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Should you start TreVeyon Henderson, Kaleb Johnson, Dylan Sampson in fantasy football Week 1? Dan's fantasy outlooks for these rookie running backs in 2025.
The 2025 NFL season is officially underway. Every week matters, which means it is crucial to nail your lineup decisions even in Week 1.
Rookies are an excellent source of fantasy points if you can afford to embrace the risk. We have never seen these players perform at the NFL level and truly have no idea the kind of workload they will command in their first start.
Several rookie running backs will have a role in Week 1. Are any of them worth starting? Read below to find out about TreVeyon Henderson, Kaleb Johnson, and Dylan Sampson.
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Should I Start TreVeyon Henderson in Week 1?
TreVeyon Henderson had a successful preseason with the Patriots after being selected in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Henderson took his first touch for a 100-yard kick return touchdown. Additionally, he added four carries for 20 yards and a touchdown with three receptions for 12 yards.
TreVeyon Henderson - every rush/target - preseason game two https://t.co/9JzbW4DI1w pic.twitter.com/vCwUiAPUZ8
— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) August 17, 2025
Henderson will get plenty of use in New England’s backfield as a rookie, especially as a pass catcher. He will also spend a lot of time in a split backfield with veteran running back Rhamondre Steveson. Still, the rookie has the kind of explosiveness that can take any touch the distance and put up big fantasy points in a hurry.
The rookie running back should be considered a low-end RB2 heading into Week 1, but has plenty of upside against a Raiders team that can push the pace offensively with head coach Pete Carroll, offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, and quarterback Geno Smith in charge of the offense.
Should I Start Kaleb Johnson in Week 1?
There was quite a stir on social media when the Steelers released a depth chart that listed Kaleb Johnson as the third running back. While it is likely that Jaylen Warren is considered the lead back in the offense based on his experience, it is hard to imagine that Johnson, the team’s third-round pick, is buried heading into his first game.
Johnson handled 24 carries for 94 yards during the preseason while adding three receptions for 17 yards. The rookie running back looked much more comfortable as the preseason went on, flashing his patience and burst to gain yards on the ground.
The Steelers have a strong offensive line on the surface and should hopefully have a defense that can help them stay in positive or neutral game scripts.
It is fair to expect Johnson to be in an unfortunate split to start the season, which makes him hard to trust in Week 1. That said, if you need a player who can be a volume-dependent FLEX play, you can do worse than the rookie back.
Should I Start Dylan Sampson in Week 1?
Browns’ second-round pick Quinshon Judkins still hasn’t signed his rookie contract, setting up fourth-round rookie Dylan Sampson to have a role in Week 1. However, the rookie still won’t escape a split backfield with veteran Jerome Ford.
It seems like Cleveland will utilize Sampson as a rusher on early downs and lean on Ford’s experience in passing situations and the two-minute drill. Unfortunately, that leaves Sampson without the most valuable touches against the Cincinnati Bengals. Still, the Bengals don’t have a strong defense, so there could be plenty of room for Sampson to rush in Week 1.
Unfortunately, the early-down running back on the Browns just isn’t a valuable player to roster in fantasy football. That said, Sampson could have FLEX appeal, especially if Cleveland can keep the game close enough to keep running the ball.
Who Should I Start Tool
Not sure who to start? Check out the Who Should I Start tool:
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Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Some common Week 1 fantasy football lineup decisions are regarding players like TreVeyon Henderson, Kaleb Johnson, Dylan Sampson. But not to worry, we are here to help make these decisions and build winning lineups in Week 1. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups for Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season. Our free Who Should I Start? tool will help make your fantasy football lineup decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to start... all free! Get your winning lineups set, and make the right decisions.
Week 1 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players - TreVeyon Henderson, Kaleb Johnson, Dylan Sampson. These are some of the most common searches for fantasy football lineups in Week 1.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player's name. In the second box, search for the second player's name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Start? button to see who the recommended starts are based on weekly fantasy football matchups.
Improvements For Who Should I Start? You may have noticed, our Who Should I Start? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your fantasy football matchups each week. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, enhanced search results with data to compare, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Each week, our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football rankings and projections based on their research. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked. If someone is out for the week, they will not appear in the search results.
Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, Half-PPR scoring, or Standard (Non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do is to select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circles), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.
Popular Week 1 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 1 (2025)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
Popular Week 1 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 1 searches and comparisons from our 'Who To Start' tool for TreVeyon Henderson, Kaleb Johnson, Dylan Sampson compared to others:
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