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Chris Olave, Zay Flowers, DK Metcalf fantasy football start em, sit em picks for Week 1 of 2025. Should I start Chris Olave, Zay Flowers, DK Metcalf?
The NFL season is finally here. With fantasy drafts now in the rearview mirror, all managers will turn their attention to some start and sit decisions. While the first week of the season is always the toughest for these start and sit decisions, starting your studs always feels like the best bet early on in the fantasy season.
In this article, we will determine if wide receivers Chris Olave, Zay Flowers, and DK Metcalf should be started in Week 1 of the fantasy football season. These three playmakers were drafted in the middle rounds of drafts and could be solid options this week.
So, should fantasy managers start Olave, Flowers, and Metcalf in fantasy? Let's dive in and find out.
Should I Start Chris Olave for Fantasy Football?
Olave's season was cut short in 2024 due to a nasty concussion he suffered in a Week 9 game against the Carolina Panthers. That marked his second concussion in three weeks. Therefore, it wasn't a total shock to see the wide receiver miss the final nine weeks of the season as he recovered from another concussion.
The good news is that he is fully healthy entering the 2025 campaign. The bad news, though, is that it might be hard to trust the 25-year-old in most fantasy leagues this week. This Saints offense is a huge question mark with Spencer Rattler starting in Week 1 against the Cardinals. Additionally, Olave didn't get to play with Rattler much last season. He only played three quarters with the young quarterback in 2024.
Jameis to Olave! What a grab
📺: #NOvsMIN on FOX
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/kECSNGbyLL pic.twitter.com/cV27iOQ3bG— NFL (@NFL) November 12, 2023
That makes Olave a riskier flex play in Week 1. He definitely has a lower fantasy floor to start the season, and Rattler's pass yards over/under is set at just 187.5. RotoBaller has the Saints wideout ranked as the WR38 in PPR formats to kick off the year.
Should I Start Zay Flowers for Fantasy Football?
In each of his first two seasons in the NFL, Flowers has been a high-floor fantasy option. He averaged 12.9 PPR fantasy points across 16 games in his rookie campaign in 2023 and then averaged 12.3 PPR fantasy points in 17 games last year. With the Ravens only adding DeAndre Hopkins to this offense this offseason, the 24-year-old wideout should be a consistent wide receiver option this season.
.@ZayFlowers putting dudes on skates ⛸️
📺: #BALvsSF on ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/pkwa8SXokx pic.twitter.com/nUtFYn61Br— NFL (@NFL) December 26, 2023
As a result, Flowers will come in as a solid WR2 play in 2025. Given where you selected in 2025 fantasy football drafts, the former Boston College star should be in most lineups this week against the Buffalo Bills. Although this is a tougher matchup for the Ravens wideout against 2023 second-team All-Pro slot corner Taron Johnson, he will be a high-floor option in Week 1.
He scored in double figures in PPR formats in seven of the final 10 games of the 2024 season, and this game has the makings of a shootout between two elite offenses. Flowers comes in as the WR24 in PPR formats at RotoBaller.
Should I Start DK Metcalf for Fantasy Football?
Metcalf will make his Pittsburgh debut in Week 1 after being traded to the Steelers early in the offseason. The 27-year-old played six seasons with the Seattle Seahawks and was a strong fantasy option in each of the past five years. In 2024, the 6-foot-4 wideout averaged a solid 12.7 PPR fantasy points per game.
Rodgers spinning it to DK pregame 🎯
Watch PITvsCAR-- 7pm ET on @NFLNetwork
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/6OXGCq1BTO— NFL (@NFL) August 21, 2025
Now, he'll have future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers throwing to him on a Steelers offense that lacks playmakers in the passing game. Therefore, Metcalf should be started in most cases in Week 1. However, expectations should be tempered for the wideout in his Pittsburgh debut.
Sauce Gardner will likely be matched up against Metcalf in this game, and Gardner is undoubtedly one of the best lockdown corners in the NFL. He ranked top-5 among all cornerbacks in man coverage success rate, target separation, and catch rate allowed. That's why RotoBaller has Metcalf ranked as the WR34 in PPR formats this week.
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