We can break in another season of the National Football League, millions of fans worldwide are setting their Week 1 fantasy lineups. It is perhaps the greatest pastime within a pastime — a way for fans to compete amongst each other as their favorite teams duke it out on the football field.
Fantasy Football is an inexact science. There is so much white noise within a given week of games that it becomes hard to decipher what's real and what isn't. Many players will struggle in favorable matchups, while others will exceed all reasonable expectations in purely aberrational ways.
All we can do is try our best to pinpoint the best — and worst — options on the starting lineup bubble. I am not going to sit here and tell you to bench your first-round draft pick. Tyreek Hill, whatever your qualms, should be in your lineup. But if you're deciding between a couple viable WR2 options, or trying to decide which mid-round quarterback deserves your nod, perhaps I can be of assistance.
Let's run through a handful of sit-start options at each major position to begin the season.
WR Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco 49ers — START
The San Francisco 49ers will enter Week 1 severely depleted at wide receiver. Jauan Jennings is questionable and Brandon Aiyuk is out, while Deebo Samuel is now a member of the Washington Commanders. That puts second-year Ricky Pearsall in the fantasy crosshairs. His rookie campaign wasn't anything to write home about, but Pearsall finished strong, including a 141-yard performance in Week 17.
With Christian McCaffrey back in the fold, the Niners offense should run a bit more smoothly this season, even with their present deficiency at wide receiver. Brock Purdy, for all his shortcomings, is a major talent who is capable of explosive outings. The Seattle defense was only middle of the road last season and there's no reason to expect sweeping improvement. So, put Pearsall out there. He should hog a bunch of targets and he's a sly breakout candidate if the 49ers get back on track.
WR Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina Panthers — SIT
Tetairoa McMillan was a home run pick for the Carolina Panthers in the first round, but we can't expect immediate stardom — especially not against a potentially stingy Jacksonville secondary. It should be fun to get McMillan versus Travis Hunter right out of the gate, pitting the draft's top wideout and top cornerback head-to-head, but I'd expect McMillan to come out of that battle on the losing side.
Carolina's offense is due for a major step in the right direction. Dave Canales and Bryce Young figured some things out down the stretch of last season and the Alabama product is beginning to look like a solid long-term starter, even if he's never going to live up to his No. 1 pick billing. That said, Xavier Legette, David Moore and other more established wideouts could siphon touches away from McMillan as he takes his early-career lumps, which is commonplace for first-year wideouts. Exercise patience here.
WR George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys — START
George Pickens will make his Dallas Cowboys debut on Thursday Night Football against arguably the best defense in the NFL. That Eagles secondary is a real cold zone for most offenses, and Pickens will be second on the totem pole below CeeDee Lamb. That said, with the defense in shambles, Dallas will need to lean heavy on the offense. Dak Prescott remains elite when healthy, and he's going to have a chip on his shoulder as the Cowboys attempt to put the Micah Parsons hoopla behind them.
This is a great setup for Pickens to exceed expectations and make a strong first impression on the fans. In terms of pure talent, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better WR2 in the NFC, and the Eagles will commit their primary resources to slowing down Lamb. That could free up Pickens to make a few explosive plays as Dallas seeks the upset.
WR Hollywood Brown, Kansas City Chiefs — SIT
The Kansas City Chiefs' offense was a real mixed bag last season and it won't get much prettier in 2025. Patrick Mahomes is who he is — a generational talent with a blend of arm talent and creativity, the likes of which we have never seen before. But he's getting older and there are a lot of miles on his body. Plus, this Chiefs' pass-catching corps just is not very good front to back.
Rashee Rice will begin the season with a six-game suspension and rookie Jalen Royals is out, so Brown should be in line for some touches. But at the end of the day, Mahomes will still frequent Travis Kelce the most, and Xavier Worthy seems primed for a proper leap to WR1 status. Against a stout Chargers defense, I'd expect a somewhat low-scoring affair, with Brown relegated to the periphery.
TE Darren Waller, Miami Dolphins — START
Darren Waller's strange career arc will add an unexpected new chapter this season as he joins what should, in theory, be an explosive Miami Dolphins offense. He couldn't ask for a better Week 1 matchup than Indianapolis, a bad team with no clear sense of direction. Miami is going to be fighting against its own imminent demise, but Waller was on the shortlist of best NFL tight ends only a few short years ago.
Here's the deal: Tyreek Hill and De'Von Achane both enter Week 1 with calf injuries, which are never fun. Tua Tagovailoa has also openly expressed his frustration with Hill, who demanded a trade in Week 18 of last season and made a ruckus at training camp. If the Dolphins' fine-tuned offense ends up shading away from Hill, Waller should be in line for a healthy dose of targets. Miami has never relied a ton on tight ends during McDaniel's tenure, but he also hasn't had a talented a player at the position as Waller. Nobody honestly knows what to expect after a brief retirement stint, but there is some surprise upside for Week 1 fantasy owners.
TE Kyle Pitts Sr., Atlanta Falcons — SIT
Do we really need to do this again? Kyle Pitts is the fantasy football equivalent of the great white whale — an ideal fans are always chasing. He looks the part. He was a top-four pick for a reason, blessed with incredible size, quickness and (theoretical) coordination for his position. But it never happens. It won't happen.
The Atlanta Falcons face an underrated Buccaneers defense in Week 1. Michael Penix Jr. tends to lean on the deep ball, so I'd imagine the likes of Drake London and Darnell Mooney take precedent over Kyle Pitts on the offensive flow chart. Plus we can't really know what to expect from Penix yet. Aside from Bijan Robinson, this Falcons offense is rife with volatility. Just don't get your hopes up with Kyle Pitts again, please. We can move on as a football-watching society.
RB Breece Hall, New York Jets — START
After an extremely promising rookie season, Breece Hall has failed to take that next step for the New York Jets. Now he has Braelon Allen hot on his heels and this Jets offense will look completely different under OC Tanner Engstrand. That might be to Hall's benefit, though. Out is Aaron Rodgers, in comes Justin Fields. That means a seismic shift in offensive approach and priorities.
With all due respect to Fields, he cannot command a pass-heavy offense. He simply lacks the accuracy and aggression necessary to air it out on a consistent basis. As such, the Jets will attempt to run teams into the ground. Fields and Allen will take up their share of rushing opportunities, but Hall is still RB1 on the depth chart and, when healthy, he's an electrifying athlete in the open field. Pittsburgh's defense is stout in the trenches, but Hall should get a ton of valuable touches in Week 1.
RB Travis Etienne Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars — SIT
Travis Etienne Jr. has a solid résumé, and I'd bet this Jacksonville Jaguars offense begins to perk up with Liam Coen at the controls. But Coen also loves to air it out, with Trevor Lawrence more than happy to dominate a game through the air. Factor in the ascendent presence of Tank Bigsby and Bhayshul Tuten behind Etienne on the depth chart, and it's probably smart to fade the 26-year-old.
After back-to-back seasons of more than 1,000 yards to begin his career, Etienne rushed for only 558 yards and two touchdowns in 15 games last season, averaging a personal-worst 3.7 yards per carry. Running back windows slam shut quickly in the NFL and Etienne may already be past his prime in year four.
RB D'Andre Swift, Chicago Bears — START
D'Andre Swift flew under the radar last season as the Chicago Bears floundered, but he finished the campaign with 1,345 yards from scrimmage, a new career high. He's a three-down back with a multifaceted skill set, equally comfortable running between the tackles or lining up wide and catching passes. That makes him extremely useful in a Ben Johnson scheme that prioritizes optionality and can really reward a top-shelf running back, as we saw last season with Jahmyr Gibbs.
He's on the older side as far as successful running backs are concerned, but Swift should be in line for a healthy dose of touches, and he's especially valuable in PPR leagues. This Bears offense looks the part on paper, especially if you believe in Caleb Williams' ability to take the next step with a competent playcaller by his side.
RB TreVeyon Henderson, New England Patriots — SIT
TreVeyon Henderson was an absolute steamroller at Ohio State and he has the chance to become a dominant force at the NFL level, too. But this New England Patriots offense has been unkind to running backs in recent years, and we should expect the Pats to skew toward the passing game after Drake Maye's impressive rookie season.
It doesn't help that Henderson, despite his immense talent and New England's obvious investment in his future, will begin the season as RB2 on the depth chart behind a consistent, if not only inspiring Rhamondre Stevenson. While there is always upside with rookie running backs, it's probably best to keep Henderson on the bench until we get more clarity about the dynamics in New England's backfield.
QB Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys — START
Again, this Cowboys offense looks great on paper. The defense is going to sink them eventually, but when healthy, Dak Prescott has put up MVP numbers in the past. Now he has CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens at his disposal, perhaps the most dynamic one-two receiver punch in football. With a young offensive line and a middling run game, you can bet on Dallas to chuck it early and often.
Last season was a disaster for Dallas once Prescott went down, but he's usually a top-10 fantasy quarterback. The Eagles' defense is no joke, but a few key losses in the offseason at least leaves Philadelphia vulnerable to a Cowboys team with something to prove. Make sure Prescott gets the nod, assuming you don't also roster Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson or Jalen Hurts.
QB Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers — SIT
Old habits die hard. Aaron Rodgers has spent decades as one of the more lauded and productive quarterbacks in the NFL, so it's only natural that folks still feel inclined to roster him in fantasy. He still gets up a ton of passes every game and, on paper, this Pittsburgh Steelers offense looks better than what he was working with in New York.
He's also working with Arthur Smith, however, and the Steelers' offensive coordinator has a long history of undercutting his quarterbacks' productivity. Pittsburgh is going to run it plenty, and the O-line is such that Rodgers — now 41 years old and practically a stationary thrower in the pocket — will face a ton of pressure from a Jets defense eager to prove itself against an old friend. I'd keep the four-time MVP far away from my Week 1 lineup.