The Broncos and Panthers opened up the NFL season with a game that came right down to the last field goal. The Broncos ended up winning the game thanks to a missed Graham Gano kick in the final seconds. Along the way, we learned plenty about what the Broncos and Panthers will be up to this season. Cam Newton has a new dance and C.J. Anderson looks like a Pro Bowler. And there were several more important events that will have a huge fantasy impact in 2016.
1. Kelvin Benjamin is an Elite Receiver
Anybody who had doubts about Kelvin Benjamin was immediately proven wrong in the first game of the year.
Kelvin caught 6 passes for 91 yards and a touchdown against the best pass defense in the NFL. Afterwards, fantasy players were lamenting the fact that they left him on the bench. The tall receiver was clearly Cam Newton's favorite target, as he got 12 targets throughout the game. Kelvin Benjamin is now a must play for every single week offantasy Football.
2. C.J. Anderson is a Top Fantasy Running Back
Now that Ronnie Hillman is gone, Anderson has gained a lot more potential as a fantasy player. Devontae Booker had a chance to take away some touches, but fumbled on his first play of the game. The Broncos will now trust the more experienced Anderson to carry a majority of the load for the rest of the season.
They certainly trusted him in this game. Anderson had 92 rushing yards, 47 receiving yards, and scored two touchdowns. That's 25 fantasy points in his first game! Anderson already looks like an elite fantasy back.
3. Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders Will Be Fine
The Broncos duo of wide receivers combined for less than 100 yards and had only 8 fantasy points, but the potential for production is there.
Trevor Siemian looked capable in his role as a starter tonight and he should be able to get Demaryius and Emmanuel bigger games in the future. If you have one or both of these two, it's definitely not time to panic just yet.
4. Devin Funchess Hype Should Have Been Ignored
There was plenty of hype surrounding Funchess headed into the regular season.
Funchess had fantastic practices and was actually the favorite target of Cam Newton for a considerable part of training camp. After all the hype, people were expecting big things from Funchess in week 1. Instead, Funchess managed to record just one catch for 9 yards and zero fantasy points. Kelvin Benjamin and Greg Olsen are the top two targets in the Panthers offense, and Funchess clearly has limited fantasy utility.
5. Both Fantasy Defenses Are Still Elite
The Broncos and Panthers both put up only single digit fantasy numbers, but they looked good doing it. The Panthers were able to force Trevor Siemian into two pretty ugly turnovers and forced a fumble earlier in the game. Luke Kuechley is still the best linebacker in the NFL, and the Panthers defense as a whole is elite even without Josh Norman.
The Broncos lost a ton of players in the offseason, but they still generate a massive pass rush and managed to pull off an impressive interception on an errant Cam Newton pass. From this game, we learned that boththese defenses will continue to be solid plays in anyfuture fantasy matchup.
