Week 1 Fantasy Football FLEX Rankings for Half-PPR: Ricky Pearsall, Matthew Golden, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Josh Downs, Dylan Sampson

September 4, 2025

RotoBaller's Week 1 fantasy football FLEX rankings for half-PPR and 2025. Win more with our FLEX fantasy football rankings for Week 1 lineups.

It can be tricky to choose between players with similar outlooks and different positions, so we're here with our first edition of weekly flex rankings. Use these Week 1 fantasy football FLEX rankings for 2025 to guide your tough start 'em, sit 'em calls. Below, check out the rankings to see where flex options like Ricky Pearsall, Matthew Golden, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Josh Downs, and Dylan Sampson stand among all running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends for the opening slate of the new NFL season.

Our FLEX fantasy football rankings for Week 1 are put together by Nick Mariano. Below the rankings, you will also find a summary of the important FLEX fantasy football news for this week. There are always key injuries and developments to keep track of, so check back throughout the week for updates.

Be sure to bookmark our fantasy football rankings portal and check back regularly for updates. Most importantly, our free mobile app is a must-have - download it and configure your push notifications. We deliver all the top NFL news, injuries, and fantasy analysis 24x7 with our free push notification alerts... all for free!

Week 1 FLEX Rankings for Fantasy Football

Bookmark our PPR rankings, Half-PPR rankings, and standard (non-PPR) rankings 

Week 1 Fantasy Football FLEX News and Outlooks

Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco 49ers

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports that the San Francisco 49ers believe wide receiver Ricky Pearsall is "poised for a Year 2 jump." The former first-round pick dealt with a myriad of issues during his rookie campaign but is slated to handle a large workload in 2025 with the 49ers' wide receiving corps in shambles. Fellow wideout Jauan Jennings' (calf) recent return somewhat throws a wrench in that, at least for the time being.

Still, it's unclear if Jennings will require ramp-up time, as he's dealt with a calf injury for the majority of the summer. Pearsall and quarterback Brock Purdy have spent time this offseason developing chemistry, and San Francisco's passing offense has been excellent with him at the helm. If Jennings is slow to find his groove, the Florida State product could be in for a tremendous season.

Darnell Mooney, Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney (shoulder) remains listed as day-to-day in practice this week. Offensive coordinator Zac Robinson noted that Mooney is "day-to-day, but he looks good and is running really well." The veteran wideout sustained the injury early in training camp, though he was expecting to be ready for the regular season.

Mooney was limited in Wednesday's session; however, quarterback Michael Penix Jr. expressed optimism about his availability for Week 1. His participation in Thursday and Friday's practices will be key in determining whether he suits up when the Falcons open against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Keon Coleman, Buffalo Bills

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman (groin) was listed as limited in the team's first official practice on Wednesday, heading into a Week 1 showdown on Sunday night against the Baltimore Ravens. Coleman should be good to go for Sunday evening's tilt, but he'll have two more days to get in a full practice. Fellow wideout Khalil Shakir (ankle) practiced in full, so quarterback Josh Allen should have his top two receivers available. Coleman, who was a second-rounder last year out of Florida State, played in only 13 games in the regular season in his rookie year due to injuries and finished with a 29-556-4 line.

He was inconsistent, but he has shown signs this summer of taking on an elevated role in Year 2. Still, with Joshua Palmer now in the fold in an offense that spreads the ball around, Coleman should be considered a WR4/flex for fantasy against Baltimore in Week 1.

Austin Ekeler, Washington Commanders

Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler was once again deployed as the team's RB1 during practice on Wednesday. During a QB/RB drill, JP Finaly of NBC4 reported that Ekeler was given the first opportunity, while seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt followed him. Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez Jr. followed behind him as the third and fourth running backs. Earlier in the week, Ekeler was listed first on the team's depth chart, and his usage during Wednesday's practice seems to solidify his role as the lead option.

During his debut season in Washington, Ekeler served as the primary pass-catching back, but was still very effective on the ground, posting a 4.8 YPC. Given his projected role, Ekeler carries RB2 upside in PPR leagues and strong flex value in standard formats facing the New York Giants in Week 1.

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