Best fantasy football rookie performances Week 1

Week 1 of the fantasy football season has come and gone with a number of standout performances across the league. It wasn’t just the veterans making big plays on Sunday, there were also a number of rookies that established their presence in their regular season debuts. We’re highlighting the top rookie fantasy football performances for Week 1, which includes some notable names and a few fantasy sleepers to keep an eye on.

Top rookie performances in Week 1

1. Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons

London’s separation ability make his potential scary in this Falcon’s offense, and the rookie receiver finished with five catches for 74 yards and an incredible 14.8 yards per reception. His 12.4 PPR fantasy point finish already makes him a fantasy sleeper at the receiver position, and his separation ability should only increase his ceiling as the fantasy season continues on.

2. Jahan Dotson, WR, Washington Commanders

Dotson had a breakout performance in his debut for the Commanders, hauling in not one but two receiving touchdowns. The 16th overall pick also caught three of his five targets for 40 yards receiving, which totaled 18.0 PPR fantasy points. He may not have had the busiest day, but his two touchdowns helped seal a clutch win for Washington and likely elevated the trust that Carson Wentz had with the rookie, to begin with.

3. Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets

Wilson finished with 9.2 PPR fantasy points and had the fourth-most receiving yards (52) of any rookie in Week 1, though a volume of that production came in the fourth quarter with the game out of reach. Even with Joe Flacco under center, for the time being, the Jets could be playing catch up on a weekly basis, which bodes well for Wilson’s target share downfield.

4. Isiah Pacheco, RB, Kansas City Chiefs

The seventh-rounder had a debut to remember in the Chiefs' 44-21 blowout win over the Arizona Cardinals. Pacheco finished with 12.2 PPR fantasy points and led all rushers with 62 yards on 12 carries for an average of 5.2 yards per rush, and also found the endzone in the win. Kansas City looks to be employing a committee in the backfield and after his Week 1 outing, Pacheco may have already carved himself a nice role in this high-scoring offense.

5. Kyle Philips, WR, Tennessee Titans

Philips could be a sneaky play in the Offensive Rookie of the Year race following his Week 1 performance. Despite logging just 25 offensive snaps, he saw ten targets go his way and hauled in six for 66 yards for a total of 10.6 PPR fantasy points. As Ryan Tannehill looks to build trust in a receiving corps that saw A.J. Brown traded away in the offseason, the volume of looks that Philips is getting is an encouraging sign.