Week 1 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Advice on Top Fantasy Football Stars in Opening Games

The wait for football has ended. The Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys will face off on Thursday night to kick off the 2025 NFL season. For fantasy fans, this means it's time to set those lineups.

Week 1 can be a struggle since so many unknowns are in play. Rosters have changed, roles have shifted, and players are a year older.

Of course, it's probably safe to trust elite performers like Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson and Saquon Barkley in Week 1 or any other week. That's why they were drafted so highly. It's those fringe stars and flex starters that can bring difficult lineup decisions.

Here, you'll find start/sit recommendations for a few of those stars for Week 1,

Start: Tyrone Tracy Jr., RB, New York Giants

AP Photo/Danny Karnik

New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. isn't a bona fide fantasy superstar just yet. While he was heavily drafted this summer, he's still only rostered in 93 percent of Yahoo leagues and 90 percent of ESPN leagues. Expect Tracy to be rostered in nearly 100 percent of leagues by Week 2.

Tracy remains New York's starter, though he could lose a few touches to rookie Cam Skattebo. A talented runner and receiver, the second-year back has a strong point-per-reception (PPR) floor and a fairly high ceiling.

As a rookie last year, Tracy tallied 38 receptions, 1,123 scrimmage yards and six touchdowns. That was with a disaster of a situation at quarterback, too. Things may not be perfect with Russell Wilson behind center but they will be better.

The Washington Commanders, meanwhile, aren't built to shut down the run. Washington did add the likes of Von Miller and Javon Kinlaw, but it also ranked 28th in yards per carry allowed a year ago.

Sit: Javonte Williams, RB, Dallas Cowboys

AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

Starting running backs—even those on bad teams—are always worth a roster spot with weekly flex consideration. Javonte Williams, who is rostered in 75 percent of Yahoo leagues and 82 percent of ESPN leagues, falls into this category.

However, this is not the week to trust Williams. The Cowboys will be up against an Eagles defense that has some questions in the secondary but remains stout up front. A year ago, Philly ranked ninth in yards per carry allowed.

New Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer should take a pass-first approach in this game, and things will only grow more unbalanced if/when the Eagles start to pull away. This could lead to some garbage-time PPR value for Williams, but it's more likely to benefit CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens and Jake Ferguson.

The other factor to consider is that Schottenheimer is likely to use a committee rotation in his backfield. Williams managers should wait for a better matchup, after we have a better idea of how Dallas plans to use Williams, Jaydon Blue and Miles Sanders.

Start: Travis Hunter, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack

Jacksonville Jaguars rookie receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter has generated plenty of buzz this summer for his two-way aspirations. By Monday morning, he'll be drawing attention for his fantasy production.

Is Hunter a complete receiver at this stage in his career? No, which is probably why he's still available in a handful of leagues—he's rostered in 86 percent of Yahoo leagues and 95 percent of ESPN leagues. However, Hunter is an incredible athlete with the physical tools needed to succeed while still learning on the job.

With that said, Hunter could still be a matchup-based option during his rookie season. The good news is that he'll kick off his career with a juicy one.

The Panthers added a few intriguing pieces to their defense, including Tre'Von Moehrig and Nic Scourton, but they had the league's worst unit in 2024. Carolina ranked 30th net yards per pass attempt allowed 32nd in passing touchdowns allowed and 32nd in points allowed last season

Sit: Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Indianapolis Colts

AP Photo/Charles Krupa

When fully healthy, Michael Pittman Jr. has been one of the few bright spots in the Indianapolis Colts offense. He should be a serviceable streamer or flex option again in 2025, and he's rostered in 77 percent of Yahoo leagues and 86 percent of ESPN leagues.

However, managers shouldn't rush to force Pittman into their lineups. Rookie tight end Tyler Warren is set to take over as Indianapolis' top target, and we still don't know quite what to expect from new starting QB Daniel Jones.

The opening-week matchup isn't ideal, either. While the Miami Dolphins have some legitimate questions at cornerback, they also have a promising pass rush that could make life extremely difficult for Jones.

Expect Shane Steichen's game plan to involve plenty of running and a lot of short passes to Warren and Jonathan Taylor.