With the sports world shut down, it is indeed fortunate that the NFL came into the first week of their new year like they were on fire. The free-agent signings and trades have come at us hot and heavy, and thank God for the distraction from the real world. One week in and we can take a serious look at who is fantasy football’s biggest winners/losers.

Winners:

Kyler Murray, QB, Arizona Cardinals

Could there be a bigger winner than Murray? He had a solid, if unspectacular, first season with 3,772 yards passing with 20 TDs and 12 interceptions. Now, those numbers will explode as he will be paired with one of the most dynamic wide receivers in DeAndre Hopkins. The Cardinals pulled off the trade of the year in sending RB David Johnson and picks for Hopkins. Johnson is on the wrong side of his career but Hopkins caught 104 passes last season. The two will complement each other well and Murray moves way up in the fantasy football ratings.

Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys

When the league year was getting ready to open, speculation was that the Cowboys could keep Prescott or wide receiver Amari Cooper. As is turned out, they kept both, placing the franchise tag on Prescott and signing Cooper to a new deal. That means that the Cowboy offense will return pretty much intact. However, that won’t be the case with the Dallas defense. It looks like Prescott will be called on to throw even more than he did a season ago. With Cooper, Zeke and emerging WR Michael Gallup, Prescott is set up for a huge fantasy season.

Tom Brady, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

No one could have expected that Tom Brady could possibly wind up on the winner’s list by leaving New England, but that is exactly what’s happened. He signed a deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His reward? He will now be throwing to two of the best wide receivers in football in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. The two combined for 153 catches for 2,490 yards and 17 touchdowns. Add in tight ends Cameron Brate and O.J. Howard and Brady have not had an arsenal of weapons like this in some time. True, he is getting older, but at least for one season, he will be more fantasy relevant than last season. He is definitely one of fantasy football’s biggest winners/losers.

Todd Gurley, RB, Atlanta Falcons

It is difficult to go from a loser to a winner in just one day, but Gurley managed to pull it off. He was unceremoniously dumped by the Rams one day and then signed with the Falcons the very next. The good news for Gurley is he will be on a team with an excellent QB throwing to an excellent WR. The Falcons also have Calvin Ridley, who looks ready to explode in his third season. If, and it is a big if, Gurley is healthy, he should fit right in with the Falcons. Watch and see how he looks in the preseason. While he won’t be a top-five fantasy pick as he was just two years ago, he could be a real difference-maker.

Losers

Deshaun Watson, QB, Houston, Texans

If Murray is the ultimate winner, Watson must be the ultimate loser, no? He lost his All-Pro WR in Hopkins. He had a magical connection with him as both came from the same college, Clemson. The Texans will attempt to replace Hopkins with Johnson and Randall Cobb. Does anyone know what Bill O, Brien is doing in Houston? Anyone? Anyone? Buehler? Buehler? Those two additions are not going to make up for the loss of Hopkins. Watson is an elite QB, no question, but as of now, he is a fantasy football’s biggest loser.

Mitch Trubisky, QB, Chicago Bears

Trubisky has had to listen to the stories of how he was drafted ahead of Patrick Mahomes and Watson for the past several years. That is the least of his worries now. The Bears made a trade for the ultimate relief pitcher of a QB in Nick Foles from Jacksonville. There are some things we can be sure of in life: death, taxes, and Trubisky will have a bad game. Perhaps even a bad half will bring Foles off the bench. The leash just got much shorter for Trubisky and there is no place for him on any fantasy football roster.

Jacoby Brissett, QB, Indianapolis Colts

Jacoby Brissett was placed in a tough spot last season with the retirement of Andrew Luck. He at least had the starting job all to himself and he didn’t make the most of it. He only threw six interceptions, but the rest of his stats were lacking. The Colts went out and got Philip Rivers. Neither at this stage is very fantasy-relevant, but that is especially true for Brissett. Whatever comes his way, he will dwell on the waiver wire for the entirety of next season.

Thank all that is holy for the NFL! We would have nothing to talk about in the world of sports without the NFL moving forward with their plans for trade and free agency. There was a lot of movement right off the bat and we can only wait and see what will happen in week two. For sure, we will have something to talk about. Until then, we can take in fantasy football’s biggest winners/losers in week one.

Follow me on Twitter @kevin62wilsea and if you are desperate to watch some sports in a world without sports, checked out my articles How to Watch Sports Without Sports 1 and How to Watch Sports Without Sports II.