Two Late-Round Wide Receivers Emerge As Fantasy Football MVPs

Check out the Week 2 Fantasy Football MVP Watch as a couple late-round receivers emerge as league-winning players after huge Week 1 performances.

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (4) runs after a second quarter catch against the Cincinnati Bengals at M&T Bank Stadium. | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

It's only one week, but we are already starting our fantasy MVP watch. This is based only on what these players have done so far, and not anything we are projecting. After one week, these are the fantasy MVP rankings. 

1. RB Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) carries the ball against the Buffalo Bills in the first quarter at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Henry had a tough Week 1 last season. That was not the case this year. He started the season with 169 yards and two touchdowns, and added a 13-yard reception. If not for a late fumble, his numbers could have been even greater, because instead of a fumble, he could have marched right back down the field and scored another TD. What puts him over the top as the MVP so far is the fact that he scored 28.2 fantasy points, and no other running back had more than 18.2. If you started him this week, you had a massive advantage over every other player in your league.  

2. QB Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

Allen scored a league-best 38.8 fantasy points in Week 1. He threw for 394 yards, rushed for 30, and accounted for four touchdowns. The closest quarterbacks to him were Justin Fields and Daniel Jones with 29.5 fantasy points. Along with Henry, Allen is the only player who has a legitimate claim for the top spot here. 

3. WR Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens

You may be seeing a trend with that Ravens and Bills game. Flowers went nuts in the opener, catching seven passes for 143 yards and TD, while adding eight yards on the ground. That was enough to make him the top wide receiver of the week with 28.1 fantasy points. However, there were two other young wide receivers hot on his heels as he was unable to create much separation at the position like Henry and Allen were.  

4. Keon Coleman, Buffalo Bills

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman (0) looks at a an official and points at a spot before lining up on the line of scrimmage during second half action at Highmark Stadium where the Buffalo Bills hosted the New England Patriots in Orchard Park on Dec. 22, 2024. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Again, we have another player from the Bills and Ravens game. That one was truly a barn burner, but it makes sense that the top quarterback's top receiver would be listed. He finished with 25.2 fantasy points after catching eight passes for 112 yards and a TD.     

5. WR Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers

Johnston managed to score 24.9 fantasy points in the Chargers' Week 1 Friday Night Football matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs in Brazil. He caught five passes for 79 yards and scored two touchdowns. Despite only being third in targets for wide receivers on his own team, he still managed to pile up points based on efficiency and TDs.