Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson will make his regular-season NFL debut against the New York Jets in Week 1. A third-round pick in April's draft, Johnson has plenty of potential, especially in a Steelers offense that has ranked top-10 in rush attempts in each of the past three seasons. That said, it's unclear just how much of a role Johnson will have early on. Head coach Mike Tomlin recently labeled Jaylen Warren the team's "featured runner", and veteran Kenneth Gainwell currently sits ahead of Johnson on the depth chart. With Sunday's contest expected to be low-scoring, there is no reason to force Johnson into starting lineups. He should remain rostered in all formats, but fantasy managers would be wise to take a wait-and-see approach with Johnson.

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Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin is ready to roll for the season opener at home against the Giants after finally reaching an agreement with Washington on a three-year, $96 million extension. The deal was signed less than two weeks before Week 1, allowing McLaurin ample time to ramp up and get in proper conditioning for Kliff Kingsbury's up-tempo offense. He's coming off his best season as a pro, catching a franchise record 13 touchdowns. The 29-year-old receiver will immediately get back on page and make up for lost time with rising quarterback Jayden Daniels, something the second-year signal caller isn't concerned about. "I don't think it [chemistry] ever leaves," said Daniels when asked if he is confident that his connection with Terry McLaurin can pick up where it left off. McLaurin was relatively quiet in two meetings against the Giants last season, totaling eight receptions for 41 yards, but he found the endzone twice in the second game. For his career, McLaurin has always played well against them, averaging six receptions for 75 yards and scoring five touchdowns in 11 games. He projects as a mid to high-end WR2 for Week 1, always with the potential for a long score.

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Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren will begin his first campaign as the team's featured ballcarrier in a road bout with the New York Jets. Warren thrived in a complementary role through his first three seasons, averaging 4.8 yards per tote while adding 127 receptions. Although he is expected to lead Pittsburgh's backfield ahead of rookie Kaleb Johnson, Warren will be tested by a solid New York defense. The Jets shut down running backs in the passing game and held the position to the fifth-fewest yards per carry in 2024. This is expected to be a low-scoring affair, so while Warren doesn't offer extreme upside, he can be started as a volume-based RB2 or flex option in Week 1.

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Detroit Lions rookie wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (illness) does not carry an injury designation into their Week 1 matchup against the Green Bay Packers. The rookie wideout was listed as a limited participant on Wednesday and Thursday. However, he was able to log a full session on Friday and avoid a questionable tag into the weekend. TeSlaa was selected in the third round (70th overall) in this year's NFL Draft out of Arkansas. During the preseason, TeSlaa flashed immense potential and made a strong case to open the season in a prominent role. Earlier in August, the Lions opted to trade veteran wideout Tim Patrick to the Jacksonville Jaguars, which opened the No. 3 spot for either TeSlaa or Kalif Raymond. Fantasy managers should keep a close eye on his workload in the opener, as he could be worth adding in deeper 3-WR leagues if he were to carve out a significant role. However, for the time being, he is best to keep out of starting lineups, playing in a crowded offense.

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San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (calf) said he "feels great" despite carrying a questionable tag into Sunday's season opener against the Seattle Seahawks. The star running back was not listed on Wednesday's initial injury report but was downgraded to limited on Thursday. However, on Friday, McCaffrey took a further step back, as he was listed as a non-participant. Fantasy managers should continue to keep a close eye on his status as he could end up being a game-time decision. Last season, the 29-year-old appeared in only four games as he missed time due to Achilles tendinitis in both legs. If McCaffrey were to miss Sunday's game, fantasy managers should expect Brian Robinson Jr. to see the bulk of the carries while Isaac Guerendo moves up to the backup spot.

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Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels is set to begin his sophomore season in Week 1 against the Giants after winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year award and leading his team to the NFC Championship game. Daniels typically comes off the board as QB3 in the third-to-fourth round of fantasy drafts, behind perennial MVP candidates Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen. He is viewed in high esteem for good reason after the season he had. The LSU product joined 2024 Lamar Jackson as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to throw for at least 3,500 yards and rush for at least 800 yards in a season. With significant additions to the offense like Laremy Tunsil and Deebo Samuel Sr., and another year with the same offensive coaching staff, Jayden Daniels is primed to ascend even higher in 2025 and has the ability to break fantasy. Last season, the Giants' defense ranked middle of the pack in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks. The defense projects to be much better this season with an incredibly stout defensive line after drafting Abdul Carter third overall, as well as an improved secondary after signing veterans Jevon Holland and Paulson Adebo in free agency. Daniels is an obvious must-start in the season opener.

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Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond is entering his fifth season in Detroit and appears to be the team's WR4 behind Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Isaac TeSlaa. Still, the 31-year-old brings a vertical element to the offense with his speed and has consistently found the field in his time in Detroit, albeit in a limited capacity. In eight career games against the Packers, Raymond has recorded 20 catches for 302 yards and a touchdown. He may eat into the Week 1 snap share of TeSlaa, who is playing on Sunday, but was limited in practice early in the week with an illness. Raymond should not be on the radar of fantasy managers, but he should be expected to see some work in Week 1 against Green Bay.

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San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings (calf) is off the injury report and will suit up in their Week 1 contest against the Seattle Seahawks. Earlier on Friday, head coach Kyle Shanahan said that regarding Jennings's status, he is "really confident" and that he's "gotten better and better throughout the week", and "I'm excited to see him out there Sunday." The 28-year-old wideout was diagnosed with a calf injury and was also expressing interest in signing a new contract. Jennings was able to not only move past his injury but also ink a new contract with the club that grants him incentives based on playing time in the upcoming season. In 2024, Jennings enjoyed a breakout campaign, totaling 975 yards and six touchdowns. Fantasy managers should expect him to operate as Brock Purdy's go-to option in the passing attack and carry high-end WR3 value facing the Seahawks.

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Detroit Lions rookie wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa was one of the team's breakout stars of the preseason and is expected to open the year as Detroit's WR3 alongside Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. TeSlaa was limited in practice early in the week due to an illness, but he practiced in full on Friday and does not carry an injury designation into his Week 1 matchup against the Green Bay Packers. It's unknown what type of target volume TeSlaa will see right away, though it appears he's replacing veteran wide receiver Tim Patrick's 2024 role in the Lions offense. Patrick averaged under three targets per game with Detroit last season, but it's worth noting he scored two of his three touchdowns against Green Bay. TeSlaa should not be started by fantasy managers in Week 1, but he could be worth stashing in a bench spot for future weeks.

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Buffalo Bills wide receivers Khalil Shakir (ankle) and Keon Coleman (groin) were both removed from Friday's final injury report and will be active on Sunday night for the Week 1 showdown against the Baltimore Ravens. Shakir was a full practice participant all week, while Coleman upgraded to a full practice on Friday after he was limited the first two days of the week. When asked if he was concerned about playing on Sunday, Colemansaid, "Nah." It won't be easily sledding on Sunday night for Buffalo's offense, but quarterback Josh Allen will have his top two receivers available in Shakir and Coleman. For fantasy purposes, both Shakir and Coleman should be viewed as more of WR4/flex options against a stout Ravens offense in a Bills offense that isn't afraid to spread things around. Many fantasy pundits are projecting a Year 2 breakout for Coleman.

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Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates had a breakout season as a rookie in 2024, nailing 26 of his 29 field goal attempts and converting a league-high 64 extra-point attempts. The 26-year-old will face a tough road environment in Week 1 at Lambeau Field against the Green Bay Packers. Last year, Bates made 13 field goals both at home and on the road, but he made 14 more extra points in the friendly confines of Detroit's domed Ford Field. The weather is not expected to be an issue in Green Bay on Sunday, but it's still an additional variable to consider. More importantly, the Lions averaged 30.8 points per game on the road last season, compared to 35.3 at home. The over/under for Week 1 is 47.5, so the betting markets are expecting a solid number of points to be scored between the two teams. Bates is a starting-caliber kicker in fantasy this week who should be expected to provide top-12 production.

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Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson will go up against the division rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Atlanta on Sunday, a team that was able to limit him to 25 carries for 124 yards combined in two games last year. With run-stuffing Vita Vea expected to play for the Bucs in this contest, running the ball could prove challenging again. The 23-year-old running back can contribute through the air as well, though, as he caught 61 passes last year, an average of over three receptions per game, including a seven-catch effort against the Bucs in Week 8. Together with his nose for the end zone (15 total TDs in '24) and the fact that quarterback Michael Penix Jr. will be making just his fourth NFL start, the 23-year-old still projects as a top-three running back for fantasy this week.

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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will take the field for the first time in black and gold against the New York Jets in Week 1. While Rodgers will surely be motivated to face the team he spent the last two seasons with, this simply isn't a matchup to target for fantasy production. The Jets surrendered the fifth-fewest passing yards and 11th-fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks in 2024, and they were even tougher on the position the year prior. In addition, this contest carries the lowest-projected point total of the week. All things considered, Rodgers was solid last season, but he scored as a top-12 fantasy QB just six times. The 41-year-old should only be considered in superflex leagues as a low-end QB2 on Sunday.

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Green Bay Packers wide receivers Dontayvion Wicks (calf) and Savion Williams (hamstring) were both limited in practice all week and are listed as questionable on Friday's final injury report for Sunday's Week 1 season opener against the division-rival Detroit Lions. Jayden Reed (foot) is also questionable while dealing with a Jones fracture in his foot, so Green Bay's receiving corps is quite beat up heading into Week 1. Wicks and Williams appear to have a better shot at suiting up this weekend against the Lions than Reed, but even if they are active on game day and Reed isn't, Wicks would be the No. 3 wideout behind rookie first-rounder Matthew Golden and Romeo Doubs. At best, the 24-year-old Wicks will be a WR5/flex option for fantasy managers in deeper leagues in Week 1, but only if Reed is ruled out.

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Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta saw a sizable drop in targets, catches, receiving yards, and touchdowns from his rookie campaign in 2023 to his sophomore season in 2024. However, LaPorta battled injuries early in the year and was much better down the stretch, earning at least six targets in each of Detroit's final seven games of the season. LaPorta gets a matchup with the Green Bay Packers in Week 1, whose defense tied for the sixth-fewest touchdowns allowed to tight ends (four) in 2024. The 24-year-old has recorded 16 catches for 185 yards and one score in four career games against Green Bay. Given that the Packers project to have a fearsome pass rush, the Lions may be forced to rely on play-action and passes to the short and intermediate areas of the field. That would likely benefit LaPorta, who is battling with deep-threat wide receiver Jameson Williams for the number two target role in Detroit behind All-Pro wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown. LaPorta is a must-start fantasy TE1 in Week 1.

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Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed (foot) was limited in practice for the second straight day on Friday and is officially listed as questionable to play in the Week 1 regular-season opener on Sunday against the division-rival Detroit Lions. Wideouts Dontayvion Wicks (calf) and Savion Williams (hamstring) are also questionable, so the Packers receiving corps could be pretty thin to open the 2025 campaign. Christian Watson (knee) is also on Injured Reserve. Reed is dealing with a Jones fracture in his foot and apparently was hobbling around during practice the last two days, which doesn't bode well for his chances of helping fantasy managers if he's active in Week 1. As things currently stand, we'd recommend sitting Reed on your benches if he suits up on Sunday, with Romeo Doubs being a much better WR4/flex play with upside.

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San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (calf) is officially listed as questionable for the Week 1 season opener on Sunday against the division-rival Seattle Seahawks due to a calf issue, according to Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group. After reports that CMC was fully healthy and looking like his MVP self in training camp this summer, the oft-injured RB popped up on Thursday's injury report and was limited in practice. On Friday, the 29-year-old didn't take part in drills with the rest of the team and was seen on a side field rehabbing. He was questionable entering last year's season opener and ended up missing the first eight games with bilateral Achilles tendinitis. It's a different year, but things could be trending toward him sitting out in Week 1 again. We hope you handcuffed Brian Robinson Jr. or Isaac Guerendo if you took the plunge on McCaffrey in drafts this year.

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Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams finished the 2024 regular season on a tear, recording 34 catches for 463 yards and three touchdowns over his final seven games. Reporting out of Lions' training camp this summer has indicated that the team is looking to involve Williams in the offense even more in 2025, and that new play-caller John Morton wants to push the ball downfield at a higher rate. That may be difficult to do in Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers, who feature one of the league's most fearsome pass rushes on paper. Williams did not play in Week 9 against the Packers last season, but he led all Lions in targets (eight) in the Week 14 matchup between the two teams and hauled in five catches for 80 yards. He profiles as a boom/bust WR3/flex option for fantasy managers in Week 1, but his target volume on Sunday could be informative of how the team plans to incorporate him going forward.

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Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (oblique, calf) doesn't have an injury designation ahead of the Week 1 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. Hill has been banged up with an oblique issue throughout most of camp. He managed to get in a few limited practices before getting in a full session to end the week. The 31-year-old is coming off a down year in terms of his normal production. However, Hill still hauled in 81 receptions for 959 receiving yards and six touchdowns last season. When Tua Tagovailoa is healthy, Hill should be considered a solid WR2 for fantasy purposes.

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Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller (hip) was unable to practice all week and was officially ruled out for the Week 1 regular-season opener on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, per Travis Wingfield of MiamiDolphins.com. Waller retired and did not play football in 2024 but came out of retirement to play for the Dolphins this season. Miami took it easy on him this summer in training camp as he worked his way back into football shape before suffering a setback with his hip before Thursday's practice. The 32-year-old veteran will now miss the season opener and could also be in danger of sitting out in Week 2 against the division-rival New England Patiots. At best, Waller is a bench stash as a TE2 in deeper leagues while he tries to get into shape and overcome a hip ailment. Fantasy managers should ignore Julian Hill and Tanner Conner, who will split TE duties with Waller sidelined.

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