RADIO
Trevor Lawrence, Drake Maye, Caleb Williams fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em picks for Week 1 (2025). Should you start or sit Trevor Lawrence, Drake Maye, Caleb Williams in Week 1?
Week 1 of the fantasy season is finally here. At this point, your league has drafted, and you are parsing through all the relevant information to figure out who should be in your lineup for Week 1.
Even though we are in the opening week of the season, many managers will have to make a close decision regarding their quarterback position.
Can fantasy managers start Trevor Lawrence, Drake Maye, and Caleb Williams in Week 1? Read below to find out.
Editor's Note: The FFPC Baby Gorilla Tournament is now open, featuring a $100,000 grand prize and a $675,450 total prize pool! This 12-team, Tight End Premium contest uses a 20-round draft format, with the overall winners determined by total points scored during Weeks 15–17. Get $25 to use toward your first entry by signing up through our link. Grab your team now! Sign Up Now!
Should I Start Trevor Lawrence in Week 1?
BALLER MOVE: Start in 12-team leagues
POSITIONAL VALUE: Low-end QB1
ANALYSIS: Trevor Lawrence has struggled at times during his NFL career. In 2022 and 2023, Lawrence posted back-to-back 4,000-yard campaigns, emerging as one of the sport's rising stars at the position. However, in 2024, the former first overall pick led with numerous injuries and was not very productive when on the field.
Through 10 games, the former Clemson standout posted an 11:7 TD:INT with a low 2,045 passing yards. On the ground, Lawrence punched in three scores and added 119 yards.
However, with former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen leading the Jacksonville coaching staff, Lawrence could be in store for a breakout campaign as he helped Baker Mayfield reach his potential last fall.
Lawrence already had an elite passer in Brian Thomas Jr. Still, the Jaguars went out and drafted the top receiver prospect, Travis Hunter, with the second overall pick. In addition, Lawrence has several capable options in the backfield in Travis Etienne Jr., Tank Bigsby, and rookie Bhayshul Tuten.
Facing a weak Carolina secondary, Lawrence could kickstart his career year in a big way in Week 1. While he carries some risk given his inconsistencies in the past, with a strong receiving room and a new coaching staff, Lawrence possesses top-12 upside in the season opener.
Trevor Lawrence Will Have More Control Over Jaguars Offense in 2025? https://t.co/VxdYslRWSL
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) August 30, 2025
Should I Start Drake Maye in Week 1?
BALLER MOVE: Start in 12+ team leagues
POSITIONAL VALUE: Low-end QB1
ANALYSIS: New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye took over the starting job in Week 6 and flashed high potential, despite playing in an offense that lacked true playmakers. During his first six games in the NFL, Maye averaged a strong 21.3 PPR points per game. During this stretch, the former third overall pick threw nine passing scores and added one on the ground.
Overall, Maye threw for 2,276 passing yards with 421 rushing yards. He found the back of the zone 15 items through the air and twice on the ground. Even though he threw 10 interceptions, Maye proved to be a viable fantasy asset in his ability to score points with his legs.
In his sophomore season, Maye could be poised to break out. In the offseason, the Patriots added top running back prospect TreVeyon Henderson in the second round and brought in veteran wideout Stefon Diggs to lead the passing game. They also selected rookie wideout Kyle Williams to pair with DeMario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte.
Facing a weak Las Vegas defense, Maye possesses a solid QB1 upside in his matchup in Week 1. While he may not have the highest floor as he could continue to show growing pains adapting to the Mike Vrabel system, his legs allow him to carry a safe floor with decent upside.
Drake Maye Begins Second Season with Favorable Matchup https://t.co/KsMX4tuzxg
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) September 6, 2025
Should I Start Caleb Williams in Week 1?
BALLER MOVE: Start in 12+ team leagues
POSITIONAL VALUE: Low-end QB1/high-end QB2
ANALYSIS: Caleb Williams entered the NFL with major expectations. Coming out of USC, Williams was viewed as one of the top QBs prospects in recent memory and was selected first overall by the Chicago Bears.
Unfortunately, Williams was unable to live up to expectations as the Bears were one of the worst teams in the sport and had a below-average offense. Williams was under constant pressure as he was sacked the most times in football. He threw 20 passing scores with six interceptions and 3,541 yards. On the ground, Williams ran for an impressive 489 yards, which raised his fantasy ceiling every week.
However, with Ben Johnson taking over head coaching duties, Williams appears poised for a successful second season. In addition, the Bears spent most of the offseason remaking their offensive line. They also selected top tight end prospect Colston Loveland in the draft, which should provide Williams with another elite option in the middle of the field.
With two top wideouts on the outside, DJ Moore and Rome Odunze, and a proven running back in D'Andre Swift behind him, Williams is a top breakout pick.
Despite this, it may be best to fade him in Week 1. Williams will have a tall task in going against a tough Minnesota defense. While his rushing ability does raise his floor, he is best to keep on the bench in most standard leagues. However, managers in deeper 12+ team leagues, looking for an upside option, albeit with risk, should consider starting Williams.
Caleb Williams Rediscovering Himself In Second Season https://t.co/YRjPpl3C0j
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) August 28, 2025
Who Should I Start Tool
Not sure who to start? Check out the Who Should I Start tool:
Compare up to four players and we'll tell you who to start...
Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Some common Week 1 fantasy football lineup decisions are regarding players like Trevor Lawrence, Drake Maye, and Caleb Williams. 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 - Trevor Lawrence, Drake Maye, Caleb Williams. 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 name. In the second box, search for the second player 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 circle), 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 Trevor Lawrence, Drake Maye, Caleb Williams compared to others:
More Fantasy Football Analysis
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!
