2025 NFL Fantasy Football Start/Sit – Week 1

I’m so happy to have fantasy football back!

This year’s class of rookie quarterbacks are bucking the recent trend of starting right away. QB Cam Ward (Tennessee Titans) is the only rookie quarterback starting in the opening week.

We have a lot of new faces in new places across the league. Veteran quarterbacks like Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers and Geno Smith are on new teams. Will any of them shine this weekend?

Which sleepers are you targeting this season?

Here is our Fantasy Football Sit/Start for Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season…and enjoy our awesome MS Paint masterpiece of QB Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins.

I want to explain what I mean by “sit” and “start.” Of course you are going to start some of the guys i say to bench this week, because you probably used high draft picks or a lot of money in an auction for them. My ‘sit’ players are guys I am just not completely sold that they will have good weeks. If you have a guy that you are on the fence about, maybe this will help you pick between the players.

START’EM

  • QB Tua Tagovailoa (Miami Dolphins) – I think Tua is in for a rebound year. I don’t trust the Colts new, older secondary right now. I think he racks up a solid game to start the year.
  • WR Xavier Legette (Carolina Panthers) – I’m expecting the Panthers to be better than expected. QB Bryce Young handled being benched well, and I think we will see Legette reap the benefits of smarter decisions.
  • TE Tyler Warren (Indianapolis Colts) – The Colts went with QB Daniel Jones as the starter, and tight ends have done well with him under center. I’m not usually keen on rookie tight ends, but Jones will need to have a quick trigger to keep that job. I think Warren has the talent to contribute right away.
  • RB Nick Chubb (Houston Texans) – The Texans will be without RB Joe Mixon for awhile, and Chubb still has life left in those knees. He could have a post-hype breakout start to the year.
  • QB Michael Penix Jr. (Atlanta Falcons) – Penix Jr. is another young quarterback that I think will take a leap in 2025. The overall offense is better, but will need his defense to step up to get W’s this year. Penix may need to throw in the second-half this year.
  • Washington Commanders Defense & Special Teams – Commanders face the new-look Giants in Week 1. I’m not sold on any offense ran by QB Russell Wilson.
  • WR Hollywood Brown (Kansas City Chiefs) – WR Rashee Rice is suspended for six games, and I believe QB Patrick Mahomes will finally get to realize how good Brown is at football. He didn’t really get to do anything with the Chiefs last year, but he should shine early this year.
  • RB Jonathan Taylor (Indianapolis Colts) – As I said earlier, the Colts offense will need to rely on Jones to get the ball out of his hands quick, and for him to just feed Taylor. Taylor will need a lot of work if the Colts wish to rack up some wins.
  • TE Brenton Strange (Jacksonville Jaguars) – This is more of a deeper suggestion. I think he’s talented as hell, and QB Trevor Lawrence needs to lean on someone like him. He has shown to trust tight ends and Strange showed some signs last year.
  • WR Chris Olave (New Orleans Saints) – I think the Saints made a smart decision by choosing QB Spencer Rattler as the starter. Rattler had some big moments his final year at South Carolina. He didn’t play well in his previous moments in the pros, but I think Rattler will spam to Olave to help himself. Many are down on Rattler, but I think he’ll work out.
  • RB James Conner (Arizona Cardinals) – Conner is coming off a great year, and I think he has some life still left in his legs. At the very least, he will be a red zone beast.
  • Pittsburgh Steelers Defense & Special Teams – The Steelers travel to New York to face the Jets, who will have Justin Fields making his home debut. He hasn’t showed me anything in his time in the NFL, and the Steelers defense is a tough, tough opening opponent for him.
  • QB Kyler Murray (Arizona Cardinals) – I’m expecting a big Year 2 for WR Marvin Harrison Jr., and Murray would be smart to give him double-digit targets every game. Conner may steal some touchdowns, but Murray will still get yards on the ground to help make up for some of those.

SIT’EM

  • RB Omarion Hampton (Los Angeles Chargers) – The Chargers running game was a headache to handicap last year. You never knew which running back would carry the team…then they all got hurt, and the Chargers turned into a passing offense in November. I’m not sold that the Chargers will give Hampton a lot of rope when RB Najee Harris there. It’s clear there is no RB1/RB2 split, they plan to play both .
  • QB Aaron Rodgers (Pittsburgh Steelers) – Rodgers will have WR DK Metcalf this year, but does he have any life left in his body? The Jets have some studs in the secondary, so I expect some mistakes from ole A-Aron.
  • WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seattle Seahaws) – JSN has QB Sam Darnold under center, and it’s a downgrade. He is the traditional WR1 now (with Cooper Kupp as the possession receiver), but the passing talent isn’t there for a big year.
  • RB Isiah Pacheco (Kansas City Chiefs) – Pacheco is clearly the starting back in Kansas City, but the running game there has been a bit of a mess the last few years. Pacheco did have a solid rookie year, but the offense just doesn’t rack up the same level of points. They are still a great team, but they rarely get out to a large enough lead for them to spam the ground game.
  • QB Russell Wilson (New York Giants) – I know ole Russ has WR Malik Nabers, but he hasn’t played well in years. I would only start him in a 16+ team fantasy league.
  • WR Davante Adams (Los Angeles Rams) – We have seen it over and over again. A former fantasy stud wide receiver holds on too long, but their past makes people want to believe he has another season left in him. I’m not sold that he can make up what the Rams lost with WR Cooper Kupp leaving town.
  • TE Colston Loveland (Chicago Bears) – I am always hesitant with rookie tight ends. Also, the Bears just seem to mess them up. I know there is a new regime there, but I need to see him a few weeks before I’d start him.
  • Kansas City Chiefs Defense & Special Teams – The Chiefs will have a difficult time against the Chargers. They had a decent backfield, and they are never out of it with QB Justin Herbert under center.
  • TE Darren Waller (Miami Dolphins) – Waller was once the best tight end in the league, but that has been a few years ago. He recently un-retired to join the Dolphins, so I would shy away from him until he gets his football legs back.
  • Detroit Lions Defense & Special Teams – The Lions do have some studs on defense, but they have a tough match-up against the Packers. I expect this one will be neck-and-neck, and a high-scoring affair.
  • WR Ricky Pearsall (San Francisco 49ers) – Pearsall is talented, but I am low on QB Brock Purdy. The offense will still run through RB Christian McCaffrey, which it should. Pearsall might be a decent flex, but that’s it right now.
  • QB Geno Smith (Las Vegas Raiders) – Trading for Smith (and giving him a big contract), was a strange move for the new regime in Las Vegas. Smith might be a good backup, Smith faces a Patriots team that has a solid secondary.

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sweetbob-author-picAbout the Author…

Bobby Roberts (otherwise known as Sweetbob) is the creator of ‘America’s White Boy’ and contributor at Project Shanks. His writing has been featured on ESPN’s ‘SportsNation’, Sports Illustrated’s Hot Clicks, Guyspeed, and various other sites. You can follow him on Twitter at @Sweetbob.