Danny Cipriani claims he would have had to "turn water into wine" to convince England coach Eddie Jones to include him in his Rugby World Cup squad.

Fly-half Cipriani, 31, was part of pre-tournament training camps but was dropped before the final 31-man selection was made.

Jones instead opted for Owen Farrell and George Ford as his fly-half options

"Going into a big competition I would've had to turn water into wine to really sway him," said Cipriani.

Despite being named as the Premiership's player of the season for his performances with Gloucester last term, Cipriani has only made two international appearances since Jones took charge at the start of 2016.

Asked if he had a fair chance to press his case for World Cup selection, Cipriani said: "What is a fair crack of the whip? I can't go in there demanding any time.

"Eddie is in a high-pressure situation being England coach and he has done a great job.

"He has put his faith in George Ford and Owen Farrell and they have done well for him.

"I can completely understand why he made his decision. Do I think it was the right decision? I don't know. I am going to support England and hope they do great."

Cipriani made his first England start as a 20-year-old, picked ahead of Jonny Wilkinson in the 33-10 win over Ireland in March 2008.

However he has made just four more since with personality clashes, moves abroad and off-field problems all limiting his chances.

'It was almost like I'd died'

Former England captain Dylan Hartley says the reaction to his omission from Jones' final squad was as if he had died.

The 33-year-old hooker, who won his 97th and most recent cap against Australia in November, has not played since suffering a knee injury playing for Northampton a month later.

"When the World Cup squad was announced, it was almost like I'd died - friends getting in touch and seeing if I was OK," he said.

"For four years we have talked about winning the World Cup with Eddie, and I have led that group, been a part of that journey, so to fall at the final hurdle... I don't know the feeling.

"I wake up most nights thinking about it. It doesn't sit well with me, but I have come to terms with it. You have to crack on."

However Hartley promised that if his team-mates do lift the William Webb Ellis trophy without him, he will gate-crash the celebrations.

"I hope they go and win. I'll get on and be a glory supporter - remember me guys?" he added

"I'll be hanging off the side of the open-top bus, in my 97th appearance shirt."

READING, Pa. – Tommy Johnson Jr. has had no trouble finishing his NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season on a high note.

After arguably the most consistent regular season in his Funny Car career, the veteran standout hopes it translates into more clutch performances in the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship and possibly his first career world championship.

Johnson heads into the six-race NHRA playoffs in third place, 30 points behind leader Robert Hight. With a history of strong Countdown to the Championship performances in his 11,000-horsepower Make-A-Wish Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, Johnson, who has finished in the top three in four of the past five seasons, will look to continue that trend at this weekend’s 35th annual Mopar Express Lane NHRA Nationals presented by Pennzoil at Maple Grove Raceway. He knows what it will take to compete for a world title and Johnson will try to send an impressive opening statement at a track where he has two career victories.

“The biggest thing you have to do in the Countdown is avoid mistakes,” said Johnson, who has 19 career victories. “You have to eliminate them and minimize them, because one bad race kills your chance for a championship. The key definitely is minimizing the mistakes and being consistent. You have to bring it every round from now on. Everybody has to focus on their job and do it perfectly. You don’t get many chances to make it up in this Countdown.”

Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), J.R. Todd (Funny Car), Vincent Nobile (Pro Stock) and Hector Arana Jr. (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were last year’s winners of the event. Both Torrence and Todd used that momentum last year to win their first world titles, and it’s a trend Johnson would love to repeat at the 19th of 24 total races during the season. It’s a year that has already included two wins, four final rounds and six semifinal appearances, but Johnson wants more.

Specifically, he’s after his first world title, but his team, led by crew chief John Collins, is built for the arduous playoff road. It’s a group that has been together for a number of years, building the chemistry and cohesiveness necessary to win a championship. Johnson continues to be impressed with the maturity of the team, something that is needed during the tense moments of the playoffs. Starting that journey in third also adds momentum for what’s at stake.

“It definitely gives you more optimism,” Johnson said. “It makes it a little easier to get to the top if you don’t start clear at the back. I know this is a time where we shine, so that gets me excited. We’ve ran better all season than we have in the past and knowing in the past we’ve done well (at Maple Grove), and getting off to a great start definitely sets the tone. You still have to do the job, but it’s nice to know this is the time of the year where your team usually does the job.”

With a loaded championship field, nothing will come easy. Hight and teammate John Force, who won at Indy, are in the first two spots, while the Don Schumacher Racing foursome of Johnson, Jack Beckman, Ron Capps and Matt Hagan follows. Add in title contenders Bob Tasca III, Todd, Shawn Langdon and Tim Wilkerson, and Johnson knows he has his work cut out for him over the final six races of 2019. But he’s thrived in the Mopar-sponsored races this year, winning in Denver, and that added attention seems to fuel Johnson’s focus during an otherwise busy weekend.

“It would be cool if we could win another Mopar race,” Johnson said. “There’s no more diehard fans than the Mopar and Dodge people. They turn out in droves for these races, and it’s cool because Reading has such a long history. The race fans are so passionate out there. It’s just cool to go out there and I look forward to it. It’s all about hitting our stride at the right time.”

BARRE, Vt. – Thunder Road Int’l Speedbowl and the American-Canadian Tour have unveiled the schedule of events for Vermont Milk Bowl weekend.

A full weekend of racing and off-track fun is planned to cap the 60th season at Thunder Road. It all culminates on Sept. 29 with the 57th Vermont Milk Bowl presented by Northfield Savings Bank.

Seven racing divisions will be in action during Vermont Milk Bowl Weekend with drivers from across the country expected to attend. While the three-segment Milk Bowl for the Maplewood/Irving Late Models is the main event, the weekend also includes a Pro All Star Series Super Late Model 150 lapper, five different Mini Milk Bowls a Friday night cornhole tournament and much more.

Some of the biggest names in Northeast racing have already committed to the event. Milk Bowl entries have come in from three-time Milk Bowl winner Patrick Laperle, two-time defending Milk Bowl winner Jason Corliss, two-time defending ACT Champion Scott Payea, reigning King of the Road Scott Dragon, and many others.

“The Milk Bowl is Thunder Road’s biggest event, so it’s almost required that Milk Bowl Weekend be our biggest weekend,” Thunder Road managing partner Cris Michaud said. “We’ve already put a lot into this event to make sure it’s one our drivers, teams, and fans will remember. There’s a lot happening, but we wouldn’t want to close out our 60th season any other way.”

The 57th Vermont Milk Bowl Weekend gets underway with an optional Practice Day on Saturday, Sept. 27 at 1 p.m. The Maplewood/Irving Oil Late Models, PASS Super Late Models, Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel Flying Tigers, and Allen Lumber Street Stocks will have an afternoon to dial in their cars for the biggest Thunder Road event of the year.

After the practice day ends, the Junior Champ Karts are holding their season finale with a Mini Milk Bowl on the Kart track. At the same time, Thunder Road will host the inaugural Community College of Vermont Cornhole Tournament presented by 802 Cornhole. Bags will fly in the infield beginning at 6:15 p.m. in an event that benefits Race to Read.

Booth Bros./H.P. Hood Milk Bowl Qualifying Day is slated for Saturday, September 28 at 3 p.m. Late Model time trials and 50-lap qualifying races will set the first 22 spots in the 26-car starting field. The Flying Tigers and Street Stocks also have time trials along with segment one of their Mini Milk Bowls. The Burnett Scrap Metals Road Warriors have a two-segment Mini Milk Bowl on Saturday as well.

Saturday racing concludes with the PASS 150 where the best Super Late Model drivers in the Northeast try to match last year’s instant classic. After the event, there will be a 60th-season fireworks display by Northstar Fireworks followed by live music from local band Rumblecaddy.

Sunday, Sept. 29 is the 57th Vermont Milk Bowl presented by Northfield Savings Bank. Sunday action begins at 12:15 p.m. with the Late Model Last Chance B Feature to decide the final four Milk Bowl starters. This will be followed by the three-segment Milk Bowl, the final segments of the Flying Tiger and Street Stock Mini Milk Bowls, and a two-segment Mini Milk Bowl for the 7-Eleven Dwarf Cars of New Hampshire’s White Mountain Motorsports Park.

SAN ANTONIO -- Mexico's 4-0 loss against Argentina on Sunday ended El Tri unbeaten run in 2019, but despite the thrashing, players are hoping to learn from the experience.

Mexico started brightly, but mistakes capitalized on by clinical hat-trick hero Lautaro Martinez saw Argentina head into the break four goals ahead, with the game at times looking like it would get even more ugly for El Tri, bringing back memories of the 7-0 loss to Chile in Copa America Centenario in 2016.

"It wasn't that bad," said Miguel Layun when asked about whether there were similarities with that defeat. "It was looking like being a disastrous game but we closed it out at 4-0 and in the second half, we were looking to score and reduce the deficit."

"We committed mistakes that national teams like [Argentina] don't forgive, we have to learn from it and we know that it can't happen again," he continued. "Their goal situations came quickly and leave a bad taste in the mouth, sometimes it is difficult to recuperate the rhythm."

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Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa was adamant that remaining united after the 11-game undefeated run will be important.

"It's a friendly game, we have to move on and lift our heads," he said. "The work we have been doing has been could, but we have to correct a lot of things, remain as a team and be united."

Porto winger Jesus Corona maintained that El Tri shouldn't get carried away by the loss.

"It could be that sometimes we go crazy, we should be more concentrated," said Corona. "We have to learn and hopefully something like today this doesn't happen again."

"The mentality is ok, it's just sometimes this happens," he added "What are we going to do? The mentality is there, we just have to be more concentrated."

Following Tuesday's loss, Mexico manager Gerardo "Tata" Martino said that his side needed more games moving forward against top level opposition.

"I don't think [the defeat] is our reality and I also don't think that going 11 games without losing was our reality," the ex-Argentina and Barcelona manager said after the game. "It's the second 'A level' game we've had. The first was against Chile [in March]. And the substantial difference against Argentina and Chile is that tonight we committed the kinds of errors in which we knew Argentina could damage us."

Martino added that Mexico needs more games against world powers to test themselves regularly in trying conditions

"What I also understand is that so that this can be a learning experience doesn't happen we have to play more of these types of games and get used to them," he said.

Durham 147 (Handscomb 54, Finn 4-41) and 191 (Robson 64) v Middlesex 143 (Raine 5-26) and 21 for 0

Angus Robson's first Durham half-century enabled the visitors to set Middlesex a tricky target of 196 for victory in their low-scoring County Championship clash at Lord's.

Robson - the younger brother of Middlesex opener Sam - is making only his second appearance for Durham after impressing in their second XI earlier this summer.

The 27-year-old's gritty knock of 64 from 156 deliveries anchored Durham's second innings as they posted 191 all out to set up the prospect of a fascinating finish on the third day.

The elder Robson, along with Nick Gubbins, shaved 21 off the target during the five overs they faced before bad light ended play - but, with cloud cover expected again on Thursday, the bowlers may yet have the final word.

Middlesex began the day 60 runs in arrears at 87 for 7 and initially adopted a strategy of pure survival as James Harris and Miguel Cummins gradually reduced the deficit.

However, that changed after Ben Raine captured the wicket of Harris (14), with Cummins starting to play his shots and taking three boundaries from a single Chris Rushworth over.

Steven Finn added 11 before Raine (5-26) clipped the leg stump to complete his third five-for of the season, but Cummins (22no) and Tim Murtagh (14) took their side to within four of Durham's first-innings 147.

Rushworth (3-54) eventually ended the Middlesex resistance by having Murtagh caught at backward point and then it was the turn of Durham's batsmen to toil against the swinging ball.

Alex Lees and Cameron Steel did not seem overly troubled as they accelerated after lunch, with the latter unafraid to go for his shots in an opening partnership of 51.

The end of their stand was self-inflicted, with Lees (13) run out by Murtagh's throw from mid-wicket after a chaotic mix-up and - as they had done in the first innings - Durham's batting line-up wilted.

Cummins, who consistently beat the bat from the Pavilion End, got one to move away from Steel (39) and take a faint edge through to John Simpson.

Harris accounted for Peter Handscomb, leg before for three, and Durham were suddenly in difficulties at 80-4 when Gareth Harte (0) drifted across to be pinned in front of the stumps by Finn.

But Robson and Championship debutant Scott Steel - no relation to Cameron - regrouped with a partnership of 47, dominated by the latter as he raced to 39 before chipping Murtagh to mid-wicket.

Harris (3-43) claimed two more lbw victims by nipping the ball back to remove Ned Eckersley (2) and Brydon Carse (0), but Robson inched towards his half-century after almost three and a half hours.

It was Finn (3-49) who finally wrapped up Durham's innings, with Robson's the final wicket to fall after Max Holden's juggling act on the boundary - leaving Middlesex an awkward spell to negotiate before the close.

Gubbins began the chase by driving Rushworth's first two deliveries to the boundary as he and Robson reached 21-0, with Middlesex requiring another 175 to win

The Fantasy 32 analyzes the NFL from a fantasy perspective, with at least one mention of each of the league's 32 teams. Though efficiency will be discussed plenty, the column will lean heavily on usage data, because volume is king (by far) in fantasy football. Use these tidbits to make the best waiver-wire, trade and lineup decisions for the upcoming week and beyond. Be sure to check back each week of the season for a new version of the Fantasy 32.

Opportunity alert

Throughout the below team-by-team rundowns, I'll be referencing "OFP" and "OTD." OFP stands for opportunity-adjusted fantasy points. Imagine a league in which players are created equal. OFP is a statistic that weighs every pass/carry/target and converts the data into one number that indicates a player's opportunity to score fantasy points, or his "expected" fantasy point total. For example, if a player has an OFP of 14.5, it means that a league average player who saw the same workload in the same location on the field would have scored 14.5 fantasy points. FORP is the difference between a player's actual fantasy point total and his OFP. OTD works the same way, except instead of fantasy points, it's touchdowns. Volume is king in fantasy football, so this is not information you want to overlook.

That said, here is the Week 1 OFP Leaderboard:

Next, here are the players who exceeded their OFP by the largest margin this past week and are thus candidates to see a dip in fantasy production moving forward, assuming they see a similar workload:

And these players who fell short of their OFP by the largest margin last week and thus you shouldn't be too quick to overreact to their performance when making lineup, trade or waiver decisions:

Team-by-team rundowns

Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals had a fourth wide receiver on the field for a massive 76% of their offensive snaps on Sunday. Coach Kliff Kingsbury's offense yielded only 33 snaps and two targets to tight ends Charles Clay and Maxx Williams, who are both nowhere close to fantasy relevance. Larry Fitzgerald (78 snaps, 24% target share) and Christian Kirk (76, 24%) remain weekly flex options, though Damiere Byrd (72, 14%) and KeeSean Johnson (63, 18%) need a slight boost in targets to match the snaps before they push for flex appeal. Both are fine stashes in deeper leagues.

Atlanta Falcons

RB Devonta Freeman (33 snaps) had a rough Week 1 (11 touches, 31 yards) while all but splitting snaps with Ito Smith (34). Of course, Freeman was facing a very good Minnesota defense that has been terrific at slowing opposing backs in recent seasons. Life won't be much easier against the Eagles' strong run defense in Week 2, but the superior Atlanta back will certainly be a candidate for a larger role moving forward. Don't panic -- Freeman is still a solid RB2.

Baltimore Ravens

WR Marquise Brown exploded for 5 receptions, 147 yards and 2 touchdowns in his NFL debut, but keep in mind that he was limited to 12 snaps (fifth among Ravens wideouts) and five targets. The gap between his fantasy point total (31) and OFP (10) was second-largest in the league. Brown won't be able to sustain anything close to fantasy relevance with that playing time. Yes, it's possible he plays more in Week 2, but that's nothing more than speculation. He should be added to all benches, but is a super risky start against Arizona.

Buffalo Bills

The Bills' Week 1 running back snap distribution was as follows: Devin Singletary (43), Frank Gore (18), T.J. Yeldon (2). This has obviously worked out to a two-headed attack, with Gore handling a bulk of the rushes (11 carries, 0 targets) and Singletary most of the receiving work (four carries, six targets). Especially considering Singletary produced 98 yards to Gore's 20, the rookie is easily the preferred fantasy option and a flex option this week against the Giants.

Carolina Panthers

WR Curtis Samuel underwhelmed in Week 1 (4 targets, 3 receptions, 32 yards), but don't panic just yet. Samuel was on the field for 59 of the team's 64 offensive snaps, which was only one behind DJ Moore. Moore, Christian McCaffrey and Greg Olsen hoarded 81.1% (or 30) of the team's 37 targets in this one -- a number that will be much lower (figure closer to 60%) most weeks. Samuel remains a flex option.

Chicago Bears

With Chicago dumping the run while playing from behind on Thursday, RB Tarik Cohen paced the team's backfield with 46 snaps played. Mike Davis handled 38 and rookie David Montgomery played 23. It's not ideal for Montgomery, whose ADP rose as high as the fourth round during the offseason. Nonetheless, Chicago was held to three points, and it makes logical sense that his role will only increase in the coming weeks. Montgomery is a good bench hold and fringe flex option for now.

Cincinnati Bengals

Is third-year WR John Ross III this year's Tyler Boyd? His Week 1 performance suggests that may be the case. Ross exploded for seven catches, 158 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 12 targets in Week 1. He was second among the team's receivers in snaps (57) and was on the field for 46 of the team's 56 pass plays. Though FORP tells us he was a bit over his head, Ross' 19 OFP was ninth-highest among wide receivers, which means there is plenty of opportunity for big fantasy production. Especially with A.J. Green expected to miss a few more weeks, Ross' big day is enough to put him on the WR3 radar against the 49ers in Week 2.

Cleveland Browns

Nick Chubb was one of a lengthy list of underwhelming Week 1 running backs, but the second-year back's playing time offers some reason for optimism moving forward. Chubb racked up 17 carries and four targets on 45 snaps. Backup RBs Dontrell Hilliard and D'Ernest Johnson combined for two carries and four targets on 18 snaps. Chubb still posted a top-20 OFP, and he'll move even closer to the top of the leaderboard once he inevitably manages a few carries near the goal line. He remains an RB1 at the Jets this week.

Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas offense exploded for five touchdowns against the Giants on Sunday, but Ezekiel Elliott wasn't a big part of it (14 touches, 63 yards, 1 touchdown). After holding out most of the offseason, Elliott was limited to 34 snaps, which wasn't too far ahead of rookie Tony Pollard (21), and his 10 OFP barely cracked the top 30 at the position. Elliott's role will increase in the coming weeks, so there's obviously no reason to panic. He's a top-four fantasy back.

Denver Broncos

With one week in the books, it appears we have a two-man backfield committee in Denver. Phillip Lindsay handled 31 snaps to Royce Freeman's 27 in the Broncos' loss in Oakland. Lindsay held a slight edge in carries (11 to 10) and, more importantly, appears to now be the team's primary passing-down back. Lindsay was targeted on six of his 17 routes, whereas Freeman managed one target on 13 routes. Meanwhile, Devontae Booker didn't play a snap. Lindsay is a fringe RB2 and Freeman a non-PPR flex option.

Detroit Lions

Rookie tight ends are almost never fantasy relevant, but T.J. Hockenson is making a case that he will break the mold. Hockenson was on the field for 57 of Detroit's 80 snaps Sunday, catching six of nine targets for 131 yards and a score. Hockenson should be rostered in all but shallow formats and is a fringe TE1.

Green Bay Packers

Following Green Bay's Week 1 victory over Chicago, there's no longer any debate as to whom the team's No. 2 wide receiver is. Marquez Valdes-Scantling played 38 snaps, which was second to only Davante Adams (55) and well ahead of Geronimo Allison (28), Trevor Davis (17) and Jake Kumerow (one). Valdes-Scantling is best left on benches against Minnesota this week, but he has WR3/flex upside in his current role.

Houston Texans

Will Fuller V was limited to three targets in his 2019 debut, but don't fret. The former first round pick was on the field for 58 of the team's 59 offensive snaps, which matched DeAndre Hopkins' playing time. Fuller appears locked into No. 2 duties and is thus a WR3/flex option moving forward.

Indianapolis Colts

Who is the Colts' tight end you want in your fantasy lineup? Well, maybe none following Sunday's six-target, 31-yard combined effort. That said, it does appear Jack Doyle remains the team's No. 1 at the position. Doyle played 42 snaps (14 routes), compared to 25 (16) for Eric Ebron and 13 (two) for Mo Alie-Cox. Ebron has a little more upside in the touchdown department but figures to see inconsistent targets, whereas Doyle is the safer PPR option.

Jacksonville Jaguars

It wasn't particularly surprising due to their terrific matchup, but perimeter WRs Chris Conley (7 targets, 6 receptions, 97 yards, 1 TD) and DJ Chark (4-4-146-1) exploded onto the fantasy scene on Sunday. Conley (39 snaps) and Chark (36) both played a generous chunk of the snaps and trailed only Dede Westbrook (41) among Jacksonville wideouts. The duo should be added to benches (Conley is the preferred add), though both will be risky starts against Houston in Week 2 with rookie Gardner Minshew replacing the injured Nick Foles.

Kansas City Chiefs

As expected, Damien Williams paced the Chiefs' backfield in snaps (39) in Week 1, but LeSean McCoy (18) was significantly more effective as a rusher (81 yards on 10 carries to Williams' 26 yards on 13 attempts), leaving Williams to do most of his damage as a receiver (39 yards on seven targets). Williams' significant receiving role in Kansas City's pass-heavy offense makes him the preferred fantasy choice for now, but McCoy is also a viable flex, especially considering his role is very likely to expand.

Los Angeles Chargers

So much for a 50-50 split. Austin Ekeler has been one of the league's most-efficient backs since entering the league, and that showed up in the snap counts (44 to 15 edge over Justin Jackson) and on the stat sheet against the Colts. Ekeler was his usual electric self, putting up 58 yards and one touchdown on 12 carries, as well as six catches, 96 yards and two additional touchdowns on seven targets. As long as Melvin Gordon is out, Ekeler will be a borderline top-10 fantasy RB, with Jackson serving as a shaky flex play.

Los Angeles Rams

All eyes were on Todd Gurley II Sunday, and it's fair to say the results were a mixed bag. On the negative side, he was limited to one target and deferred two rushing touchdowns to Malcolm Brown. On the plus side, he dominated backfield snaps (51, compared to 19 for Brown and two for Darrell Henderson) and was effective (14 carries, 97 yards). Jared Goff targeted his running backs only once in the game (a number that will definitely rise significantly in the future), so we shouldn't panic on Gurley just yet. Consider him a good RB2 against the Saints in Week 2. Brown should be added, but can't be started with confidence just yet. Playing 26.4% of the snaps, including a minimal receiving role, won't cut it for flex value.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins were a disaster nearly across the board in Week 1, and that includes the backfield. Kenyan Drake (25 snaps) enjoyed an edge in playing time over Kalen Ballage (19), but Drake was held to 27 yards on six touches, whereas Ballage struggled to 12 yards on six touches. Drake is the preferred fantasy play, especially in PPR, but is more of a flex option against New England this week. Those of you in deep leagues may want to throw No. 3 RB Mark Walton on your bench.

Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings needed only 10 pass attempts to beat the Falcons on Sunday, but at least we got a good look at the backfield. Dalvin Cook (33 snaps) was the main man, with Alexander Mattison (11), Ameer Abdullah (four) and Mike Boone (two) picking up the scraps. No surprise here: Cook was extremely productive, putting up 120 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 23 touches. Consider Cook a viable RB1 against Green Bay in Week 2 and lock in Mattison as the handcuff.

New England Patriots

WR Josh Gordon was on the field for 45 of 67 snaps in his return to action in Week 1. Gordon ran behind Julian Edelman (64 snaps) and Phillip Dorsett (60) and was targeted only four times but figures to operate in three-wide sets with Edelman and Antonio Brown beginning in Week 2. Brown is best-viewed as a fringe WR1, Edelman as a WR2 and Gordon, who has more value in non-PPR leagues, a WR3.

New Orleans Saints

Believe it or not, Ted Ginn Jr. is back on the fantasy radar. The 33-year-old field-stretcher was on the field for 33 of the Saints' 44 pass plays on Monday night, which was enough to edge Tre'Quan Smith (30 routes) for No. 2 duties behind Michael Thomas (39). Ginn delivered the goods, catching all seven of his targets for 101 yards. Consider Ginn a fringe flex option and Smith more of an end-of-bench stash.

New York Giants

WR Sterling Shepard underwhelmed in his debut as New York's clear No. 1 wide receiver (7 targets, 6 receptions, 42 yards), but on the plus side, he was on the field for 65 of the team's 66 offensive snaps. Evan Engram (14 targets) stole the show, but Shepard's six receptions paced the team's wide receivers. Shepard is back to working from the slot (at least until Golden Tate returns), so he'll dodge CB Tre'Davious White and will instead play in the same spot Jamison Crowder did when he put up a league-high 14 receptions against Buffalo in Week 1. Shepard is in the concussion protocol, but if he's cleared for Sunday, he'll be a WR3 play.

New York Jets

RB Le'Veon Bell was expected to be brought along slowly in his Jets debut. So much for that. Bell was on the field for all 66 of New York's offensive snaps. Bell racked up 60 yards on 17 carries, adding six receptions, 32 yards and one touchdown as a receiver. The efficiency wasn't great, but Bell's workhorse usage confirms that he remains a strong weekly RB1 play.

Oakland Raiders

Running back Josh Jacobs was expected to play a massive role as a ball-carrier as a rookie, and that was certainly the case in Week 1. Jacobs racked up 85 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 23 carries, adding a 28-yard catch on his lone target. As noted in the above OFP chart, only Christian McCaffrey exceeded Jacobs' Week 1 OFP and, in fact, Jacobs actually fell short of his expected total. What does it all mean? It means Jacobs has a path to a massive rookie season and is thus a fringe RB1.

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles utilized a three-headed backfield attack in Week 1, but rookie Miles Sanders was clearly leading the committee. Sanders played 36 snaps (12 touches), compared to 20 (12) for Darren Sproles and 16 (eight) for Jordan Howard. A second-round rookie, Sanders' snap count only figures to increase as the season goes on, though he'll be limited to flex numbers in his current capacity. He should be in lineups this week against an Atlanta defense that was just gashed for 120 yards by Cook.

Pittsburgh Steelers

WR James Washington flashed with a 45-yard reception on Sunday night, but his playing time leaves something to be desired. Washington ranked fourth among the team's wideouts in pass routes (29), trailing JuJu Smith-Schuster (41), Donte Moncrief (43) and Ryan Switzer (36), while also deferring work to rookie Diontae Johnson (21). Moncrief's ugly performance (7 yards on 10 targets) should be a path to a larger role for Washington, so keep the explosive playmaker on your bench.

Seattle Seahawks

Rookie WR DK Metcalf was nearly a full-time player in his Seahawks debut, handling 38 of a possible 49 offensive snaps. Metcalf ran a route on 22 of the team's 24 pass plays, which trailed only Tyler Lockett (23) among the team's wide receivers. Metcalf trailed only Chris Carson in targets (six) and, in fact, no other Seahawk had more than two. Metcalf's 17.2 aDOT suggests he'll be a boom/bust vertical threat, but with Russell Wilson under center, that's enough to put him on the flex radar, especially in non-PPR.

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers' wide receiver depth chart was super tricky to sort out during the offseason, and Week 1 didn't help much. With Trent Taylor and Jalen Hurd out with injuries, Deebo Samuel (52 of 60 possible snaps), Marquise Goodwin (45), Richie James (22), Kendrick Bourne (14) and Dante Pettis (two) carried the load. The Pettis number was the most shocking, and he should thus be nowhere close to starting lineups until further notice. Samuel should also be on benches, but considering that no 49ers wide receiver cleared three targets in this game, none of them should be in starting lineups right now. Those of you in 12-team PPR leagues may want to consider Taylor for a bench spot.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Following about as rough a rookie season as you'll ever see, Ronald Jones burst back onto the fantasy scene with an impressive Week 1 showing. Jones actually finished third among the team's running backs in snaps (21) but was significantly more effective than Peyton Barber (24) and Dare Ogunbowale (24). Jones put up 93 yards on 14 touches, meaning he already cleared his yardage total from the entire 2017 season (77 yards on 30 touches). Jones is the Buccaneers running back you want on your roster, but considering he was a non-factor as a receiver (four routes), the second-year back is best viewed as a borderline flex in 12-team leagues.

Tennessee Titans

Rookie WR A.J. Brown produced 100 receiving yards in his NFL debut, but a deeper look suggests we shouldn't overspend on waivers. Brown was targeted only four times and his 22 snaps were fewer than Corey Davis (41) and Tajae Sharpe (29), and just ahead of Adam Humphries (19). On the plus side, Brown (16) trailed only Davis (19) in pass routes, which suggests he'll be in for a larger role when the game script isn't calling for as many running plays. Brown remains more of an upside bench stash than a weekly fantasy starter.

Washington Redskins

WR Terry McLaurin was one of several rookie pass-catchers who made major noise in Week 1. McLaurin caught five of seven targets for 125 yards and one touchdown while playing 49 snaps. That was second most to Trey Quinn (52) among the team's receivers, with Paul Richardson (43) just behind. McLaurin, who was on the field for 36 of 41 pass plays, is already a full-time player and handling a solid target share. His speed and downfield playmaking ability (20.4 aDOT) were on full display, so he should be a waiver priority this week despite Washington's shaky quarterback situation. Consider McLaurin a borderline flex in 12-plus team leagues, though there's room for more.