9 Fantasy Football Studs Who Started Slow in Week 1: Will They Rebound?

Andre Ellington, Arizona Cardinals

Andre Ellington's usage was actually impressive, all things considered. If you had predicted on Sunday that he would not only start but garner 18 touches, I would have taken the under on that bet. Still, it was only a six point performance for a back being drafted as a borderline top running back. Uncertainty surrounding the severity of his foot strain will likely worry owners for the first half of the season, and perhaps beyond that.

Watching the game, it was difficult to see if his lack of dynamic plays was a product of an effective defense or a hobbled foot, but as the focal point of the Cardinals' running game, Ellington struggled to break free from the first level of the defense and find himself in open space. He posted a Rushing NEP of -5.55, which placed him second-to-last among NFL running backs in Week 1. For reference, he was 10th last year in that same statistic among running backs with at least 100 carries. On the one run he did break free to the second level, we simply didn't see the explosion expected after an offseason of hype.

The silver lining is that Ellington played - a lot - and didn't seemingly do more damage to his injured foot. While he didn't rip off a long touchdown play, 18 touches has to be considered a win for his owners. His availability for the remainder of the season, however, may continue to be muddied if this is a prolonged injury. Think C.J. Spiller's high ankle sprain from last season.

Recommendation: You drafted him with the understanding that 18-22 touches was a good game, and that's what he got. Still, a foot injury has to be extremely concerning considering his foot issues in college, and owners should probably lower their expectations for his season. This isn't the second coming of Jamaal Charles, at least not yet. Owners should hold him until value presents itself. If you can afford to keep him as a flex option, that would be the recommendation. If you need him to be more than that, you might be in for a wild ride.