Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers returns in 2025 after a career-best season in which he topped 1,000 yards for the first time. Despite offseason contract uncertainty, he remains a vital piece of the Raiders' passing attack, working as a trusted complement to tight end Brock Bowers. With rookies Dont'e Thornton Jr. and Jack Bech still acclimating to the NFL, Meyers' veteran presence will be leaned on heavily to stabilize the offense early in the year. The Raiders are expected to emphasize the run in Week 1, but Meyers' ability to create separation and operate effectively out of the slot makes him a strong flex option with steady volume potential.

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Washington Commanders veteran tight end Zach Ertz returns for a second season with the team, looking to remain a reliable target for young quarterback Jayden Daniels in Week 1 against the Giants. Ertz turned back the clock a bit in his age-34 season, racking up 66 catches for 654 yards and scoring seven touchdowns. His efficiency in particular rebounded significantly, with his 7.2 yards per target being the highest in a season since 2018. He served as a safety blanket for his young quarterback, consistently getting open in the red zone and on third downs. Ertz has spoken incredibly highly of Daniels since they've been together, comparing him to his former Stanford teammate, Andrew Luck. The ceiling isn't very high for Ertz in fantasy this season, but he is a safe and projectable option to pair with an upside bet at tight end late in drafts. He should be viewed as a low-end TE1 for the season opener on Sunday.

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Tennessee Titans rookie running back Kalel Mullings (ankle) popped up on the Week 1 injury report on Friday and is now questionable to make his NFL debut this Sunday on the road in Denver against the Broncos. Mullings was listed as a limited participant in Friday's practice. Mullings had been dealing with an ankle injury before and appears to have aggravated it at Friday's practice. Mid-week additions to the injury report are usually never a good sign, especially on a Friday, so the 22-year-old might have to wait until Week 2 against the Los Angeles Rams to make his NFL debut. Tyjae Spears (ankle) is starting the year on Injured Reserve, so Tennessee's backfield behind starter Tony Pollard will be very thin on Sunday if Mullings is ruled out. Julius Chestnut is lined up for a backup role behind Pollard, even if Mullings is active.

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Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth will kick off the fifth season of his career on the road against the New York Jets. Freiermuth quietly finished as a top-10 fantasy option in 2024 and should benefit from improved QB play this season, but he will now share opportunities with Pro-Bowler Jonnu Smith in what is expected to be a run-heavy offense. The Jets were stingy against opposing tight ends last year, and Sunday's contest has the lowest-projected point total of the week. As a result, Freiermuth should be avoided in all but the deepest of fantasy formats in Week 1.

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Washington Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. will make his team debut on Sunday against the Giants after spending six seasons in San Francisco. Samuel pairs up with Terry McLaurin as the team's wide receiver tandem, both players drafted on day two of the 2019 NFL Draft. Samuel is coming off a much-discussed down last season with the 49ers, catching 51 balls for 670 yards while adding 136 yards on 42 carries and scoring four total touchdowns. He wasn't quite as dominant after the catch as he had used to be and had easily his worst production as a runner. But it's also important to remember that he was diagnosed with pneumonia during Week 6 of the season. Before that, Samuel was still very productive lined up outside and from the slot. Now paired with a rising star at quarterback in Jayden Daniels and perhaps the next best offensive mind to utilize his strengths in Kliff Kingsbury, Samuel could be primed for a dynamic bounce-back season. His connection with Daniels has been on display all camp, and he could be relied on more if McLaurin takes a bit to get ramped up. Samuel should be viewed as a WR3 with upside for Week 1 against the Giants.

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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Roman Wilson was sidelined for most of his rookie season but will look to make a name for himself in year two, starting with a road matchup against the New York Jets. Wilson should see some playing time, though his role is rather uncertain despite Pittsburgh's lack of proven pass-catchers. Between Wilson, Calvin Austin III, and Scotty Miller, someone should emerge as the team's WR2 behind DK Metcalf, but it may take time for quarterback Aaron Rodgers to build chemistry with his new weapons. Austin is currently listed as a starter on the depth chart, likely delegating Wilson to a depth role to begin the campaign. He's not yet on the fantasy radar, but as a 2024 day-two pick who flashed this preseason, Wilson's usage in Week 1 is worth monitoring in deeper formats.

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Kansas City Chiefs running back Elijah Mitchell is a healthy inactive for the Week 1 regular-season opener on Friday night in Brazil against the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers, according to Nate Taylor of ESPN. It's bad news for Mitchell heading into his first year with the Chiefs, as it looks like he's the RB4 to open the year, behind starter Isiah Pacheco, Kareem Hunt and rookie Brashard Smith. The 27-year-old was getting some first-team reps early in training camp, but that was a long time ago in late July. Mitchell signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal with KC in the offseason after spending his first three NFL seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. In his three years in the Bay Area, the former sixth-rounder in 2021 out of Louisiana averaged 4.7 yards per tote on 327 rush attempts for 1,523 yards and nine touchdowns (five in his rookie season).

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Las Vegas Raiders rookie wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. enters Week 1 as one of the more intriguing sleepers of the 2025 draft class. The 6'5" playmaker earned a starting role ahead of Amari Cooper's retirement and will face a Patriots secondary that could be without cornerback Christian Gonzalez. Thornton's size and downfield ability have made him a favorite target for quarterback Geno Smith throughout camp, flashing legitimate big-play upside. While his early-season role carries promise, the Raiders are still expected to lean on their running game, limiting his immediate fantasy ceiling. Thornton should be stashed on benches with the potential to develop into a key contributor.

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Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker enters 2025 looking to build on a solid sophomore season in which he started 14 games and produced 47 receptions for 539 yards. With Jakobi Meyers and rookie Dont'e Thornton Jr. also in the mix, Tucker opens the season as a starter but faces an uncertain target share in a run-first offense. While his speed makes him a threat on any given play, he is shaping up as a touchdown-dependent contributor rather than a reliable fantasy option. Tucker should add value on special teams as a return man, but for Week 1, he remains well off the fantasy radar.

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Miami Dolphins running back Jaylen Wright (knee) did not practice with the team all week and has officially been ruled out for the Week 1 contest on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, according to Travis Winfield of MiamiDolphins.com. Wright had a small surgery done on his lower leg at the end of training camp, which is expected to sideline him early in the 2025 season, so fantasy managers should not expect him to return for a Week 2 divisional tilt against the New England Patriots. The good news for Miami's backfield is that RB1 De'Von Achane (calf) has been cleared and will be active in the season opener, with Ollie Gordon II backing him up. Because of Wright's injury, he was passed over in favor of Gordon in most fantasy drafts, but he could quickly retake RB2 duties in Miami's backfield behind Achane when he moves past his knee injury.

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Las Vegas Raiders running back Raheem Mostert enters Week 1 in a reserve role behind rookie Ashton Jeanty. The veteran led the league with 18 rushing touchdowns in 2023, but a sharp decline in 2024 has left him fighting for touches in a crowded backfield. Mostert's explosiveness still gives him big-play potential, yet his usage is expected to be minimal against the Patriots, likely in the range of five to ten touches. Unless Jeanty is sidelined, Mostert profiles as a change-of-pace option rather than a fantasy starter. At this stage, he should be viewed strictly as a handcuff stash rather than a viable Week 1 play.

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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III is off the injury report and ready to go for a Week 1 bout with the New York Jets. Austin, who missed the entire preseason with an abdominal injury, is listed as Pittsburgh's WR2 on the depth chart and should earn some opportunities in an offense that lacks proven commodities at the position outside of DK Metcalf. Austin was efficient with his targets in 2024 and should get improved QB play with Aaron Rodgers under center, but it's a stretch to consider him a fantasy option, especially in this matchup. The Jets were stout against opposing receivers last season, and this contest is expected to be a low-scoring affair. Austin's utilization will be worth keeping an eye on, but the 26-year-old is just a dynasty or deep-league bench stash for the time being.

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Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith opens his tenure in silver and black with a favorable Week 1 matchup against the Patriots. New England's secondary is thin after releasing Jabrill Peppers and with Christian Gonzalez battling a hamstring injury, leaving exploitable holes in coverage. Smith's experience should help him move the ball, but questions remain about his supporting cast outside of second-year tight end Brock Bowers. The Raiders are expected to lean heavily on the run game, which caps Smith's fantasy ceiling. While the matchup is intriguing, Smith remains a risky play and is best avoided as a streaming option to open the season.

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Green Bay Packers All-Pro pass-rusher Micah Parsons (back) was listed as a limited practice participant all week and is officially questionable to make his Packers debut in the Week 1 season opener this Sunday in a divisional clash against the Detroit Lions. The Packers sent two first-rounders and run-stopper Kenny Clark to the Dallas Cowboys on Aug. 28 for Parsons in a blockbuster deal that makes them legitimate Super Bowl contenders, but the 26-year-old has been dealing with a back injury that could require an injection so that he can play this weekend. It's a good sign that he practiced all week, though, and Parsons is expected to play against Detroit. Parsons will be a bit more risky as a fantasy starter in IDP lineups if he's active, though, because Green Bay could manage his snap count.

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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf will get his first game action with the team in a Week 1 road matchup against the New York Jets. Metcalf is coming off his least productive campaign since his rookie season, though he still averaged an impressive 15 yards per catch in 2024. Now with a new contract and a new quarterback, Metcalf will hope to re-establish himself as a true WR1. This won't be an easy task, however, against a New York defense that ranked top-10 last season in receptions, yards, touchdowns, and fantasy points allowed to receivers. Still, Metcalf's potential target volume is tough to overlook given Pittsburgh's lack of depth at the position. While an explosive outing is relatively unlikely, Metcalf is a viable WR2 or flex play in most fantasy leagues this week.

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Las Vegas Raiders rookie running back Ashton Jeanty enters Week 1 with momentum and sky-high expectations after being drafted as a top-15 overall player in many fantasy leagues. The versatile runner will be the centerpiece of the Raiders' offense against a Patriots unit that is sturdy up front but lacks playmakers at the second level. Expect Las Vegas to establish the run early, giving Jeanty opportunities to control the tempo and showcase his explosiveness. While New England's interior defense can present challenges, Jeanty's combination of vision, pass-catching ability, and burst should allow him to produce in multiple ways. Fantasy managers should treat him as a reliable low-end RB1 with the upside to deliver a statement debut.

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Washington Commanders wide receiver Noah Brown has been managing a knee injury that he sustained back during training camp and is all set to play in Week 1's matchup against the Giants. Brown was limited in practice both Wednesday and Thursday before showing up as a DNP in practice on Friday. Head coach Dan Quinn labeled it as a rest day for the veteran receiver and said that everyone should be good to go on Sunday. Brown signed in Washington following being waived by the Texans during roster cuts and ended up signing a one-year extension after carving out a role as their second outside receiver. He led the team in total receiving yards in the two games against the Giants last season, catching nine passes for 116 yards. Brown again projects to be the team's primary outside wide receiver opposite Terry McLaurin, but likely won't be relevant for fantasy purposes against the Giants.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton (groin) is off the injury report and cleared for Sunday's season opener against the Atlanta Falcons. The top tight end opened the week as a limited participant due to a groin injury on Wednesday. However, Otton was able to log back-to-back full sessions on Thursday and Friday and was able to avoid carrying a designation into the weekend. Last season, the 26-year-old enjoyed a career year in his third NFL campaign. Otton caught 59 passes for 600 yards and four touchdowns on 87 targets. With Chris Godwin (ankle) and Jalen McMillan (neck) not suiting up in this contest, Otton carries sneaky streaming appeal in deeper 14+ team formats and a budget play upside in DFS, as he should operate as the team's No. 3 pass-catching option alongside Mike Evans and Emeka Egbuka.

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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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