense, delivering elite PFF marks as the unit navigated injuries and still beat the Jets. Watt led the way at 82.4, with Ramsey close behind at 79.4, pairing edge pressure with tight coverage to highlight the day’s brightest defensive performances.

The top-10 on defense also featured Daniel Ekuale, DeShon Elliott, Patrick Queen, Cameron Heyward, Brandin Echols, Malik Harrison, Chuck Clark, and Juan Thornhill, who all chipped in with crucial stops and fits. Week 2 vs. Seattle looms, making health the biggest variable for sustaining pressure and limiting big plays in a tighter matchup.

Fantasy takeaway: Watt remains a high-floor star; Thornhill and Ramsey offer steady safety floors; Echols and Clark could be viable DB plays if others deteriorate. Depth players will be tested as Pittsburgh leans on its stars to carry the unit through injuries.

Jets host the Steelers in a high-stakes home opener that doubles as a week-one test for a notably young roster and a run-heavy offense. Three top fantasy storylines emerge: Olu Fashanu and Armand Membou handling Pittsburgh’s edge pressure from Watt and Highsmith, with AVT out and Tippmann sliding to right guard; DK Metcalf steers a new Steelers receiving corps against Sauce Gardner; Garrett Wilson looms as a focal point against a veteran Steelers secondary led by Slay and Ramsey. The Jets lean into a ground game with Breece Hall, Braelon Allen, and Isaiah Davis, while Fields uses his rushing ability to generate plays behind an inexperienced line.

Jets cut Aaron Rodgers and brought in Justin Fields to run the show, while Rodgers landed with the Steelers in a Week 1 clash that already has fantasy managers buzzing. Terrence Jordan’s bold Week 1 pick leans Jets, powered by a Gleng-rated culture shift and Wilson’s chemistry with Fields. Fields can threaten on the ground, but the Steelers’ upgraded secondary and Watt pressure loom large. The Jets, led by Garrett Wilson, must lean on Fields to cash in big plays in a likely gritty opening game.

From a fantasy angle, the Week 1 matchup sets up a high-variance game script: Fields getting time to improvise, Wilson thriving in a target-heavy attack, and Watt wrecking a run game that’s tightened in Pittsburgh. If Fields proves he can carve through the Steelers’ defense, the Jets’ ceiling looks higher than the Steelers’ Week 1 floor. Banks on the ground and in the air, this one could shape early-season projections for both teams.