Season 4 Episode 6
NFL Week 1 Recap & Week 2 Preview | Fantasy Football Winners, Losers, & Overreactions
The Screenplay Podcast — Week 1 Recap
The Screenplay Podcast kicked off Season 4's regular-season coverage with a full Week 1 recap, breaking down every primetime and marquee game, releasing updated power rankings, and digging into fantasy football busts, booms, and Week 2 start/sit calls. Host Andrew Novak also previewed his tournament this week, the inaugural Biltmore Asheville Championship on the PGA Tour's fall series.
Andrew's Week on Tour: Biltmore Asheville Championship
Andrew Novak is playing this week's inaugural Biltmore Asheville Championship at the Cliffs at Walnut Cove, a Jack Nicklaus design he compared visually to Muirfield Village, on a soft course that's playing ball-in-hand all week after heavy rain. Sitting 84th in the FedEx Cup standings after his win last season already locks up his card for next year, Novak said his fall-season goals are to win a tournament, climb into next year's signature events and majors, and lock up a Players Championship spot. He's paired with Davis Riley and Lucas Glover for the second straight start and is sticking with the putter he switched back to late last season after a strong putting week.
NFL Week 1 Recap
Seahawks 13, Patriots 10 (Wednesday Night)
A sloppy opener saw Seattle survive after Sam Darnold left early with an injury expected to keep him out three to four weeks, with backup Drew Lock managing the game cleanly in relief. New England's Drake May threw three interceptions, including a late fourth-quarter pick, and both hosts pointed to a since-worsening AJ Brown high-ankle sprain (headed for IR, likely at least six games) as a game-defining injury. Both hosts were critical of Patriots play-calling and the offense's lack of creativity around Rhamondre Stevenson's inefficient workload, with Evan floating the idea of a coordinator change if the season goes sideways.
49ers 27, Rams 7 (International Opener, Melbourne)
San Francisco's decision to travel to Australia a week early paid off visibly against a Rams team that arrived just before kickoff, with Myles Garrett managing zero tackles or sacks in his 49ers debut before landing on IR. Matthew Stafford looked uncharacteristically hesitant, though both hosts credited the Rams' run game and said they remain unconcerned about the team long-term. Christian McCaffrey was used efficiently in a lighter role (10 carries, 7 yards per carry) as San Francisco leaned on Mike Evans and a healthier-looking Deebo Samuel.
Bears 59, Panthers 37
Chicago's offense was nearly unstoppable, converting 10 of 14 third downs and getting rushing touchdowns from Caleb Williams (two, matching his combined total from his first two NFL seasons) in a game both hosts called an indictment of Carolina's defensive scheme under coordinator Ejiro Evero. Andrew, a Panthers fan, was clearly rattled by the loss despite a big game from Bryce Young (23-for-37, 361 yards, 37 fantasy points) and Jalen Coker (37.8 fantasy points), while Evan noted PFF's grading of Caleb Williams as only the 19th-best quarterback of the week undercut the eye test.
Giants 28, Cowboys 20 (Sunday Night)
John Harbaugh's Giants debut was defined by a dominant offensive line performance, including a standout pass-protection outing from rookie guard Marcus Mbow (moved inside from tackle) against Kenny Clark, while Jaxson Dart managed the game efficiently behind a run-heavy attack. Both hosts contrasted the culture shift under Harbaugh with Dallas's struggles under Brian Schottenheimer and a still-shaky defense under first-time coordinator Matt Eberflus, with Evan noting Schottenheimer went 1-7 last year against teams with winning records.
Chiefs 31, Broncos 10 (Monday Night)
Bo Nix had what both hosts called the worst quarterback performance of Week 1 league-wide, holding the ball too long and repeatedly failing to find open receivers despite a clean pocket, while Denver's defense allowed 248 yards after contact on missed tackles. Kansas City got encouraging rookie debuts from defensive lineman Peter Woods, edge rusher R. Mason Thomas, and backup running back Emmett Johnson, while cornerback Mansour Delane left early with an injury after an early interception. Rashee Rice's route running drew criticism as "a running back at this point" per Andrew, and Kenneth Walker III's addition to Kansas City's run game looked like the offseason's most impactful move.
Around the League
The Chargers' loss to the Cardinals was pinned on a struggling interior offensive line that never let the run game get going, with both hosts hesitant to overreact given a brutal upcoming schedule (Raiders, Bills, Seahawks, Broncos, Chiefs, Rams, Texans, Ravens). Baltimore looked dominant behind Zay Flowers and an ageless Derrick Henry (24 carries, 144 yards, three touchdowns) despite a thin receiving room after a Jacoby Lane injury, and Buffalo beat Houston 36-10 using a heavy dose of 13 personnel, with DJ Moore and Dalton Kincaid emerging as bigger factors than expected.
Screenplay Podcast Power Rankings — Week 2
A significant shakeup from the preseason rankings after one week of games:
1. Buffalo Bills 2. Baltimore Ravens 3. Seattle Seahawks 4. Kansas City Chiefs 5. San Francisco 49ers 6. Chicago Bears 7. Jacksonville Jaguars 8. Cincinnati Bengals 9. Philadelphia Eagles 10. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams fall from No. 1 to No. 10 after the Myles Garrett injury and the Australia trip, while the Jaguars' blowout win over Cleveland has Andrew arguing they belong in the top five given their sustained defensive success (holding six of their last ten opponents to 10 points or fewer).
Fantasy Football: Week 1 Busts You Shouldn't Worry About
Ja'Marr Chase is viewed as a classic slow-starting Week 1 performer who will bounce back as Joe Burrow starts targeting him more. Colston Loveland ran routes on 35 of 38 snaps despite not getting a single target and is viewed as a bad-luck outlier rather than a real concern. George Pickens had a rough drop-filled outing but remains in a good offensive situation, and Terry McLaurin is viewed as still trending up despite a quiet Week 1 against a tough Eagles secondary.
Fantasy Football: Week 1 Busts You Should Worry About
Kyle Pitts saw his snap share and target share both decline in a bad Atlanta offense, and Drake London faces the same quarterback-play concerns that have limited him throughout his career. Devon Achane is a concern after Miami quarterback Malik Willis repeatedly chose to run rather than dump the ball off to him. Quinshon Judkins (12 carries, seven fantasy points) and Tony Pollard (seven carries, four fantasy points) are both viewed as unstartable most weeks given poor offensive lines and limited touchdown equity.
Fantasy Football: Week 1 Booms You Shouldn't Buy Into
Mike Gesicki's seven-target outing is viewed as unsustainable given the Bengals' other pass-catching options, and Khalif Raymond's heavy Week 1 target share for the Bears is expected to shrink once the offense settles in. David Montgomery's three-touchdown game came on an inefficient 20 carries for 60 yards and is viewed as a sell-high spot given how rarely the run-first Texans will be forced into a shootout pace again. Isaiah Likely's two-touchdown game off busted Cowboys coverages and Deven Ale's big game while Chris Olave sat are both viewed as difficult to repeat weekly.
Fantasy Football: Week 1 Booms You Should Buy Into
Isaiah Likely is viewed as a legitimate weekly starter-caliber tight end given the Giants' pass-heavy game plan and thin receiving room beyond Malik Nabers. Parker Washington is viewed as a potential fantasy football breakout after an 80-yard half-game performance in limited action, with a strong recent track record dating back to last season (five straight games of 19-plus fantasy points). DJ Moore's role in Buffalo's expanded 13-personnel packages is viewed as underrated, and Jalen Coker's big game is viewed as a continuation of a real late-2025 breakout rather than a one-off, though a crowded target competition with Tetairoa McMillan may cap his weekly ceiling. Caleb Douglas is viewed as a solid bench stash on a Miami offense that will be throwing often while trailing, and Dalton Kincaid is viewed as a strong tight end option given Buffalo's personnel shift and Josh Allen's stated trust in him.
Week 2 Fantasy Football: Starts and Sits
Start 'Em
Jameson Williams (Thursday night vs. Bills), Jared Goff (Thursday night vs. Bills), Calen Black (potential value vs. a weak Dolphins run defense with the 49ers likely playing with a big lead), Rashod Bateman (vs. Saints, especially if Zay Flowers is limited), the Washington Commanders' skill players (Terry McLaurin, Bill Kroskey-Merritt, Chig Okonkwo, given Dallas's defensive struggles), Baker Mayfield (revenge game vs. Cleveland), and Aaron Jones (pass-catching role vs. Chicago).
Sit 'Em
Tony Pollard (vs. Eagles), Josh Downs (tough Chiefs primetime matchup), Marvin Harrison Jr. (vs. Seahawks), and a cluster of Arizona Cardinals — Jeremiah Love, Michael Wilson, and Harrison — facing a crowded backfield and difficult matchup against Seattle. Quinshon Judkins (vs. Buccaneers) and DK Metcalf (vs. Patriots, in favor of Michael Pittman) round out the sits.
Week 2 NFL Betting Picks
The hosts went 2-1 against the spread in Week 1, improving their multi-season records to 54.3% (Evan) and 56.5% (Andrew).
Andrew's picks: Jaguars (underdog) at Broncos; Chiefs −6.5 vs. Colts; Panthers −2.5 at Falcons.
Evan's picks: Eagles −7 vs. Titans; Jaguars +2.5 at Broncos; 49ers −13.5 vs. Dolphins.
Screenplay Podcast Survivor Pool Update
Of the 200 entrants in this season's Survivor Pool, 121 remain after Week 1. The most popular pick, the Chargers (25% of the field), was eliminated, while the second-most popular pick, the Jaguars (20% of the field), survived. The Lions (15%), Steelers (12%), and Raiders (8.5%) rounded out the most popular picks. A few longshot bettors who picked the Giants and 49ers before Week 1 also survived.
Listen to the Full Episode
New episodes of The Screenplay Podcast drop every Wednesday at 8 a.m. wherever you stream podcasts, hosted by Evan Grenus and PGA Tour winner Andrew Novak, running from now through the Super Bowl.