Let’s be honest, first impressions matter.
Getting a nosebleed on a first date is not ideal.
Did you crash into a parked car during your driving test? Oops.
Catching one pass for four yards in your highly anticipated NFL debut? Wow!
Okay, maybe that last example was a bit harsh. You might never get a second date, or you might have to wait to get your driver’s license, but if you’re a highly talented NFL receiver, you always have a chance to erase the memory of one bad game.
Here are three players who could return in Week 2:
WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals
Yes, I know that each catch gives you 4 yards, but think of it this way: 4 yards is 12 feet.
Sarcasm aside, it’s too early to overreact to Harrison’s quiet debut. Quarterback Kyler Murray was primarily focused on Trey McBride (nine targets) and Greg Dortch (eight), with James Conner getting four targets out of the backfield.
Harrison was fourth with three targets, but only caught one of them, but dig a little deeper and you’ll see he was on the field for 55 plays, or 90.2% of Arizona’s offense. That was more than McBride (52 snaps, 85.3%), Conner (41 snaps, 67.2%) and Dortch (37 snaps, 60.7%).
The new guy will be fine. I think so.
TE Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
February 12, 2023: Andy Reid and Travis Kelce celebrate the Kansas City Chiefs’ win over the Philadelphia Eagles during Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Photo by Michael Chou/USA Today Network Haters will hate, but Kelce knows he’ll shake it off come week one.
In some ways, it was fortunate for Kelce that the Chiefs played the Baltimore Ravens in their season opener, with most of the tight end upsets centered on the other end of the field, where Mark Andrews was selling hot dogs in the stands and Isaiah Likely caught a whopping nine passes for 111 yards and a touchdown.
Andrews will likely face stiff competition from his teammates throughout the season, but things will be different for Kelce in Kansas City, who is still the clear leader at his position.
Look at the routes he ran. Kelce was involved in 48 plays, which was 88.9% of Kansas City’s offense. No other pass-catching player was on the field more than him. He only had 3 receptions for 34 yards, but bear with me. Kelce has a big game ahead of him.
WR Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) goes up against Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive back Dee Delaney (30) during the second quarter at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, USA, November 19, 2023. Credit: Kelly L. Cox – USA Today Sports Aiyuk spent most of the preseason watching Jerry Maguire footage of “Show Me the Money!!!” so it wasn’t too surprising that he was quiet in Week 1. He caught two passes for 28 yards from Brock Purdy, who will soon be joining him on the road to the bank.
Aiyuk He spoke to reporters after the game. He feels healthy and conditioning wasn’t an issue for his debut, which makes sense since he had plenty of time to train during the offseason, so he only had to adapt to the speed and contact of the game with a lighter workload.
This week could be Aiyuk’s chance to find his footing again and get the ball in his hands again. The Minnesota Vikings are thin at cornerback and, while they did a good job of holding off Daniel Jones and the New York Giants last week, they’ll have their hands full with the 49ers’ many weapons, including Aiyuk, who would be wise not to carry a duffel bag full of cash on his receiving routes this week.
