The 2026 NFL season is already off to an exciting start.
In the early window Sunday, the Jaguars easily handled the Browns in Deshaun Watson's first regular-season game since October 2024. Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers posted 150 yards and one touchdown in the first half of their win over the Colts, though he sat out the entire second half with a left hamstring injury. The Bills looked sharp offensively against the Texans in Joe Brady's head-coaching debut, and the Lions needed to go to overtime to get past the Saints.
Our NFL Nation reporters reacted to all the action, answering lingering questions coming out of each game and detailing everything else you need to know for every team. Fantasy football analysts Matt Bowen and Tristan Cockcroft also have fantasy takeaways from every matchup. Let's get to it.
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Buffalo 36, Houston 31
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Bills
Is this the version of the Bills offense we should expect with former coordinator Joe Brady now in charge? We were promised more aggressiveness and downfield attacking, which we sure got a peek at it Sunday. Of his 11 passes in the first half, quarterback Josh Allen went 6 of 7 for 149 yards and a touchdown on throws that traveled more than 10 air yards downfield, according to ESPN research. He had 11 completions of more than 10 air yards, tied for his most such completions in a game in his career.
Stat to know: This was Allen's ninth career game with two passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns. That's five more than any other player in NFL history. Steve Young had four. He also became the first player in NFL history to reach 300 combined touchdowns in his first nine seasons. -- Judy Battista
Next game: vs. Lions (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Texans
How did the Texans defense struggle badly? It's been a while since Houston's starting defense has allowed 30 points. The last time the unit gave up 30 in a game where the starters finished was Christmas against the Ravens in 2024. Today, the offense gave them 31 points -- and usually that's more than enough for a Texans' win under coach DeMeco Ryans. A silver lining is the unit only allowed 12 points in the second half after giving up 24 in the first. But still, 36 points is unacceptable for a defense that believes they're the best.
Most surprising performance: Running back David Montgomery was viewed a strong trade acquisition by the team, but kicking off his Texan career with three scrimmage touchdowns was impressive. Two of those came on the ground and one through the air for a total of 79 yards. It was the second game of his career with three scrimmage TDs. -- DJ Bien-Aime
Next game: vs. Bengals (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Fantasy football takeaway: Montgomery (28.9 points) didn't have a very efficient day running the ball (3.0 yards per carry), but the red zone usage gives him a boost. He scored twice on red zone carries (one on the goal line), and he was targeted on a schemed throw from Stroud to find the end zone. Montgomery remains a touchdown-dependent RB2 in Week 2. -- Bowen
Detroit 31, New Orleans 30 (OT)
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Lions
Should the Lions be worried about the defense, or this what we should expect from the D? Honestly, it might be somewhere in between as the Saints' offense likely won't be this stellar throughout the season. When Detroit's offense struggled in the first half, the defense held the Saints scoreless and created three turnovers. But then it gave up 24 points in the second half. Edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson finished with two sacks, while S Chuck Clark and LB Derrick Barnes both snagged interceptions, but the defense was still susceptible to explosive plays. That was the same issue last year. Perhaps the eventual return of safeties Kerby Joseph (knee) and Brian Branch (Achilles) from IR will help.
Stat to know: Jahmyr Gibbs' second TD marked his 51st career score in 50 career games, making him the sixth player in NFL history to reach at least 50 career touchdowns in 50 or fewer games, per ESPN Research. Chuck Foreman (44 games), Steve Van Buren (45), Jim Brown (46), Larry Johnson (48) and Marcus Allen (49) round out the list. -- Eric Woodyard
Next game: at Bills (Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET)
Saints
What will we see from the Saints offense next week after slow start? It's hard to know if the slow start from the Saints offense in Detroit was a result of simple season-opening jitters or a true concern moving forward. The Saints took a long time to finally look right on offense. The offense came up big late and was a two-point conversion away from winning in OT, but they had too much to overcome due to their first-half struggles.
What to make of the QB performance: It was a tale of two Shoughs. He looked out of sync with the offense and had several turnovers that helped put the Saints in a 21-0 hole by the third quarter. But he was able to generate a lot of momentum, nearly winning the game in overtime while becoming the first Saints QB to pass for 400 yards since Drew Brees in 2018. -- Katherine Terrell
Next game: at Ravens (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Fantasy football takeaway: Shough certainly seemed to have the skills as a passer to help fantasy managers sooner rather than later in standard 10-team formats. Coming back from two touchdowns behind, he scored the near-entirety of his 23.2 fantasy points on the Saints' final five drives. -- Cockcroft
Baltimore 41, Indianapolis 23
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Ravens
What are the Ravens going to do at wide receiver if Zay Flowers misses any time? The Ravens may need to add a veteran receiver depending on the severity of Flowers' injury. Flowers was on his way to a career day (150 yards and one touchdown) before aggravating a left hamstring injury late in the first half, which forced him to sit out the entire second half. Flowers' injury is compounded by the loss of promising rookie Ja'Kobi Lane, who didn't play in the second half because of a wrist injury. That leaves Baltimore without its No. 1 (Flowers) and No. 3 receivers (Lane). The Ravens' only healthy wide receivers are: Rashod Bateman, LaJohntay Wester, who is primarily a punt returner, Chris Moore, who was elevated from the practice squad, and Elijah Sarratt, a rookie fourth-round pick who was a healthy scratch. Before Flowers' injury, quarterback Lamar Jackson was 10-of-13 for 214 yards and a touchdown. Without Flowers, Jackson was 7-of-12 for 110 yards.
Trend to watch: Derrick Henry's workload will remain the same. Before the season, new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle wouldn't commit to Henry getting over 300 carries for a third straight year but indicated Henry would have "an immense role." In Indy, Henry had 24 carries for 144 yards and three touchdowns. It was Henry's 26th game with more than 100 yards rushing and multiple touchdowns, which moved him past Jim Brown for the most in NFL history. -- Jamison Hensley
Next game: vs. Saints (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Colts
Is the Colts' defense in trouble? This was a catastrophic start for a defense that was supposed to be improved, with Indy giving up its most yards since Week 8 of the 2023 season. The youth of the unit proved problematic, as Jackson exploited cornerback Justin Walley and safety A.J. Haulcy (both first-time starters) at different moments. Meanwhile, the pass rush remains a huge question. Jackson enjoyed an inordinate amount of time in the pocket, allowing his receivers to finish routes.
What to make of the QB performance: Daniel Jones was making his return to the field after sustaining an Achilles tear last December. He didn't display any obvious effects from his injury, but judging him under these circumstances will be difficult. Why? Because he got so little help from anyone else, including blockers who failed to pick up assorted blitzes and receivers who couldn't create separation. Jones was consistently under duress in the second half, given the lopsided score, and finished 19-of-31 for 166 yards. -- Stephen Holder
Next game: at Chiefs (Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET)
Fantasy football takeaway: Doyle schemed open his playmakers in the passing game, while Jackson reminded managers about his elite dual-threat ability. Jackson threw for 324 passing yards and rushed for 41, finishing with two total touchdowns (24.96 FPTS). You can lock in Jackson as a top-two option for Week 2. -- Bowen
Pittsburgh 20, Atlanta 13
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Steelers
What's next with Joey Porter Jr.? It's rare that the biggest question has nothing to do with what happened on the field, but that's the case as the Steelers and Porter failed to reach an agreement on an extension by the regular-season negotiating deadline. Porter was inactive in coach Mike McCarthy's Steelers debut, though the 2023 second-round pick was spotted on the sideline wearing a gray hoodie and gray Steelers shorts. Sources told ESPN that there is a possibility of trading Porter. Once an unthinkable outcome for one of the team's up-and-coming defenders and legacy players, that possibility seems more realistic after Porter missed the game following a week of limited practice participation with a back injury. Cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. started in Porter's place, and he played well opposite Jamel Dean despite an unnecessary roughness penalty.
Trend to watch: After seeing his opportunities reduced a season ago, tight end Pat Freiermuth was Mr. Consistency for QB Aaron Rodgers. Through three quarters, Freiermuth had five catches on five targets for 46 yards. He had five catches just once last season and five-plus targets four times. Freiermuth's dependability was especially key because wide receiver DK Metcalf struggled to make contested catches. Metcalf finished with four catches on 10 targets for 40 yards. -- Brooke Pryor
Next game: at Patriots (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Falcons
Who will be the Falcons' quarterback in Week 2? Cooper Rush was not good in replacing Tua Tagovailoa (oblique) against the Steelers. The Falcons have classified Tagovailoa as week-to-week and Michael Penix Jr. is close to returning, he said a few days ago. Atlanta would love to have Penix back against the Panthers for Week 2. It does not seem like the team thinks undrafted rookie Jack Strand, who played great in the preseason, is ready just yet.
Most surprising performance: Kicker Nick Folk missed two field goal attempts combined over his past three NFL seasons. On Sunday, Folk missed his first two of the 2026 season, including a 45-yard attempt. The Falcons were a mess at kicker during the 2024 and 2025 seasons and were hoping Folk would be a savior. -- Marc Raimondi
Next game: vs. Panthers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Fantasy football takeaway: It's hard to imagine how badly an offense needs a healthy Tagovailoa, but that was the story of the Falcons in Week 1. Thankfully, RB Bijan Robinson managed a massive 35.3 fantasy point game and accounted for 66% of their yardage, including a heavy dose of receiving work. -- Cockcroft
N.Y. Jets 23, Tennessee 10
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Jets
How optimistic should the Jets be? This is rarefied air for coach Aaron Glenn, who needed eight games last season to record a victory. Unlike last season, he now has a balanced offense. Consider: By the first drive of the third quarter, the wide receivers already had 148 receiving yards -- more than any game in 2025. Garrett Wilson and Adonai Mitchell delivered explosive plays while Breece Hall (102 yards) and Braelon Allen (40 yards) spearheaded a 152-yard rushing attack. QB Geno Smith, with terrific protection, played a clean game -- no turnovers, a bugaboo from last year in Las Vegas. If the Jets can stick to this formula, they could be a surprise team.
Stat to know: The defense has gone 571 pass attempts without an interception, dating to the 2024 finale -- a historic drought. Despite no picks against second-year QB Cam Ward, the defense played fantastic, making three sacks and holding the Titans to 195 total yards. They did it without safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who left with a groin injury after six snaps. -- Rich Cimini
Next game: vs. Packers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Titans
Will it be this hard for the Titans to reach the end zone? The first-team offense scored one touchdown on six drives in the preseason. They managed to do worse against the Jets with 10 points on nine drives. The only touchdown came in garbage time with the Jets up by 20 points. Carnell Tate's 14-yard catch in the fourth quarter was the longest offensive play of the day. New Titans offensive coordinator Brian Daboll stressed taking what the defense gives them, but that won't work if Cam Ward keeps missing easy throws. It could be worse next week when Tennessee hosts the Eagles.
What to make of the QB performance: Saying Ward's 2026 debut was bad is an understatement. Ward missed easy throws to RB Tyjae Spears and WR Wan'Dale Robinson near the line of scrimmage, and he failed to connect with Tate on a pass across the middle that would have been a big gain. Ward finished with 140 passing yards, though 55 came on the final drive. -- Turron Davenport
Next game: vs. Eagles (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Fantasy football takeaway: Hall, who worked through a groin injury in camp, saw a team-high 22 carries and finished with 118 total yards and a score (19.8 points) for the Jets. He will remain a high-end RB2 next week. -- Bowen
Cincinnati 33, Tampa Bay 27
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Bengals
Is the Bengals' defense as good as it appeared against Tampa Bay? It's not a mirage. There are still some aspects that need to be shored up, but the defensive line was as good as advertised. Cincinnati forced and recovered four fumbles, including a scoop and score by second-year LB Demetrius Knight Jr. for the team's first TD of the season. Cincinnati got key contributions from nearly all of its offseason signings. It was the exact impact the Bengals hoped for from a revamped defense.
What to make of the QB performance: Joe Burrow took what the defense gave him Sunday. He did a good job finding the tight ends, particularly Mike Gesicki, and working the underneath routes to move the ball down the field. The pick-six he threw in the third quarter didn't prove to be disastrous, and Burrow typically gets better the deeper he gets into a season. -- Ben Baby
Next game: at Texans (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Buccaneers
What do we make of the Bucs' four fumbles that led to 24 points? Quarterback Baker Mayfield's first fumble came while moving laterally to try to find an open receiver. The second fumble was from running back Bucky Irving, who left the ball exposed when he collided with Boye Mafe and Myles Murphy. (It's unclear if his offseason shoulder surgery played into this at all.) The third came from Mayfield while he was spinning his way out of a sack, scrambling and desperately trying to reach the end zone while in a 14-3 hole -- trying to do too much. The fourth was simply the result of Mayfield holding on to the ball too long; Mafe hit him from behind to jar it loose.
Stat to know: Rookie linebacker Josiah Trotter is the first NFL rookie with a pick-six and a sack in his NFL debut since sacks became an official stat in 1982, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. He is also the ninth player in NFL history with a sack and interception in his NFL debut since 1982. -- Jenna Laine
Next game: vs. Browns (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Fantasy football takeaway: Don't panic, Ja'Marr Chase managers: The star wide receiver had 3.2 fantasy points, but he is no stranger to slow starts. Two of his worst games have come in the past two Week 1s. And over his career, he has averaged 5.5 fewer points in September than the rest of the season. -- Cockcroft
Jacksonville 34, Cleveland 10
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Jaguars
Is the Jaguars' Week 1 dominance sustainable? The Jaguars controlled the entirety of their season opener against the Browns, led by four touchdown passes from quarterback Trevor Lawrence. But it's the next five games that will tell us if they are actually as good as this win suggested. Four of the Jaguars' next five games are against 2025 playoff teams, beginning at the Broncos next week, Patriots at home in Week 3, at the Bengals in Week 4, and then back-to-back games in London against the Eagles and Texans. Thrive in that stretch and the Jaguars could enter their Week 7 bye as one of the best in the AFC. Time will tell.
Trend to watch: Lawrence targeted 10 players -- nine had at least one catch -- and four different players caught TDs (Parker Washington, Josh Cameron, Brenton Strange and Jakobi Meyers). Not only that, but Lawrence targeted all areas of the field. He had two TD passes of 20 or more yards, which is one shy of what he had in 2025. Having that many options in the pass game could make this offense hard to stop. -- Mike DiRocco
Next game: at Broncos (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)
Browns
Was this just a bad game or a bad sign for the Browns? Todd Monken's first game as an NFL head coach was a worst-case outcome for a team with major question marks. Deshaun Watson looked every bit the quarterback who hadn't played a regular-season game in 693 days, while the defense looked like a unit missing edge rusher Myles Garrett and ex-defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. Jacksonville was a tough Week 1 draw, but Sunday highlighted fundamental issues that might not be solved in a week.
What to make of the QB performance: Concerns over Watson's training camp -- inconsistent at best -- and preseason performance will only grow after this outing. In his first regular-season game since October 2024, Watson looked tentative and inaccurate throughout the game. (He went 16-of-22 with five sacks and an INT). Those are issues that predated the Achilles injury that sidelined him for all of the 2025 season. -- Daniel Oyefusi
Next game: at Buccaneers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Fantasy football takeaway: The Browns, who scored 10 points and saw the opposing Jaguars D/ST score 14 fantasy points, reaffirmed their status as a top-shelf D/ST streaming target. The Buccaneers (Week 2), Panthers (Week 3) and Jets (Week 5) -- all widely available defenses -- are three of their next four opponents. -- Cockcroft