Well the final score didn't quite line up as expected, as Cincinnati kept it relatively close for much of the game, despite a nearly invisible A.J. Green (despite 13 targets) and a stifled Joe Mixon (despite 20 touches). Joe Burrow showed a lot of poise. But keep in mind, Cleveland had eight penalties, including some that kept Cincy drives going. The Browns were last year's fourth most penalized team, and will be probably be #1 in 2020 after everyone plays this week. The Bengals won't catch as many breaks against most teams. A more disciplined Cleveland D would have helped produce a more convincing win. And Burrow's anemic 5.2 yards per attempt won't help him this much in the future.
As for my other calls yesterday, Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt did indeed combine for 30+ touches and 160+ yards, all by early in the fourth quarter. They wrapped up with a shared 35-235-3 line. This meant Baker Mayfield wasn't needed as much, though OBJ came through as expected. Strangely, Austin Hooper remains underutilized: four catches on six targets through two contests. While you could argue a win is a win, with no David Njoku, Hooper was poised to rebound. I'm nowhere close to giving up on him, and in deeper leagues I'd trade for him if you don't have a top-10 TE. The NFL's fourth-highest-paid tight end is not destined for irrelevance.
A quick look around the league: What do we do with Le'Veon Bell? Someone asked me yesterday whether he should cut him. This is a brutal situation. An improved offensive line and a make-or-break year for him and head coach Adam Gase should have at least given Bell a great shot at bettering last year's anemic efficiency. But his injury gives role Lamical Perine a real shot at carving out a role. Bell's situation isn't unlike Joe Mixon's for the first half of last year (though different for obvious reasons): You can't drop him, and it's also pointless to trade him for pennies. So he'll burn a hole on most benches, in the hope he returns soon and plays like a starter. But what an awful start to his season.
A.J. Brown could miss multiple games, and Corey Davis is limited. Is Adam Humphries a must-start fantasy wideout if both sit? I don't see why not. Derrick Henry doesn't do much in the passing game, and the only other reliable receiver is Jonnu Smith. If Tennessee signs someone today or tomorrow, it won't be a good sign for Davis's availability. Keep Humphries in your back pocket; I'm banking on a surprising 14+ points if he's starting.
Elsewhere, James Conner is trending in the right direction, though his bellcow status is almost as precarious as Le'Veon Bell's. George Kittle's injury could open the door for a revitalized (i.e. healthy) Jordan Reed to get some run, which I've love to see on a personal level, since he's deserved a better career than his body has allowed. Kenny Golladay appears doubtful yet again, while Jamison Crowder is in danger of missing Week 2. And Justin Watson or Scotty Miller will get a bump if Chris Godwin can't get out of the concussion protocol in time.
There are so many more injuries to discuss, but you get the point. It will be like this, or worse, all season. Handcuff RBs are as important as ever, and saving FAAB / waiver spots for when a #1 or #2 receiver goes down (so you can grab the rising starter) could mean the difference between a win and a loss.