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

Denver Broncos Offense

Seven points is not what you expect when you draft Peyton Manning to be your fantasy quarterback, yet that's all you got this week from the future Hall of Famer as he was constantly under duress and struggled to stretch the field vertically. He finished with just 175 yards passing, no touchdowns and an abysmal 4.4 yards per completion average, being outscored by Ryan Mallett, who played only about a quarter in the Texans' loss to the Chiefs.

The Ravens crowded the box and challenged Manning to throw deep, and he simply didn't have the time or ability to capitalize. Oh, and he was also sacked four times by an offensive line that just doesn't look good. In terms of Passing NEP per play, his -0.18 score was good for 30th in the league in Week 1, and there is little promise offensively in Denver right now.

Without the threat of a vertical passing game, the weapons around Manning all struggled against a great defense, and it doesn't seem presumptuous to start feeling nervous about this offense as a whole.

Both Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders were effective targets on Sunday with seven and eight catches respectively, but the longest reception they had was just 18 yards and the offense was shut out of the end zone.

Running back C.J. Anderson also struggled, finishing 27th in Rushing NEP per rush (-0.26) for backs with 10 or more carries, and was outperformed by backup Ronnie Hillman (-0.09) on the same number of carries. A toe injury was a big part of that, but the offensive line was also a major factor. If he can't stay healthy, the Broncos have already demonstrated they won't hesitate to go with the more effective player, which could mean Hillman becomes a bigger factor in this offense.

While one bad game against a great defense shouldn't call for overreaction, the issues in Denver go way beyond a bad matchup. The warning signs of the preseason were on full display this Sunday, and if this is finally the end for Manning's time as an elite fantasy quarterback, it is reasonable to assume he could bring this offense down with him.

Things won't always look as bleak as they did Sunday against a good Ravens defense, but they also won't look like early season 2014 either. If someone wants to buy Peyton Manning from you for good value, I wouldn't hesitate to move him. That being said, unless you are getting good value, I would hesitate to move anyone from this offense right now. But keep expectations low, especially on a short week as they gear up for a Thursday night game against the Chiefs. We may not get a full picture of what this offense can be until Week 3.