Week 1 Fantasy Football 2025 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em

The 2025 fantasy football season is underway after the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles opened the 2025 campaign Thursday night in Philadelphia.

The mentality of fantasy managers has changed now, and the focus is on examining the team they have constructed and trying to earn as many points as possible this week.

It can be tricky early in the season when there are perils galore: Overthinking, living in the past and refusing to admit you may have been wrong about a player over the summer.

However, Bleacher Report is here to help start the season strong with some Week 1 starts, sits and sleepers.

Author's Note: "Starts" have a started percentage at NFL.com of less than 60 percent or do not exceed a maximum DFS salary threshold at DraftKings. "Sits" have a started percentage over 70 percent or exceed a minimum salary threshold. "Sleepers" have a started percentage of less than 30 percent or don't exceed an even lower salary threshold.

Quarterbacks

AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper

Drake Maye

Start 'Em

Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers (vs. DET) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,100]

Love was drafted as a mid-range QB2 over the summer, but the fifth-year veteran has an excellent chance of finishing well inside the top 10 in Week 1.

The Packers have no shortage of young pass-catching talent, while the Lions were exponentially better against the run than the pass last year. This week's showdown at Lambeau Field has an Over/Under at DraftKings of 47.5.

Drake Maye, New England Patriots (vs. LV) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,500]

Maye was something of a trendy breakout pick this year, and the future is now if you rolled the dice on the second-year pro.

There are some questions where the Patriots' offensive weapons are concerned, but there are even more in a Vegas defense that will be rolling out, arguably, the most inexperienced cornerback corps in the NFL.

Sit 'Em

Jared Goff, Detroit Lions (at GB) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,500]

To be clear, this analyst doesn't hate Goff this week—as stated, this is a game that could be high-scoring. But last year at least, the Packers were not a favorable matchup for quarterbacks; they allowed just over 215 passing yards per game and the third-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks.

Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs (at LAC) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,900]

Patrick Mahomes is the best quarterback in the NFL, but the Kansas City passing attack has not been as prolific in the past two years. With Rashee Rice suspended for the first six games, the Chiefs face additional challenges. Plus, they must travel to Brazil to take on the Chargers' seventh-ranked pass defense.

Sleeper

Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. CAR) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,300]

The addition of Travis Hunter gives the Jaguars a formidable one-two punch at wide receiver. New Jaguars head coach Liam Coen just coaxed a QB3 finish out of Baker Mayfield in Tampa last year and the Jags open the season at home against a Panthers defense that was awful in 2024.

Running Backs

AP Photo/Stacy Bengs

Aaron Jones

Start 'Em

Jerome Ford, Cleveland Browns (vs. CIN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,600]

In Week 1, Ford will be the Browns' lead back. The Bengals allowed nearly 125 rushing yards per game last year and showed significant defensive struggles in the preseason.

Aaron Jones, Minnesota Vikings (at CHI) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,500]

There has been more than a little concern about how much Jordan Mason will eat into Jones' 2025 workload after he finished 12th in PPR points among running backs. But the Vikings will lean on the ground game in J.J. McCarthy's first regular-season start against a Bears defense that surrendered the fifth-most rushing yards per game in the NFL in 2024.

Sit 'Em

James Cook, Buffalo Bills (vs. BAL) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,200]

Cook was great for fantasy managers last year, topping 1,000 rushing yards, scoring 16 rushing touchdowns and finishing eighth among running backs in PPR points. His Week 1 matchup is abysmal, though. The Ravens were almost impossible to run on last year, barely allowing 80 yards a game on the ground.

Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams (vs. HOU) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,500]

Williams was drafted as a low-end fantasy RB1 this summer, and sitting a top-12 back in Week 1 is a tough ask. But the Texans allowed the sixth-fewest PPR points to running backs in 2024. And given how little we saw of the Rams' starters in the preseason, Los Angeles could start the season off sluggishly on offense.

Sleeper

Tank Bigsby, Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. CAR) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,600]

It could be October before we really know how the Jaguars' backfield will shake out this season. But in the season opener against the Carolina Panthers, both Bigsby and Travis Etienne Jr. could have big games. The Panthers were atrocious against the run in 2024, allowing a staggering 179.8 yards per game.

Wide Receivers

AP Photo/Doug Benc

Marvin Harrison Jr.

Start 'Em

Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona (at NO) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,500]

Harrison's rookie season was regarded as a major disappointment by fantasy managers. However, he has bulked up in the offseason, spent extra time working out with Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray and opens the season against a Saints defense that was 27th in the NFL against the pass last season.

Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina Panthers (at JAX) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,200]

After Adam Thielen was traded to Minnesota, McMillan should see a hearty target share Sunday against a poor Jaguars secondary. Jacksonville allowed the most passing yards per game in the NFL last season—a particularly bad mark. Travis Hunter won't magically fix that.

Sit 'Em

Nico Collins, Houston Texans (at LAR) [DraftKings DFS Value: $7,400]

No one is going to sit a wide receiver who was drafted inside the top 10 at his position in the first week of the year, but don't be surprised if we see some alarming signs from the Houston offense this week. They will likely struggle to run the ball, and the offensive line is universally regarded as one of the worst in the league.

DK Metcalf, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers (at NYJ) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,900]

Metcalf could have the best season of his career in 2025, but this weekend will not be a high point. Neither he nor Aaron Rodgers played a single snap of preseason football. Metcalf is also going to have Sauce Gardner all over him Sunday and the Jets star will have safety help.

Sleeper

Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at ATL) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,600]

Egbuka is the real deal: The most NFL-ready wideout in the Class of 2025. He has drawn rave reviews all summer. For now at least, he's Tampa's No. 2 wide receiver. And the Falcons gave up the fourth-most PPR points to receivers a season ago.

Tight Ends

AP Photo/Michael Dwyer

Hunter Henry

Start 'Em

Kyle Pitts Sr., Atlanta (vs. TB) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,300]

Pitts has disappointed fantasy managers in each of the past three seasons, but this year is going to be different. And it starts Sunday at home against a Tampa pass defense that was 29th in the league in 2024.

Hunter Henry, New England Patriots (vs. LV) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,900]

Henry was 11th among tight ends in PPR points last year, but he generated little excitement this summer. However, he has a rapport with Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, and the Raiders gave up the second-most PPR points to tight ends in 2024. Henry will find the end zone Sunday at Gillette Stadium.

Sit 'Em

Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs (at LAC) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,200]

It's possible Kelce will salvage a decent Week 1 with the kind of reception volume that saved his fantasy bacon in 2024. But he isn't the dominant force he once was, and he heads to Brazil to face a stout Chargers defense Friday.

Evan Engram, Denver Broncos (vs. TEN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,500]

Engram could be in for a big season as the "Joker" in Sean Payton's offense this season, and the Broncos should handle the Titans at home this week. But while Tennessee was terrible last year, it still led the AFC in pass defense and surrendered the fourth-fewest fantasy points to tight ends.

Sleeper

Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. CAR) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,300]

Strange was a preferred late-round flier of many fantasy managers over the summer after showing a couple of flashes last year while filling in for an injured Evan Engram. However, the Panthers and Jaguars wouldn't have a good defense if you let them combine both rosters and pick the 11 best of the lot. Bet the over.

Team Defenses

AP Photo/Rick Scuteri

Jonathan Greenard

Start 'Em

Minnesota Vikings Defense (at CHI) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,200]

The Vikings had issues on defense last year, especially against the pass. But they were second in the NFC in sacks with 49, and the Bears led the league in sacks allowed last season with a whopping 68.

Los Angeles Rams Defense (vs. HOU) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,400]

The Texans have multiple issues on offense, including major questions at running back and along the offensive line. The latter could be a serious problem Sunday against a Rams team with one of the better young defensive fronts in the NFL.

Sit 'Em

Buffalo Bills Defense (vs. BAL) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,000]

Everything said here about the Bills applies to their opponents in Week 1. Buffalo and Baltimore were both drafted relatively early among team defenses this summer, but the matchup to open the season isn't great.

Chicago Bears Defense (vs. MIN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $2,400]

Yes, J.J. McCarthy is making his first NFL start in Week 1. And the Bears were quietly a top-10 fantasy defense a year ago. But the Vikings are loaded at the skill positions—there are far better matchup plays available to open regular the season.

Sleeper

San Francisco 49ers Defense (at SEA) [DraftKings DFS Value: $2,900]

The 49ers have several defensive questions entering 2025 after an offseason of player attrition. But the Seahawks have just as many questions on offense, and quarterback Sam Darnold is going to struggle playing behind a far worse offensive line than he had last year with the Vikings.

Gary Davenport is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow Gary on X at @IDPGodfather.