The first game of the NFL season is in the books with the Kansas City Chiefs manhandling the Houston Texans 34-20. After David Johnson’s 19-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, Patrick Mahomes and company scored 31 unanswered points. Houston put up a pair of garbage time touchdowns before the final whistle that made the final scoreline a little more respectable.
From a fantasy football perspective, there are some things we can glean from this contest, although it is important to remember week one usually contains more outliers than trends. That being said, there were a trio of fantasy football takeaways from the Chiefs vs. Texans that you should take note of.
Related: Here’s what to expect from the Kansas City Chiefs in 2020
Fantasy football takeaways from the Chiefs vs. Texans
Don’t stress CEH’s shortcomings
The talk on Twitter after the game focused more on what Clyde Edward-Helaire didn’t do in his first NFL game rather than his monster performance. However, his goal line struggles or lack of targets in the passing game aren’t a massive cause for concern just yet.
Let’s start with the former. CEH’s blocking on those carries inside the five was terrible. By the time the ball was in his hands, there was a defender in his face. That has nothing to do with him and he shouldn’t be faulted for this issue. The latter is a little more worrying. However, it’s hard to see Sammy Watkins and Demarcus Robinson getting 15 targets on the regular. Edward-Helaire looks like a guy who will keep growing into the role as the season progresses.
The Texans WRs look as bad as advertised
Will Fuller was solid catching eight passes for 112 yards. However, the rest of the team’s wide receivers brought nothing to the table. Randall Cobb looked old. Brandin Cooks vanished after the first quarter and David Johnson was lining up as a wideout for much of the second half. Deshaun Watson’s ceiling could be a lot lower than people thought unless someone steps up and quickly.
Trade Sammy Watkins before it’s too late
Another week one explosion from Sammy Watkins saw him lead the Chiefs in receptions and receiving yards. He only managed a single touchdown this year, down from his incredible three in 2019, but his value will never be higher than it is right now.
If he’s on your roster, you should be reaching out to every manager who loves big names and is easily fooled by one-off performances to make a trade. Look to target running backs, such as J.K. Dobbins or Cam Akers, who may not have a monster week one showing but should improve as the season continues.
