The long wait is over, and one other story football season is upon us.
Every Tuesday and Saturday for the length of the season, ESPN story analyst Eric Morose will quiz our NFL Nation reporters one of the pressing questions heading into the weekend and what to accomplish of the fallout after video games are performed. Who’s primed for a gargantuan performance, who is impacted by accidents, what roles would possibly maybe probably commerce? Right here’s what our crew had to inform a pair of few of the absolute best storylines heading into the weekend of Week 1.
With DJ Chark Jr. out and Adam Thielen questionable leading up to the Carolina Panthers’ Week 1 matchup in opposition to the Falcons, how will rookie Bryce Young be impacted?
These were Young’s high wide receiver targets for the length of the preseason, so there will be some impact though I quiz of Thielen will play. Chark will be neglected but take be conscious of Young never had working wait on MIles Sanders in a preseason sport and he’ll play a gargantuan role as a checkdown receiver besides his carries. Search for for Young to depend heavily on rookie wide receiver Jonathan Mingo, who became more reliable tiring in camp. He’ll also depend heavily on tight ends Hayden Hurst and Tommy Tremble, notably in the crimson zone. The tight cease will be a gargantuan portion of Frank Reich’s offense that wasn’t seen for the length of the preseason. If Chark and Thielen don’t play, though, this would possibly maybe maybe be a younger, unproven group in Mingo, Laviska Shenault Jr. and Terrace Marshall Jr. (coming off a wait on hurt). — David Newton
Who stands to profit one of the on the Los Angeles Rams’ offense in Cooper Kupp’s absence while he recovers from his hamstring hurt?
WR Van Jefferson, who is probably Matthew Stafford’s high goal without Kupp on the realm and one of the proven option on this Rams offense. Nonetheless how efficient will he be? Jefferson performed in eight video games without Kupp final season while the No. 1 receiver became as soon as out with an ankle hurt and caught 21 passes for 342 yards and two touchdowns. — Sarah Barshop
How would possibly maybe probably Joe Burrow’s calf hurt impact the Cincinnati Bengals’ offensive sport opinion in opposition to the Cleveland Browns, and will this result in a increased emphasis on Joe Mixon and the working sport?
There is a impartial correct-attempting possibility this occurs. The Bengals have ready for the chance that Burrow’s mobility is mute restricted, and the offensive sport opinion would possibly maybe probably mute be constructed around his restricted mobility. That will probably result in heaps of hastily passes or a working sport that parts Mixon. One of the vital principle deterrents to the bottom assault would be an improved Browns bustle defense featuring DT Dalvin Tomlinson. — Ben Puny one
What’s going to we quiz of from Raheem Mostert and the Miami Dolphins’ working sport in opposition to the Los Angeles Chargers?
The Dolphins averaged 4.9 yards per raise in opposition to the Chargers in final year’s contest but would possibly maybe probably not basically commit to the bustle while playing from in the wait on of. One of their focuses this offseason became as soon as to recommit to the bustle sport, and Mostert would possibly maybe probably mute be the principle benefactor of that. Salvon Ahmed and De’Von Achane are both healthy for Sunday’s sport, but Mostert will see the majority of the carries. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
How will the backfield touches be divvied out between Dalvin Cook and Breece Hall?
They will part the workload, with Michael Carter getting some carries as successfully, but indicators narrate Cook ending with more touches than the different backs. Cook, regardless of minimal be conscious time, became as soon as a beefy participant in be conscious and declared himself ready for Week 1. Hall, 11 months removed from ACL surgical treatment, is mute restricted in be conscious. Their opinion is to play him, but the Jets don’t desire to tax his surgically repaired knee this early in the season. — Rich Cimini
How would possibly maybe probably Tag Andrews’ quad hurt impact his performance in opposition to the Houston Texans, and what adjustments would possibly maybe probably the Baltimore Ravens accomplish to have the void if he’s dominated out?
Andrews did not definitively utter he became as soon as playing this week, which is irregular for any person that has simplest neglected one sport attributable to hurt in his first five NFL seasons. If he does play, his effectiveness in the passing sport will be restricted if he lacks his stylish explosiveness. He has become Lamar Jackson’s plod-to accommodate because he gets originate one of the typically. If Andrews doesn’t play, Isaiah Likely would snatch his train because the slay tight cease option. In two video games when Andrews became as soon as sidelined final year (he became as soon as injured in Week 9 and rested in Week 18), Likely totaled 9 catches for 127 yards and one touchdown. — Jamison Hensley
How assemble you quiz of the touches in the Indianapolis Colts’ backfield to shake out between Deon Jackson, Zack Moss and Evan Hull in opposition to the Jaguars?
The Colts are being coy in regards to the provision of Moss, who has been out for several weeks with a broken arm. He returned to be conscious this week, nonetheless it’s unknown how great he’ll play or whether he’s in shape. Search for for Jackson to raise the heavier load, notably because he’s succesful of playing on all three downs. Jackson had 10 receptions in a single salvage over the Jaguars final season. Invent no longer rule out Hull being outmoded in a complementary capability, probably on third downs. — Stephen Holder
How would possibly maybe probably Kenneth Walker III’s lingering groin hurt impact his availability and performance in the Seattle Seahawks’ sport in opposition to the Rams?
Walker doesn’t have a sport designation, so his availability for the opener just isn’t basically in search records from. Clearly, though, he’s mute requiring some repairs for the groin hurt that sidelined him for a pair weeks early in coaching camp, so that bears monitoring for the foreseeable future. The different misfortune as it relates to Walker’s story price is that it mute stays to be seen how great rookie second-round pick Zach Charbonnet will decrease into his workload. Walker is mute the unquestioned RB1, but Charbonnet’s draft space and the rave critiques he’s drawn from Seattle’s coaches counsel he’s going to be larger than a calmly outmoded RB2. — Brady Henderson
What have you ever heard in regards to the provision of Green Bay Packers WRs Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs for Sunday’s sport in opposition to the Chicago Bears?
Watson became as soon as dominated out Friday attributable to the hamstring hurt, but at least the assumption is that it’s a short-crew hurt and no longer something that would require a month of leisure. Doubs (questionable) appears to be like to be no longer astray to play, announcing he felt impartial correct-attempting after two days of restricted be conscious this week. The impartial correct-attempting part for Jordan Admire is that the Packers had an belief it became as soon as trending this fashion, so it isn’t any longer like they had to accomplish final-minute changes. Mentioned coach Matt LaFleur: “We mute had an complete week to roughly put together for this. So I’d no longer utter that would alter the opinion too drastically.” — Rob Demovsky
