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Week 1 Waiver Wire Rankings (2025) - Ollie Gordon, Joshua Palmer, Romeo Doubs, Woody Marks, Luther Burden, Chris Rodriguez, Dont'e Thornton, more

Jaydon Blue - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Rookies

Fantasy football waiver wire rankings for Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season. Top free agent options to add off waivers, and our rankings will help you prioritize.

The 2025 fantasy football season is almost here RotoBallers! It's an exciting time, and after your drafts are completed it's always time to check the waiver wire for pickups. Below you'll find our first waiver wire article of the season -- our Week 1 fantasy football waiver wire rankings for 2025 to help guide you through the waiver wire and make sure you pickup the right players.

There are several players who still have low ownership percentages, and could make immediate fantasy impacts in 2025. Will Joshua Palmer (17%) make an impact in his first year on the Bills, and emerge as a primary receiving option? Will Ollie Gordon (14%) get enough touches to make him viable, and is he a must-stash with De'Von Achane nursing an injury? Will Chris Rodriguez be utilized enough in the rushing rotation to be a viable bench stash or FLEX option?

Our Week 1 fantasy football waiver wire rankings will help answer these questions and many more -- they've been a staple on RotoBaller for years, bringing readers a quick-hit list of the top 75 fantasy football player names to consider as free agent pickups. For those new to this articles series, RotoBaller's lead NFL analyst Nick Mariano brings you these waiver wire rankings in priority order. Good luck on waivers!

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Who To Pickup for Fantasy Football Week 1?

Waiver wire pickup options, including how to prioritize them for your league - depending on the league size. Quarterbacks and Defenses (D/ST) are grouped together at the bottom of the list:

Rank Player Name Pos. % Ros. Baller Move
1 Jacory Croskey-Merritt RB 51 Add in All Leagues
2 Rashid Shaheed WR 59 Add in All Leagues
3 Nick Chubb RB 46 Add in All Leagues
4 Keon Coleman WR 54 Add in All Leagues
5 Dylan Sampson RB 32 Add in 10+ Team Leagues
6 Austin Ekeler RB 50 Add in 10+ Team PPR Leagues
7 Bhayshul Tuten RB 46 Add in 10+ Team Leagues
8 Keenan Allen WR 40 Add in 10+ Team PPR Leagues
9 Braelon Allen RB 38 Add in 10+ Team Leagues
10 Marvin Mims Jr. WR 39 Add in 10+ Team Leagues
11 Jerome Ford RB 34 Add in 10+ Team Leagues
12 Joshua Palmer WR 17 Add in 10+ Team PPR Leagues
13 Darnell Mooney WR 44 Add in 10+ Team Leagues
14 Jaydon Blue RB 34 Add in 10+ Team Leagues
15 Hunter Henry TE 60 Add in 10+ Team Leagues
16 Rashod Bateman WR 37 Add in 12+ Team PPR Leagues
17 Zach Ertz TE 50 Add in 12+ Team Leagues
18 Tyler Allgeier RB 30 Add in 12+ Team Leagues
19 Ollie Gordon II RB 14 Add in 12+ Team Leagues
20 Christian Kirk WR 33 Add in 12+ Team PPR Leagues
21 Luther Burden III WR 25 Add in 12+ Team PPR Leagues
22 Roschon Johnson RB 10 Add in 12+ Team Leagues
23 Jayden Higgins WR 37 Add in 12+ Team PPR Leagues
24 Romeo Doubs WR 12 Add in 12+ Team PPR Leagues
25 Brenton Strange TE 20 Add in 12+ Team PPR Leagues
26 Marquise Brown WR 16 Add in 12+ Team PPR Leagues
27 Chris Rodriguez Jr. RB 6 Add in 12+ Team Leagues
28 Will Shipley RB 9 Add in 12+ Team Leagues
29 Dont'e Thornton Jr. WR 5 Add in 12+ Team PPR Leagues
30 Chig Okonkwo TE 20 Add in 12+ Team Leagues
31 Wan'Dale Robinson WR 12 Add in 12+ Team PPR Leagues
32 DeMario Douglas WR 13 Add in 12+ Team PPR Leagues
33 Keaton Mitchell RB 3 Add in 12+ Team PPR Leagues
34 Woody Marks RB 6 Add in 12+ Team PPR Leagues
35 DJ Giddens RB 3 Add in 12+ Team Leagues
36 Elic Ayomanor WR 3 Add in 12+ Team PPR Leagues
37 Jalen Coker WR 2 Add in 14+ Team PPR Leagues
38 Isaac TeSlaa WR 4 Add in 14+ Team PPR Leagues
39 Dameon Pierce RB 2 Add in 14+ Team Leagues
40 Darren Waller TE 13 Add in 14+ Team PPR Leagues
41 Brashard Smith RB 3 Add in 14+ Team PPR Leagues
42 Jarquez Hunter RB 3 Add in 14+ Team PPR Leagues
43 Dyami Brown WR 2 Add in 14+ Team PPR Leagues
44 Pat Bryant WR 4 Add in 14+ Team PPR Leagues
45 Cade Otton TE 10 Add in 14+ Team Leagues
46 Tre' Harris WR 16 Add in 14+ Team PPR Leagues
47 Tory Horton WR 2 Add in 14+ Team PPR Leagues
48 Darius Slayton WR 2 Add in 14+ Team Leagues
49 Jalen Royals WR 2 Add in 14+ Team PPR Leagues
50 Mason Taylor TE 10 Add in 14+ Team Leagues
51 Ray-Ray McCloud III WR 1 Add in 14+ Team PPR Leagues
52 Troy Franklin WR 2 Add in 14+ Team PPR Leagues
53 Jordan Whittington WR 1 Add in 14+ Team PPR Leagues
54 Harold Fannin Jr. TE 1 Add in 14+ Team Leagues
55 Tutu Atwell WR 1 Add in 14+ Team PPR Leagues
56 Malik Washington WR 1 Add in 14+ Team PPR Leagues
57 Keandre Lambert-Smith WR 1 Add in 14+ Team PPR Leagues
58 Theo Johnson TE 5 Add in 14+ Team PPR Leagues
59 Tahj Brooks RB 2 Add in 14+ Team Leagues
60 Trevor Etienne RB 1 Add in 14+ Team Leagues
61 Trevor Lawrence QB 44 Add in 12+ Team Leagues
62 Michael Penix Jr. QB 6 Add in 12+ Team Leagues
63 Cam Ward QB 16 Add in 14+ Team Leagues
64 Bryce Young QB 18 Add in 14+ Team Leagues
65 Tua Tagovailoa QB 14 Add in 14+ Team Leagues
66 Matthew Stafford QB 10 Add in 14+ Team Leagues
67 Geno Smith QB 3 Add in 2QB Leagues
68 Joe Flacco QB 3 Add in 2QB Leagues
69 Jaxson Dart QB 0 Add in 2QB Leagues
70 Arizona Cardinals DST 22 Add in 12+ Team Leagues
71 Washington Commanders DST 23 Add in 12+ Team Leagues
72 San Francisco 49ers DST 31 Add in 12+ Team Leagues
73 New England Patriots DST 15 Add in 14+ Team Leagues
74 Cincinnati Bengals DST 11 Add in 14+ Team Leagues
75 Miami Dolphins DST 4 Add in 14+ Team Leagues

 

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Outlooks

Some of the top names include Ollie Gordon, Joshua Palmer, Romeo Doubs, Woody Marks, Luther Burden, Chris Rodriguez, and Dont'e Thornton. We recap why these players rostered under 55% in Yahoo! leagues should be on your waiver wire radar for Week 1:

Joshua Palmer, WR, Buffalo Bills
Week 1 Waiver Wire Rankings: 12

After spending the first four years of his NFL career with the Los Angeles Chargers, Joshua Palmer signed a three-year, $36 million contract with the Buffalo Bills this offseason. Palmer's best year with Los Angeles was a 72-769-3 effort he put together during his sophomore season in 2022. Every other year, he failed to eclipse 40 receptions or 600 receiving yards.

Palmer now enters a very crowded Buffalo receiving room where he'll compete for targets with Khalil ShakirKeon Coleman, and Dalton Kincaid. The Buffalo passing game adopted a "spread the wealth" approach last year. This is likely to continue in 2025 and probably means Palmer doesn't carry much fantasy value outside of being a bye-week filler. However, the team saw something in Palmer that they liked and made an investment in him during free agency. He also gets the luxury of playing alongside reigning NFL MVP Josh Allen.

If injuries strike the depth chart, Palmer could emerge as a viable WR3 or flex play. For now, though, fantasy gamers should feel comfortable leaving Palmer go undrafted in standard 12-team leagues. He's a good name to monitor during the first few weeks of the 2025 season.

Romeo Doubs, WR, Green Bay Packers
Week 1 Waiver Wire Rankings: 24

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs dealt with concussions and an internal team suspension in 2024, ending the season with 46 receptions for 601 yards and four touchdowns. Doubs ranks 23rd in touchdown catches out of all receivers over the past three seasons, his first three in the league.

There is no question that he is a great red zone target for quarterback Jordan Love. Competition for targets will not look much different than it has in the past. The Packers drafted Matthew Golden in the first round, but Christian Watson (knee) will likely miss most of, if not all of, the 2025 season.

Doubs should remain the go-to target in the red zone, making him a viable fantasy option even if not the most consistent. Doubs currently goes off the board as WR70, basically free in drafts. His upside is worth taking a stab at the low cost.

Woody Marks, RB, Houston Texans
Week 1 Waiver Wire Rankings: 21

Houston Texans running back Woody Marks was selected in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, which is valuable enough draft capital to put him on the fantasy football radar as a rookie. Marks spent four seasons at Mississippi State before one season in Los Angeles with USC. He hauled in a whopping 261 receptions in 57 career games and had a career-high 83 catches in 2021.

His receiving skills give reason for optimism in PPR setups, but he was more than just a scat-back at the collegiate level. He accumulated 1,883 rushing yards overall and averaged 5.0 yards per carry, finding the end zone 22 times on the ground. Chubb is likely to be a shell of his former self after multiple major injuries. The 28-year-old Mixon, who is injured now, and missed three games last year, is highly likely to miss at least a few contests in 2025.

Whether Marks carves out a receiving role that gives him standalone value, or Mixon misses time, there is a clear path to fantasy relevance in 2025. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues should consider stashing Marks, and he's a solid best ball dart throw for potential spike weeks.

Luther Burden, WR, Chicago Bears
Week 1 Waiver Wire Rankings: 34

The Chicago Bears selected former Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III with the 39th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Once considered a first-round talent, Burden's junior season was disappointing as he only recorded 676 receiving yards and six touchdowns.

His sophomore season was much more promising, as he went for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns through the air. Burden is often compared to Washington Commanders receiver Deebo Samuel, and could take on an Amon-Ra St. Brown-esque role in first-year head coach Ben Johnson's offense.

However, Burden has to compete for touches with Rome Odunze and DJ Moore. He has also missed a significant amount of time in summer camps with a soft tissue injury, although he is expected to be ready for training camp. Burden is rightfully priced as the WR53, and could either boom or bust this season.

 

Running Backs - Week 1 Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order:

Player Name
Jacory Croskey-Merritt
Nick Chubb
Dylan Sampson
Austin Ekeler
Bhayshul Tuten
Braelon Allen
Jerome Ford
Jaydon Blue
Tyler Allgeier
Ollie Gordon II
Roschon Johnson
Chris Rodriguez Jr.
Will Shipley
Keaton Mitchell
Woody Marks
DJ Giddens
Dameon Pierce
Brashard Smith
Jarquez Hunter
Tahj Brooks
Trevor Etienne

 

Wide Receivers - Week 1 Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order:

Player Name
Rashid Shaheed
Keon Coleman
Keenan Allen
Marvin Mims Jr.
Joshua Palmer
Darnell Mooney
Rashod Bateman
Christian Kirk
Luther Burden III
Jayden Higgins
Romeo Doubs
Marquise Brown
Dont'e Thornton Jr.
Wan'Dale Robinson
DeMario Douglas
Elic Ayomanor
Jalen Coker
Isaac TeSlaa
Dyami Brown
Pat Bryant
Tre' Harris
Tory Horton
Darius Slayton
Jalen Royals
Ray-Ray McCloud III
Troy Franklin
Jordan Whittington
Tutu Atwell
Malik Washington
KeAndre Lambert-Smith

 

Tight Ends - Week 1 Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order:

Player Name
Hunter Henry
Zach Ertz
Brenton Strange
Chig Okonkwo
Darren Waller
Cade Otton
Mason Taylor
Harold Fannin Jr.
Theo Johnson

 

Quarterbacks - Week 1 Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order, with emphasis on Week 1:

Player Name
Trevor Lawrence
Michael Penix Jr.
Cam Ward
Bryce Young
Tua Tagovailoa
Matthew Stafford
Geno Smith
Joe Flacco
Jaxson Dart

 

Defenses (D/ST) - Week 1 Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order, with emphasis on Week 1:

Player Name
Arizona Cardinals D/ST
Washington Commanders D/ST
San Francisco 49ers D/ST
New England Patriots D/ST
Cincinnati Bengals D/ST
Miami Dolphins D/ST

 

Week 1 Waiver Wire Articles

After diving into the Week 1 rankings, read about some other free waiver wire resources available at RotoBaller, which are coming soon.

Each week, our NFL team puts out a complete array of fantasy football waiver wire articles to compliment our slick Who Should I Pickup? Waiver wire player comparison tool. Bookmark it!

In addition, be on the lookout for our other waiver wire articles all season long. We will be releasing weekly waiver wire articles for each position, FAAB bidding recommendations, streamers and more. Stay tuned!

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Check out all of RotoBaller's fantasy football rankings. Staff rankings are updated regularly for all positions and include standard formats, PPR scoring, tiered rankings and dynasty leagues.




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