10 standout performers from electrifying return of Sunday football

The first Sunday of the NFL season did not disappoint.

A number of players opened the year with a bang, putting on stellar individual performances. Here are ten standouts from Sunday's action.

Myles Garrett, DE, Browns

2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 6 tackles

The former No. 1 draft pick has waited a full year to get his hands on Ben Roethlisberger. He did just that.

Garrett harrassed Big Ben all day, dropping him twice and adding two QB hits.

Add to his ledger two forced fumbles and it amounted to a coming-out party for the Browns' young pass-rusher.

Khalil Mack, OLB, Bears

1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT returned for TD

What a debut for Mack.

The Bears pass-rusher dominated the Packers on Sunday Night Football, taking an interception to the house and ripping the ball out of DeShone Kizer's hands for a fumble.

Despite his team's loss, Mack cemented his status as one of the league's elite defensive players, further supporting the narrative that Chicago stole him from the Oakland Raiders.

Denzel Ward, CB, Browns

2 INTs, 6 tackles

While Garrett wreaked havoc up front, 2018 first-round pick Ward held things down on the back end against the Steelers.

The rookie began his first NFL game by picking off Roethlisberger in the first quarter of a scoreless game. He grabbed a second interception ahead of halftime.

In one half, Ward showed why he was the first defensive player selected in this year's draft.

T.J. Watt, DE, Steelers

4 sacks, blocked game-winning FG attempt

While the two Cleveland youngsters were holding the Browns in the game, Watt was doing the same for the Steelers.

The sophomore was all over the field, leading Pittsburgh with 11 total tackles and four sacks.

For good measure, Watt blocked what would have been a game-winning Browns field goal in overtime. If not for Watt, the Steelers could have suffered far more embarrassment than tying the Browns.

Aaron Rodgers, QB, Packers

20-for-30, 286 passing yards, 3 TDs

With 9:16 remaining in the second quarter, all looked lost for the Packers. Rodgers went down with a knee injury and had to be carted to the locker room.

Green Bay's season, let alone their Sunday Night Football matchup against the Bears, was in jeopardy.

But in the second half, Rodgers returned, leading his team to an incredible comeback. Down 17-0 at halftime, the star quarterback capped a 24-23 victory with a 75-yard touchdown pass to Randall Cobb.

Michael Thomas, WR, Saints

16 catches, 180 yards, 1 TD

The Saints gave up 48 points in a loss to the Bucs, but they remained in the game until the dying minutes thanks in part to the play of Thomas.

New Orleans' star receiver set a new franchise record with 16 catches on 17 targets. He turned those receptions into 180 yards and a touchdown.

Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, Buccaneers

21-for-28, 417 passing yards, 4 TDs, 36 rushing yards, 1 rushing TD

Oh, ho, ho, it's magic! You know! Never believe it's not so!

Fitzpatrick turned back the clock Sunday. Sitting in for suspended starter Jameis Winston, the veteran had a nearly perfect quarterback rating, throwing for four passing touchdowns, including two bombs to DeSean Jackson and one to Mike Evans.

For good measure, the 35-year-old also ran for a touchdown.

Tyreek Hill, WR, Chiefs

7 catches, 169 yards, 2 receiving TDs, 1 punt-return TD

The Cheetah can't be caught. Hill took his first two touches of the game for touchdowns.

First, he took a punt 91 yards to the house. Then, he scored on a 58-yard catch and run. He added a 1-yard shovel pass for a touchdown to round out the hat trick.

It appears early on that the Hill-Patrick Mahomes tandem will be a dangerous one for all opponents.

Harrison Smith, S, Vikings

8 tackles, 1 sack, 1 game-sealing INT

The Minnesota Vikings' defense put on a trademark dominant performance Sunday, headlined by Smith.

The All-Pro safety filled out the box score with eight tackles, one sack, and an interception of Jimmy Garoppolo with the San Francisco 49ers driving for a game-tying score.

Von Miller, LB, Broncos

3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 6 tackles

Miller is a perennial favorite to be in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation, and he opened the 2018 campaign further cementing his status.

Not only did Miller chase down Russell Wilson for three quarterback sacks, he forced two fumbles, including this absolute heist of Chris Carson:

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)